Do you know individuals who are highly fearful of the dentist, or have special healthcare needs that may prevent them from accessing routine dental care?  As a dentist anesthesiologist (DA), you have the opportunity to help these patients undergo dental and oral surgery treatment that they may not otherwise be able to receive by providing advanced sedation and general anesthesia care. 

While a majority of dentist anesthesiologists provide anesthesia services for other dentists in their offices, dentist anesthesiologists also practice in surgery centers, hospitals, and in educational institutions to share their training in pain and anxiety control with colleagues and future dentists. Dentist anesthesiologists receive specialized, hospital-based training in areas including pharmacology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and pediatric and adult anesthesiology. There is a particular emphasis on improving patient safety in dentistry and some pursue research related to all areas of anesthesiology.

Individuals that have earned a D.D.S. or D.M.D. are eligible to apply for advanced dental education programs in dental anesthesiology. There are nine CODA recognized dental anesthesiology programs in the United States that are all 36 months in length. Not all programs may be accepting applicants.