Dentists' preparedness for medical emergencies in dental offices: a bibliographic study

Abstract

Medical emergencies in dental offices represent a significant challenge due to the prevalence of comorbidities among patients and the variability in the dentists' preparation to manage them. The objective of this study was to interpret the types of medical emergencies faced by dental professionals in the dental office and to evaluate their academic preparation for handling these events. A bibliographic, documentary, exploratory, and descriptive qualitative research was conducted. The search included databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and Cochrane, using specific terms related to emergency medicine and dentistry. Out of the initial 40 articles, 23 that met the inclusion criteria were selected, focusing on studies published between 2018 and 2023 in English and Spanish. References were managed and analyzed using the Zotero software. The most frequent medical emergencies in the dental office were vasovagal syncope (36 %), angina pectoris (14 %), cardiac arrest (12 %), hyperventilation (10 %), and allergic reactions (8 %). A significant number of dentists do not feel adequately prepared to handle these emergencies, highlighting the need to improve academic training in this area. It was concluded that the prevalence of medical emergencies in dental offices is high, with vasovagal syncope being the most common. However, the preparation of dentists to manage these situations is insufficient. It is recommended to enhance academic training and the implementation of emergency medical equipment in dental offices to ensure an adequate and timely response.