THE MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL PROBLEMS PRESENTING TO AN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Patients with dental diagnoses, not necessarily traumatic, often prese nt to accident and emergency departments and general medical practitio ners. Few doctors have received much, if any, education in the managem ent of these patients. A 6 month prospective study revealed 107 patien ts (0.3% of new attenders) attending the accident and emergency depart ment of Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Only 19 of these had suffered trauma. Medical staff in the department were only rarely able to make any dia gnosis, and management of these patients took place on an empirical, s ymptomatic basis. Management could be improved by better education of medical students and doctors. Use of an algorithm may be appropriate.