We run dental sedation courses for dental practitioners. Plus we provide advanced and update dental sedation courses for those already using sedation.
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Sedation 101: Monitoring the Sedated Patient Course Gain certified competency to monitor sedated patients. MORE ▾ |
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Sedation 201: IV Sedation Midazolam Comprehensive Course Gain certified competency to sedate patients. MORE ▾ |
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Sedation 202: IV Sedation Refresher Course Update your IV Sedation Midazolam skills, and/or gain certification. MORE ▾ |
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Sedation 301: Advanced IV Sedation with Fentanyl Course Improve your sedation results & extend your working window. MORE ▾ |
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Sedation 401: Target Controlled Infusion Sedation Course Learn how to safely deliver Propofol & Remifentanil to provide minimal to moderate sedation guided by Bispectral (BIS) monitoring. MORE ▾ |
Sedation 101: Monitoring the Sedated Patient Course
Gain certified competency to monitor sedated patients
A formal education and training course that meets the Dental Council Sedation practice standard (March 2026): the formal sedation training required under Standard 17 for the monitoring role, attaining the competencies set out in Appendix D of that standard.
For
The whole dental team who monitor sedated patients, either with minimal experience or needing an introduction to capnography.
You will gain an understanding of
- The definitions of minimal, moderate, and deep sedation; and general anaesthesia.
- That the transition from complete consciousness through the various stages of sedation to general anaesthesia is a continuum and not a set of discrete welldefined stages.
- The risks associated with sedation.
And deeper knowledge in
- Anatomy and physiology of the respiratory, cardiovascular and central nervous systems in relation to sedation.
- How to monitor the sedated patient – physical and physiological monitoring including the central nervous system, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and necessary equipment – appropriate for the technique(s) and drugs being used, and the intended level of sedation.
- How to identify sedation-related complications. When to advise the sedationist or operator- sedationist of any abnormalities or concerns, and initiate or assist in the management of a medical emergency.
2026 Schedule
Confirmed dates so far are…
- Friday 20 November 2026: Auckland – Mövenpick Hotel
- Saturday 21 November 2026: Auckland – Mövenpick Hotel
- Further 2027 dates to be confirmed.
Register at https://bit.ly/nzssdregister
Speakers
Anna Biddick DipAppSc
Anna has been working in dental practice for over 20 years. After spending 10 years as Practice Manager of a large group practice which had an emphasis on sedation, she has recently moved into the specialist fields of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and Orthodontics. Anna has a vast practical experience from a non clinician view point and enjoys being able to share her knowledge to help team members upskill and implement safe sedation into their practice.
Dr Nick Stretton BDS, MRACDS(GDP), FICOI
Nick has experience in many areas of sedation including general anaesthetic, oral, and intravenous sedation over the last 10 years and is an active education committee member of the New Zealand Society for Sedation in Dentistry. Nick is passionate about training and education for sedation and has a busy general practice. He has been involved with the Dental Council Practice Standard development and travels internationally to keep up with the latest sedation techniques.
Dr Rohit Bedi BDS, NZREX, PGDipHSc
Rohit has a special interest in providing care using advanced intravenous sedation techniques to help treat patients with extreme dental anxiety and complex needs. He is an active member of the New Zealand, UK and American societies for sedation. He believes Dental Sedation is a “team effort” and is involved in teaching sedation to other dentists and teams. Rohit travels both nationally and internationally to keep up to date with the latest developments in procedural sedation. He practices the full scope of General Dentistry under intravenous sedation
Continuous Improvement
Attendee feedback has always been positive, but we’ve worked to make the course even better. We have incorporated more case-based examples and clinical simulation scenarios to aid in learning for all members of the team.
Registrations
Register here: https://bit.ly/nzssdregister
We have limited spaces and expect these courses to sell out fast.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel up to 1 month prior and get a full refund, less a $95 plus GST administration fee.
- No refund if cancelled within 30 days prior.
Transfer Policy
- Transfer your place to another person up to 1 month prior at no cost.
- Transfers within 30 days prior incur a $95 plus GST administration fee.
Sedation 201: IV Sedation Midazolam Comprehensive Course
Gain certified competency to sedate patients
A formal training programme that meets the education and training requirements of the Dental Council Sedation practice standard (March 2026). Sedation 201 provides the formal sedation training required under Standard 17 for minimal sedation using multiple drugs or the intravenous route, and for moderate sedation, and is designed to attain the competencies set out in Appendix C of that standard.
