Cardiovascular disease is the most prevalent chronic medical condition in patients treated in a dental setting. Therefore, dental practitioners must have a sound understanding of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology. Dentists also should be equipped to perform an effective preoperative cardiovascular examination and determine when medical consultation is necessary in higher risk patients. This article provides an overview of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and discusses evaluation of cardiac risk factors with the aim of enabling dentists to effectively assess patients for potential cardiovascular events, thereby avoiding cardiovascular emergencies in the dental setting.