One of the things patients may not realize is that dental office staff must be trained to handle emergencies beyond oral care.National CPR and AED Awareness Week is June 1-7 and spotlights how lives can be saved if more Americans know CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Recently, staff at Anderson Family Dental had our own CPR/AED training day. Pictured here is one of our dental assistants learning lifesaving techniques on a mannequin.
For those unfamiliar with AED, the automated external defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device which can check a person’s heart rhythm. It can recognize a rhythm that requires a shock and advise the rescuer when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take.
While the office was closed, everyone took a few hours of their time off to participate in this hands-on training and become CPR Heartsaver Certified. Early CPR helps to circulate oxygen-rich blood to the brain and is an integral part of providing lifesaving aid to people suffering sudden cardiac arrest.
CPR is so important that I would encourage everyone to particpate in a learning session and the American Heart Association offers CPR and AED training through its network of Training Centers. To locate a Training Center near you, call 1-877-AHA-4CPR. You could save a life!