For
Dentists who wish to undertake a training program in IV Sedation, have minimal or no previous experience in IV sedation, or have previous experience but require recertification or a refresher course.
You will learn
- How Midazolam works and how to use it, with live demonstrations.
- The equipment, protocols, records and documentation you need to provide IV sedation.
- The staff and staffing requirements you need.
- Teamwork and its importance for sedation.
- How to assess a patient for IV sedation suitability.
- A review of medical assessment for IV sedation.
- How to comply with NZDA and DCNZ requirements.
DATE: Friday/Saturday 25/26 September 2026, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
VENUE: Day 1 — Hotel Elms, 456 Papanui Road, Christchurch. Day 2 — Beale & Cullen, 393 Papanui Road, Christchurch. (Both venues are on Papanui Road, a few minutes apart.)
LIMIT: Limited to the first 20 people to book.
DATE: Friday/Saturday 9/10 October 2026, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
VENUE: Dental Artistry, 38 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
LIMIT: Limited to the first 20 people to book.
Speakers
Dr Don Macalister BDS (Otago), FDSRCS (Eng), Oral Surgeon
After time spent in Military service with Royal New Zealand Navy, Don trained in Oral Surgery in East Grinstead, UK. He is now a specialist Oral Surgeon in private practice in Auckland, and has career long involvement with post graduate teaching of Intravenous sedation. Don pioneered TCI procedural sedation in dentistry in NZ, and has been using TCI sedation in oral surgical practice for 20 years.
Dr Graham Shaw BDS
Graham graduated from Otago in 1985, then worked as a dental house surgeon at Christchurch hospital where he was mentored in IV sedation by John Sinclair. He has been involved with the NZSSD since 1998 and has been President since 2001. Since being mentored by Don Macalister into TCI sedation Graham has done around 1,000 TCI cases.
Dr Rohit Bedi BDS, NZREX, PGDipHSc
Rohit has a special interest in providing care using advanced intravenous sedation techniques to help treat patients with extreme dental anxiety and complex needs. He is an active member of the New Zealand, UK and American societies for sedation. He believes Dental Sedation is a “team effort” and is involved in teaching sedation to other dentists and teams. Rohit travels both nationally and internationally to keep up to date with the latest developments in procedural sedation. He practices the full scope of General Dentistry under intravenous sedation
Requirements
The course is a two-day programme of lectures, demonstrations, simulated IV experience, practical venepuncture training and a written examination.
You must hold current resuscitation training that includes scenario training relevant to the management of sedation-related complications, revalidated every two years. The Dental Council Sedation practice standard (March 2026) requires NZRC CORE immediate (or equivalent) at Standard 18. The Medical emergencies practice standard (August 2021) currently requires CORE Advanced for dentists performing sedation, and until it is revised we recommend maintaining CORE Advanced.
Then to gain certification you will be required to…
- Pass the course examination with an 80% pass mark.
- Observe five clinical cases of IV sedation with a mentor who is a member of the NZSSD.
- On receipt of a letter confirming your observations, complete the online Safe Sedation Training (SST) module.
- On successful completion of SST, your certificate in IV sedation will be issued.
You have six months from completion of the course to complete the observations and SST.
Pre-reading. The course manual will be emailed to you once your place is confirmed. It must be read in conjunction with the Dental Council Sedation practice standard (March 2026) and the Medical emergencies practice standard (August 2021). Please allow time to study all three before the course.
Please make your own arrangements for transport and accommodation.
Cost $2,950 including GST, which includes your first year of NZSSD membership and, through it, access to the online Safe Sedation Training module.
Upon acceptance a GST tax invoice will be emailed to you.
If you have any questions on the above, please contact…
- Sue Gibbons, [email protected]
Expressions of Interest
Places are limited to 20 per course and both 2026 courses are expected to fill. Please scroll down and complete the form, or click here ▾ to jump straight to it, and register your interest.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel up to 1 month prior and get a full refund, less a $95 plus GST administration fee.
- No refund if cancelled within 30 days prior.
Transfer Policy
- Transfer your place to another person up to 1 month prior at no cost.
- Transfers within 30 days prior incur a $95 plus GST administration fee.
