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Choosing an ethical and professional anesthesia provider and dentist. These standards of practice are Dr. Davies' opinion based upon his training and experience and his reading of the law as set forth by the California Dental and Medical Boards. Dr. Davies has conveyed his views emphatically and frequently over the years with all of his colleagues. Most agreed with him, and a few did not so he decided to divest himself of those practices with whom he found no agreement on standard of care or who utilized providers who do not adhere to his high standards. You will be treated with the highest professional standards and respect by Dr. Davies at all times. WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING In my opinion a very dangerous law has just been passed in California promoted by Oral Surgeons that changes the Dental Assistant regulations that will allow a high school graduate with as little as 110 hours (three weeks) of anesthesia training to label syringes, draw up drugs, inject those drugs and monitor you while under general anesthesia! The operating dentist who may have as little as four months of anesthesia training themselves will "supervise" this assistant while concentrating on your surgery. You may be charged by the dentist the same or more than if a Board certified anesthesia provider was protecting you. You have a right to ask who will be monitoring you and what they are charging you for it. This law will go into effect January 2010. Before undergoing anesthesia in a dental office you should ask these basic questions of your surgeon and anesthesia provider. These are not difficult or exceptional criteria. Dr. Davies adheres to them all. Safety is no accident.
These simple rules may seem obvious but they are not to some providers. You have the right to ask for, and demand, the highest standard of care.
What Type of Anesthesia is Used? The type of anesthesia used will depend upon the age and physical condition of the patient as well as the type and length of the surgery. The medications are completely individualized to each patient to ensure a pleasant and safe experience. You can usually leave the office with a responsible adult within 20 minutes after the procedure is completed. It is common to sleep much of the afternoon, eat a light evening meal, and be completely recuperated by morning. You will be discharged awake and alert by Dr. Davies from the dental office and he will contact you that evening to make sure everything is alright. Complications of any sort are unusual and mild. Will My Insurance Cover Anesthesia Services? Anesthesia is sometimes a benefit of dental and medical carriers when the dentistry is also a covered benefit. Whether or not your carrier reimburses you largely depends upon policy restrictions, maximum yearly benefits, and premiums paid by your employer. Dr. Davies' staff will make every effort to assist you in obtaining the maximum benefit allowable under your policy provisions. Of course! Dr. Davies provides no dental treatment other than the anesthesia. You continue to visit the dentist and office you are comfortable with. Should your dentist be one of the few without the necessary insurance to work with anesthesia services, Dr. Davies will be happy to provide both of you with the names of several highly qualified specialists or generalists in your area that he works with who follow the ethical guidelines above. What About Financial Arrangements? Financial arrangements are made directly between Dr. Davies and the patient. They are based upon the time taken by the dentist to provide services plus about one hour on average. You may pay prior to surgery with your credit card or check. He accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Care Credit cards. Contact Dr. Davies @ info@DentalAnesthesia.com Ronald O. Davies, DDS |
