Basic Life Support: The Certification That Dental Teams (and Emergency Workers) Must Acquire

Basic Life Support: The Certification That Dental Teams (and Emergency Workers) Must Acquire

Recently, the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia (CDSBC) made it mandatory for all dental clinical staff who are on their clinic’s sedation or general anaesthetic team to carry a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Here lies a pertinent example of how First Aid practices are essential within many industries – dental procedures involve the use of anaesthesia, a standard practice that can potentially lead to serious complications among patients. When a health compromised person gets ‘put under’ for a seemingly trivial root canal, the consequences of the procedure can include heart attacks, strokes, and seizures. As such, it is vital that dentists and clinical staff are equipped with the tools and training that allow them to adequately handle the situation – and potentially save their patient’s life.

ProSafe First Aid’s Basic Life Support program is a staple of Vancouver’s professional community. Police officers, firefighters, doctors, and dentists alike have taken part in our comprehensive training programs, BLS included. Our course covers the fundamentals of emergency assessment and treatment, and is specifically tailored towards those who work in fast-paced settings where defibrillation, CPR, and the use of AEDs may be necessary.

bag valve mask training
Bag-valve-mask training

Participants will learn how to perform medical assessments and CPR, use AEDs, handle airway obstructions, and more. Our Basic Life Support course includes bag-valve-mask (BVM) training, which is required by the CDSBC. For those who wish to expand their BLS skill set, we also have an extended offering that delves deeper into Airway Management and Oxygen Therapy — while not mandatory for clinical staff, these serve as a more in-depth supplement to the standard training.

Our BLS training is specifically tailored to align with CDSBC’s requirements. For one, the entirety of the course takes place in-person, using hands-on techniques and practices. Additionally, the certificate itself expires after 12 months, a fact that enforces constant learning and allows us to integrate updated practices and techniques into the training. The two-hour recertification training can occur at any point during those 12 months. All ProSafe classrooms have Covid-19 protocols in place to facilitate a safe learning environment.

The Canadian Red Cross is one of ProSafe’s chief training partners, a fact that ensures our instructors are constantly prepared with state-of-the-art materials. We take pride in offering professionals the best training available, and continue to find new ways to give back to our communities and those that protect them. Dentistry is one of many occupations that involves potentially life-threatening situations, but, with our BLS certification handy, these diligent workers can make the best of them.