dentist anesthesiologist
A dentist who has completed an accredited postdoctoral residency in dental anesthesiology and is credentialed to administer all levels of sedation and general anesthesia in dental settings.
Full Definition
The dentist anesthesiologist is a dental specialist recognised by the American Dental Association whose scope of practice encompasses the full continuum of pain and anxiety control, from minimal sedation to general anesthesia, across all patient age groups and medical complexities. Training typically involves a minimum of two to three years of postdoctoral residency in dental anesthesiology following dental school. Editors must distinguish this title from 'dental anesthesiologist' (sometimes used interchangeably but technically imprecise in jurisdictions where only dentists with the DDS/DMD degree may hold the title) and from 'anesthesiologist' (an MD/DO-trained physician specialist). The hyphen between 'dentist' and 'anesthesiologist' is not used; the compound is written as two words.
Usage
Usage note: Written as two words without a hyphen. Distinguish from 'anesthesiologist,' which refers to a physician (MD/DO). In documents addressed to a lay audience, a brief explanatory parenthetical after first use is recommended.
In Context
- "The paediatric hospital engaged a dentist anesthesiologist to manage general anesthesia for children with complex dental needs." — Hospital service agreement
- "Verify that 'dentist anesthesiologist' is used without a hyphen throughout the article." — Copy-editing checklist