The January-March issue of the Virginia Dental Journal included information regarding recent Board of Dentistry activity regarding the regulations pertaining to the administration of moderate sedation. We would like to clarify that, the current Board of Dentistry regulations require a two-person treatment team for moderate sedation. Should you want to reference the current regulations, they are found in section 18VAC60-21-291 of the Regulations Pertaining to Dentistry as the section states the following:
C. Required staffing. At a minimum, there shall be a two-person treatment team for moderate sedation. The team shall include the operating dentist and a second person to monitor the patient as provided in 18VAC60-21-260 K, and assist the operating dentist as provided in 18VAC60-21-260 J, both of whom shall be in the operatory with the patient throughout the dental procedure. If the second person is a dentist, an anesthesiologist, or a certified registered nurse anesthetist who administers the drugs as permitted in subsection A of this section, such person may monitor the patient.