Does a Dental Practice Need a Qualified First Aider?

The short answer is: not every dental practice is automatically required to have a formally qualified first aider, but every employer must make adequate and appropriate first-aid arrangements for their workplace.

For a dental practice, this means carrying out a first-aid needs assessment and deciding what level of workplace first-aid provision is appropriate for the practice, its staff and the risks involved.

What does the law require?

Under HSE guidance on workplace first aid legislation, employers are responsible for ensuring that employees can receive immediate attention if they are injured or become ill at work.

The practice should assess factors such as:

• the number of employees;

• the hazards and risks within the workplace;

• working patterns and staff absences;

• the location of the practice and access to emergency medical services;

• previous accidents or incidents; and

• whether patients and other members of the public are present on the premises.

The outcome of that assessment determines whether the practice needs an appointed person, an Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) trained first aider, a First Aid at Work (FAW) trained first aider, or another level of training appropriate to the circumstances.

What is an appointed person?

If a practice's first-aid needs assessment concludes that a formally trained first aider is not required, the employer must still appoint someone to take responsibility for the first-aid arrangements.

Their role typically includes looking after first-aid equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services when necessary.

An appointed person does not have to complete formal first-aid training.

When might a dental practice need an EFAW-trained first aider?

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) is designed to give someone the skills to provide emergency first aid when a person becomes injured or ill at work.

HSE guidance gives suggested levels of provision rather than absolute rules. For example, its general guidance for a low-hazard workplace suggests:

• fewer than 25 employees — at least one appointed person;

• 25–50 employees — at least one EFAW-trained first aider;

• more than 50 employees — at least one FAW-trained first aider for every 100 employees or part thereof.

However, a dental practice should not simply rely on staff numbers. Its own risk assessment and working circumstances need to be considered.

Is workplace first aid the same as dental medical-emergency training?

No. They address different requirements.

Workplace first-aid training such as EFAW is concerned with providing first aid to employees or others who become injured or ill at work.

Dental professionals also have specific responsibilities relating to medical emergencies involving patients.

The General Dental Council states that all registrants must be trained in dealing with medical emergencies, including resuscitation, and must maintain up-to-date evidence of their capability. It also expects dental teams to understand their roles and be appropriately trained and prepared to respond.

This means that having an EFAW-trained member of staff does not replace medical-emergency and resuscitation training for the dental team.

Can the two types of training be combined?

Yes.

Southern Medical Training's Medical Emergencies and Basic Life Support course is designed specifically for dental and GP teams and covers areas such as:

• patient assessment;

• Basic Life Support;

• AED use;

• oxygen administration;

• airway management;

• choking;

• common medical emergencies; and

• emergency medications.

For practices that also need workplace first-aid provision, we can add an additional 3-hour first-aid module covering the Emergency First Aid at Work syllabus.

This allows staff to complete their dental medical-emergency training and EFAW training during the same visit.

View Medical Emergencies and Basic Life Support Training

View Emergency First Aid at Work Training

So, does your dental practice need a qualified first aider?

It depends on the findings of your practice's first-aid needs assessment.

Every practice needs appropriate first-aid arrangements, but the correct level of provision will depend on factors such as the number of employees, workplace risks, working patterns and the needs of the people using the premises. HSE specifically says there are no fixed rules determining the exact number of trained first aiders an employer must have.

Separately, dental teams must ensure that staff are appropriately prepared and trained to deal with medical emergencies involving patients in accordance with GDC Scope of Practice guidance.

Need first-aid or medical-emergency training for your dental team?

Southern Medical Training provides practical, on-site training tailored to dental practices.