Dental sedation is the use of medications to help patients relax, feel calm, or even sleep during dental procedures. Depending on the type of sedation used, the experience may range from simply reducing anxiety while still being awake, to achieving a deeper level of relaxation where patients may have little or no memory of the procedure. Methods include nitrous oxide inhalation, oral medication, intravenous (IV) sedation, and general anesthesia. Generally speaking, our office performs general anesthesia. The goal of dental sedation is to provide a more comfortable and stress-free dental experience, especially for patients who have anxiety, need extensive dental work, or have difficulty tolerating traditional procedures.

If your dentist recommends sedation for you or your child’s dental procedure, their office will notify us so we can begin the process. We will email you the necessary paperwork and information, and you will also receive a phone call confirming receipt and giving you the opportunity to ask questions. The anesthesiologist will review the medical history once your completed paperwork and deposit are submitted. If cleared, we will inform your dentist that the procedure is ready to be scheduled, and their office will contact you directly to confirm the date and time.

Yes, when administered by qualified and properly trained professionals, sedation dentistry is considered safe. Our anesthesia providers conduct a detailed pre-assessment to evaluate each patient’s medical history and overall health to ensure they are appropriate candidates. During the procedure, patients are closely monitored using hospital grade equipment that tracks vital signs such as oxygen levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. Providers are trained to respond quickly to any changes, making office-based sedation both effective and reliable. Safety is our top priority, and protocols are in place to ensure the best outcomes for every patient.

We provide a cost estimator tool to help you understand the financial responsibility (https://www.csamdllc.com/codes). All procedures are subject to a one-hour minimum. By adjusting the estimator to reflect the time estimated by your dentist, you will be able to see an approximate cost. You may also contact your insurance provider with the procedure codes to learn more about their reimbursement policies. Office-based sedation is typically less expensive than hospital anesthesia, since it avoids additional hospital and facility fees. While sedation does represent an added cost, many patients find the comfort, convenience, and ability to complete necessary treatment well worth the investment.

We do not accept insurance and are considered non-participating/out-of-network with all medical insurance providers. We do not contact insurance companies on your behalf pre- or post-procedure. However, once your procedure is complete, we will provide you with a superbill that includes all relevant diagnoses and procedure codes. You may submit this to your medical insurance for possible reimbursement. To help plan ahead, you may use our cost estimator (https://www.csamdllc.com/codes), which allows you to see an estimated balance and request a sample superbill to share with your insurance company when inquiring about reimbursement rates.