Sedation 202: IV Sedation Midazolam Refresher Course
Update your IV Sedation Midazolam skills, and/or gain certification.
We review the 2-day Midazolam Comprehensive Course, including theory, equipment, set up, pharmacology, sedation protocols, capnography, current regulations and requirements.
We also practice cannulation, with tips on techniques. Newer cannula technology will be shown with hands on practice.
Includes high fidelity simulation on common sedation clinical scenarios, complications and their appropriate management.
For
- Dentists who have done the 2-day “Sedation 201: IV Sedation Midazolam Comprehensive Course” but haven’t completed the certification requirements and now want to gain certification.
- Dentists who have gained certification but have not been actively using IV sedation and want to start sedating again.
- Dentists who are using IV sedation and would like an update.
Date
- Friday 16 October 2026: Auckland
- Full day course 8:30am-5:00pm
- Registration 8:00am
- Limited to the first 20 people to book
- Dental Artistry, 38 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
Requirements
Participants must have completed the “Sedation 201: IV Sedation Midazolam Comprehensive Course” to be accepted into this course.
Expressions of Interest
The course is limited to 20 participants, so we expect it to sell out fast. Please scroll down and complete the form, or click here ▾ to jump straight to it, and register your interest before it’s too late.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel up to 1 month prior and get a full refund, less a $95 plus GST administration fee.
- No refund if cancelled within 30 days prior.
Transfer Policy
- Transfer your place to another person up to 1 month prior at no cost.
- Transfers within 30 days prior incur a $95 plus GST administration fee.
Sedation 301: Advanced IV Sedation with Fentanyl Course
Improve your sedation results & extend your working window
Single-drug sedation with Midazolam has its limitations. Discover how the synergy between Fentanyl and Midazolam can be used to create a more stable and better controlled sedation.
For
- Experienced IV sedationists.
You will learn
- Detailed pharmacological context behind the rationale for use of a hypnotic (Midazolam) and an opiate (Fentanyl) for dental sedation.
- Appropriate protocols for two-drug administration and monitoring.
- Gain access to the SST online program at no additional cost by way of your NZSSD membership.
- Principles for safe sedation practice and patient selection when using multi-drug sedation.
- Potential complications (and their management) that you may encounter during minimal to moderate procedural sedation, encompassing aspects of airway and circulatory adverse events.
- Appropriate use of supplemental oxygen and relevance of capnography for monitoring respiratory adequacy and safety.
- Receive an overview of capnography waveforms along with the tools for interpretation of common waveform patterns.
- Tips and tricks on cannulation for patients with difficult veins.
- How to improve your overall success rates for cannulation.
- Simple ways to streamline and improve patient outcomes during sedation based on practical experiences and case discussions.
DATE: 2027 dates to be confirmed — please register your interest below.
Speakers
Dr Don Macalister BDS (Otago), FDSRCS (Eng), Oral Surgeon
After time spent in Military service with Royal New Zealand Navy, Don trained in Oral Surgery in East Grinstead, UK. He is now a specialist Oral Surgeon in private practice in Auckland, and has career long involvement with post graduate teaching of Intravenous sedation. Don pioneered TCI procedural sedation in dentistry in NZ, and has been using TCI sedation in oral surgical practice for 20 years.
Dr Graham Shaw BDS
Graham graduated from Otago in 1985, then worked as a dental house surgeon at Christchurch hospital where he was mentored in IV sedation by John Sinclair. He has been involved with the NZSSD since 1998 and has been President since 2001. Since being mentored by Don Macalister into TCI sedation Graham has done around 1,000 TCI cases.
Dr Rohit Bedi BDS, NZREX, PGDipHSc
Rohit has a special interest in providing care using advanced intravenous sedation techniques to help treat patients with extreme dental anxiety and complex needs. He is an active member of the New Zealand, UK and American societies for sedation. He believes Dental Sedation is a “team effort” and is involved in teaching sedation to other dentists and teams. Rohit travels both nationally and internationally to keep up to date with the latest developments in procedural sedation. He practices the full scope of General Dentistry under intravenous sedation
Requirements
- Participants must complete a mandatory pre-course questionnaire following registration. The purpose of the questionnaire is to help tailor the course to best suit candidates.
