Staff at Padbury Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Jackson, Mich., were credited with saving an 86-year-old patient's life after she failed to show up for an appointment, Mlive.com reports.
A receptionist and her coworker confirmed the appointment with Beverly Newton the day before, but felt something was wrong when she was 20 minutes late for the Feb. 4 visit and not responding to calls.
The staff informed the patient's son, Mark Newton, who is also a longtime patient of the practice, about the missed appointment. Mr. Newton checked on his mother at her home and found her unresponsive in bed.
Paramedics who treated Ms. Newton said she had crashed from low blood sugar; she was not hospitalized. If staff at the practice hadn't called Mr. Newton, "it would've been too late," he told Mlive.com.
Padbury Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is operated by Allan Padbury Jr., DDS, a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and past-president of the Jackson District Dental Society, according to his website.