AED's for Dentist Offices

The state of New York, in their great wisdom, recently passed legislation requiring all of their dentists to carry Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in their offices. (NY Senate # S2923-2011). We here at Zogics think this is a great idea, and not just because we sell the most popular AED on the market.

I’m not really afraid of the dentist’s office per se. As a matter of fact, I am friends with my dentist and he always treats me right when I am there (Shout out Dr. Lehman!). But, despite my good relationship with him, I am not immune to the horror of hearing the words “root canal” or “I’m afraid that tooth is going to have to come out” and the subsequent numbing needles and power tools that are involved. “Don’t worry, you won’t feel any pain, just some pressure…” Chills just thinking about it. I go every six months and 9 times out of 10 I only get a lecture on flossing, but I always take a Xanax with a shot of whiskey before I go, just in case. I’ve had enough experiences over the years to realize the value of having an AED on hand because if some of the procedures aren’t enough to give you a heart attack, the bill for them might finish you off.

So, good job, New York, for making your dentists take the precautions necessary to possibly save a life. And New York isn’t the only state that requires their dentists to have AEDs on site. Such legislation also exists in Illinois and under certain conditions in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Defibrillation within the first five minutes of cardiac arrest can improve the chance of survival by up to 90 percent. According to the American Heart Association, after cardiac arrest, chances for survival drop as much as 10% each minute that passes without proper treatment. Even if your staff recognizes a cardiac event and summons the local emergency medical services (EMS) team immediately, it will take, on average, 10-12 minutes for them to arrive. After just 10 minutes, the odds of survival become virtually nonexistent; and irreversible brain injury occurs even more rapidly.

What’s required is a trained staff who can identify a cardiac event, summon EMS quickly, initiate CPR, and, if necessary, use an AED to deliver a shock to the heart until medical personnel arrive.

Of course, we think every office, gym, restaurant, business and even household should have one of these miracle devices. We carry the Philips HeartStart OnSite defibrillator, which is the only AED on the market available without a prescription. Go ahead, call us about it. We’ll give you the best price out there, guaranteed.