General anaesthesia for exodontia in children: experience of a dental teaching hospital in relation to changes in national guidance

Summary. Objectives. To examine, in relation to changes in national guidance, trends in the provision of general anaesthesia for exodontia in children. Design. Retrospective analysis of hospital records. Setting. University Dental Hospital, Cardiff, UK. Methods. Data were drawn from records of services provided in each of four index months during 1989, 1991, 1997 and 1999 (the years immediately preceding/following the Poswillo Report of 1990 and the General Dental Council's revised guidance of 1998). Results. In the first year after publication of the Poswillo report, there was a 19·6% increase in use of ‘chair case’ general anaesthesia over the four index months. Subsequently, upon the emergence of additional providers, patient flow in 1997 had fallen to 65·8% of that seen at baseline. Following the General Dental Council's revised guidance of 1998, there was a further reduction in the provision of ‘chair case’ general anaesthesia (to 40·8% of that seen at baseline). Conclusions. In this unit, throughput of children receiving general anaesthesia for exodontia has fluctuated in periods marked by changing national guidance. However, it is not possible to attribute such fluctuations in patient flow solely to this factor.