Paediatric conscious sedation: views and experience of specialists in paediatric dentistry.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives were three-fold: to investigate the level of conscious sedation training received prior to and during specialist training in paediatric dentistry; to establish the use of conscious sedation during and following specialisation; and to determine the attitudes of specialists in paediatric dentistry to conscious sedation.


METHODS
A self-administered postal questionnaire was sent to all specialists in paediatric dentistry registered with the General Dental Council in January 2008. Non-responders were contacted again after a four-week period.


RESULTS
A response rate of 60% was achieved. Of the 122 respondents, 67 (55%) had received sedation training as an undergraduate; 89 (75%) had been trained during specialisation. All respondents performed dental treatment under sedation as a trainee and the majority used nitrous oxide inhalation sedation (NOIS). Over 90% of respondents felt that NOIS should be available to all children, both in appropriate primary care settings and in hospitals. One hundred and twenty-one (99%) respondents thought that all trainees in paediatric dentistry should have sedation training.


CONCLUSIONS
The most popular form of sedation amongst specialists in paediatric dentistry was NOIS. However, some of the respondents felt that children should have access to other forms of sedation in both the primary care and hospital settings. Additional research on other forms of sedation is required to evaluate their effectiveness and safety.
Woolley
S M
SM
Cardiff University School of Dentistry, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XY. woolleysm@cardiff.ac.uk
Hingston
E J
EJ
Shah
J
J
Chadwick
B L
BL
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D004497:Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008020:Life Support Care; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000193:education; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D009609:Nitrous Oxide