How to cope with medical emergencies in the Dental Clinic

Kim,  Hyun Jeong

J Korean Dent Assoc > Volume 53(8); 2015 > Article

The Journal of The Korean Dental Association 2015;53(8):530-537.
Published online August 31, 2015.

치과진료실에서 흔한 긴급상황의 처치

김현정

서울대학교 치의학대학원 치과마취과학교실

How to cope with medical emergencies in the Dental Clinic

Hyun Jeong Kim

Department of Dental Anesthesiology School of Dentistry Seoul Nationl University

Abstract

Conceptually, the emergency is classified as an urgency and an emergency. The Urgency is not immediately life threatening, but could become so if not resolved promptly. So, it requires prompt patient care same as in the emergency situation. However, the emergency is immediately life threatening and requires immediate action, such as calling 119 and basic life support. Most medical emergencies in the dental clinic cases are urgencies. The incidence of true emergencies is approximately 1/1,000,000. Adequate managing medical urgencies are important because the chance of encountering medical emergencies in the dental clinic is high and higher these days especially because of rapidly aging Korean society. Many dentists indicate that many dentists feel difficulties to recognize and treat medical problems. This paper reviews the concept of medical emergencies and how to cope with commonly occurring urgencies in the dental clinic such as loss of consciousness, hypoglycemia, hyperventilation syndrome. The best treatment for medical urgencies and emergencies in the dental clinic is prevention. Also, it is required to make preparation for emergency situations such as CPR education for dentists and being well-acquainted with equipment and drugs for the emergency care as well as to systemic medical evaluation, patient monitoring, and sedations for controlling patient's anxiety and pain. In this paper, simple algorithms based on guidelines for common urgencies in the dental clinic are suggested. In conclusion, every dentist has competencies to do the urgency care adequately and basic life support. Also, advanced cardiac life support is strongly recommended when sedation is performed in the clinic.

Key Words: Algorithms;Dental;Emergency Equipment;Medical Emergencies;