Evaluation of Oral Health Practitioners and Facilities on Preparedness for Medical emergencies in Dental practices, Ndola – Zambia: A pilot study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Preparedness to handle medical emergencies in dental practices depends on a range of factors, such as understanding the magnitude of the problem, availability of essential medical emergency drugs and equipment, and trained personnel. This pilot study aimed to inventory these factors in the available oral health facilities in Ndola, Zambia, to establish the preparedness level for handling these emergencies. 

METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 24 oral health practitioners in eight oral health facilities in Ndola, Zambia. The survey utilized a checklist for inventory of essential drugs and equipment and a questionnaire to capture practitioner’s sociodemographic data, medical emergency experience, and training history. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 23, and results were presented using descriptive statistics. 

RESULTS: A total of 24 oral health practitioners with M: F of 2:1 were encountered. The majority (45.8%) were ≥41 years of age, and 58.3.% were degree holders. Medical emergency training history was as follows; 100% trained during undergraduate studies, 50% further trained after graduation, 25% for BLS, and 8.3% validated their certificates. Only 25% of the facilities had all the essential drugs and equipment. Medical emergency for the past 1 year was 54% with no statistically significant associations with gender, age, and level of education (p<0.05). 

CONCLUSION: The preparedness level for management of medical emergencies in dental practices was very low. Facilities need to ensure the availability of all the essential medical emergency drugs and equipment and provisional BLS CPDs to the practitioners as required.