A QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED SURVEY ON MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED IN DENTAL PRACTICES.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70905/bmcj.06.01.0485Keywords:
Emergencies, Students, Dental, Vital signs, Anxiety_Abstract
Abstract
Background: Medical emergencies in dental settings can arise due to patient anxiety, posing risks to both patients and practitioners. Inadequate preparedness among dental professionals may lead to severe consequences, including legal implications.
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of dental students and interns regarding managing these medical emergencies.
Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, conducted at University of Lahore from Jan-March 2022.The survey involved 163 participants, including dental students in their clinical years and interns completing house jobs. Out of 163 participants, 112 completed and submitted the structured questionnaire, which was analyzed using SPSS version 27.
Results: The results showed that only 42% of participants were confident in handling medical emergencies. However, enquiring about medical history was a common practice in 98.2% of participants, and taking vital signs before any procedure was a habit of 84.4% of participants. Moreover, 82.1% of dental students knew about emergency dental kits. Syncope was identified as the most common medical emergency that can be encountered in dental practices, and 71.4% of participants knew how to manage it.
Conclusion::Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that student awareness programs or clinical workshops for managing medical emergencies should be made compulsory as part of the yearly curriculum.
