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A dental student's guide to medical emergencies

BDJ Student volume 32, pages 62–65 (2025)Cite this article

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Dealing with a medical emergency in a dental practice comes with unique challenges. Unlike hospitals, dental surgeries are small, confined spaces with limited access to emergency equipment. Patient positioning can also make things tricky - someone reclining in a dental chair with a compromised airway isn't as easy to manage as a patient lying on a hospital bed. On top of that, dental anxiety plays a huge role. Many emergencies, like vasovagal syncope, are triggered by stress, pain or even just the sight of a needle.

It is crucial for dental students to develop emergency management skills early. Studies show that vasovagal syncope is the most common medical emergency in dental settings, followed by hypoglycaemia, asthma attacks and anaphylaxis.3 These incidents often stem from anxiety, pre-existing medical conditions or reactions to local anaesthetics.

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References

  1. Sin M, Edwards D, Currie C, et al. Prevalence of medical emergency events in primary dental care within the UK. Br Dent J 2023; 235: 721-726.

  2. Solanki C, Geisinger M L, Luepke P G, et al. Assessing readiness to manage medical emergencies among dental students at four dental schools. J Dent Educ 2021; 85: 1462-1470.

  3. Jevon P. Medical emergencies in the dental practice poster: revised and updated. Br Dent J 2020; 229: 97-104.

  4. Resuscitation Council UK. ABCDE approach. 2024. Online information available at: https://www.resus.org.uk/library/abcde-approach (Accessed February 2025).

  5. British Heart Foundation. Understanding defibrillators: what they are and how to use them. 2024. Online information available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/defibrillators/understanding-defibrillators-what-they-are-and-how-to-use-them (Accessed February 2025).

  6. General Dental Council. Continuing professional development for dental professionals. 2013. Online information available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/education-and-cpd (Accessed February 2025).

  7. St John Ambulance. How to handle difficult first aid situations. 2024. Online information available at: (Accessed February 2025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth, United Kingdom

    Elizabeth Friel

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  1. Elizabeth Friel
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Correspondence to Elizabeth Friel.

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Friel, E. A dental student's guide to medical emergencies. BDJ Student 32, 62–65 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-025-1504-1

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