Facilities that intend to provide deep sedation and/or general anesthesia services must first undergo an initial accreditation inspection and receive accreditation from BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee. Licensees and the non-hospital facilities in which they operate must be in full compliance with the Sedation and General Anesthesia Standards and Guidelines. Facilities that have not been accredited and in compliance with deep sedation and/or general anesthesia standards are not permitted to provide such services.
Note: Facilities who engage physicians for sedation and/or GA services in their facilities, please refer here for information regarding CPSBC requirements for physicians working in non-hospital dental based dental facilities.
Facilities that intend to provide moderate sedation services in their facility must complete an initial compliance assessment and receive confirmation of compliance from BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee.
Only one completed initial compliance assessment is required per facility. Moderate sedation facilities complete one initial compliance assessment and do not need to submit another compliance assessment. You will be notified when subsequent compliance assessments are required.
Phase one began in April 2022 with the assessment process for moderate sedation facilities in the form of a required compliance assessment (formerly known as self-assessment). Mandatory accreditation inspections were rolled out in Fall 2025.
While assessment is ongoing, licensees may provide moderate sedation services as long as they are in full compliance with the Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates, unless directed otherwise.
Application and requirements:
Note: Licensees are only required to complete the Application for Facility Accreditation to Provide Moderate Sedation when they are contacted by BCCOHP for completion.
Physicians are not permitted to function in any capacity within BCCOHP-regulated moderate sedation facilities until the facility has completed its initial accreditation inspection (completed by the dentist/RN inspector, biomed inspector, and anesthesiologist inspector) and has been accredited by BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee.
Currently, licensees who provide minimal sedation and minimal sedation facilities are not required to register with BCCOHP. Licensees may provide minimal sedation services as long as they are in full compliance with the Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and relevant updates/news.
Please be reminded that although minimal sedation is defined as a single oral sedative, within MRD, with or without nitrous oxide or oxygen, or nitrous oxide/oxygen alone, it is ultimately the patients’ response and level of consciousness that determine the level of sedation provided. As sedation is a continuum, the level of sedation provided is not solely dependent on drugs or route of administration. Any single agent can produce a greater effect, if given enough. As such, if minimal sedation is the intended level, the patient’s level of consciousness and response must remain in the state of minimal sedation.
We ask facility directors who withdraw their facility from moderate sedation, deep sedation and/or general anesthesia services to inform BCCOHP within seven business days of doing so. The withdrawal form is available here >>
What is a facility director?
A “facility director” means a licensee who the registrar approves as the facility director for an accredited facility under HPOA bylaws section 14.07(5)(a).
What is a facility owner?
An “owner” means a licensee or health profession corporation that:
What is an accreditation inspector?
An “accreditation inspector” means a person retained or employed by the registrar for the purpose of conducting facility inspections and re-inspections.
If you are a new sedation facility owner or director, or if you have questions, please get in touch using our contact form.
Facilities that intend to provide deep sedation and/or general anesthesia services must first undergo an initial accreditation inspection and receive accreditation from BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee. Licensees and the non-hospital facilities in which they operate must be in full compliance with the Sedation and General Anesthesia Standards and Guidelines. Facilities that have not been accredited and in compliance with deep sedation and/or general anesthesia standards are not permitted to provide such services.
In cases where facility director/owner(s) changes, relocation, renovation, or addition of sedation or recovery operatory, early inspections may take place.
How these inspections will be scheduled
BCCOHP will be contacting facilities to schedule accreditation inspections.
Generally, the inspections will consist of two on-site visits by the following accreditation inspectors:
A third inspection will be conducted by a physician/anesthesiologist, if applicable.
When scheduling inspections, please note there are no patients permitted during biomedical inspections. For dentist and anesthesiologist (if applicable) inspections, consult patients may be present in non-sedation/non-recovery areas. Inspectors must be granted full access to the facility to complete the inspection. If an inspection must be rescheduled, facility director/owner(s) are responsible for all costs incurred as a result of cancellations.
During the dentist and anesthesiologist (if applicable) inspections, we require a sedation provider, sedation team member, or the facility director/owner(s) who are knowledgeable about the sedation procedures and the facility be present and available throughout the inspection to support and respond to questions and must not be seeing patients while the inspection is being conducted.
How to prepare for the inspections
Prior to the day of inspection, please ensure that:
On the day of your inspection, please ensure that:
What to anticipate during the inspection
Inspectors will conduct inspections in accordance with the respective Sedation and/or General Anesthesia Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates.
Kindly be advised that inspectors may take photographs or video recordings, when appropriate, to supplement documentation for assessment purposes.
What to anticipate after the inspection
When the inspections are completed, inspectors will finalize their reports and submit them to BCCOHP for review. The reports will then be shared with the facility director along with the Accreditation Recommendation Letter. Proof of rectification is required for all identified deficiencies (if any); facility director may also provide comments for the Accreditation Committee’s consideration.
