Why use a sedation service in your practice?
Since the 1990s, with the end of GA in general practice, conscious sedation has become the mainstay for nervous patients to access the treatment they need in general practice.
As treatments have become more complex, so the need to sedation has increased.
However, training to provide sedation yourself is time consuming and requires careful consideration of the standards expected of us as professionals laid out in IACSD. With the pressures of running a successful business and keeping in top of everything that involves, adding another layer of complexity can feel like a step too far. It’s not for everyone.
Each of us has reached a point at which we think “There is nothing more I can do for this patient. I’ll have to refer”. This is limiting and frustrating, and holding us back in our career development.
This need not be the case. Bringing in a dedicated dental sedationist to assist you means the joy and satisfaction of helping nervous patients (not to mention revenue and challenge) will not walk out of your practice.
An experienced set of eyes
You might be a young dentist, wanting to complete a long treatment plan, but your patient is too nervous.
Having an experienced dentist in the room with you providing sedation
can be a useful sounding board and support for you.
A reliable team member
Or you might be a more experienced dentist, already embarked on your implant journey,
and need to get the right team in place around you.
A sedation mentor
You may have completed your sedation training and looking for a colleague who is
available to mentor you as you build cases in your portfolio.
Whatever is the case, we are here to help and support you in your development.
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What you can expect from Us
Everything we need to sedate: drugs, consumables, paperwork, etc.
Excellent communication with you and your patient.
A patient who is fully prepared for sedation.
Professional collaboration with an experienced dental colleague. We want to build a relationship with you that lasts.
Personal and easy booking procedure.
Assistance and guidance with CQC compliance and with the expected standards for sedation practice.
Contemporaneous records.
Up to date certification for any of our sedationists upon request.
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What we need from you
Information about your case to get us started. You can provide this using the easy upload form here.
At least 2 members of staff to be ILS trained.
Somewhere to sit and some space to set up our equipment.
Up to date and functioning AED, emergency oxygen and emergency drugs kit. We won’t be using them, but they need to be in readily available.
A protected space for recovery, with an assistant.
Clinical waste disposal.
Some FAQs…
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Yes.
You do the drilling. We ‘ll look after your patient.
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The requirements for sedation in dentistry are laid out in a document called Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care.
This document informs our entire process and our record keeping takes care of all the requirements, as far as we possibly can for you. But there are some more hoops you have to jump through-
You need to have a sedation policy in your folder of policies.
You need to keep a log of sedations carried out at your practice.
You need to audit the sedation records.
please contact Jess if you would like example copies of these documents, although your compliance software/provider will often have them. They are not arduous to fill out!
You also need to inform CQC that you provide sedation at your premises, so they can add it to the list of things they check.
And the final requirement is that all members of staff present in the sedation room should have ILS or equivalent training. This is an upgrade on the yearly BLS training we all have to undertake, and is focused on attaining better outcomes in medical emergencies, so not a bad thing at all for your practice!
There is a list of ILS training providers and more information about it here.
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A single hour booking is from £300.
Multiple hour bookings are from £250 per hour.
Intranasal induction is a supplement of £100.
Please ask Jess if you would like a quote.
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You can contact me directly- call, text or WhatsApp me on 07594 869300. I handle all my own booking so you will always get a personal service.
Or you can head to the booking page to select an available session and provisionally book. I will review the booking and confirm ASAP.
If possible please book Mondays Tuesdays and Saturdays, as these are my dedicated sedation days.
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Single drug sedation is the gold standard for IV conscious sedation, with a proven safety record.
We primarily sedate intravenously with Midazolam or Remimazolam. This gives the patient anxiolysis, relaxation and amnesia.
Occasionally we start the sedation with intranasal Midazolam and lidocaine, if the patient is very needle phobic. This requires extra time and incurs a supplemental fee.
Multidrug IV sedation has its place in primary care dentistry, and should be chosen with careful case selection, not as blanket for all patients, as it is higher risk.
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Conscious sedation in dentistry is a safe, drug-induced technique used to relax anxious patients during procedures while keeping them awake, conscious, and able to respond to verbal commands. It uses sedatives to reduce fear, anxiety, and pain, often leaving little to no memory of the treatment.
The patient should be able to vocalise if there is a problem, and should be in full control of their swallowing, blinking and breathing reflexes.
It is not deep or procedural sedation, where the patient may lose consciousness. this level of sedation is not appropriate, or legal, in primary care.
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Your patient needs to be fit and well, or have well controlled medical conditions. They should fall into categories ASA categories I and II.
They need to have a BMI of 35 or under, so that the sedation is safe and predictable.
Generally they need to be at least 16 years old. Our sedationist Elise Morgan can sedate 14-16 year olds
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No.
This is not necessary as the sedationist’s attention is focused entirely on the patient and not doing dentistry.
But if you have one it would be nice!