Awareness of basic life support (BLS) among Dental interns and Dental practitioners

Abstract

It is important that every member of the community be trained in effective BLS technique to save lives. At least doctors including medical, dental and paramedical staff should be trained in CPR, as it is a basic medical skill which can save many lives if implemented timely.Aim: To assess the awareness of Basic Life Support (BLS) among dental interns and dental practitioners in Mangalore, Karnataka, India.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during November-December 2014 among dental interns and dental practitioners. This study was conducted by assessing response to twenty selected multiple choice questions pertaining to BLS among dental interns and dental practitioners. The results are present in the form of frequency and percentages.Statistical Analysis:The data was collected and analyzed using software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12.0.Result: In this study one hundred and twenty five responders were included them, 70(56%) were interns (Bachelor in dental surgery) and remaining 55(44%) were dental practitioners. Surprisingly none out of one hundred and twenty five had the complete knowledge of BLS. Looking closely at the individual groups dental practitioners scored 61.5%, as being aware with the BLS knowledge and skills but needs to be updated with change in protocols done by American Heart Association after every time period and sadly dental interns score 41.2% which shows that BLS course should be considered for inclusion in the Bachelor in dental surgery curriculumConclusions: This study suggests that dental interns and dental practitioners may not be adequately prepared in the management of medical emergencies and should improve the knowledge and skills regarding BLS.