Review Medical History

The medical history is a tool that is used in dental and dental hygiene practices as an effective means of preventing a medical emergency. Careful interviewing, listening, and communicating with clients can provide clues to potential problems that may occur in the dental office setting. Although some emergencies are unexpected, many that occur in clinical practice can be predicted by gathering adequate information and analyzing it in terms of risk assessment. Certain items on a medical history, if answered “yes,” require further evaluation. These are red flags or areas that warrant additional information.