A survey of paediatric dental anaesthesia in Scotland

A postal survey of NHS hospital-based anaesthetists providing out-patient anaesthesia for dental procedures in children under 10 years of age was conducted in February 1999. Information was sought about quality of care and common practice in Scotland. The experience of the anaesthetists involved in such work was substantial, but the monitoring used did not meet current standards, with only 16% of respondents indicating use of a full range of standard devices. Separate recovery facilities were available to 99%, and all had access to a defibrillator, but the qualifications of dedicated assistant and recovery staff were lacking in 14 and 30%, respectively. Intravenous access was not obtained routinely after inhalational induction of anaesthesia by up to 71% (49%, never; 22%, sometimes). Systemic analgesia or local anaesthesia was used by 88%. Discharge times ranged from 10 min to 6 h.