Caleb’s Law is named in honor of Caleb Sears (2008-2015).

Caleb’s Law seeks to increase the safety of administering and monitoring

general anesthesia/deep sedation to children during dental procedures.

If you are considering a dental procedure involving general anesthesia or deep sedation, for you or your child, be sure to ask:

Will there be a separate person, an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist, in the room to administer the anesthesia and monitor you until recovery?

If the answer is "no," you should seriously consider whether you are okay with that risk.

"The operator-anesthesia model, where the operating dentist or oral surgeon is simultaneously directing the deep sedation or general anesthesia care AND involved in the conduct of the surgery, is inadequate, outdated according to medical standards, and below the expectations for safety that the public deserves." ~Dr. Stephen Wilson MA, DMD, PhD, co-author of the nationally agreed upon Guidelines for the Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients Before, During, and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures: Update 2016.

"A second qualified, CMS-recognized*, anesthesia provider must be present whenever children need moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia for major dental procedures." ~Letter from the California Society of Anesthesiologists 2017 (*CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)

"Only qualified anesthesia professionals should administer deep sedation or general anesthesia to children while a separate dentist or oral surgeon performs the procedure." ~Charles J. Cote, MD, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School and co-author of the nationally agreed upon Guidelines for the Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients Before, During, and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures: Update 2016.

On July 10, 2017 the CA Senate Business Professions and Economic Development Committee made a scary decision to side with the dental industry and not make the changes above that were supported by child advocates, pediatricians and anesthesiologists alike.

 We are so disappointed in the state senators who did not stand up for what was right. We will continue this fight. Thank you to all who made phone calls and stood with us.