Emergency Treatment Protocol

The prompt treatment of dental emergencies is a patient’s right. At BUSDM care is provided at all hours for our patients of record without regard for the patient’s ability to pay for those services at the time of treatment. At times this treatment is limited to the relief of pain and management of swelling. The emergency treatment protocol is given below. Telephone numbers are printed in the patient handbook and listed in the telephone directory.

New Patients

New patients calling the school with an emergency complaint will be referred to the first floor reception desk. The first floor receptionist will inform the patient of the school hours for treating emergencies (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and the associated fees. The patient will then be referred to the appropriate emergency service. Patients calling with emergencies outside of these hours will be referred or directed to the Oral Surgery clinic of Boston Medical Center.

Patients of Record

When patients in active treatment with a predoctoral student, call the school with an emergency dental problem during clinic hours, an attempt should be made to put the assigned patient in direct contact with their student. Every effort should be made by the student to see the patient personally, this will maintain patient rapport, continuity of care and treatment of the acute problem. If the student cannot be located, he/she has unavoidable commitments or the patient is unassigned, the patient will be given the option of being seen in the Emergency Dental Care Center located on the first floor.

Postdoctoral Patients

During regular clinic hours, patients treated in the postdoctoral clinic will be connected to the appropriate resident covering emergencies that day. This resident will have the ability to page the assigned resident for consultation and will then make arrangements to treat the acute problem.

After-Hour Emergencies

The after hours emergency treatment protocol is designed to ensure patients of record have access to emergency care outside of normal operational hours. These hours are generally defined as weekends, school closures and at the close of Oral Diagnosis's Urgent Dental Care Center at 3 p.m. on weekdays.

*Note: Patients with no affiliation to BUSDM should be referred to the BMC Emergency Room on 818 Harrison Ave., 617/534-4075

Pre- and postdoctoral patients access the system by calling the emergency number 617- 638-8450, which is listed in their handbook and is part of the recorded after hours message on the main phone number. A taped message instructs patients to leave their name, phone number, and a brief description of their problem. The paging system then contacts the covering of endodontic resident who returns the patient’s call.

Patients of AEGD and 930 Commonwealth Ave. follow a similar protocol using and emergency telephone number given them by their assigned resident.

In either case the covering resident triages the patient as follows:

• Is it a situation which needs to be addressed immediately or can the patient be seen during normal working hours? Residents have a list of 24-hour pharmacies.
• If the patient needs immediate care, the resident arranges treatment or, if appropriate, refers the patient to the emergency resident of one of the other clinical disciplines.

In both cases the patient will be seen according to the following protocol:

• Oral surgery emergencies are seen in the BMC Emergency Room on Harrison Ave. All other disciplines see their emergencies in the BUSDM Oral Diagnosis facility located on the first floor of 100 East Newton Street.
• An emergency chart with instruments and supplies to handle most situations is available in the Oral Diagnosis supply room. Security will open the room.
• The treating resident will contact his/her corresponding AEGD or postdoctoral emergency resident and BOTH residents will meet the patient at the front door.
• Security will be called at 617-638-4444 and will open all appropriate doors (i.e., radiology, developing room) to facilitate the operation. Unless called upon to respond to another campus emergency, security will remain at the entrance way of BUSDM during the emergency visit.
• Control will be called at 617-638-4144 to establish suction and air pressure for the operatory.
• Security will arrange parking either in front of 100 East Newton St. or in the driveway of the BMC.

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