A festive case series of emergencies, admissions and friendship at a busy oral and maxillofacial unit

The winter and Christmas period often sees a surge in admissions at many hospitals, when in-patient demand for beds frequently outweighs capacity.¹ This is no different for OMFS units.^2,3 Emergency Departments (EDs) are often the first port of call for patients who have sustained maxillofacial injuries, similar to findings in ophthalmology.⁴ Patients who experience dental emergencies when their regular dental practice is closed may attend out of hours (OOHs) primary care services. There is, however, evidence to suggest that perceived or actual challenges in accessing walk-in services during OOHs periods may act as a barrier to patients accessing such services.⁵ When patients cannot readily access primary care dental services, they may attend their local ED department for treatment. This is particularly true for the socioeconomically deprived.⁶ ED-based, medically qualified professionals may not have sufficient training in managing dento-facial emergencies,⁷ therefore it is the role of the OMFS team to provide care for individuals who present with dental as well as maxillofacial emergencies.