Pediatric dentistry
Anesthesia support for children who need another approach to receive dental treatment, with preparation and communication that include their parents or caregivers.
For dental practices
Bring dedicated anesthesia care into your dental office.
Specialty Anesthesia Partners works alongside your team to plan and provide office-based anesthesia. We handle the anesthesia evaluation, patient preparation and anesthesia care, with a professional team that understands the importance of your patients’ experience.
Start with a conversation about your practice, the patients you hope to help and the support you need.
Working with your team.
We work with your dentist, clinical staff and front desk to prepare for the anesthesia day. We also speak directly with patients or caregivers to explain what to expect and how to prepare.
Our goal is a well-prepared day with fewer avoidable surprises for your team and your patients.
Oral surgery
A dedicated anesthesia clinician working alongside the surgical team, including for selected pediatric cases. We discuss the patients and procedures for which additional anesthesia support would be useful.
Other dental practices
We also welcome conversations with periodontic, endodontic, prosthodontic and general dental practices. The patient's needs, treatment plan and intended approach to anesthesia guide the discussion.
Patients with special health care needs
We welcome conversations about children and adults with developmental disabilities, sensory sensitivities or other needs that can make dental treatment challenging. We work with the dental team, patient and caregivers to understand those needs and plan an individualized approach to anesthesia care.
What SAP handles
- Review of patient health information and development of the anesthesia plan.
- Direct preparation calls to patients or caregivers and anesthesia instructions.
- Anesthesia equipment, medications and support staff.
- Anesthesia administration, monitoring and recovery management.
- Direct patient billing for anesthesia.
What your practice handles
- Dental evaluation, treatment planning, dental consent and treatment.
- Obtaining patient forms and sending the information needed for anesthesia review.
- Scheduling patients and coordinating their arrival.
- The agreed office infrastructure, treatment and recovery areas, and dental staff support.
- Routine postoperative follow-up and dental or surgical concerns.
We work together when additional patient information is needed. Before the first anesthesia day, we review the office setup and the responsibilities of both teams.
See the office readiness checklistGetting started.
Tell us about your practice
We discuss your location, patient needs, typical procedures and scheduling goals. An initial conversation is useful even if you are still exploring how anesthesia could fit into your practice.
Plan how we will work together
We review the office, equipment connections, staffing and recovery arrangements. We also discuss patient communication, scheduling and fees so your team understands the process.
Prepare for the first day
Your practice submits the patient information and treatment plans for review. SAP evaluates the proposed cases, contacts patients or caregivers and provides anesthesia preparation instructions. Both teams coordinate the schedule as the plans are confirmed.
Build the ongoing relationship
After the first day, we discuss what worked and what could be improved. For practices with recurring needs, we can plan future dates around the patients and services involved.
Questions from dental teams.
Who will provide the anesthesia?
Dr. Robert A. Busto currently provides SAP’s anesthesia care, working with an established support team. He is a board-certified dentist anesthesiologist and former Dental Anesthesiology Program Director at The Ohio State University, with anesthesia experience caring for children and adults in dental offices, surgery centers and hospitals.
Do we need a full schedule before contacting SAP?
You can start a conversation while you are still assessing demand. We discuss the expected procedures, patient needs and time involved to determine what would make a workable day. Recurring practice relationships are our preferred approach.
What equipment does the office need to provide?
SAP brings anesthesia equipment, medications and support staff. Your office provides the agreed oxygen supply, suction and scavenging arrangements, along with PPE, sterilization as needed and dental staff support. We review the details with you before the first day.
How do you decide whether office-based anesthesia is appropriate?
The anesthesia clinician reviews the patient’s health information, planned treatment and care setting. Each patient is evaluated individually. When a different setting is more appropriate, we discuss that with the treating team.
Can we discuss moderate sedation?
Yes. If you are considering moderate sedation, bring that up in our initial conversation. It differs from general anesthesia in the intended level of consciousness and patient responsiveness. We discuss those expectations alongside the patient’s needs and planned treatment.
Who pays SAP for anesthesia?
Patients pay SAP directly for anesthesia on the day of service, separately from their dental treatment. We discuss scheduling and financial arrangements with your practice as part of getting started.
Next step
Let’s discuss the patients you hope to help.
Tell us about your practice and the anesthesia support you are considering. We will talk through the possibilities and the practical next steps with you.