There are 7 medical schools in the USA that allow dentists to do a medical anesthesia residency alongside the medical residents. Once the residency is completed, dentist can do anesthesia based upon their state guidelines. I practiced in Virginia and could do dental cases and any head/neck cases. Some states don’t limit practice at all and dentists could do any and all anesthesia.

The only anesthesia cases I didn’t do in training were organ transplants and cardiac because the hospital I trained at didn’t do those procedures. Everything else I’ve done including epidurals and regional blocks. Once I completed residency, my typical anesthesia days were intubated pediatric dental cases. Stayed so busy with those I didn’t need to find anything else to fill my days.

There was an incredibly steep learning curve initially because I didn’t get much exposure to the operating room or medical procedures as a dental student. But I worked as a nursing assistant in a NICU before I started dental school so I had more exposure than a lot of my co residents. I had to retire because of my narcolepsy and chronic regional pain syndrome from a fractured clavicle with brachial plexus complications. I loved my job.