Capnography has the potential to enhance patients safety in the dental setting. Procedural sedation techniques are specific to each area of of medicine where sedation is practiced. Conscious sedation in an out of hospital setting by a non anaesthetist requires robust monitoring. The most important negative side effect of sedation is respiratory compromise due to respiratory depression or obstruction. Capnography monitors the patient on a breath by breath basis in real time. Various medical bodies have recommended capnography monitoring for procedural sedation. However, capnography is not currently routinely utilised for dental sedation. There is a lack of evidence in this setting. There is therefore a need for research.
I have just completed data collection looking at capnography for monitoring in the dental setting. During the trial I collected a lot of data including some video footage of the actual monitor screens when patients were sedated. There is a need to educate dental sedationist’s on capnography monitoring and I feel that I am well placed to share my knowledge.
I am keen to disseminate this new knowledge that I have gleaned to the community of sedationist’s. To achieve this goal I would like to produce a number of media productions to include edited versions of my video clips and also some animations.
I already have two publications accepted by peer reviewed journals related to this research. I have a number of other articles in the pipeline. Additional funding for two open access publications would assist with dissemination of my research findings.
