Use of sedative agents by pediatric dentists: a 15-year follow-up survey

This is why St. Joes doesn't sedate. A remix of the super famous post-sedation video.

Department of Pediatric Dentistry

Lutheran Medical Center

Kris Hendricks Date: 04-08-09

Article title: Use of sedative agents by pediatric dentists: a 15-year follow-up survey

Author(s): Milton Houpt, DDS, PhD

Journal: Pediatric Dentistry

Volume (number): 24:298-294

Month, Year: 2002

Major topic: Sedation

Minor topics: N/A

Type of Article: Scientific Article

Main Purpose:

To survey the countries pediatric dentists to see how frequently practitioners are using sedation.

Overview of method of research:

Survey

Findings:

Compared to practitioners 15 years ago sedation is being used more frequently by pediatric dentists.

This is mostly due to a number of practitioners who are very heavy users of sedation.

Key points/Summary :

Most pediatric dentists are actually not using sedation regularly.

About half of pediatric dentists are using Nitrous less than 11% of the time.

80% of pediatric dentists are performing sedations less than 10% of the time.

80% of sedations were performed by 20% of the responding pediatric dentists.

Assessment of article:

The findings of this article are good news for those of us at St. Joe's where we don't believe in conscious sedation.

I would be interested to find out how often general dentists are sedating kids, since I know more general dentists

who regularly sedate children than I do pediatric specialists.