Dental Resource Center

Medical emergencies and sedation emergencies can, do, and will occur at dental offices. Emergency drug kits contain the medications required for many such emergencies, including the (often multiple doses of) epinephrine needed for anaphylaxis, the nitroglycerin called for in cases of angina, and the albuterol used to treat asthmatics. The ADA Council of Scientific Affairs acknowledges the importance of emergency drug kits by stating that all dental offices should maintain at least the basic recommended emergency equipment and drugs. In fact, the package insert of local anesthetics states that dental practitioners should have the proper equipment and resuscitative drugs before administering any local anesthetic. Do you? This program is a very comprehensive program prepared for both medical emergency drugs and sedation emergency drugs. 

Do not fall under the illusion that all emergencies are resolved via a simple call to 911, and that emergency drug kits are unnecessary because emergency medical services can easily take care of any problems. With EMS response times averaging more than eleven minutes in the city and 15 minutes in rural areas, calling 911 constitutes only one step of an effective medical emergency preparedness plan; treatment of a medical emergency should begin before EMS arrives. 

The ADA Council of Scientific Affairs names seven core drugs that belong in every emergency drug kit: oxygen, glucose, diphenhydramine, nitroglycerin, albuterol, aspirin, and epinephrine. Every dental office in the United States should have these seven drugs, up-to-date, to complete its store of essential medications. If sedation is performed in the dental office, that will mean more emergency drugs are needed in the event of a sedation emergency. 

Unquestionably, everybody in the office—the dentist, the dental hygienist, the dental assistant, and even the nurses that work in the dental office—should be familiar with each drug within the drug kit, know each one’s effects, and be comfortable with drawing up and labeling the drugs for administration. Health care-related programs should have taught about the emergency drug kit. A thorough discussion of the emergency drug kit should take place during the monthly mock emergency drills performed by the dental office. Additionally, prepare documentation to use during a medical emergency that shows which drug was administered along with time, dosage and route; your records will be vitally important after the fact! 

Dental hygienists play a crucial role in safeguarding the health and longevity of dental implants. Comprehensive evaluation of implant health is the foundation for selecting appropriate maintenance strategies and identifying peri-implant disease at its earliest stages.

This course is designed to equip dental hygienists with the knowledge and skills needed to assess and monitor dental implants, recognize changes associated with peri-implant health and disease, and incorporate appropriate therapeutic strategies.

Participants will also explore the adjunctive use of desiccation technology in the nonsurgical management of peri-implantitis, including its role in disrupting and removing biofilm from challenging implant surfaces.