Photos by Ray Bryant , Bryant Studios
Genevieve Ferran , LSDA Patient Coordinator , manages all of the doctors ’ schedules and arranges consultations with the patient ’ s physicians about any medical concerns that might affect the individualized anesthesia plan .
Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards . Dentist anesthesiologists complete a threeyear residency program with 24 months dedicated to clinical anesthesia including six months of anesthesia exclusively for dental patients . Dentist anesthesiologists work in the operating room delivering anesthesia for all types of medical and dental cases . Specialty training for dental anesthesia closely parallels physician training and typically requires rotations through a variety of medical disciplines , such as physical medicine , internal medicine , cardiology , emergency medicine , obstetrics and gynecology , neurology , and orthopedics .
During training , dentist anesthesiologists must complete a minimum of 800 cases of deep sedation / general anesthesia , at least 300 endotracheal intubations , 50 nasal intubations , and 25 other advanced airway techniques . These numbers are generally greatly exceeded in the day to day experience of the resident providing anesthesia . Dentist anesthesiologists develop proficiency in pediatric anesthesia and treating complex patients with special anesthesia needs during their specialty training . They must provide anesthesia for at least 125 children under 12 years of age and at least 75 patients with special needs .
Dentists will find it easy and convenient to schedule appointments using LSDA ’ s simplified online scheduling system , which allows them to book appointments directly on the HIPAA-secure website .
Children with special needs require specialized anesthesia care . As Dr . Hasan Zia explains , “ They are not just small adults . These patients often require extensive dental procedures and may present with medical conditions that accompany their specific disabilities , syndromes , and disorders . They may have heart defects , brittle bones , contractures , developmental differences , or other physiological or psychological concerns that require consideration during anesthesia . For example , a child with hypotonia is more subject to aspiration , so they cannot be sedated at the same level . A child with spasticity or muscular contracture may not be able to straighten a limb for IV placement . Their care requires special expertise developed through clinical experience and training .”
Although LSDA provides office-based anesthesia care for patients of all ages , outpatient dental anesthesia is especially well-suited for pediatric patients . Dr . Noora Ayyash adds , “ Young patients in particular are most comfortable in their own dentist ’ s office because it ’ s familiar and welcoming . In addition , our training has prepared us to understand the perspectives of both patients and their parents so we can relate to them in a calm , reassuring way . The fact that our pediatric patients and their families feel at ease really helps ensure a positive experience and the best possible outcome .”
The requirements of this specialty training are unique compared with any other medical or dental residency training program and , in some cases , even exceed physician anesthesiologist residency standards ( 125 vs . 100 children < 12 years ). In addition to extensive clinical experience , the rigorous curriculum also includes physical diagnosis and evaluation , behavioral medicine , methods of anxiety and pain control , and management of anesthetic complications and emergencies .
In addition , dentist anesthesiologists are required to complete a certain number of cases outside the hospital . They learn how to deal with emergencies and what kind of equipment is needed to safely and securely achieve desired outcomes in the dental office setting .
The advantages of dual training
With knowledge and highly refined skills in both dentistry and dental anesthesia , dentist anesthesiologists can specifically tailor the level of anesthesia to meet the needs of both the patient and the dentist . For example , certain steps in dental-surgical procedures may stimulate sensation or require varying degrees of patient cooperation , such as checking occlusion , taking impressions requiring soft tissue border molding , or taking a bite registration . A dentist anesthesiologist can anticipate these needs and adjust the depth of anesthesia accordingly throughout the different stages of treatment , allowing for a seamless operative experience . Improved efficiency translates into the abilwww . northtexasdentistry . com | NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY 7