Emission of electromagnetic radiation - quantum versus classical

Classically, only accelerated charges (or, more generally, time-varying electric or magnetic multipole moments) can emit electromagnetic radiation. On the other hand, quantum mechanically, electromagnetic radiation from atoms or molecules is emitted when excited neutral atoms or molecules de-excite from a higher energy level to a lower level.

Can we think of such quantum-mechanical de-excitation transitions as involving the acceleration of charges inside the atom or molecule, or, more generally, as involving time-varying electric or magnetic multipole moments?