ABSTRACT
Intravenous sedation is a vital element in the practice of dentistry and in particular it is a means for anxious patients who otherwise may be unable to accept treatment to undergo procedures comfortably. To practise with intravenous sedation it is necessary for the practitioner to undergo further training such as is provided by the Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control) within the University of Sydney. Further, it requires a philosophic commitment to the understanding of the patient's anxieties. Intravenous Sedation is also suitable for the longer procedures and oral surgery. If practising without sedation the dentist should nevertheless be sensitive to situations where treatment can be more effectively and comfortably carried out with this modality, and support the efforts within the profession to uphold the ability to provide this service safely and within the appropriate guidelines.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Dental , Anesthesia, Intravenous , Conscious Sedation/methods , Anesthesiology/education , Anesthetics, Intravenous/administration & dosage , Anesthetics, Intravenous/adverse effects , Dental Anxiety/prevention & control , Dental Care/psychology , Dentist-Patient Relations , Education, Dental , Humans , Philosophy, Dental , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Risk AssessmentABSTRACT
The Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control) of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, is the first dedicated programme devoted to this field in Australia. Its development followed a decision by the Dental Board of New South Wales to require a formal qualification from the University of Sydney before dental practitioners could offer sedation and pain management in practice. The programme is conducted at Westmead Hospital in conjunction with the Department of Anaesthetics, and satisfies the guidelines developed by the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The course is conducted either over one or two years, with block sessions requiring attendance at Westmead Hospital, together with assignments which are completed outside the block sessions. In this way, a dental practitioner enrolled in the programme is able to continue practice. The block sessions need not be completed over one year, but must be completed within two years.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Dental , Anesthesiology/education , Conscious Sedation , Education, Dental, Continuing , Anesthesia, Dental/history , Australia , Credentialing , Curriculum , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , HumansABSTRACT
The surgical removal of third molars is a frequently carried out procedure under day-stay general anesthesia. Economic considerations and the demand on hospital facilities together with the reduced incidence of morbidity suggest that intravenous sedation is an excellent alternative modality. Thirty cases of third molar surgery with intravenous sedation are described wherein excellent operating conditions and reduced morbidity are reported.
