Chong, Huey Yi, Dale, Megan, Sivarajasingam, Vaseekaran  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3541-592X and Allen, Michael
2026.
Increasing conscious sedation use for dental treatments: a cost and consequences analysis.
British Dental Journal
10.1038/s41415-026-9531-z
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Abstract
Aims To evaluate the costs and outcomes of increasing conscious sedation (CS) use for adults undergoing a dental procedure in secondary care. Methods A cost-consequence analysis comparing the increased CS use under a new model and current practice was undertaken from a UK National Health Service perspective. Costs included treatment room/bed, staff and drugs. Clinical outcomes, total procedure time and resources were considered. Data sources included theatre data, published literature and expert opinion. A sensitivity analysis excluding staff costs was conducted. Results In current practice, 1,321 patients had a dental procedure under general anaesthetic (GA) (n = 529) or CS (n = 792) from April 2022 to March 2023. It was estimated to incur £1,817,227, where GA contributed 60% of the total annual costs, and yielded 1,297 (98%) successful cases, and 20 (1%) adverse events. The new model would incur total annual costs of £1,773,629, representing a cost-saving of £43,598, compared to current practice. A total of 107 hours of theatre time and 79 hours of anaesthetist time would be freed. The change in clinical outcomes was modest. The cost-saving finding was robust in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Increasing CS use potentially offers cost savings. Expanding CS dental services could reduce over-reliance on GA, free up high-cost resources and help address the long waiting time for dental procedures.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Published Online |
| Status: | In Press |
| Schools: | Schools > Dentistry |
| Additional Information: | RRS policy applied |
| Publisher: | Springer Nature |
| ISSN: | 0007-0610 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 8 May 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 21 November 2025 |
| Last Modified: | 29 May 2026 15:15 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186654 |
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