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Propofol Dental Use — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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ModeratePharmacologyPropofol Dental UseMFDS Part 1

An adult requires a prolonged dental procedure and previously obtained inadequate anxiolysis with intravenous midazolam. Which of the following is a recognised use of propofol in UK dental care?

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Correct answer: D — Titrated intravenous procedural sedation administered by a dedicated, appropriately trained sedationist

Propofol is a rapid-onset, short-acting intravenous anaesthetic that may be titrated for procedural sedation, including during dental treatment. UK dental standards describe propofol infusion as an advanced sedation technique that may be useful for prolonged procedures or when benzodiazepine sedation is inadequate. A dedicated, appropriately trained sedationist, continuous monitoring and immediate airway-rescue and resuscitation facilities are required; the person administering propofol should not also perform the dental procedure. Propofol is not administered topically or orally. It has no intrinsic analgesic role, so appropriate local anaesthesia and sometimes supplementary analgesia remain necessary. Flumazenil, not propofol, reverses benzodiazepine sedation.

Reference: Electronic Medicines Compendium, Propofol 1% (10 mg/ml) emulsion for injection or infusion, SmPC sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4, revised 2024: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15152/smpc