We understand that it can be intimidating, which is why we believe it's crucial to choose the best, most highly-trained and credentialed mobile anesthesia team available.

SDMD Mobile Anesthesia is the gold-standard in mobile anesthesia. Whether you need sedation/general anesthesia or just prefer the comfort of sleeping through your procedure, we are here to make your experience as safe, convenient, and stress-free as possible.

Typically, office-based anesthesia is provided by several different types of anesthesia providers with varying levels of education, training and experience. These include CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists), dentist anesthesiologists and physician (MD) anesthesiologists.

Andre Pinesett, MD, MPH is a PHYSICIAN (MD) anesthesiologist, which means he has completed over 17,000 hours of advanced clinical training (more than 4x the hours of non-physician dental anesthetists). This includes 4 years of rigorous medical school at Stanford Medical School and another 4 years of anesthesia residency at UCSD, where he performed anesthesia for the most complicated patients undergoing the most complex cases like multiple-trauma, brain surgeries, open-heart surgeries, organ transplants and even managing ICU patients.

Anesthesiologists use sedative/anesthetic medications to protect patients from the pain and stress of surgical procedures. In doing so, many of the body’s normal functions are altered and anesthesiologists must use other medications and interventions to maintain balance and keep patients alive.

MD anesthesiologists are the most highly-trained and oldest form of anesthesia provider, but technological and clinical advancements in anesthesia have made what was impossible not too long ago, not only possible, but routine. This has opened the door for “non-physician" providers with less training, like CRNAs and dentist anesthesiologists, to provide anesthesia.

Perhaps 90% of anesthesia is very routine, but 10% of the time your anesthesia provider has just seconds to identify that there’s an issue, diagnose the problem and provide potentially life-saving treatment.

When this happens, who do you want caring for you or your child? Do you want the MD Anesthesiologist with over 17,000 hours of training, or do you want the non-physician provider with less than half the hours of training?

Normally, you would be required to schedule your procedure in the operating room of the local hospital or at Rady’s Children’s Hospital and they, unfortunately, have very long waiting lists. With SDMD Mobile Anesthesia, we can schedule the procedure for you or your child ASAP so you can get the treatment you need, when you need it. Additionally, we come to your local office for the procedure, saving you from having to commute to the hospital and allowing you to experience a higher level of comfort and convenience by having procedures performed in a place where you are already familiar.

Typically, you would be required to obtain medical clearance from your doctor prior to receiving anesthesia. However, our anesthesiologists will save you a trip to your primary care doctor by gathering pertinent health information electronically prior to the procedure date, deciding if it is safe for you or your child to undergo the procedure, and then performing a history and physical on the procedure date. It’s that easy!

Without anesthesia, on the day of your procedure your dentist or surgeon would inject numbing medication at the site of the procedure. Paradoxically, this medication can sting. Then your provider would leave you for 5-20 minutes to allow the medication to take effect. When they returned, they would check to see if it worked. If you aren’t completely numb, then they inject more numbing medication and the process starts all over again. This is not the case with SDMD Mobile Anesthesia! We have developed a unique anesthetic mix optimized for a fast onset. Additionally, all of the preparation is done beforehand, which means the moment you sit in the exam chair, we will either insert a quick and easy IV catheter or have you breathe a mask (based on your preference) and you will be completely asleep in as fast as 15 seconds.

Ordinarily, you would be awake for the entire procedure, and although you would be numb, you would still have to hold your mouth open and experience the entire treatment, which can last over an hour. Because of this discomfort, procedures are frequently split across multiple days, forcing you to miss multiple days of work or school. With SDMD Mobile Anesthesia, you get to sleep through the entire procedure, so most of the time, we can get everything done in a single visit. Your safety and comfort are our top priority. Whether the procedure lasts just a few minutes or several hours, our expert anesthesiologists will be with you the whole time, utilizing hospital-grade vital sign monitoring and equipment to ensure you are kept comfortable and safe throughout the entire process. When you wake-up, it will feel as if no time at all has passed and you will be shocked to learn that everything is all done.

After the procedure, you will be a little drowsy and maybe a little goofy, but you will be able to get yourself in the car easily and get home quickly with the help of your family member or friend.

You will be provided with thorough instructions about what to expect after the procedure and you will also be provided with your anesthesiologist’s cell phone number. Should you have ANY questions or ANY concerns, simply give us a quick call, anytime, even if it’s just to let us know how much you enjoyed your experience.