When BCCOHP receives proof of rectifications for all identified deficiencies that are rectified, the facility will be reviewed by the Accreditation Committee. If additional information has been identified for submission, BCCOHP staff will contact the facility director.
Once the Accreditation Committee has confirmed accreditation, the facility will receive an accreditation letter and wall certificate. The facility will also be displayed on BCCOHP’s Sedation and General Anesthesia Map* on our website.
*Note: only moderate sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia facilities that have completed inspections and are accredited by BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee are displayed.
Resources
During a facility’s term of accreditation, the facility director for the facility must complete and submit to the registrar a compliance assessment. Compliance assessments are submitted annually, except in years when accreditation renewal and inspection take place.
Sedation & General Anesthesia Compliance Assessment
What is a facility director?
A “facility director” means a licensee who the registrar approves as the facility director for an accredited facility under HPOA bylaws section 14.07(5)(a).
What is a facility owner?
An “owner” means a licensee or health profession corporation that:
What is an accreditation inspector?
An “accreditation inspector” means a person retained or employed by the registrar for the purpose of conducting facility inspections and re-inspections.
Facilities that intend to provide moderate sedation services in their facility must complete an initial compliance assessment and receive confirmation of compliance from BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee.
Only one completed initial compliance assessment is required per facility. Moderate sedation facilities complete one initial compliance assessment and do not need to submit another compliance assessment. You will be notified when subsequent compliance assessments are required.
Phase one began in April 2022 with the assessment process for moderate sedation facilities in the form of a required compliance assessment (formerly known as self-assessment). Mandatory accreditation inspections were rolled out in Fall 2025.
While assessment is ongoing, licensees may provide moderate sedation services as long as they are in full compliance with the Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates, unless directed otherwise.
Mandatory accreditation inspections were rolled out in Fall 2025. Moderate sedation facilities are assessed with the current Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates.
While accreditation inspections are ongoing, licensees may continue moderate sedation services as long as they are in full compliance with Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates, unless directed otherwise.
Application and requirements
How these inspections will be scheduled
BCCOHP will be contacting moderate sedation facilities to schedule accreditation inspections.
Generally, the inspections will consist of two on-site visits by the following accreditation inspectors:
A third inspection will be conducted by a physician/anesthesiologist, if applicable.
When scheduling your inspections, please note there are no patients permitted during biomedical inspections. For RN/dentist and anesthesiologist (if applicable) inspections, consult patients may be present in non-sedation/non-recovery areas. Inspectors must be granted full access to the facility to complete the inspection. If an inspection must be rescheduled, facility owners are responsible for all costs incurred as a result of cancellations.
During the RN/dentist and anesthesiologist (if applicable) inspections, we require a sedation provider, sedation team member, or the facility director/owner(s)who are knowledgeable about the sedation procedures and the facility be present and available throughout the inspection to support and respond to questions and must not be seeing patients while the inspection is being conducted.
Inspection fees
In accordance with Schedule A, the fee for the moderate sedation accreditation is $2,625.
How to prepare for the day of the inspections
Prior to the day of inspection, please ensure that:
On the day of your inspection, please ensure that:
For facilities that are supported by mobile anesthesia providers, facility directors are responsible to ensure all moderate sedation-related equipment, supplies, and drugs are present during the inspection.
What to anticipate during the inspection
Accreditation inspectors will conduct inspections in accordance with the Minimal and Moderate Sedation Standards & Guidelines and related sedation updates. Kindly be advised that inspectors may take photographs or video recordings, when appropriate, to supplement documentation for inspection purposes.
What to anticipate after the inspection
Once your inspections are completed, inspectors will finalize their reports and submit them to BCCOHP for review. The reports will then be shared with the facility director along with the Accreditation Recommendation Letter. Proof of rectification is required for all identified deficiencies (if any); facility director may also provide comments and for the Accreditation Committee’s consideration.
When all identified deficiencies are rectified, the reports will be reviewed by the Accreditation Committee. If additional information is required, BCCOHP will contact the facility director.
Once the Accreditation Committee has confirmed accreditation, the facility will receive an accreditation letter and wall certificate. The facility will also be displayed on BCCOHP’s Sedation and General Anesthesia Map* on our website.
*Note: only moderate sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia facilities that have completed inspections and are accredited by BCCOHP through the Accreditation Committee are displayed.
Five-year accreditation cycle
The cycle will continue to repeat every five years as long as the facility offers moderate sedation services.
What is a facility director?
A “facility director” means a licensee who the registrar approves as the facility director for an accredited facility under HPOA bylaws section 14.07(5)(a).
What is a facility owner?
An “owner” means a licensee or health profession corporation that:
What is an accreditation inspector?
An “accreditation inspector” means a person retained or employed by the registrar for the purpose of conducting facility inspections and re-inspections.
