• Teaching Programs
• Courses Taught
• Research Activities
• Development
• Patient Care

Teaching Programs

For a small section (comprising of only 1.5 funded faculty positions), the Section of Dental Anesthesiology provides a broad array of teaching experiences, as listed below:

Predoctoral Program
In conjunction with the Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, the Section is responsible for the basic predoctoral education in pharmacology and dental therapeutics. This course of study, covering three quarters in the second year, prepares the student to: (1) better understand the medical condition of patients by knowing the drugs they are taking; (2) modify dental care in response to medications patients are taking; and (3) use therapeutic agents in dentistry to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases and other conditions within the scope of dental practice. The second responsibility of the Section is to provide basic instruction in the management of anxiety and pain in dentistry. Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation are taught to clinical competency. A review course in the third year also provides didactic instruction in more advanced forms of anesthesia. Finally, faculty of the Section are available throughout the year to assist students with patients who are difficult to anesthetize with standard techniques.

Postgraduate Programs
The Section offers two core didactic courses, one in anxiety and pain control, the other in pharmacology and therapeutics. These courses set the stage for the effective clinical use of drugs in dentistry. The Section also provides general anesthesia coverage for patients treated by residents in the Sections of Hospital Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry.

Continuing Education Program
In conjunction with the Section of Pediatric Dentistry, the Section of Dental Anesthesiology provides a certification course in oral sedation for pediatric patients. A separate review course is available for recertification. The Section also provides, on a regular basis, courses dealing with various topics in dental therapeutics, anesthesia and pain control, and medical emergencies. In conjunction with another institution, faculty of the Section provide training to competency in intravenous sedation for dentistry.

Residency Program
The dental anesthesiology residency incorporates a year of medical anesthesia training at the King-Drew Medical Center, 11 months of dental anesthesia training at the UCLA School of Dentistry, and a month rotation in cardiology at the UCLA Medical Center. Residents are expected to evaluate each patient before treatment, administer anesthesia care under the direct supervision of an attending faculty member, and provide necessary postoperative follow-up services. Each resident treats approximately 1000 patients during the training program. Residents also participate in the research and teaching activities of the Section. Each resident gives one or more lectures at the predoctoral and postgraduate levels and participates in the clinical provision of anesthesia care in the Sections of Hospital Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry. Finally, each resident is expected to publish at least one paper on dental anesthesia and related topics in a peer-reviewed dental journal or at least one chapter in a book or review on the same area.

Courses Taught

Research Activities

Research interests in the Section of Dental Anesthesiology are concentrated in the the area of anxiety and pain control and have a strong clinical emphasis. Current and/or recent projects include the efficacy and safety of new local anesthetics (e.g., articaine) and injection techniques, acupuncture as a postoperative analgesic or third molar extractions, and the safety of intramuscular-intravenous general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry. Currently, the Section is leading a nationwide project to develop a multimedia teaching resource for local anesthesia that will be made available without charge to all dental students in the United States and Canada.

Development

The Section is interested in developing a simulation laboratory for teaching the management of medical emergencies in anesthesia and dentistry. Reviews of closed malpractice claims demonstrate that appropriate responses by the dentist and staff often dictate ultimate patient outcome. Modern simulation mannikins are now able to mimic emergencies such as laryngospasm and anaphylaxis, providing real-world experience in their management. If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact Dr. Yagiela at (310) 825-9300.

Patient Care

Patient care is a primary function of the Section, in part because of its many teaching activities. The Section provides anxiety and pain control services to approximately 1000 patients per year. More than half of these cases are treated within the realm of the dental anesthesia residency. The remainder include patients treated by faculty of the UCLA Dental Anesthesia Service or by supervised students in the general clinics and in pediatric and hospital dentistry. The Section offers all methods of anesthesia care, up to and including hospital general anesthesia.