ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

European Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2022 April;6(1):6-10

DOI: 10.23736/S2532-3466.20.00240-4

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A 365-day overview of accident and Emergency Department referrals to the Oral and Maxillofacial Department at the Eastbourne District General Hospital, UK: were they appropriate?

Ifan GEORGE ¹ ✉, Naazish ALAM ²

¹ Department of Child Dental Health, Bristol Dental Hospital, Bristol, UK; ² OMFS Department, Royal Surrey Hospital, Guilford, UK

BACKGROUND: The British Dental Journal, BDJ estimates 135,000 A&E attendances every year are due to dental problems. The Eastbourne District General Hospital received 69,805 attendances in 2019 of which, 145 (0.2%) were referred to the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) department.
METHODS: Referrals were retrospectively reviewed for their appropriateness by searching clinical service assessment (CAS) cards.
RESULTS: Fifteen (10%) of the referred patients were deemed to be inappropriate and 15% of patients were referred with incorrect diagnostics.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey assessed the quality of referrals to the OMFS Department and where improvements could be made, including implementing a flowchart to aid A&E staff for examinations, highlighting the most appropriate diagnostic tests or alternative secondary care services which may be utilized by patients suffering from acute pulpitis (dental pain).

KEY WORDS: Surgery, oral; Dentistry; Emergency service, hospital