By Duane Tinker – The Toothcop
Dental Compliance Consultant | Former Investigator | Medical Emergency Preparedness Advocate | NREMT
🫀 Don’t Get Left Behind—Lives (and Licenses) Depend on This
If there’s one certification that every dental provider must have, it’s CPR (professionally speaking it is Basic Life Support (BLS)).
And if there’s one organization that sets the standard, it’s the American Heart Association (AHA). In 2025, the AHA released its new Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC)—a major update from the 2020 recommendations.
In this blog, we’ll break down:
- Key 2025 AHA changes that impact dental professionals
- How these changes differ from prior guidelines
- What dental teams must do now to stay current and compliant
🚨 Why These Guidelines Matter in Dentistry
1) Medical emergencies are rare in dental offices—but when they happen, your ability to respond immediately and correctly is critical.
2) From vasovagal syncope to full-on cardiac arrest, you need up-to-date training to meet the standard of care.
3) State dental boards require BLS/CPR certification using current AHA science.
🆕 What’s New in the 2025 AHA Guidelines
1. Emphasis on Respiratory Support in Non-Cardiac Arrest:
For the first time, the AHA includes detailed guidance for managing respiratory arrest without cardiac arrest, including:
- Rescue breathing rates
- Timing of reassessments
- Pulse monitoring techniques
Why it matters for dentists:
- Many emergencies begin as respiratory issues (e.g., airway obstruction, oversedation, anaphylaxis).
- Knowing how to manage them before cardiac arrest is now a bigger priority.
2. New Recommendations for Opioid-Associated Emergencies
The AHA now addresses opioid-induced respiratory depression more directly:
- Administer naloxone in cases of suspected overdose
- Continue BLS/ALS protocols while monitoring for return of spontaneous breathing
- Updated flowcharts for lay and trained responders
For dental offices providing sedation: You must be trained in recognizing and reversing opioid toxicity—especially if you use fentanyl or hydromorphone in sedation protocols.
3. Compression-Only CPR Reaffirmed (with Added Clarifications)
Compression-only CPR is still recommended for untrained bystanders, but the 2025 updates:
- Reinforce the importance of early defibrillation
- Emphasize high-quality chest compressions (depth, rate, recoil, minimal interruptions)
- Recommend early EMS activation in all settings
If your team hesitates during a collapse, compression-only CPR is still better than nothing—but BLS training must cover full protocols.
4. Updated Chain of Survival Diagrams
Both the adult and pediatric chains of survival were revised to:
- Emphasize early recognition
- Include new technology integration (like smart AEDs)
- Stress post-resuscitation care coordination
Why you should care:
- Your written emergency plan and staff drills should reflect these modernized algorithms. If you’re still using posters from 2015… it’s time to upgrade.
5. New Section on Multidisciplinary Response Teams
AHA now encourages practices to:
- Define roles in advance
- Conduct interdisciplinary team drills
- Use debriefing tools post-event
In a dental office? That means every team member—from front desk to assistant—must know their emergency role. You’re not “just a receptionist” when someone’s coding.
🔁 What’s Stayed the Same from 2020
✅ Chest compression rate (100–120/min)
✅ Depth (2–2.4 inches for adults)
✅ Full chest recoil
✅ Use of AED as soon as available
✅ Prioritization of early EMS contact
🧠 The Toothcop’s Take
Guidelines change. What doesn’t change is your duty to be ready. Be sure to navigate these changes right away!
Here is a short ‘To-Do’ list:
- At your next renewal update your BLS certification with a 2025-compliant provider
- Review your written emergency protocols
- Conduct drills with your team
- Review your emergency drug kit (yes, it should include naloxone)
- Know your state board’s requirements (some require ACLS or PALS depending on the dentist(s)’ license/sedation permit(s) and procedures provided)
📢 Bonus tip: Contact your CPR trainer and ask: “Are your courses updated for 2025 AHA science?” If not—find one who is.
Stay sharp,
Duane Tinker – The Toothcop
Did You Know? I have been an Emergency Medical Technician since I graduated high school in 1994. I currently service as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for the rural community where I live.
PS – You can download a copy of the algorithms for the 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care here.
If you are a DCS client, watch your mailbox; we are sending you updated BLS/PALS/ACLS cards soon.