DOCS Education offers an array of live-streaming and webinar-based CE courses, taught by master practitioners, that address proven sedation safety protocols
Safety and sedation are natural partners in the respected field of dentistry. With a patient population that's living longer, as well as dental treatments that are increasingly complex due to advances in technology, clinicians are recognizing the importance of learning about and promoting safe sedation.
“Local anesthesia and a caring attitude are often not enough for patients to cope with noninvasive dental care, much less invasive care,” shared Dr. Anthony Feck, who, along with Dr. Michael Silverman, cofounded the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) Education in 1999. “These are regular people with a normal fear response, and sedation dentistry is a way to keep them safe and comfortable," he added.
Calming Patient Fears
With an expansive series of interactive courses, curriculums, and resources, DOCS Education provides dentists with the tools to interrupt the cycle of patient fear and offer a higher standard of safe dental care.
“Because the sedation dentist is providing a service many patients thought would never be possible, there is an appreciation that exceeds the usual patient-dentist relationship. This can lead to greater patient satisfaction; trust, which is critical to case acceptance; loyalty, which leads to greater patient retention; and a better overall perception by the patient,” Dr. Feck explained. “In my 40 years of practice, I have never experienced a higher ROI than from offering sedation dentistry to my patients.”
Safety from A to Z
Standard DOCS protocols encompass patient assessment and selection, training in different sedation modalities by experienced faculty members, monitoring requirements, as well as the prevention and management of medical emergencies in the office. In addition to sedation education, DOCS curriculum topics include advanced techniques, opioids and drug interactions, Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification, and practice growth strategies.
“Besides allowing me to provide care for the large population of patients whose anxiety toward dentistry has prevented them from getting the dental treatment they need, sedation has allowed my practice to grow and become more successful," Dr. Feck concluded.
