Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
June 2016
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Vol:
17
Issue:
2

Raising the Body Mass Index (BMI) limit for day procedure units: results of an audit in Belfast

Abstract
This paper describes an audit of current practice in a Special Care Dentistry Unit in Belfast, reviewing how BMI
influenced the decision to treat the patient in the day procedure unit (DPU) or as an in-patient, and outlines the
process of implementing local guidance for using BMI as part of the pre-assessment, raising the previous limit of
30 to up to 40. Aims and objectives: The aim was to review the BMI of all new patients seen over a 6 month period examining how this influenced their subsequent management. The appropriateness of adherence to a BMI limit of 30 for DPU could then be evaluated allowing the introduction of guidance to improve patient experience, and manage patients more effectively. Methodology: This audit was carried out in the DPU, School of Clinical Dentistry in Belfast. 109 patients assessed for treatment under general anaesthetic (GA), sedation or monitoring and local anaesthetic were audited retrospectively over a 6 month time period from the June to November 2014.
Results: 59% of patients were obese or morbidly obese. 29.5% of patients treated in DPU had a BMI >30, the
highest being 39.4. No adverse incidents relating to treating patients with higher BMIs in DPU were recorded.
Conclusions: Limiting BMI to 30 for DPU is out-dated and was not being adhered to. A protocol was developed
to use BMI as part of the pre-assessment tool-kit, allowing patients with a BMI of up to 40 to be treated in DPU.

Key words: BMI, body mass index, day procedure unit, audit, special care dentistry

Doi: 10.443/JDOH/McKenna_06

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£0.00
Page Start
72
Page End
77
Authors
K McKenna, A Stevens

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  1. Ethical approval considerations for patients who lack capacity
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  1. Raising the Body Mass Index (BMI) limit for day procedure units: results of an audit in Belfast
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  1. Introduction of a Nomad Pro hand held dental x-ray unit for radiography in a special care setting
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  1. The influence of a postgraduate qualification (Diploma/Master) in Sedation or Special Care Dentistry on work practices and career progression
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