Oral Anxiolytics: A Noteworthy Option for Patient Management in Dental School Settings

A new study published in the Special Care in Dentistry suggests that oral anxiolytics are a noteworthy option for the management of patients with special needs in a dental school setting.

Minimal sedation (Anxiolysis) is used in dentistry to reduce stress, manage anxiety, and improve patient comfort during treatment. The oral route of minimal sedation is safe and convenient, but there is limited literature assessing the efficacy of this mode of patient care. This paper aims to evaluate the outcomes of oral sedation use for patients treated in a dental school setting using a retrospective cohort analysis of electronic health record data.

Study Overview

A total of 6872 patient records were selected after screening through the selection criteria. Demographic and treatment variables were obtained and analyzed. The appointment status was identified as a success or failure depending on the treatment codes assigned for that appointment. A multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate relationships between appointment status and the obtained variables.

Results

Less than 3% of patients had a ‘failure outcome’ when this data set was evaluated. Being treated in multiple clinics and being seen by multiple providers were both factors that increased the odds of success.

Oral anxiolytics should be considered as a noteworthy option for patient management based on the outcomes reflected in this study. There is some evidence that seeing multiple providers improves the success rate of completing dental procedures carried out under oral sedation.

Reference

Desai, J, Marchini, L, Peter, T. Outcomes of minimal oral sedation in patients treated in a dental school setting: A retrospective study. Spec Care Dentist. 2023; 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/scd.12919

Keywords

• Oral anxiolytics
• Noteworthy
• Option
• Management
• Patients
• Special needs
• Dental school setting
• Desai, J
• Marchini, L
• Peter, T