There is one question we get asked more than almost any other when patients are considering sedation dentistry:
“Is it safe?”
It is the right question to ask. And the honest answer is: sedation dentistry is safe when it is done properly. The “properly” part depends heavily on who is in the room with you and what their clinical role is.
At Sunny Dental Buderim, the answer to that question involves Dwi George.
Who Is Dwi George?
Dwi George is our Practice Manager. She is also a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree.
She is the wife of Dr Louis George, one of our treating dentists. She has worked alongside Dr George through his dental career and was instrumental in building this practice into what it is today. She manages the operational side of the business, the patient experience, the clinical scheduling, and the team.
And in every sedation appointment, her clinical training as a Registered Nurse moves from background to foreground.
What Does “Registered Nurse” Actually Mean?
It is worth being specific here, because the term gets used loosely.
A Registered Nurse (RN) in Australia has completed a minimum of a three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree — or, in Dwi’s case, a Bachelor of Science with nursing training. RNs are registered with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), which means their practice is governed by national standards and professional obligations.
The training and scope of practice for an RN includes:
- Clinical assessment and monitoring of patients
- Vital sign observation and interpretation
- Airway assessment
- Medication administration
- Clinical emergency response and preparedness
This is not the same as a dental assistant, however experienced. Dental assistants play a vital role in every practice, including ours. But their training and scope does not include the clinical monitoring and emergency preparedness that comes with RN registration.
Having an RN present is not a bonus feature. In the context of IV sedation, it is the difference between adequate safety and genuine clinical safety.
The Problem Most Dental Practices Have
Here is the honest picture of how sedation dentistry typically works in most dental settings.
The dentist performs the procedure. The dentist administers the sedation. The dentist — with the assistance of a dental nurse — monitors the patient while simultaneously carrying out treatment.
This arrangement is not unusual. It is how the majority of sedation is delivered in dental practices across Queensland and the rest of Australia. Many practices do it safely and competently.
But there is an inherent tension in asking one person to simultaneously perform a procedure that requires focus and dexterity, and monitor a sedated patient for any change in vital signs, airway, or clinical status.
When something changes in a sedated patient, the clinical response needs to be immediate. Recognising what is happening, deciding what to do, and acting on that decision requires full attention.
At Sunny Dental Buderim, that tension does not exist. While Dr Louis George or Dr Jeremy Collins performs the dental treatment, Dwi is dedicated entirely to watching you. Whether it is Dr George performing an implant placement under sedation or Dr Collins working through a crown preparation with his characteristically steady, calming approach, Dwi’s focus never leaves the patient.
What Dwi Does During a Sedation Appointment
Dwi’s role during your appointment is patient monitoring and safety. Here is what that involves in practice.
Pre-Procedure Assessment
Before any sedation is administered, Dwi conducts a pre-procedure assessment.
She reviews your medical history and medications. She takes your baseline vital signs — heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation. She notes anything that is outside normal range and brings it to Dr George’s attention before proceeding.
If there is a concern, the appointment does not start until it is addressed.
During the Procedure
Once sedation begins, Dwi’s eyes are on you.
She monitors your vital signs continuously throughout the procedure. This means:
Heart rate and rhythm. Changes in heart rate can indicate distress, a reaction to medication, or an underlying issue that needs attention.
Oxygen saturation (SpO2). A pulse oximeter measures the percentage of oxygen in your blood at all times. A drop below normal range is an early warning sign of respiratory compromise.
Blood pressure. Sedation medications can affect blood pressure. Monitoring ensures that any change is caught early.
Respiratory rate and airway. Dwi watches your breathing throughout. A sedated patient who is breathing normally looks and sounds different from one whose airway is becoming compromised — and an RN knows the difference.
General clinical observation. Beyond the numbers, Dwi observes you as a whole. Colour, movement, responsiveness to stimulation — these are all clinical data points.
Emergency Readiness
Our practice carries appropriate emergency equipment and medication. Dwi is trained in clinical emergency response.
