For Patients — Dental Sedation Services in New Jersey, NY & PA

Frequently asked Questions

“Is anesthesia safe?”

Anesthesia has advanced greatly since its first use by a dentist in 1846. Safety is our utmost concern with all of our patients. It is our expectation to have our patients safely asleep and more importantly, safely awake. All safety equipment is on hand and the dentist-anesthesiologist will never leave the room with a sleeping patient. We take extensive preoperative medical information before any anesthetic agents are given. The doctor continues his care after the dental procedure is complete and stays until the patient can be safely discharged.

“What level of anesthesia will I receive?”

Our doctors are trained to provide anything from mild sedation to general anesthesia. Each anesthetic plan is customized to the patient, taking into account many factors including the patient’s health and dental treatment they will receive. Dr. Patel, Dr. Gallagher, and Dr. Govani will provide the level of sedation that is safest for you.

“How long will I need to recover from the anesthesia?”

Anesthesia recovery varies depending on the patient, as well as the type of anesthesia they received. All patients will need to be accompanied to their appointment with someone who is responsible for driving the patient home (Ubers/Lyfts/Taxis are not acceptable). After anesthesia, a 24-hour precautionary period is recommended to ensure 100% recovery.

How It Works
Adult & Pediatric Patients
Special Needs Patients
Financial Information
Before Your Appointment

how it works

Prior to your appointment, you will need to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician/your child’s pediatrician to obtain medical clearance for the sedation appointment. You will then have a phone consultation with the anesthesiologist to review all relevant medical information and anesthesia instructions necessary to prepare you for your upcoming appointment. Dr. Patel will thoroughly walk you through how the sedation will be carried out and answer any questions you may have.

The day of your procedure, the doctor will conduct a physical examination to ensure that you or your child can proceed safely before giving any medication. The doctor will stay with you or your child throughout the procedure, from start to finish. Dr. Patel will ensure your safety prior to being discharged from the office.

Adult & Pediatric Patients

There are numerous reasons why patients choose to utilize our services for their dental appointment. Sedation allows patients who may be unable, unwilling, or afraid to have necessary dental treatment, undergo the dental procedure without feeling fear, stress, anxiety, or pain. Whether you have a severe gag reflex, or are having a complete mouth rehabilitation, root canal, a dental implant surgery, or any other dental procedure, we can formulate an anesthetic plan that will work best for your needs.

Pediatric patients can also greatly benefit from office-based anesthesia. Our practice caters to pediatric patients who are very young, scared, or uncooperative and we work closely with your pediatric dental team to ensure an optimal experience.

PARENTS/CAREGIVERS:

Parents/Caregivers are with the patient until the start of sedation. Once the sedation has begun, the anesthesiologist and dental team will takeover care for the patient. Parents will not be present during treatment, as the procedure room must be treated the same as a hospital operating room setting. Safety is our utmost priority. The team will be focused on providing the highest quality of care to the patient. Parents/Caregivers may get distressed when seeing their loved one receive treatment. This can hinder the providers from focusing on the patient’s needs.

Special Needs Patients

Patients with special needs can vastly benefit from sedation. They may exhibit high levels of anxiety when faced with treatment and may have difficulty conforming to the usual pattern of care. It is therefore important to find ways to meet their individual needs, in order to minimize anxiety/distress and attempt to create a calm and positive experience for the patient and family.

At Dental Sedation Services, we create an individualized anesthetic plan with the patients' medical needs in mind.

Financial Information

By providing anesthesia services in the dental office setting, we are able to significantly lower cost when compared to a hospital or surgery center. Anesthesia is billed based on anesthesia time and varies with each case.

To secure an appointment, a deposit is required to cover preparation, pre-operative consultations, and day of setup for the anesthesia appointment. This deposit will be applied toward your final anesthesia invoice at the conclusion of your appointment. Payment is due at the time that services are rendered.

Insurance:

We provide affordable rates for privately-insured or uninsured patients. The fee for anesthesia is an out of pocket cost. We do not participate with any insurance plans, except for select Pennsylvania state insurance plans. We will provide all of the necessary paperwork which can be submitted to your insurance company for possible reimbursement, if you have out of network coverage. We recommend that you inform your insurance carrier of your treatment plan prior to the appointment. For any additional questions, please contact our office and we will happily assist!

Payments accepted via Cash, FSA/HSA cards, or Credit Card.

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Before Your Appointment - ANESTHESIA INSTRUCTIONS

Patients should have nothing to eat or drink after MIDNIGHT the night before your procedure. The morning of, you are not allowed to eat or drink anything including, water, coffee, etc., unless specifically instructed by your anesthesiologist.
Your medications should be taken or omitted, as directed by your anesthesiologist. The doctor will call and review these instructions with you. Please follow them thoroughly.
Wear loose comfortable clothing; loose fitting pants and a short sleeve t-shirt is the preferred choice. Do not bring any extra jewelry, wear excessive makeup, or bring accessories to the appointment.
Please call us if you/your child presents with any flu-like symptoms (cough, congestion, fever, runny nose) prior to your scheduled appointment.
If you wear contacts, please wear glasses for the appointment.

PARENTS: The morning of, please keep a watchful eye on your child and ensure they do not consume anything, unless specifically directed by your anesthesiologist. If your child consumes ANYTHING, it can jeopardize their safety and will result in cancellation of the appointment. Please bring an extra pair of clothes to the appointment and small blanket for your child’s recovery. Children may wake feeling very drowsy or very agitated. This is normal, as the anesthesia needs time to completely wear off. As the child gets rest and takes fluids in, they will feel back to themselves as the day progresses.