Lesson 2.1 · 6 min

Reachability, emergencies, rooms

Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz

At a glance

Reachability. Reachable during the stated opening hours, cover arranged and visible, patients in pain seen as soon as possible.
Information in advance. Patients can ask before their visit about barriers and languages spoken, sign language included.
Dental emergencies. The team is prepared. There is a list of measures it carries out in an emergency.
Rooms. At least a waiting room, a toilet and a separate treatment room. The toilet and the treatment room need hands-free washing.
Fire extinguishers and risk assessment. Enough fire extinguishers under the workplace regulation, inspected and easy to reach, and workplaces assessed regularly.

In detail

The first three of the nine criteria on structural quality § 5 QSV.

1. Patient care – reachability

The practice can be reached, or is open, during its stated opening hours.
For holidays, illness or other absence, cover is arranged and visible to patients.
Patients in acute pain get an appointment as soon as possible, depending on their symptoms.
Patients with limited mobility must be given access, including to the toilets, as far as conditions allow; anyone who can't be treated is told of the nearest suitable facility.
Patients can ask before their visit about barriers and languages spoken, sign language included § 5 no. 1 QSV.

2. Patient care – dental emergencies

The practice team is prepared for dental emergencies. There is a list of measures the team carries out in an emergency § 5 no. 2 QSV. General emergency preparedness, with the emergency plan and equipment, is a criterion of its own (lesson 2.2).

3. Practice rooms

The size, number and fittings of the rooms suit the range of treatments offered.
Confidential conversation is possible; paperwork is handled with data protection in mind.
At minimum: a waiting room; a toilet with hands-free washing, a soap dispenser and single-use towels or an electric hand dryer; a separate treatment room with a hands-free hand basin, soap and disinfectant dispensers and paper towels.
The smoking ban is enforced and kept.
Enough fire extinguishers under § 42 of the workplace regulation (AStV), inspected as required and easy to reach.
Staff workplaces must be assessed regularly for risks to safety and health § 5 no. 3 QSV.

"Hands-free", according to the chamber's FAQ, means operated by foot, elbow, forearm or sensor; turning taps and single-lever mixers with too short a lever don't count. It applies to all basins in toilets and treatment rooms; the only exceptions are toilets signposted for patients only, staff rooms and kitchenettes (Dental Chamber, quality assurance).

New practices at new locations must have step-free access, as far as the building allows and it is reasonable § 36(6) ZÄG.

Checklist

Opening hours and cover are posted and can be found on the website.
Patients in pain get an appointment quickly, and the team knows how.
There is a list of measures for dental emergencies.
All basins in toilets and treatment rooms are hands-free, except in toilets signposted for patients only.
Fire extinguishers are inspected, and the workplaces have been assessed.

Quiz

According to the chamber's FAQ, which basin does not have to be hands-free?

The one in the treatment room
The one in the kitchenette
The one in the shared toilet
The one in the staff toilet

Show the answer

The answer is B: The one in the kitchenette. All basins in toilets and treatment rooms must be hands-free; the only exceptions are toilets signposted for patients only, staff rooms and kitchenettes (Dental Chamber, FAQ on the ÖZÄK-QSV 2022).

Sources

This lesson's statements rest on:

Not legal advice. What counts is the acts and regulations in the Federal Legal Information System and the Austrian Dental Chamber's regulations (read on 7 October 2026). The health minister's regulation with the criteria from 2028 (§ 9b(2) GQG) had not been issued on that day. Not covered are insurer contracts, billing, data protection in detail and the employer's duties under the Worker Protection Act in detail; there is a separate course on those at aschg.globalapps.top. Not an offer of the Austrian Dental Chamber, a regional dental chamber, the BIQG or the Chamber of Commerce.