Background and objective: An audit of patient allocation for oral surgery treatment under local anaesthesia (LA) and intravenous sedation (IVS) in response to the high demand for treatment using IVS. An index of sedation need (IOSN) was introduced as a way of improving the consistency and suitability of patients sent for treatment using IVS.

Method: Oral and maxillofacial department at Kingston Hospital NHS Trust. Patient allocation for the three types of management for treatment using either: LA, IVS or day case general anaesthesia (DSU) was identified over a two month period from October to December 2010. The IOSN was then applied in the same two month period in 2011 to observe any improvement in patient allocation.

Results: The number of patients sent for treatment under IVS in 2011 fell by 26.3% (2010: LA n = 400, IVS n = 38, DSU n = 92) (2011: LA n = 477, IVS n = 28, DSU n = 69) despite an increase in number of consultations by 4.5% (2010 n = 780) (2011 n = 815).

Conclusions: The introduction of the IOSN has improved the allocation of patients for IVS and LA appointments. As a result patients requiring IVS are being seen more promptly.

Key words: sedation; dentoalveolar; oral surgery