Factors Contributing to General Anesthesia Appointment Failure

Purpose: This cross-sectional study investigated factors associated with attendance to general anesthesia (GA) appointments at an outpatient dental surgery center associated with a pediatric dentistry residency program. Methods: The study population included patients scheduled for dental care using GA from December 1, 2022, to December 1, 2023. Variables of interest were identified prior to initiation of the study, and data were collected from electronic health records. Results: During the 12 months of follow-up, a total of 543 patients completed their dental care with GA. Among the GA cases, 92 cancelled with at least 72 hours' notice, 105 canceled with less than 72 hours' notice, and 74 failed (noshow or late cancellation) to attend their appointment. There was no statistically significant association between attendance and sex or language. Patients aged between six and 11 years, with Medicaid, and who had the earliest check-in time (6:30 am to 9:30 am) and shortest distance (less than 20 miles) were less likely to keep their appointments. The most frequent reasons for late cancellation or no-show were illness (53 percent), fasting violation (4.4 percent), change in medical status (4.4 percent), insurance/finances (3.0 percent), and transportation (1.8 percent). Conclusions: A high percentage of patients in this study cancelled with short notice or no-showed for their appointments. This was primarily due to anesthesia-related factors such as illness and fasting violation, but logistical issues (transportation, weather, etc.) also impacted attendance.