Dental anesthesiology · Wilmington, North Carolina
Dr. Bernadette Faison comes to three partner dental offices in the Wilmington area. She gives the sedation and stays with you until you go home, so your dentist can concentrate on your teeth.
A sedation day
Six steps, in order. Your dentist's office and ours both walk you through each one.
Your dentist decides that sedation suits the treatment and books the day with us. If you call us first, we ask your dentist to confirm.
Dr. Faison or a nurse calls you to go over your health and your medicines. Your history goes through our private portal, never by email or on this site.
You get fasting and medicine instructions in writing. Follow them exactly. If something slips, call us and we will move the day rather than guess.
A responsible adult comes with you and stays. We check your vital signs and the instructions, answer last questions and ask for consent only after you have heard the risks.
Dr. Faison gives the sedation and has no other job in the room. Your heart rate, breathing and oxygen level are watched the whole time, and she adjusts as you need.
A nurse stays with you until you are steady. Your escort takes you home with written aftercare, and we call you the next day.
Read the full dayWhere we work
Dr. Faison comes to your dentist's own office on set days. Each office is its own dental practice, and we are not part of it. Call us to book, and we confirm the day with your dentist.
Dr. Faison's days here. Parking behind the building.
Directions to the Oleander Family Dental officeDr. Faison's day here. On the ground floor.
Directions to the Brunswick Forest Dentistry officeDr. Faison's days here. Friday mornings only.
Directions to the Porters Neck Dental officeIn the room
Sedation is not a favor your dentist does on the side. It is its own job, done by someone whose only task is you.
Dr. Faison gives the medicines and does nothing else while your dentist works.
Heart rate, breathing, oxygen and blood pressure are checked the whole time. Emergency equipment travels with us to every office.
Anika Mehta, RN, stays with you until you are steady and calls the next day.
Someone you trust comes with you, stays at the office and drives you home.
Who does what
Each person has one job on the day. That is the point of having a separate anesthesia clinician.
| Your dentist | Dr. Faison | Our nurse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the day | Your dentistPlans the dental treatment and refers you | Dr. FaisonReviews your health history and chooses the level of sedation | Our nurseCalls you about fasting and medicines |
| During treatment | Your dentistDoes the dental work | Dr. FaisonGives the sedation and watches your breathing and heart | Our nurseAssists with monitoring |
| Recovery | Your dentistReviews the dental aftercare with your escort | Dr. FaisonDecides when you are ready to leave | Our nurseStays with you until you are steady |
| Fees | Your dentistTheir fee, estimated by their office | Dr. FaisonOur fee, estimated in writing first | Our nurse |
Levels
Your health history and the treatment decide the level. We recommend the lowest level that does the job.
You stay awake and can talk, only calmer. A good fit for dental fear and short visits.
Given by Dr. Faison
Pulse and oxygen watched throughout
You are drowsy and respond when spoken to. Dr. Faison adjusts the dose minute by minute.
Given by Dr. Faison
Heart, breathing and blood pressure watched throughout
For longer or more complex treatment. Your breathing is supported, and you are not easily roused.
Given by Dr. Faison, under her permit
Continuous monitoring and a nurse in recovery
Sedation lowers anxiety. It does not promise a particular experience, and not every patient is a candidate.
The team
The same two people come to each partner office, so you meet them before the day and see them on it.
Gives the sedation and watches you from start to finish, in your own dentist's office.
Registered nurse (RN), monitoring and recovery
Stays with you through recovery and calls the next day.
Questions
Dr. Faison, a dentist who completed a residency in dental anesthesiology, gives it herself. Your dentist does the dental work and does not also run the sedation.
Yes. A responsible adult must bring you, stay at the office and take you home. If no one can, we will reschedule.
Not on the usual schedule. We give you exact fasting instructions in writing for your visit, because they depend on the level of sedation.
No. Your health history decides whether sedation is an option and which level. Sometimes the answer is a different plan or a visit at a hospital.
You get a written estimate for our fee before the day. Your dentist gives you theirs separately. See how fees work for the details.
A phone call is the easiest place to start. We will tell you whether sedation looks like an option and what to ask your dentist.