Laboratory evaluation of chronic medical conditions for dental treatment: Part III. Hematology.

Clinicians can enhance their treatment of both medically complex and geriatric patients by understanding common laboratory testing, an area of healthcare that has expanded greatly over the past decade due to automation and computerized reporting. Testing results regarding a patient's condition can provide valuable information for diagnosis and management of orofacial conditions, guidance on assessing the patient's ability to tolerate the proposed dental treatment, and a prognosis based on a particular treatment. This article describes the use of the complete blood count and other hematology studies in dental care of patients.