Abstract
Background: In 2020 a private mobile paediatric intravenous sedation (IVS) service was established for low-risk children in the south-east of England in line with UK Standards for dental sedation. This study aims to assess the outcomes of this service over a four-year period.
Materials and methods: A retrospective evaluation was carried out, including all paediatric dental patients sedated by the IVS service between the1st October 2020 and 30th September 2024.
Results: A total of 274 sedations were included. The mean age was 8.99 years old. No serious adverse events occurred. Eight patients (2.9%) experienced transient post-sedation nausea/vomiting. A total of 271 patients were successfully sedated, a success rate of 98.9%.
Conclusion: This IVS service has been established successfully, with no serious adverse events observed. Parental feedback was overwhelmingly positive. By utilizing moderate sedation, the IVS service offers paediatric patients a safe, outpatient alternative to general anaesthetic for dental procedures. This service addresses an important gap in dental care for children. Expansion of the IVS program could have a major impact on the waiting lists for general anaesthetic paediatric dental procedures in England.