S12: Emergency Response Plan: Managing Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office

BLS courses train a variety of healthcare providers, but focus on attempting to reverse pulseless arrest (death). ACLS and PALS algorithms prevent deterioration of alive patients, but most dentists either cannot perform or lack equipment / credentialed staff to perform the interventions. Further, most prefabricated “dental emergency kits” contain expensive drugs / supplies unfamiliar to dentists.

To address these issues, the speaker (an AHA instructor) teaches modified workflows within the audience’s skillset. In addition to explanation and discussion, attendees will receive handouts with office supply lists and EM algorithm cards germane to dental settings.

Educational Objectives:

• Teach dental professionals to quickly and accurately obtain vital signs using cost-effective basic equipment
• Enable attendees to create office emergency kits that all clinical staff can use to manage both common and uncommon emergent events.
• Review the relevant pathophysiology of emergency scenarios to aid in understanding solutions and interventions.
• Establish standardized roles and responsibilities for both doctors and auxillaries that enable effective team function during stressful situations.
• Offer management options for both standard dental providers as well as those with more advanced monitoring and venipuncture skills.