The knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students towards Medical Emergencies at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Author(s): Khalid Al-Johani*, Basem T Jamal, Mona Hassan and Maisa O Al-Sebaei
Abstract
Introduction: A medical emergency (ME) in the dental clinic may occur at any time. Although they are usually not life-threatening, they may occasionally lead to serious complications. Assessing patients’ medical history and receiving training in basic life support (BLS) are essential for the prevention and management of emergent medical situations. The diagnosis and management of MEs is an essential part of dental students’ undergraduate curriculum, as dental graduates should be competent in managing different emergencies that may arise in the dental clinic. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, employing a self-administered questionnaire for undergraduate clinical dental students at King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Dentistry. The questionnaire sought information on the knowledge, preparedness, practice and attitude of dental students toward ME. Results: All of the distributed questionnaires were retrieved. The majority of the students (85.3%) took detailed medical histories for every new patient. Most of the students (58.5 %) knew the local ambulance number; however, the vast majority did not know the dental school emergency number. The majority of the students (78.9%) did not feel confident managing a ME in the dental clinic. Discussion: Lack of training in MEs in the dental curricula has previously been reported. There was a concerning lack of confidence among the surveyed dental students. This may be a result of the rarity of the episodes and a lack of hands-on ME training. Conclusion: Management of a ME in the undergraduate curriculum must be reinforced by providing simulation courses, hands-on workshops and periodic mock ME drills.