The American Dental Association has revised its guidelines for sedation and general anesthesia in dentistry.
The updates, developed by experts from eight dental and medical organizations, mark the first comprehensive revisions in nearly a decade, the ADA said April 20.
Five notes:
1. The new guidelines apply to the use and teaching of sedation and general anesthesia in dentistry, according to a news release from the ADA.
2. Among the changes are recommendations from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, documentation for weight-based dosing and the addition of body mass index to baseline vital signs.
3. The ADA now recommends supplemental oxygen for moderate sedation through general anesthesia. Additionally, the organization emphasized education, emergency preparedness and documented protocols with regular training drills for dental professionals.
4. The ADA’s new education guidelines reflect standards from the Commission on Dental Accreditation and outline requirements for minimal and moderate sedation.
5. The ADA House of Delegates has directed the Council on Dental Education and Licensure to develop guidelines for the use of sedation and general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry. Until those are adopted, the ADA said it supports clinical recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. It also supports pediatric dentistry teaching guidelines from the Council on Dental Education and Licensure.
To view the full recommendations, click here.
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