Information for patients and families

In short: your dentist provides the dental treatment, and an anaesthetist provides your sedation or anaesthetic through ADAG. Before the day, the anaesthetist needs to review your health and talk with you about the plan, your consent and the anaesthetic fee. Follow the written instructions you are given about eating, drinking and medicines, and arrange a responsible adult to take you home.

Two people, two roles

Your dental practice plans and carries out the dental treatment, books your appointment and gives you advice about caring for your mouth afterwards.

Your anaesthetist reviews your health, explains the sedation or anaesthetic with its risks and alternatives, asks for your consent, tells you the anaesthetic fee, looks after you during the treatment and while you recover, and decides when you are ready to go home.

Before your appointment

• A health review. ANZCA’s guideline on preparing patients for anaesthesia calls a consultation with the anaesthetist beforehand essential. Your dental practice can tell you how and when yours will happen. Have a list of your medicines and allergies ready.
• Consent and the fee. You can ask questions and take time to decide. The anaesthetic fee is separate from the dental fee, and ANZCA treats knowing what you will pay as part of informed consent.
• Eating, drinking and medicines. Follow the written instructions from your anaesthetist exactly, because they differ from person to person. Do not stop a regular medicine unless you are told to.
• Getting home. You will need a responsible adult to take you home. Your anaesthetist will also tell you whether someone needs to stay with you afterwards, and for how long. Arrange this before the day.
• An interpreter. If you would like a professional interpreter, ask your dental practice when you book. The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is on 131 450.

Parents and carers: whether a child can have sedation or anaesthesia in a dental practice is decided by the anaesthetist after reviewing them, so ask the practice first. The Australian Society of Anaesthetists publishes pamphlets on anaesthesia for children in English, Arabic and other languages.

Plain-English guides

Sleep Dental is an education website published on behalf of ADAG’s founder, Dr Walid Aly. Its guides go into much more depth than this page, and each one lists its Australian sources.

• What is sleep dentistry?What the phrase can mean, from relaxing gas to being fully asleep.
• Levels of sedationMinimal, moderate and deep sedation and general anaesthesia, and how they differ.
• IV sedation or a general anaesthetic?How the two compare for dental treatment.
• Preparing for dental sedationA checklist for the days before.
• After your procedureRecovery, the first day at home and when to get help.
• Wisdom teeth and oral surgeryAnaesthetic options and recovery for oral surgery.
• A child's dental general anaestheticFor parents: preparing a child and the day itself.
• Questions and answersShort answers to the questions people ask most.

For anaesthesia more generally, Dr Aly’s website explains preparing for anaesthesia and understanding your anaesthetic account, and healthdirect has an overview of general anaesthetics.

Questions and emergencies

Questions about your own treatment should go to your dental practice or your anaesthetist, who know your health and your plan. If you contact ADAG through this website, please leave medical details out of the message.

In an emergency, call 000. For health advice by phone at any hour, healthdirect is on 1800 022 222.

In an emergency, call 000. This information is general and does not replace advice from your treating practitioner.