ADA adopts dental anesthesiology as recognized specialty

The American Dental Association voted to adopt dental anesthesiology as the 10th recognized dental specialty, according to a news post by Los Angeles-based University of Southern California.

"The entire specialty effort had been ongoing since the early 1980s," said James Tom, DDS, associate professor at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC and former American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists president.

Dental anesthesiology specialty educators will be able to emphasize pain and anxiety control in clinical practice. "Dentistry still has a tough stigma to overcome when our patient population fears treatment and demonizes aspects of dental care in popular culture," Dr. Tom said.

The three-year dental anesthesiologist residency program will train anesthesiologists to care for patients with special healthcare needs and pediatric populations. Program graduates will be eligible for a general anesthesia permit from any state dental board.

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