Conscious sedation teaching in dental schools of the United Kingdom and Ireland: an update

Abstract

Aim To examine the current state of conscious sedation teaching to undergraduates in the dental schools of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland.

Background In 2000, Leitch and Girdler published ‘A survey of the teaching of conscious sedation in the United Kingdom and Ireland' in the British Dental Journal, which gave insight into the undergraduate experience and the teaching of conscious sedation in UK and Ireland at that time. In October 2022, the Dental Sedation Teachers Group (DSTG) adapted this survey for the wider dental team to evaluate current undergraduate conscious sedation education in dental schools in the UK and Ireland.

Methods A survey was adapted and piloted by two DSTG school representatives. This was distributed via email to the DSTG school representatives of UK and Irish dental schools, with repeat emails sent to non-responders.

Results In total, 13 out of 16 schools responded. Most sedation teaching was led by staff from oral surgery and paediatric dentistry (nine schools). This survey included the wider dental team; sedation training was delivered by staff from hygiene and therapy departments in three schools.

Conclusion Decreased sedation experience was observed in most schools over the last 25 years. Currently, there is limited experience of undergraduate sedation in most schools.