Hospital Dentistry

Hospital Dentistry & General Anesthesia

Expert Care For Complex Cases, Special Needs, And More

At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Matt Griffith has extensive training in performing comprehensive dental treatment with his patients under general anesthesia. Thanks to our partnership with Kona Community Hospital, we’re able to offer general anesthesia for children who have complex dental issues and special needs.


What Is General Anesthesia And How Does It Work?

General anesthesia medications safely put your child to sleep and render them unresponsive to painful stimuli during a surgical procedure and are typically administered in a hospital setting under the care of a licensed anesthesia provider (not a dentist). At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, we partner with Kona Community Hospital to provide hospital dentistry in Kailua-Kona.

At our office, we offer general anesthesia as an alternative to immobilization with papoose boards and restraints. While some pediatric dentists prefer this method, Dr. Matt strongly believes that restraints should only be used in true dental emergencies. General anesthesia makes their treatment simpler, safer, and less traumatic, especially for very young children and patients with special needs.

Does My Child Need General Anesthesia?

In most cases, children can get their dental treatment in our dental office without undergoing general anesthesia at the hospital. At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, we offer child-friendly care and nitrous oxide, which is enough for most children to get the care they need.

However, there are some situations where Dr. Matt may recommend exploring general anesthesia and hospital dentistry. This option is best suited for:

  • Children with complex needs – We usually recommend general anesthesia for children below the age of six who may need multiple fillings, crowns, or other dental restorations. Young children may find it very difficult to deal with having two, three, or even four separate dental appointments. With general anesthesia, Dr. Matt can complete their treatment in a single visit, and they will be unconscious and will not remember any of the procedure.
  • Extreme dental fear or anxiety – At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, we do our best to help kids feel comfortable. But if your child has really strong dental fear or anxiety, it may not be possible to treat them in our office, even with the help of laughing gas. If this is the case, general anesthesia at the hospital is usually a better option.
  • Fear of needles or strong gag reflex – Other types of dental sedation like laughing gas can help with fear of needles or a strong gag reflex. In extreme cases, though, general anesthesia may be required to keep your child comfortable during treatment.
  • Special needs patients – Patients with mental, developmental, or physical disabilities may be more suited for treatment in a hospital setting. Not only does general anesthesia help them sleep through their visits, but getting sedation in a hospital ensures the safety of patients who may have complex health issues.

What To Expect From General Anesthesia/Hospital Dentistry

If you and Dr. Matt determine that general anesthesia is right for your child, you may be wondering what to expect from their treatment. Here’s a step-by-step overview of the process.

Consultation and scheduling

First, you'll need to meet with Dr. Matt in his office for a consultation for him to determine if your child's treatment needs would best be met under general anesthesia at the hospital. Should Dr. Matt recommend your child receive their dental care under general anesthesia at the hospital, he will put you in touch with his personal assistant and hospital scheduler, Miranda Simpson, and she will hold your hand through the entire process. Every patient that is treated under general anesthesia at the hospital with Dr. Matt must undergo two separate physical examinations by a licensed medical professional before stepping foot into the operating room. Safety is always Dr. Matt's highest priority when working on any patient regardless of the setting. These pre-operative physical evaluations will help to ensure the safest possible outcome for your child and are the standard of care when providing dental care for a patient under general anesthesia. The first physical examination will be performed by your child's previously established primary care provider and Miranda will help you schedule this exam. The second physical examination will be performed by a member of the anesthesia team at Kona Community Hospital the day of the procedure upon checking in with the front desk.

Day of treatment

On your child’s treatment day, you will bring them into Kona Community Hospital. Your child’s vitals will be checked one more time to make sure they're ready for surgery. Then, they will get some medicine to help them relax, and they will change into a surgical gown.

General anesthesia

Your child's anesthesia provider will take them back the operating room where they will be joined with the other 2-4 members of the anesthesia team. Then they will help your child breath into a mask with general anesthesia gases that will quickly and safely put them to sleep within 15-30 seconds. There will be no "shots" or "pokes" while your child is awake at any time in this surgical process. Once your child is asleep, the anesthesia team will establish and secure the IV and then gently place a breathing tube in their nose (because they'll be working in your child's mouth) to secure their airway for the duration of the surgery.

Surgery begins 

Once your child is fully asleep and the breathing tube is secured, Dr. Matt will begin their treatment. Depending on how many teeth need to be restored or treated, your child's dental surgery may take anywhere from 1-3 hours. Because your child is safely asleep, Dr. Matt can work quickly and efficiently and treat their whole mouth at once.

Recovery and aftercare

Once your child’s treatment is over, they will be woken up by their anesthesia provider. Dr. Matt will meet with you to discuss the details of your child’s treatment and give you any necessary post-operative instructions. Then, you and your little one will be sent home to rest and recover for the rest of the day.

Schedule A Hospital Dentistry Consultation Today

If you think your child could benefit from dental care under general anesthesia in Kailua-Kona, Dr. Matt would love to meet you! At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, we’d love to help you explore all of your little one’s options for safe, comfortable, and effective pediatric dental care. You can give us a call or book your child’s first visit with Dr. Matt online. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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We can’t wait to meet you

Call (808) 698-0380 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.