Posted: July 7, 2011
American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists Submits Specialty Recognition Application to the American Dental Association
Vienna, VA – July 6, 2011 -- The American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists (ASDA) has submitted its Application for Recognition of Anesthesiology as a Dental Specialty to the American Dental Association (ADA). The announcement was made by ASDA president Michael Mashni, DDS. The application will be addressed by ADA’s 2012 House of Delegates.
“Our organization believes that it is vital that the provision of anesthesia be codified as a part of organized dentistry,” said Dr. Mashni. “Submitting this application for specialty recognition is the logical next step.” The ASDA also adopted new Parameters of Care for Dentist Anesthesiologists during the General Assembly of Members earlier this year.
The ASDA asserts that recognition of dental anesthesiology is mandatory to extending access to care to compromised or dentally-disadvantaged patients. The patients facing formidable barriers to care who most often require anesthesia for non-surgical procedures include:
• those with tremor disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease for whom involuntary movement could cause injury;
• older adults with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, who may be unable to cooperate;
• children and adults on the autism spectrum who may have communications challenges;
• children with ADD or ADHD for whom sitting still for extended periods of time may be impossible;
• those with developmental disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, who may be unable to follow directions;
• patients with cerebral palsy or other conditions that cause involuntary muscle motion;
• patients with psychiatric disorders such as psychosis or schizophrenia;
• toddlers and children whose teeth are diseased from baby bottle tooth decay; and
• patients who are fearful or traumatized by dental treatment.
“Both the adoption of the Parameters of Care and the Application for Recognition of Anesthesiology as a Dental Specialty are designed with our patients in mind,” noted Dr. Mashni. “Dentist Anesthesiologists provide the full spectrum of anesthesia services to meet every patient challenge. In many cases, the use of anesthesia allows for far more humane treatment of patients, especially those with special needs or complex medical challenges,” he added.
“Ultimately,” said Dr. Mashni, “the ASDA’s Application for Recognition of Anesthesiology as a Dental Specialty is designed to enhance the capabilities of the dental team and improve patient care by removing barriers.”
About The American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists
The American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists is an organization of dentists who have completed an additional two- to three-year post-doctoral program devoted exclusively to anesthesiology. There are approximately 275 ASDA members in the United States and Canada. The majority provide anesthesia services for other dentists in both general and specialty practices— most often pediatric dentists, periodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, endodontists and prosthodontists—traveling with a fully-equipped mobile practice. About 20% of ASDA members perform dentistry and concurrently administer and monitor anesthesia. There are currently 10 post-graduate programs in dental anesthesiology in the United States and Canada.
The protocol for dental anesthesia is to replicate the environment that would be found in a hospital operating room, and ASDA members have a highly distinguished safety record. ASDA members use hospital-grade operating room patient monitors, and are experienced in advanced airway management. All are certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and/or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) protocols.
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