If something unexpected happens during a sedation appointment, the response is not a dentist putting down a drill and trying to remember emergency protocols. The response is a Registered Nurse who has been watching your vital signs, who already knows your baseline, and whose full attention has been on you throughout.
This is the level of preparedness that matters.
Post-Procedure Recovery
After the procedure is complete, Dwi oversees your recovery. You remain at the practice until she is satisfied that you are in a safe state to leave — vital signs stable, coherent, no signs of ongoing sedation effects that require clinical attention.
For IV sedation, this recovery period is taken seriously. You are not sent on your way the moment the dental work is done.
Why This Matters for Anxious Patients Specifically
For anxious patients, the RN presence is valuable beyond the clinical safety angle — though that alone is significant.
Knowing that someone qualified is dedicated to watching over you during the appointment changes the emotional experience of sedation.
Many anxious patients worry about what happens to them while they are sedated. They worry about whether anyone will notice if something feels wrong. They worry about being vulnerable in a clinical setting without someone whose job is specifically to look after them.
When we explain that Dwi is a Registered Nurse and that she will be monitoring you throughout — not occasionally checking in, but monitoring continuously — most people feel their shoulders drop a little.
That is not a placebo effect. It is a rational response to genuinely better safety. You can feel more relaxed because there is, genuinely, more reason to feel relaxed.
The Defence of Care Standard
Both Dr George and Dr Collins served in the military — Dr George in the Royal Navy, Dr Collins in the Australian Army. Military service builds a particular relationship with duty of care and the importance of not cutting corners when someone’s safety is in your hands.
That ethos carries into this practice’s approach to sedation safety.
The decision to have a Registered Nurse present at every sedation appointment is not a marketing decision. It is a clinical one. It reflects a view that if you are going to sedate a patient in a dental chair, you owe them a standard of monitoring that is genuinely clinical — not a dental assistant doing their best to watch vital signs while also assisting with the procedure.
Dr George’s principle applies here too. He treats every patient as he would want his mother to be treated. When it comes to sedation, that means making sure there is a qualified clinical professional whose only job during the appointment is to make sure she is okay.
Questions Patients Ask About the RN Role
”Does having a nurse present mean the appointment costs more?”
Sedation appointments at Sunny Dental Buderim do involve additional cost compared to non-sedated treatment, in part because of the clinical overhead of proper monitoring. We will provide a clear cost breakdown before any sedation appointment. There are no surprises.
”Will Dwi be with me the whole time?”
Yes. From the start of the sedation to the end of the recovery period, Dwi is present and monitoring.
”Can I talk to Dwi before my appointment?”
Absolutely. Dwi is a warm and reassuring presence and she is part of the team you will meet when you come in for a sedation consultation. If talking to her in advance would help your anxiety, we can arrange that.
”What if I have a medical condition — will the RN be able to manage it?”
Your medical history is reviewed before any sedation is administered. If there are conditions that affect sedation safety, we address them in the planning stage. We do not proceed with sedation if there is a clinical reason not to — and Dwi’s pre-assessment is a key part of that process.
A Standard That Is Worth Seeking Out
When you are researching sedation dentistry on the Sunshine Coast — whether you are in Buderim, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, or the hinterland — it is worth asking directly: “Who monitors me during sedation? What is their clinical qualification?”
Not every practice will have the same answer we do. We think that matters, and we think you deserve to know the difference.
If sedation dentistry is something you are considering, we would welcome a conversation.
Call Sunny Dental Buderim on (07) 5445 8400 and ask about our sedation consultations. You are welcome to ask about Dwi’s role specifically — we are proud of the standard of care we provide, and we are happy to explain it in as much detail as you need.
Our practice is at 2/64 King St, Buderim QLD 4556, serving patients from Sippy Downs, Nambour, Palmwoods, and across the Sunshine Coast. Find out more on our sedation dentistry page, read our complete guide to sedation dentistry, or visit our complete anxious patients guide for everything in one place. Contact us if you would prefer to reach out in writing first.
All dental treatments carry risks. Outcomes vary between individuals. The information on this page is general in nature and does not replace personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner.