Medical emergencies in dentistry: academic knowledge – a ten-year comparative study

Larissa Fochesatto Restelato, Andrea Gallon, Felipe Lange, Tharzon Barbieri

Introduction: Patients suffering from some kind of systemic grievance are common, contributing to the increase of medical emergencies in dental services. It is important that the dental surgeon be technically and psychologically prepared for immediate prescription of assistance in situations with imminent risk of death. Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the knowledge of dentistry undergraduate students of final phases, related to the management of anaphylactic shock, obstruction of the airway passages, and cardiopulmonary arrest. Methods: This quantitative and transversal research was composed of 53 undergraduate students who answered a multiple choice questionnaire. The t-Student test was used, with significance level of p <0.05. Results: The findings show that although the academic students can identify causes and symptoms of anaphylactic shock, 75% did not know how to treat it. About choking, 66% did not know how to treat it. For cardiorespiratory arrest, 87% did not recognize the signs and symptoms, and 96% did not know how to reanimate. Conclusion: This study ratifies the findings of the literature, in which most of the professionals are not capable of taking account of these situations. The undergraduate courses need to rethink the teaching to give better preparation for the professionals entering the labor market.

Keywords: Anaphylaxis. Heart arrest. Airway obstruction.

How to cite: Restelato LF, Gallon A, Lange F, Barbieri T. Medical emergencies in dentistry: academic knowledge – a ten-year comparative study. J Braz Coll Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2018 May-Aug;4(2):45-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14436/2358-2782.4.2.045-051.oar

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