title: A comparison of certain practice characteristics of dental anesthesiologists in Canada and the United States.
abstract: An existing database was used to compare aspects of dental anesthesiology practice of dental anesthesiologists in Canada (n = 32) and the United States (n = 123). Data focusing on percutaneous injuries were obtained through a mailed questionnaire that was returned anonymously. Respondents provided information on the treatment of patients under deep sedation or general anesthesia only. Eighty-one percent of Canadians and 61% of Americans returned the questionnaire. The vast majority (84%) of injuries reported were due to sharps associated with general dentistry compared with those associated with anesthesiology. Canadians were more likely to be operator-anesthetists (P < .01) and to experience a percutaneous injury (P < .01) than US practitioners. American practitioners were more likely to have a greater proportion of the caseload under the age of 20 (P < .02). No other significant differences were observed. These results illustrate a number of unique attributes of the practice of dental anesthesiology in these 2 countries.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Suljak
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Leake
mesh_terms: D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000776:Anesthesiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload