If a child or adult needs anesthesia for a treatment in the hospital, an anesthetist will focus 100 percent of their attention to taking care of the anesthesia and monitoring the vitals and breathing of the patient. While the doctor focuses all of their attention on performing the procedure. This isn’t always the case with dentistry.
Dental Anesthesia: Make Safety A Priority
The Dental Board of California conducted a review of the pediatric dental anesthesia. It showed a significant scientific consensus that this model of single operator anesthetist unnecessary puts patients at risk. The required safe standards for other health care situations should be the same for pediatric dental anesthesia.
“Many medical experts say it’s unsafe for dentists to administer anesthesia in kids while also doing dental work.” NBC. These experts are recommending dentists no longer perform dental work while administering anesthesia. Requiring a separate nurse anesthetist.
The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation addresses the risks involved with the Single-Provider-Operator-Anesthetist Model for Dental Deep Sedation/Anesthesia
“The AAP guideline clearly stated the skills required for administering deep sedation: The person administering/directing the sedation must be “able to provide advanced pediatric life support and capable of rescuing a child with apnea, laryngospasm, explicit or airway obstruction. Required skills include the ability to open the airway, suction secretions, provide CPAP, insert supraglottic devices (oral airway, nasal trump, laryngeal mask airway) and perform successful bag-valve-mask ventilation, tracheal intubation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.” It explicitly states that there must be an independent observer whose only responsibility is to observe the patient and is capable of assisting with or managing emergencies. The AAP model is a multiple-provider-sedation-care team whereby multiple individuals are immediately present to initiate rescue.
Having anesthesia provider CRNA, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, brought to your dental office will make the procedure safer. Rather than having the dentist do both the anesthesia and procedure. Each person has a unique response to medication used for sedation. A licensed and qualified anesthesia professional in the office focuses only on the patient safety, vigilance, and monitoring.
Blue Sky Anesthesia Associates has teamed up with dentist throughout New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont to bring safe, hospital level IV sedation to allow patients to jump over their hurdle of dental anxiety and get the dental care they need.
Just contact Blue Sky Anesthesia Associates for more information or any questions.
