Dental Hygiene Program Emergency Procedures & Exposure Control

Medical Emergency in the Dental Clinic

The student is expected to:

  1. Perform prophylactic procedures for preventing emergencies prior to treatment at each appointment (or ascertain that this has been accomplished), including:
  2. a) review of the medical/dental history.
  3. b) a general assessment of the patient.
  4. c) checking vital signs.
  5. Evaluate and identify symptoms of medical emergencies which may occur in the clinic, including:
  6. a) Circulatory emergencies
  • Syncope
  • Shock
  • Toxic reaction
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Angina pectoris
  • Acute myocardial infarction
  1. b) Neurological disturbances
  • Seizures
  • Cerebrovascular accident (stroke, CVA)
  1. c) Allergic reactions
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Allergic reactions
  • Acute asthmatic attack
  1. d) Metabolic disease
  • Diabetic hypoglycemia
  • Diabetic hyperglycemia
  1. e) Respiratory disturbances
  • Hyperventilation
  • Airway obstruction
  1. Summon aid immediately without alarming the patient or other patients. Notify the nearest clinical professor or supervising dentist. Follow steps A-B-C-D.
  2. a) If there is an emergency with your patient in the clinic, stay with the patient at all times (you do not go to get help), and calmly tell the student in the dental unit next to you, “CODE 5”.
  3. b) The student next to you should immediately stop what he/she is doing and calmly go to the nearest clinical professor/staff or supervising dentist. Students should interrupt the faculty/staff or dentist, saying “CODE 5 in unit number ____”. This student then tells another faculty/staff member to dial 911 to request an ambulance. The clinic coordinator will notify SPC campus safety officers.
  4. c) The supervising dentist will go to the patient, check for vital signs, and administer proper first aid and/or basic life support with the help of the student or a clinical faculty/staff member until emergency care arrives.
  5. d) The student next to the “CODE 5” should be available to bring the emergency kit, AED, and oxygen to take to the dentist.
  6. Initiate emergency procedures until proper help arrives.
  7. Describe the onset of the condition and subsequent signs or symptoms to the emergency team.
  8. Assist the attending emergency team in administering required emergency treatment, as directed.

Emergency Equipment

  1. A pulse oximeter is available in the emergency kit.
  2. Emergency oxygen is readily available in the sterilization room in the dental clinic.
  3. An emergency kit is readily available in the sterilization room in the dental clinic.
  4. An AED is mounted on the wall near the clinic

Exposure Protocol

In the event the student, faculty/staff member, or other supervising person punctures himself or herself with a sharp (instrument, needle, etc.) contaminated with blood, saliva, or other body fluid, or is splashed in the eye with a body fluid, the following protocol will be followed:

  1. Immediately stop working and stop the procedure.
  2. Check for a puncture mark in the skin or splash to the eye.
  3. a) If a puncture mark exists or a splash has occurred, thoroughly wash the area with antiseptic soap or eye wash.
  4. While washing hands, compress the wound, if any, for 30-60 seconds.
  5. Immediately notify the clinical coordinator on duty in the on-campus dental hygiene clinic or other supervising faculty if in a lab or at a clinical site.
  6. a) If at a clinical site, follow the appropriate protocol within that facility. If labs are not ordered by the facility within two hours, report to the SPC Health Clinic for evaluation by the physician/nurse practitioner.
  7. b) At the on-campus dental hygiene clinic or on-campus lab: Exposed individual should be sent to the SPC Health clinic for evaluation by the physician/nurse practitioner.
  • If after hours, go to a hospital emergency room for evaluation and labs.

The clinical coordinator or supervising faculty will…

  1. Make sure the source patient is advised of the necessary testing to be completed. Clinical site, hospital, or on-campus dental clinic protocol will be followed.
  2. Within 72 hours, notify SPC Campus Police so an incident report can be completed.
  3. Complete an injury report and any other necessary documentation, and make sure the exposed individual (student or faculty) has the necessary insurance forms for documentation and submittal to SPC.

Other important information:

  • The SPC Health Clinic, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will refer the exposed individual to a lab and treat the exposed individual accordingly. Lab tests will include syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
  • The exposed individual will be responsible for transportation to the lab or emergency room.
  • Student expense is covered by SPC insurance as a secondary claim to any primary insurance available.
  • The student is responsible for filling out and submitting the claim form to the college.
  • Source patient testing should be ordered and done at the expense of the clinical site per their protocol.
  • If the exposure happens at the on-campus dental hygiene clinic, source patient testing will be done at the expense of the patient.

Eye Wash Station

In the event that a foreign body enters the eyes, eye wash stations are available for emergency care. The stations are located in the sterilization room, the simulation lab, and the clinic floor.  The eye wash stations are marked for easy direction. Students are instructed in the use of these stations. All incidents of injury should be reported to the clinic coordinator.

OSHA / Government Links

OSHA key points for the dental office (ADA,2024): Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Overview | American Dental Association

General requirements (OSHA, 2024): Healthcare - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Blood-borne pathogens (OSHA, 2024): Bloodborne Pathogens - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Eye and face protection (OSHA, 2024): Eye and Face Protection - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Medical services and first aid (OSHA, 2024): Medical and First Aid - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Ionizing radiation (OSHA, 2024): Ionizing Radiation - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Hazardous materials (OSHA, 2024): https://www.osha.gov/healthcare/hazards/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Department of Health & Human Services | HHS.gov

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety & Health Administration Dentistry Standards: Dentistry - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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