Assessment of the medical emergency.

The role of the dentist in an office emergency is reviewed in this article. Emergency decision making, emergency preparedness, and emergency recognition are discussed. Clinical findings that allow one to gauge the level of illness are listed and described. A standard resuscitation scheme, providing a framework for an effective emergency response, is examined in detail. Determination of the need to activate the emergency medical services system and transfer of the patient to a hospital emergency department is discussed. A checklist for presenting the patient's case to other health care providers and documenting the event is provided also.