Dental clinic management in between/after COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The ongoing spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (commonly called COVID-19) has gripped the entire India and other international community and caused widespread public health concerns. Despite global efforts to contain the disease spread, the outbreak is still on a rise because of the community spread pattern of this infection. Therefore, measures for prevention, identification, and management must be in place for appropriate mitigation of further spread. With the widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and reports of its spread to health care providers, dental professionals are at high risk for nosocomial infection and can become potential carriers of the disease. These risks can be attributed to the unique nature of dental interventions, which include aerosol generation, handling of sharps, and proximity of the provider to the patient’s oropharyngeal region. In addition, if adequate precautions are not taken, the dental office can potentially expose patients to cross contamination. As the understanding of this novel disease is evolving, dental practices should be better prepared to identify a possible COVID-19 infection. With our experience of outbreak so far and handling of patients during this period, certain specific protocols are discussed and recommendations for dental patient management in this pandemic period and afterwards COVID-19.