Dental treatment
Contact the dental office about the diagnosis, planned procedure, dental consent, dental pain, restorations or other treatment-specific questions.
Patients & families
Understand your anesthesia care. Know what comes next.
Being referred for anesthesia can bring a lot of questions. Dr. Robert A. Busto, a board-certified dentist anesthesiologist, reviews the health information, develops and manages the anesthesia plan, monitors you or your child throughout treatment and guides the initial recovery. Your dentist remains responsible for the dental care.
Why anesthesia may be discussed
Some patients need a different path to complete necessary dental care.
A dentist may discuss anesthesia when age, anxiety, ability to cooperate, special healthcare needs or the extent of treatment makes conventional care difficult. The anesthesia clinician reviews each patient individually to plan care and recommend the appropriate setting.
- Young children unable to complete necessary treatment conventionally
- Patients with significant dental anxiety or previous difficulty receiving care
- Patients with developmental, behavioral or other special healthcare needs
- Patients with treatment needs that warrant a coordinated anesthesia evaluation
The review considers your health information and dental treatment together. If a surgery center or hospital would better meet your needs, the care team will discuss that recommendation with you.
What to expect
What happens before, during and after the appointment.
- 01
Before the appointment
Your dentist provides the treatment plan, and the anesthesia team reviews the requested health information. Complete only the forms you are directed to use, report health changes promptly and follow your written eating, drinking and medication instructions exactly.
- 02
Day of treatment
Dr. Busto confirms the anesthesia plan, answers anesthesia questions and monitors you or your child while the dentist performs the dental treatment. Follow the arrival, transportation and responsible-adult instructions provided for the appointment.
- 03
Recovery at home
After the initial recovery period, you will receive written anesthesia and dental instructions for home. Use the correct clinical contact for questions, provide the required adult supervision and follow the urgent-care directions you were given.
Who to contact
The right contact depends on the question.
Anesthesia instructions
Use the anesthesia contact provided for questions about eating and drinking, medications, health changes, the anesthesia plan or anesthesia recovery.
Urgent concerns
Follow the urgent instructions provided by your care team. Call 911 for a medical emergency rather than using a website form or email.
Fees & insurance
Understand the anesthesia arrangements before the appointment.
Dental treatment and anesthesia are separate professional services. Any anesthesia estimate, payment deadline, cancellation terms and available insurance documentation should be explained before the appointment.
Insurance coverage or reimbursement varies by plan and is not guaranteed. Contact your insurer directly for plan-specific information.
Common patient questions
Clear answers before the appointment.
These are general answers. The instructions provided directly for your appointment take priority because they are based on the individual plan.
Can I schedule anesthesia directly through this website?
No. Anesthesia is considered as part of a dental treatment plan. If you think you or your child may need anesthesia, begin with the treating dental office. Scheduled patients receive a separate communication path for anesthesia forms and questions.
Is a dental office the right setting for every patient?
No. Dr. Busto considers the health history, airway, dental plan, expected anesthesia and office environment together. Some patients or procedures are better served in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital.
What if there is a new illness or health change before the appointment?
Use the anesthesia contact method provided to you as soon as possible. Report fever, respiratory symptoms, an emergency visit, a new diagnosis, a medication change or another meaningful health change. Do not wait until arrival to mention it.
What should I do about food, drinks and medications?
Follow the written instructions provided for your appointment. Do not assume that general internet instructions apply to you, and do not stop a prescribed medication unless a clinician caring for you tells you to do so. If an instruction was not followed or is unclear, contact the anesthesia team before traveling to the appointment.
Will an adult need to drive and stay with the patient?
Follow the transportation and supervision requirements sent for the appointment. A responsible adult must be available when directed and should plan around the full recovery instructions—not only the time spent in the dental office.
Are anesthesia fees separate from the dental fees?
Yes. Dental treatment and anesthesia are separate professional services. Your appointment information should explain the anesthesia estimate, payment timing, cancellation terms and any documentation available for insurance. Coverage or reimbursement is not guaranteed.
What should I do in a medical emergency?
Call 911 or seek emergency care. Do not use a website form or general email address for an emergency. For non-emergency questions, use the dental or anesthesia contact identified in your appointment instructions.
Patient information
Already scheduled? Start with the instructions sent to you.
The forms page keeps the current reference documents in one place. Your care team will tell you which documents apply and how to return them.