Background: A Medical emergency is a sudden and unexpected onset of an illness or injury that is acute and poses an immediate risk to patient's life. Although the incidence is not high, such emergencies can and do arise in dental setups. Effective management of an emergency situation is the responsibility of each dentist. Methodology: This Cross sectional and descriptive questionnaire study was conducted among 130 interns from 13 dental colleges of Chennai, selected using a stratified random sampling. The questionnaire consisted of 5 closed and 1 open ended questions. Experience and perceptions regarding medical emergency and its management was evaluated. Result: Out of 130 participants, 52% were males and 78% were females. 54.6% of interns showed an excellent preparedness, 35.4% had a good preparedness and 10% had moderate preparedness, regarding usage of emergency drugs. 94.6% felt the need for a proper medical emergency training in their curriculum. Conclusion: Dental interns had a minimal knowledge of medical emergencies, drugs and equipments. It was found that their overall preparedness was not up to the mark. A transformation in the existing conventional system and continuing education program in this perspective is the need of the hour.
Keywords: Chennai, Confidence, Dental College, Equipments, Emergencies, Interns, Knowledge, Perception, Preparedness, Questionnaire, Training.
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