Emergency trauma: treating the unexpected.

Abstract

Patients expect their dentist to be capable of priority management of their dental injury. However, unless a dentist regularly attends emergency calls at a hospital or clinic, he or she may be "rusty" when faced with the unexpected arrival of an injured, upset patient. The dentist must deal with the schedule disruption, prioritize treatment or referral, deal with informed consent for minors and adults, and sort out contradictory treatment protocols that are often out of date and inconsistent with scientific evidence.