ADA Foundation funds training in use of sedation, anesthesia
Advances in dental technology offer a greater range of treatments in dental offices, and the ADA Foundation is taking a proactive step to help ensure patient safety through a $100,000 grant to the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Research Foundation Inc.
The grant will fund development of curriculum materials and advanced training to help dentists better prevent, recognize and treat exceedingly rare complications and emergencies that may arise in a dental setting from sedation and anesthesia. 聽
The training will be a combination of electronic-mediated written materials and a laboratory practice component based on the latest scientific knowledge and techniques on the use of sedation and anesthesia, giving special emphasis to airway management and emergencies.
“At a time when dentists are increasing their use of sedation and anesthesia in the dental office, there is a critical need for an advanced course that focuses on emergency management,” said ADA Foundation President Arthur Dugoni.
“As dentistry’s premier philanthropic and charitable organization,” Dr. Dugoni continued, “the ADA Foundation is taking this opportunity to meet that need, and to fulfill its mission of educating dentists and promoting public and oral health.”
The grantee will also carry out pilot testing of the proposed course. The ADA Foundation will then partner with the ADA to make the course widely available in 2009.
State dental boards will be encouraged to accept this course as an alternative to currently required emergency certification courses for dental professionals providing sedation and anesthesia. ADA member dentists seeking more information should contact the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure at Ext. 2694.
The ADA Foundation provides grants on a rotational basis for sustainable programs in dental research, education and access to dental care. The current grant is part of an education-related ADA Foundation Request for Proposals for 2008. The ADA approved new anesthesiology guidelines in the fall of 2007. To view the current guidelines and policy statement on anesthesia and pain control, go to ADA.org.聽