- Pre-Course Questionnaire link: https://sedation.rohitbedi.co.nz/Sedation301
Expressions of Interest
We have limited spaces and expect this course to sell out fast. Please scroll down and complete the form, or click here ▾ to jump straight to it, and register your interest before it’s too late.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel up to 1 month prior and get a full refund, less a $95 plus GST administration fee.
- No refund if cancelled within 30 days prior.
Transfer Policy
- Transfer your place to another person up to 1 month prior at no cost.
- Transfers within 30 days prior incur a $95 plus GST administration fee.
Sedation 401: Target Controlled Infusion Sedation Course
Learn how to safely deliver Propofol and Remifentanil to provide minimal to moderate sedation guided by Bispectral (BIS) monitoring
Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) is a system that delivers drugs intravenously using a computer- controlled pump.
For: Experienced IV sedationists with experience in a multi-drug technique and a desire to move to this significantly advanced technique for procedural sedation.
You will learn:
- Principles of TCI.
- Become familiar with the use of the pumps, associated equipment and consumables.
- Demonstrate TCI sedation with advanced simulation over a range of real-world scenarios.
DATE: 2027 dates to be confirmed — please register your interest below.
NOTE: This is a course where admittance isn’t automatic. Applicants must complete a pre-course assessment questionnaire – see “TCI Course: Pre-Course Assessment” heading below for the questionnaire link.
Speakers
Dr Don Macalister BDS (Otago), FDSRCS (Eng), Oral Surgeon
After time spent in Military service with Royal New Zealand Navy, Don trained in Oral Surgery in East Grinstead, UK. He is now a specialist Oral Surgeon in private practice in Auckland, and has career long involvement with post graduate teaching of Intravenous sedation. Don pioneered TCI procedural sedation in dentistry in NZ, and has been using TCI sedation in oral surgical practice for 20 years.
Dr Graham Shaw BDS
Graham graduated from Otago in 1985, then worked as a dental house surgeon at Christchurch hospital where he was mentored in IV sedation by John Sinclair. He has been involved with the NZSSD since 1998 and has been President since 2001. Since being mentored by Don Macalister into TCI sedation Graham has done around 1000 TCI cases.
Dr Rohit Bedi BDS, NZREX, PGDipHSc
Rohit has a special interest in providing care using advanced intravenous sedation techniques to help treat patients with extreme dental anxiety and complex needs. He is an active member of the New Zealand, UK and American societies for sedation. He believes Dental Sedation is a “team effort” and is involved in teaching sedation to other dentists and teams. Rohit travels both nationally and internationally to keep up to date with the latest developments in procedural sedation. He practices the full scope of General Dentistry under intravenous sedation
Requirements
- Please note that admittance isn’t automatic. Participants will be screened for entry into the program to determine suitability for the technique. This will include pre-course questionnaires and submission of case reports. See “TCI Course: Pre-Course Assessment” heading below.
- Completion of SST (Safe Sedation Training) online module with a current certificate (within the last 2 years) prior to the course is mandatory.
- Prior completion of Sedation 301: Advanced IV Sedation with Fentanyl Course is strongly advised.
Please direct any inquiries to Rohit Bedi [email protected].
TCI Course: Pre-Course Assessment
- Applicants for this course must complete the pre-course assessment questionnaire here: https://sedation.rohitbedi.co.nz/TCI401
- If you want to register your nurses or dental assistants, please get each person to fill out the questionnaire separately.
- Everyone wanting to attend the course must complete the questionnaire.
FAQ
The linked PDF contains FAQs related to this course. Questions answered are:
- Can I practice TCI sedation as a surgeon administering sedation in NZ?
- What is the team structure when practicing TCI sedation?
- What are the attendee requirements?
- What are the registration fees per person?
- Is acceptance into the course automatic upon registration?
- Is there any pre-reading?
NZSSD-Sedation-401-FAQ.pdf
(PDF 482 KB. Right click to download.)
Expressions of Interest
Previous courses sold out quite quickly and there are limited spaces. We recommend you complete the “Expression of Interest Form” form below to secure your spot on the list before they are all taken.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel up to 1 month prior and get a full refund, less a $95 plus GST administration fee.
- No refund if cancelled within 30 days prior.
Transfer Policy
- Transfer your place to another person up to 1 month prior at no cost.
- Transfers within 30 days prior incur a $95 plus GST administration fee.