An analysis of conditions presenting to a dental hospital emergency clinic.

A retrospective analysis of 1,000 consecutive patients was undertaken to determine the frequency and types of common dental problems presenting to the Emergency and Oral Medicine Clinic at Bristol Dental Hospital. The results show that most attenders presented with problems readily manageable by dental practitioners, but providers of emergency dental services should be aware that rare, but serious, conditions can occur. Information presented in this paper should be incorporated into the design of undergraduate curricula and emergency dental services.