Devising a protocol for calling 999 from a dental practice and using SBAR to ensure effective communication and handover

Abstract

If a medical emergency occurs in a dental practice and it is necessary to call 999 for an ambulance, it is important to ensure that it is done safely and proficiently. It is particularly important to ensure effective communication with the ambulance service, ideally using the SBAR communication tool both when calling 999 and also during handover to the paramedics once they arrive. These arrangements still need to be followed even during the pandemic crisis in which we we are all. This article outlines the procedure for calling 999 from a dental practice and discusses the use of SBAR to ensure effective communication with the ambulance service.