Patient medical emergencies on the dental premises are not unheard of. Whether it’s somebody who has been treated that day, a relative in the waiting room, a team member, or someone seeking assistance at the reception, emergencies can happen to anyone, anywhere – and the dental practice is no exception. Resuscitation Council UK makes that point directly in its quality standards for primary dental care, and the General Dental Council position follows from it: every registrant must be trained in dealing with medical emergencies, including resuscitation, and must hold up to date evidence of capability.[i]
Cardiorespiratory arrest is rare in general dental practice, which is exactly what makes preparation difficult to sustain. Equipment must be routinely checked even if years pass without incident, protocols written by somebody who has since left the practice must be regularly reviewed; and teams change at least one member within a few years, meaning a potential lack of familiarity that must be addressed.
The importance of immediate access
Every clinical dental area should have immediate access – within the first minutes of a cardiorespiratory arrest – to oxygen, resuscitation equipment for airway management (including suction), and an automated external defibrillator.[ii] Immediate is not a word to be taken lightly, the difference between seconds and minutes could quite literally be the difference between life and death.
The standard automated external defibrillator (AED) sign should be displayed so that nobody loses time locating the unit, with clinicians having prior awareness on its whereabouts too. All staff also need a reliable method of calling for immediate help such as an alarm bell or a landline, for example. Staff should, without exception, be trained to use the available equipment according to the role they would be expected to take too.[iii]
The Resuscitation Council UK equipment list for primary dental care covers the management of cardiorespiratory arrest. For other life-threatening emergencies, including anaphylaxis, practices are referred to the dental section of the British National Formulary, developed with input from the BNF Dental Advisory Group and the British Dental Association.[iv]
The locked cupboard
Storing medicines securely and providing immediate access to them naturally work in slight opposition with one and other. However, in keeping emergency drugs locked away, practice team members should nevertheless be knowledgeable of the vital medication that can be accessed in an emergency, and to whom the cabinet key is available at all times.
Risk assessment and rehearsal
All primary care dental facilities should have a process for medically risk-assessing their patients, which is a separate requirement from holding the equipment. The assessment is what tells a practice whether its arrangements match the population it actually treats, and it tends to be the element missing when a case is reviewed afterwards.
Keeping it current
Expiry dates are a weak point for many practices because emergency drugs are by definition rarely used. Written records and designated responsibility go a long way here. Furthermore, ordering replacements ahead of expiry is critical, rather than after discovering the problem too late. This also applies to the defibrillator pads and the battery – it is vital to ensure they are both in working order, as when emergency strikes, they need to be fully functioning.
Dental Directory delivers its medical emergencies training inside the practice rather than in a classroom, led by qualified instructors, covering a variety of the emergencies listed in the BNF dental section, the DRABCDE rapid assessment process, and the therapeutic use of oxygen. The session delivers two hours of verifiable CPD against GDC Development Outcomes A, B, C and D, and the wider programme extends to basic and intermediate life support. By delivering these sessions in the dental practice, team members can immediately understand how vital emergency workflows can be planned for in their everyday environment.
The standards expected include: equipment to be reachable within minutes, drugs that are in date and protected behind closed doors from patients, and a team that has practised certain emergencies together and remember their roles under pressure.
For more information on the products and maintenance services available from Dental Directory, please visit ddgroup.com or call 0800 585 586
Author: Dean Hallows, Managing Director of Dental Directory
[i] Resuscitation Council UK. Quality Standards: Primary dental care. Resus.org.uk. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://www.resus.org.uk/library/quality-standards-cpr/primary-dental-care
[ii] Resuscitation Council UK. Quality Standards: Primary dental care equipment list. Resus.org.uk. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://www.resus.org.uk/library/quality-standards-cpr/primary-dental-care-equipment-list
[iii] Resuscitation Council UK. Quality Standards: Primary dental care equipment list. Resus.org.uk. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://www.resus.org.uk/library/quality-standards-cpr/primary-dental-care-equipment-list
[iv] Resuscitation Council UK. Quality Standards: Primary dental care. Resus.org.uk. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://www.resus.org.uk/library/quality-standards-cpr/primary-dental-care
