Pediatric oral conscious sedation.

As the young indigent population of this state grows, access to dental care continues to be a problem. Studies show that children from poor families suffer from a higher caries rate than those from a higher socioeconomic class. The management of pain and anxiety with intravenous sedation or general anesthesia in the young, precooperative patient, can be a significant adjunct to the delivery of dentistry. However, because children in this demographic group frequently lack the financial resources necessary for these treatment modalities, they will either not receive the necessary care because they are deemed unmanageable or will have a traumatic experience causing them to become even more resistant to future dental care. This article demonstrates how oral conscious sedation can be a safe and cost-effective alternative to intravenous sedation and general anesthesia in facilitating dental care for children who could otherwise not be treated.