Post COVID-19 lockdown: measures and practices for dental institutes

BMC Oral Health

Natheer Al-Rawi¹  Basheer Salman¹  Saad Al Bayatti¹  A. B. Rani Samsudin¹  Zaid Hamdoon¹  Sausan Al Kawas¹  Wael Talaat²  Waseem Jerjes³ 

[1] Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine and University Dental Hospital Sharjah, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE;Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates;Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine and University Dental Hospital Sharjah, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE;Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates;Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismaillia, Egypt;North End Medical Centre, Hammersmith and Fulham Partnership, National Health Service, W14 9PR, London, UK;

关键词: Dental institutes;    Post COVID-19;    Protective measures;    Risk of COVID-19 transmission;    Dental practice;    Healthcare workers;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12903-020-01281-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Resuming regular clinical activities at dental premises after the COVID-19 lockdown period or post COVID-19 is likely to be a challenge for all dental institutes. When returning to the dental practice or training, staff and students alike should abide by the new rules and regulations. In the process of controlling viral spread, clinical dental facilities face a higher risk of disease transmission among patients as well as clinical and non-clinical staff. Aerosols formation and diffusion into the surrounding air can be a real concern of viral transmission, if no protective measures are established. We aim in this review to present the currently implemented measures and propose changes in clinical dental facilities to minimize the risk of transmission. Dental professionals should be prepared to treat every patient as a suspected COVID-19 carrier and be ready to receive and manage an overwhelming number of patients. We suggest that dental practices establish a sensible workforce shift schedule, improve ventilation levels, reduce dental aerosol generating procedures, and develop a comprehensive guidance to Healthcare Workers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

【 授权许可】

CC BY