Expertise Matters for Dental Anesthesia

Anesthesia is one of the most important parts of dental surgery. Not only does anesthesia provide pain management, but it also keeps you safe from moving or interrupting the surgery. As such, it’s important to review this aspect with your doctor before the day of your surgery arrives. Understanding potential side effects, recovery expectations, and how to prepare is all part of your dental surgery process. But nothing is as important as feeling confident in your provider.

You want to feel comfortable and that you are in good hands from the moment you arrive on the day of your surgery to when you leave. To feel confident in the success of your surgery, expertise matters. At Cumberland Surgical Arts, our doctors and staff are trained to make sure that your anesthesia experience is safe and that you are most comfortable.

Here’s what we do to ensure your safety at every step:

Surgical Time-Out

This practice is taken straight from hospital operating rooms. To ensure that the procedure team, patient, and physicians are aligned on the specific surgical plan, a short time-out is taken right before the anesthesia is administered and the surgery begins. As The Joint Commission states, “Taking a time out is actually a team effort, with every member in the surgical suite or procedure room accountable to the patient and his or her teammates.”

During the time-out, the entire team stops to go over the patient’s medical history, the procedure they are about to perform, and any other important issues related to the surgery. We are trained to treat an office-based surgery like a hospital-based surgery, complete with safety standards and utmost care. Everyone in the room must agree on the surgical plan before the procedure starts. By dedicating time before the surgery to focus on the details, mistakes can be avoided or eliminated and the procedure will start correctly.

One-on-One Care

While you have been preparing for your surgery, you may have been surprised to see that it feels more like it’s a team effort. Your dentist may have referred you to Cumberland Surgical Arts. We have discussed the treatment plan and surgery with you and any family or friends you brought for support. We have worked with you and your caretaker that you brought on the day of your procedure and made sure everyone is on the same page with recovery instructions. We believe in a team effort every step of the way to make sure you are as comfortable as possible.

That’s why we stick by your side (literally) throughout the day of your procedure. You will be paired with a designated Surgical Assistant who takes you into the procedure room. He or she is with you during the entire surgery and stays with you during your in-office recovery time. These assistants are also anesthesia assistants who are trained to monitor you while you recover from anesthesia. They alert the surgeon to any concerns, ensuring you are doing as expected and meet the established criteria to be discharged home. We believe that this level of individual care keeps you safe – and makes you feel most comfortable.

Training

The training to deliver office-based anesthesia is unique to the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery. In fact, there is not another specialty in either medicine or dentistry that combines surgical training and anesthesia training as part of the residency program. Oral surgeons are unique in that they can safely administer anesthesia while performing the surgery. That comes from years of advanced training that is integral to the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral surgeons complete four years of dental school. Some oral surgeons, like Dr. Lee, also complete medical school and are referred to as “dual degree oral surgeons.” Whether they are a single degree oral surgeon or a dual degree oral surgeon, they spend an additional four years in a hospital-based surgical residency program that includes emergency medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology, in addition to other specialties. Other than anesthesiologists, they are the only healthcare specialists who can administer all levels of sedation, including general anesthesia, as provided by their state licensure as the operating surgeon.

Both Dr. DeFelice and Dr. Lee are board certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr. DeFelice is a Diplomate of The National Board of Dental Anesthesia. Becoming a licensed, board certified physician means meeting the most rigorous training and continuing education offered in the field of medicine. Certification of physicians is a way of telling consumers that doctors with this credentialing have successfully completed approved training and have passed an evaluation process assessing their ability to provide quality patient care in their specialty. Board certification is a good indication that your doctor has made a commitment to continuing education and is keeping up with the latest findings in his field. Like anything in life, there is a level of comfort associated with expertise and experience.

There are many benefits to having surgery in the office of Cumberland Surgical Arts. We have the training and expertise to provide one-on-one patient care. It’s the commitment to education and continued learning that makes our staff able to handle every aspect of your surgery delicately and effectively. Our doctors have the training necessary to provide anesthesia safely during your surgery.

With Cumberland Surgical Arts, you can feel safe. We have the training needed to make your surgery a success. Click here to schedule your consultation.