Lastly, mobile anesthesia is going to save you a bunch of money. If you had your procedure at the hospital, in addition to the base anesthesia fees (charged in time increments of 15 minutes), you would also be responsible for hospital fees and surcharges that can add thousands of dollars to your bill. With mobile anesthesia, we are providing care in the clinic, so there are no extraneous fees. In addition to accepting credit cards, we also accept Medi-Cal/Denti-Cal. While private insurance will not cover the cost of your procedure up-front, they will sometimes reimburse you after you pay. We will provide you with a comprehensive superbill, including all the relevant billing codes to help facilitate that reimbursement process. Afterward, we will do whatever we can to help you get the maximum reimbursement.

In short, utilizing mobile anesthesia will completely transform your experience by maximizing convenience, comfort, safety and value.

Experience the highest standard of dental anesthesia care with SDMD Mobile Anesthesia. Our MD-only (physician) anesthesiologists and state-of-the-art equipment bring hospital-level care to your dentist's office, at a fraction of the cost. Say goodbye to the stress of traditional dental procedures and enjoy the convenience and comfort of our expert care. You could benefit greatly from sedation and/or general anesthesia if you have:

• Fear, anxiety, or unease about your dental treatment
• Overly sensitive gag reflex
• Pain sensitivity
• Previous unsuccessful attempts with local anesthesia
• Complicated medical history
• Advanced age or cognitive impairment
• Physical or mental impairment, disability or special needs
• A young child who is unable to cooperate with treatment or requires extensive treatment
• A simple desire to be more comfortable during your dental treatment

If you are one of the tens of thousands of people who either desire or require dental anesthesia, SDMD Mobile Anesthesia is here to help provide you and your loved ones with the safest, most convenient and most comfortable experience possible.

Dr. Pinesett strives to provide a pleasant patient experience. He is flexible and patient in his approach: willing to work with you and your loved ones to provide safe anesthesia, on your terms.

Mobile Anesthesia for Children

SDMD Mobile Anesthesia has extensive experience working with children, which allows us to provide the highest quality and safest anesthesia possible. We utilize hospital-standard monitors and anesthetic techniques (consistent with those used at Rady’s Children’s Hospital). This includes CLOSED airway anesthesia, which protects the airway and lungs from the work being performed in the mouth and allows our expert anesthesiologists to completely control the airway, ensuring constant oxygen delivery and healthy breathing. You can relax knowing your child is being monitored and is in capable hands the entire time.

In addition to providing the safest anesthesia possible, Dr. Pinesett strives to provide a pleasant patient experience. He is flexible and patient in his approach: willing to work with families to maximize comfort and minimize distress. As a father himself, he tries to treat each child as his own by being warm, kind and playful. He will work WITH you and your child to make the process as smooth and fun as possible.

Types of Anesthesia

When it comes to medical and dental procedures, anesthesia and sedation can be used to ensure patient comfort and safety. The type of anesthesia or sedation used will depend on the patient's medical history, the procedure being performed, and the patient's preference. The most commonly used types of sedation and anesthesia are inhaled anesthesia with nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation (conscious sedation), and general endotracheal anesthesia. Here are brief descriptions of each type:

Inhaled Anesthesia with Nitrous Oxide

Also known as "laughing gas," inhaled anesthesia with nitrous oxide is a form of conscious sedation used to help patients relax during a medical or dental procedure. It is a mild sedative that is inhaled through a mask placed over the nose. Nitrous oxide is often used in combination with local anesthesia to help manage pain and anxiety during small or quick procedures. Patients who receive nitrous oxide sedation remain awake and aware throughout the procedure, but feel a sense of calmness and relaxation.

IV Sedation (Conscious Sedation/ OPEN airway anesthesia)

IV sedation, also known as conscious sedation, involves administering sedative medications through an IV catheter. Patients who receive IV sedation are conscious but deeply relaxed, and may have little to no memory of the procedure afterward. The dosage of the medication can be adjusted throughout the procedure to ensure the patient's comfort and safety. The airway is open and unprotected, which can make this type of anesthesia more risky than general endotracheal anesthesia for longer and more extensive procedures.

General Endotracheal Anesthesia (SDMD Mobile Anesthesia’s specialty)

While SDMD Mobile Anesthesia offers ALL varieties of anesthesia, we specialize in general endotracheal anesthesia (GETA) because of its high-level of safety, patient comfort and provider functionality. GETA is the deepest form of anesthesia. During this type of anesthesia, the patient is completely unconscious and unable to feel any pain. After the patient is asleep, the anesthesiologist places an IV catheter and a breathing tube (about the size of a drinking straw) through the nose and down into the lungs. This may sound invasive, but this CLOSED airway anesthesia protects the airway and lungs from the work being performed in the mouth and allows our expert anesthesiologists to completely control the airway, ensuring constant oxygen delivery and healthy breathing. Because the patient is completely unconscious and the airway is secure, you are able to complete long and extensive procedures in an uninterrupted and reliable environment while the patient sleeps comfortably. The breathing tube is removed before the patient is fully awake and aware, so for the patient, it is like it never happened.