Basic Life Support

The chapter is essential for the dental chairside assistant. It details the first step that needs to be provided to the victim of a life-threatening injury, cardiopulmonary arrest, or sudden cessation of breathing. It deals with basic medical skills, and if implemented, these can enable saving a life. The basic life support provider needs practical training, which needs to be further updated at regular intervals. The details of various algorithms, chances of survival, sequence of action, airway obstruction in children, method of defibrillator use and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are also explained in detail.