Trends in death associated with pediatric dental sedation and general anesthesia

ConclusionsThis series of media reports likely represent only a fraction of the overall morbidity and mortality related to dental anesthesia. These data may indicate an association between mortality and pediatric dental procedures under sedation, particularly in office settings. However, these relationships are difficult to test in the absence of a database that could provide an estimate of incidence and prevalence of morbidity and mortality. With growing numbers of children receiving anesthesia for dental procedures from providers with variable training, it is imperative to be able to track anesthesia?related adverse outcomes. Creating a national database of adverse outcomes will enable future research to advance patient safety and quality. (Source: Pediatric Anesthesia)
MedWorm: Dentistry