Course Description:
This course consists of 9 modules. You’ll earn 16 CE credits upon completion.
Medical emergencies can and do happen in the dental environment. Approximately 75% of these can be prevented through physical evaluation of the prospective dental patient, using a systematic review of the patient’s medical history and recording of vital signs.
In addition to prevention and preparation, Dr. Stanley Malamed will cover the P-C-A-B-D protocol for medical emergencies in the dentist's office and address the most common occurring incidents, including respiratory distress, altered consciousness, drug allergy or overdose, chest pain, and cardiac arrest.
Prevention
Most medical emergencies in the dental environment are preventable. The first module will cover the most common emergencies to transpire in the office and we’ll describe the steps necessary to prevent their occurrence: the medical history questionnaire, monitoring of vital signs, dialogue history, and the stress reduction protocol.
Preparation
This module addresses the preparation of the dental office and staff to prevent, recognize, and manage the medical emergencies that will inevitably occur. We’ll discuss the importance of:
- Basic life support
- Developing an in-office emergency response team
- Activation of emergency medical services
- The basic emergency drug kit and equipment needed
Basic Management
The basic management protocol is introduced for all medical emergencies occurring in the dental office environment: P-C-A-B-D (Positioning – Circulation – Airway – Breathing – Definitive Care). Each step will be described for both the conscious and the unconscious patient.
Altered Consciousness
Syncope, hypoglycemia, and seizures are not uncommon emergencies in the dental office. This module reviews the prevention, recognition, and management of these common causes of altered consciousness.
Respiratory Distress
A conscious patient complaining of difficulty breathing forms the basis of respiratory distress. The four common causes are bronchospasm (asthma), hyperventilation, heart failure, and acute pulmonary edema, and foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) when a patient aspirates and chokes on small dental devices. We’ll review prevention, recognition, and management of respiratory distress.
Drug-Related Emergencies – Allergy
Allergy, overdose, and idiosyncrasy are the three systemic adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Most allergic reactions are relatively mild and non-life-threatening; however, some are acutely life-threatening – anaphylaxis. This module reviews the prevention, recognition, and management of allergic reactions in the dental office environment.
Drug-Related Emergency – Overdose
The administration and prescription of drugs are essential in the contemporary practice of dentistry, with antibiotics, analgesics, local anesthetics, and sedatives being the most common categories. Systemic adverse drug reactions (ADRs) may occur any time a drug is administered to a patient. This module discusses the problem of local anesthetic overdose and overdose of sedative drugs, their prevention, recognition, and management.
Chest ‘Pain’
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. This module covers acute coronary syndrome – angina pectoris and myocardial infarction – conditions that initially manifest themselves as chest pain. The ‘Silent MI,’ most commonly seen in women, the elderly, and diabetics will also be discussed. The prevention, recognition, and management of these conditions are reviewed in-depth.
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart ceases to pump blood. The victim – unconscious, not breathing, and with no blood pressure – will die unless effective resuscitative efforts are commenced immediately. This module discusses the recognition and management of cardiac arrest emphasizing the importance of basic life support (CPR) and defibrillation (AED) in improving the chances for a successful outcome.
Buy this course today and access it for one full year.
All sales are final.
Purchase of this course grants access for one year and requires an internet connection, a computer with video and audio capabilities, and in some cases, Adobe Reader to view handouts and articles.
Watch the video and complete the quiz to earn 16 CE credits.
Scientific support and additional resources are available here.
You can download this course and watch it anywhere using the DOCS APP. Get it on Google Play or the Apple Store.
340 Anesthesia and Pain Management (local anesthesia) – 16 hours
DOCS online courses are available to the purchaser for one year from date of purchase.
No refund of course tuition is available.
STANLEY F. MALAMED, D.D.S.
Doctor Malamed, a dentist anesthesiologist, graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry in 1969 and then completed a residency in anesthesiology at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in the Bronx, New York before serving for 2 years in the U.S. Army Dental Corps at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. In 1973, he joined the faculty of the University of Southern California School of Dentistry (now the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of U.S.C), in Los Angeles, retiring from full-time teaching in 2013. Dr. Malamed is an Emeritus Professor of Dentistry Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of U.S.C.
Dr. Malamed is a Diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology, as well as a recipient of the Heidebrink Award [1996] from the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and the Horace Wells Award from the International Federation of Dental Anesthesia Societies, 1997 (IFDAS).
Doctor Malamed has authored more than 160 scientific papers and 17 chapters in various medical and dental journals and textbooks in the areas of physical evaluation, emergency medicine, local anesthesia, sedation and general anesthesia.
In addition, Dr. Malamed is the author of three widely used textbooks, published by CV Mosby: Handbook of Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office (7th edition 2015); Handbook of Local Anesthesia (6th edition 2012); and Sedation - a guide to patient management (6th edition 2017) and two interactive DVD’s: Emergency Medicine (2nd edition, 2008) and Malamed’s Local Anesthetic Technique DVD (2004) (edition 2 - 2012)
In his spare time, Doctor Malamed is an avid runner, exercise enthusiast, and admits an addiction to the New York Times crossword puzzle, which he has done daily since his freshman year in dental school
