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.

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.

But 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. Don’t allow the joy and satisfaction of helping nervous patients (not to mention revenue and challenge) walk out of your practice.

Building a good relationship with colleagues and helping them to treat their patients without restrictions is what this is all about for me.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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, I am here to help and support you in your development.

  • What you can expect from me

    Everything I 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. I 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.

  • What I need from you

    Information about your case to get me started. You can provide this to me using the easy upload form here.

    Somewhere to sit and some worktop or a trolley to set up my equipment.

    Up to date and functioning AED, emergency oxygen and emergency drugs kit. I won’t be using them, but they need to be in the room.

    During recovery, time and space, and a member of staff to be present.

    Clinical waste disposal.

Some FAQs…

  • Yes.

    You do the drilling. I’ll look after your patient.

  • Call, text or WhatsApp me on 07594 869300. I handle all my own booking so you will always get a personal service.

    My dedicated sedation days are Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.

    I can be available on the other days, with a little juggling. Please reach out and ask.

  • A single hour booking is from £300.

    Multiple hour bookings are from £250 per hour.

    Intranasal induction is a supplement of £100.

    A half day book is £900.

    Please ask me if you want further details.

  • Single drug sedation is the gold standard for dental conscious sedation, with a proven safety record.

    I primarily sedate intravenously with Midazolam. This gives the patient anxiolysis, relaxation and amnesia.

    I do also sedate with Remimazolam, which is a new benzodiazepine with very similar effects to Midazolam. It is good for a quick induction and short procedures. It wears off very fast.

    Occasionally I start the sedation with intranasal Midazolam and lidocaine, if someone is very needle phobic. This requires a little extra time and incurs a supplemental fee.

  • 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.

    They need to be at least 16 years old.

  • 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 my entire process and my record keeping takes care of all the requirements, as far as I possible can for you. But there are some more hoops you have to jump through-

    • You need to have 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.

    I have copies of all these documents which I am happy to provide you with if your compliance software does not already provide 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 aimed at better outcomes in medical emergencies, so no bad thing at all for your practice!

    I have a list of ILS training providers here.

    It is worth mentioning that the standards are about to be updated in Spring 2025 to move away from ILS, so watch this space!

  • No.

    This is not necessary as my attention is focused entirely on the patient and I’m not doing the dentistry.