Dental office saves life of patient in cardiac arrest with AED, first aid

In his 17 years as a dentist, Robert Camenzuli has seen allergic reactions, chest pains and seizures cycle through his office. But this January came with a first—a 53-year-old patient who went into cardiac arrest.

The patient, Alvin Uzee, arrived to get two fillings at Camenzuli’s office Jan. 4, but the routine procedure took a turn when he passed out in the chair without a heartbeat, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported. Camenzuli said his office mobilized immediately.

“We all worked together,” he told the Times. “Someone was doing chest compressions while someone else was calling 9-1-1, while someone else was in charge of giving oxygen to the patient. I applied the AED. He was breathing and alert before the paramedics arrived.”

It was a stroke of luck for Uzee—most dental offices aren’t equipped with an AED, or automated external defibrillator. In Louisiana, the State Board of Dentistry doesn’t require them, but Camenzuli said his Eagle Scout days taught him to always be prepared, so he invested in one for his practice. His staff also receives yearly first aid training.

Though public access to AEDs is growing, they remain seldom used by the public. Camenzuli said administering the defibrillator was simple.

“I have never had to use it, but just used it once and it really is a no-brainer,” he said. “To me it makes sense. You see defibrillators in other doctors’ offices, in certain gyms. I think if you are licensed to provide basic life support you need to know how to use an AED.”

Read the Times-Picayune’s full report here.