Introduction to medical emergencies in dental practice

The Therapeutic Guidelines series and the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines form the basis of the information in this topic.

Potential medical emergencies range from transient problems that resolve spontaneously (eg syncope), to serious emergencies that require transfer of the patient to hospital (eg severe asthma attack), to life-threatening emergencies that require on-site resuscitation (eg cardiac arrest). Medications have the potential to cause adverse effects, some of which are life threatening (eg anaphylaxis).

Medical emergencies in dental practice can be minimised by careful assessment of the patient; this includes obtaining a detailed medical and medication history. When emergencies occur, prompt diagnosis and management improve outcomes.

Dentists and staff have a professional obligation to maintain competency in emergency management and basic life support. If dental assistants have not been through a formal training program, they should have, at least, a basic-level first-aid certificate.

Dentists must ensure that their practice:

• has an established medical emergency plan, which considers the usual emergency services response time
• prominently displays the emergency phone number (000)
• prominently displays the nearest medical facility phone number.

The level of staff training and the emergency drugs and equipment required by the dental practice are determined by the patient population, the practice type and the emergency services response time.