Remove any sharp or dangerous objects from the patient’s mouth immediately. Orthodontic wires and pins used in certain procedures may not be possible to remove in time, but try.
Tend to the patient’s airway. The most important thing is that the patient is able to breathe — so tilt the patient’s head if necessary to ensure he can breathe easily. If possible, have someone who just monitors the patient’s breathing.
Place the patient in the supine position if possible. A dental chair can be useful for doing this. If the seizure doesn’t occur in a dental chair, try to position the patient on his side. However, do not restrain the patient or move him in any way that might interfere with his overall safety.
Guard the patient at all times. Make sure he is safe. A seizure usually ends within a couple of minutes or less, and there’s nothing you can do but let it pass. The patient will likely be unharmed so long as you maintain his physical safety.
Time the seizure. Paramedics and doctors will need to know how long it lasts. If it goes on for more than five minutes, call 911.
Administer emergency medication if emergency medical services asks you to. Dentists usually have medications including diazepam and midazolam that can help in case of extreme seizure. However, a dentist should not decide to give medications without instructions from 911 or unless five minutes have passed and no help is accessible.
Stabilize the patient’s oral cavity as soon as the seizure ends. Close any open holes or cavities and remove any appliances you weren’t able to when the seizure began. You won’t be able to continue dental treatment and the patient may be going with paramedics to the hospital, so his mouth should not be exposed to infection.
Provide a detailed report of the occurrence to paramedics or physicians as needed. Dentists have medical education and can often provide very useful observations and insights when patients experience medical problems.
