§30-4A-7. Qualifications, standards, and continuing education requirements for Class 4 Anesthesia Permit.

(a) A Class 4 Permit permits the use of general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation, conscious sedation/moderate sedation and anxiolysis/minimal sedation.

(b) The board shall issue or renew a Class 4 Permit to an applicant who:

(1) Is a licensed dentist in West Virginia;

(2) Holds a valid and current documentation showing successful completion of a Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR course, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and/or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course if treating pediatric patients;

(3) Satisfies one of the following criteria:

(A) Completion of an advanced training program in anesthesia and related subjects beyond the undergraduate dental curriculum that satisfies the requirements described in the ADA Guidelines for Teaching Pain Control and Sedation to Dentists and Dental Students and the ADA Guidelines for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists at the time training was commenced;

(B) Completion of an ADA- or AMA-accredited postdoctoral training program which affords comprehensive and appropriate training necessary to administer and manage general anesthesia, commensurate with these guidelines;

(C) In lieu of these requirements, the board may accept documented evidence of equivalent training or experience in general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation.

(c) A dentist who induces general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation shall have the following facilities, properly maintained age appropriate equipment and age appropriate drugs available during the procedure and during recovery:

(1) An operating room large enough to adequately accommodate the patient on an operating table or in an operating chair and to allow an operating team of at least three individuals to freely move about the patient;

(2) An operating table or chair which permits the patient to be positioned so the operating team can maintain the patient's airway, quickly alter the patient's position in an emergency and provide a firm platform for the administration of basic life support;

(3) A lighting system which permits evaluation of the patient's skin and mucosal color and a backup lighting system of sufficient intensity to permit completion of any operation underway in the event of a general power failure;

(4) Suction equipment which permits aspiration of the oral and pharyngeal cavities and a backup suction device which will function in the event of a general power failure;

(5) An oxygen delivery system with adequate age appropriate full face mask and appropriate connectors that is capable of delivering high flow oxygen to the patient under positive pressure, together with an adequate backup system;

(6) A nitrous oxide delivery system with a fail-safe mechanism that will insure appropriate continuous oxygen delivery and a scavenger system;

(7) A recovery area that has available oxygen, adequate lighting, suction and electrical outlets. The recovery area can be the operating room;

(8) Equipment as specified by rule;

(9) Emergency drugs as specified by rule;

(10) A defibrillator device.

(d) Before inducing general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation the dentist shall:

(1) Evaluate the patient and document, using the ASA Patient Physical Status Classifications, that the patient is an appropriate candidate for general anesthesia or deep conscious sedation;

(2) Shall give written preoperative and postoperative instructions to the patient or, when appropriate due to age or neurological status of the patient, the patient's guardian; and

(3) Shall obtain written informed consent from the patient or patient's guardian for the anesthesia.

(e) A dentist who induces general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation shall ensure that the patient's condition is monitored and recorded on a contemporaneous record. The dentist shall use a qualified monitor to monitor and record the patient's condition on a contemporaneous record and a chair side dental assistant. The documented requirements of a qualified monitor monitoring general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation cases are as specified by rule. No permit holder may have more than one patient under general anesthesia at the same time.

(f) The patient shall be monitored as follows:

(1) Patients shall have continuous monitoring using pulse oximetry and/or equipment required for the standard of care or as specified by rule by a qualified monitor until discharge criteria have been met. The patient's blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation shall be assessed every five minutes and shall be contemporaneously documented in the patient record. The record shall also include documentation of preoperative and postoperative vital signs, all medications administered with dosages, time intervals and route of administration including local anesthesia. The person administering the anesthesia may not leave the patient while the patient is under general anesthesia;

(2) During the recovery phase, the patient shall be monitored, including the use of pulse oximetry, by a qualified monitor; and

(3) A dentist may not release a patient who has undergone general anesthesia/deep conscious sedation except to the care of a responsible adult third party.

(4) When discharging a pediatric patient the dentist shall follow the current edition of AAPD Guidelines for the Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures.

(g) The dentist shall assess the patient's responsiveness using preoperative values as normal guidelines and discharge the patient only when the following criteria are met:

(1) Vital signs including blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate are stable;

(2) The patient is alert and oriented to person, place and time as appropriate to age and preoperative neurological status;

(3) The patient can talk and respond coherently to verbal questioning or to preoperative neurological status;

(4) The patient can sit up unaided or to preoperative neurological status;

(5) The patient can ambulate with minimal assistance or to preoperative neurological status; and

(6) The patient does not have uncontrollable nausea or vomiting and has minimal dizziness.

(7) A discharge entry shall be made in the patient's record by the dentist indicating the patient's condition upon discharge and the name of the responsible party to whom the patient was discharged.

(h) A dentist who induces general anesthesia shall employ the services of a qualified monitor and a chair side dental assistant at all times, who each shall hold a valid BLS/CPR certification and maintains certification as specified by rule.