This text attempts to reconcile the predominantly technical nature of the dentist"s training with the medical problems he has to assess and manage. A clinical approach to the subject has been adopted with an effort to relate it to the medicine and surgery courses. To ensure its relevance, the book provides some basic knowledge of pharmacology to increase understanding of the drugs and how they act, to assist in the dealing with emergencies and to inform the dentist of the threats to the dental patient under medical treatment.