Beyond the chair: Comprehensive care under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry
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Abstract
Background: Uncooperative behavior and severe dental anxiety in young children frequently preclude the delivery of routine dental care, necessitating alternative management strategies. General anesthesia (GA) is an established option for such patients; however, its selection remains largely subjective in the absence of a standardized clinical decision-making tool. Case Presentation: A 5-year-old child with no significant medical history presented to the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, PDM Dental College and Research Institute, Bahadurgarh, with extensive multi-surface dental caries and a documented history of failed treatment attempts due to severe anxiety and uncooperative behavior. The patient was evaluated using the Pediatric Dental GA Suitability Scoring System (PD-GASS), a novel structured scoring instrument incorporating six weighted clinical criteria: age, behavioral cooperation, treatment complexity, prior dental experience, parental preference, and special needs status. The patient scored 15, exceeding the GA indication threshold of ≥11. Comprehensive dental rehabilitation—including multiple extractions and restorations was successfully completed in a single session under GA, with no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Follow-up visits confirmed uneventful healing and a markedly improved attitude toward dental care. Conclusion: This case illustrates the clinical utility of the PD-GASS scoring system as an objective, reproducible framework for GA case selection in pediatric dentistry. The successful outcome underscores the value of standardized assessment tools in guiding ethical and evidence-based treatment decisions for anxious and uncooperative pediatric patients. Prospective validation of PD-GASS across diverse clinical settings is recommended. Keywords: General anesthesia, Pediatric dentistry, Dental treatment, PD-GASS, Clinical decision making, Pediatric oral surgery, Behavior management.
Dates & metrics
- Received
- 11 Jan 2026
- Accepted
- 25 Mar 2026
- Published
- 11 Jun 2026
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How to cite this article
Manocha E, Ahlawat A, Virdi MS. Beyond the chair: Comprehensive care under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry. J. Sci. Innov. Anesthesiol. 2026;1(2):45-49. doi:10.65929/JSIA.2026.1.2.003
Manocha, E., Ahlawat, A., & Virdi, M. S. (2026). Beyond the chair: Comprehensive care under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry. Journal of Scientific Innovations in Anesthesiology, 1(2), 45-49. https://doi.org/10.65929/JSIA.2026.1.2.003
Enna Manocha, Ankit Ahlawat, and Mandeep Singh Virdi. "Beyond the chair: Comprehensive care under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry." Journal of Scientific Innovations in Anesthesiology, vol. 1, no. 2, 2026, pp. 45-49. https://doi.org/10.65929/JSIA.2026.1.2.003
Enna Manocha, Ankit Ahlawat, and Mandeep Singh Virdi. "Beyond the chair: Comprehensive care under general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry." Journal of Scientific Innovations in Anesthesiology 1, no. 2 (2026): 45-49. https://doi.org/10.65929/JSIA.2026.1.2.003
© 2026 the authors. Published by REVO Publication. This article is distributed under CC BY 4.0, which permits use and redistribution provided the original work is properly cited.