General anaesthesia acceptance criteria

General anaesthesia acceptance criteria

Treatment will only be offered following an assessment initiated by the receipt of a completed referral form. Referrals are normally only accepted from the community dental services. If you are considering referring a patient from general practice, then please initially refer to the local CDS.

Adults accepted for consultation will be assessed and should their treatment needs be deemed manageable within the community dental services, they will be returned with appropriate advice.

Patients will be accepted for general anaesthesia if the patient:

  • has moderate to severe learning disabilities
  • has a congenital/ genetic condition that reduces the patient’s cooperation with routine behaviour management techniques
  • has severe airway problems that are best managed under GA, and where IV sedation is contraindicated

is ASA I, II and III (ASA IV patients will still be assessed but may not be offered a GA following an anaesthetic assessment)

Referred patients who will not receive a consultation appointment for general anaesthesia

Referrals may not be accepted:

  • if incomplete or insufficient information is provided i.e. “see and treat”
  • if sent for financial / economic reasons
  • if the patient has no special care needs other than dental anxiety
  • if a GA is requested for social reasons e.g. if the patient cannot provide an escort for intravenous sedation
  • if the patient has been directly referred by a GDP/GMP
  • for common medical history problems that are manageable within CDS/GDS e.g. warfarinised patients

Please refer to the relevant service i.e. paediatrics for children, restorative or oral surgery.