Preparing For Medical Emergencies

By Meghan A. McGuinness, RDH, BS, MA, EdD

Medical emergencies in dental settings occur for a variety of reasons. A survey revealed that among 2,704 dentists polled over 10 years, more than 13,000 medical emergencies took place.¹ The chief reason is an increase in the number of older adults seeking dental services. In addition, many of these patients use polypharmacy, which, in turn, can increase medical complications.^2,3 Another factor stems from medical advances that are allowing patients who are medically compromised to live a higher quality of life, which includes seeking dental services.^2,3 In clinical practice, these varied conditions and prescriptions must be considered when selecting dental anesthetics, as they may inhibit a patient’s ability to adapt to stressful situations.⁴

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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