Board of Dental Examiners

ON-SITE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR SEDATION/GENERAL ANESTHESIA PERMIT HOLDERS

Per 12 AAC 28.068, a licensed dentist who holds a permit for deep sedation or general anesthesia under 12 AAC 28.010, or holds a permit for moderate or minimal sedation for patients younger than 13 years of age under 12 AAC 28.015, must obtain an on-site inspection where sedation or anesthesia is provided at least once every four years. That documentation must be provided to the board when the licensed dentist seeks to renew the permit. (See the full regulation below.)

The organizations approved by the Board of Dental Examiners to perform on-site inspections in a dental office where anesthesia or sedation is provided include:

• The Accreditation Association for Dental Offices (AAFDO)
• The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS)
• The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)
• The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC)
• Local physicians actively licensed by the State of Alaska. Our professional license search is available here.
• Dental Sedation Inspections, LLC (for the Mat-Su and Anchorage areas)

To schedule an on-site inspection, please reach out to one of these agencies directly.

12 AAC 28.068. ON-SITE INSPECTIONS.

(a) A licensed dentist who holds a permit for deep sedation or general anesthesia under 12 AAC 28.010, or holds a permit for moderate sedation or minimal sedation for patients younger than 13 years of age under 12 AAC 28.015, must obtain at least once every four years an on-site inspection where sedation or anesthesia is provided. The inspection must be conducted by an organization approved by the board under (b) of this section. If the permit holder provides anesthesia or sedation in more than one office, the permit holder must choose one office for the inspection and provide an attestation that all the same inspection standards have been met in each office where anesthesia or sedation is provided.

(b) Organizations approved by the board to perform an on-site inspection of a dental office where anesthesia or sedation is provided include

(1) the Accreditation Association for Dental Offices (AAFDO);
(2) the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS);
(3) the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF);
(4) the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC); or
(5) other substantially equivalent organizations approved by the board that conduct inspections in accordance with applicable guidelines provided in the Office Anesthesia Evaluation Manual, Ninth Edition, 2019, adopted by reference.

(c) For anesthesia or sedation permits issued before August 8, 2020, an on-site inspection required under this section must be completed before the end of the first full licensing period after August 8, 2020.

(d) For initial anesthesia or sedation permits issued on or after August 8, 2020, an on-site inspection must be completed not later than two years after issuance.

(e) Unless otherwise provided under (c) or (d) of this section, a licensed dentist who seeks to renew a permit to administer deep sedation or general anesthesia under 12 AAC 28.010, or moderate sedation or minimal sedation for patients younger than 13 years of age under 12 AAC 28.015, must submit documentation of an on-site inspection by an organization approved by the board under (b) of this section within the four years preceding the end of the licensing period.

(f) If the inspection report submitted to the board finds that the equipment, facilities, or personnel training are inadequate to assure safe use of anesthesia or sedation, the board will allow for a follow-up inspection not later than 90 days after the date of the submitted report. If after review of the follow-up inspection the board finds that the equipment, facilities, or trained personnel are still inadequate to assure safe use of sedation or anesthesia, the board may deny issuance or renewal of a permit under 12 AAC 28.010 or 12 AAC 28.015, or order the dentist to immediately cease sedation or anesthesia services if provided under 12 AAC 28.030 by a certified registered nurse anesthetist or a physician.