Safety recommendations for dentists and maxillofacial surgeons during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Oral health professionals are at high risk of developing COVID-19 infection due to their practice of close proximity to the patients. Patients in daily dental practice can be seen with basic protection protocol. Routine and elective dental procedures should be cancelled during this pandemic situation and could be rescheduled when the situation eases. In practice, as of universal prevention strategy, all patients should be assumed as COVID-19 infected and treated accordingly. Adequate standards of hygiene and protection should be adopted for all patients to avoid potential transmission risks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be crucial to categorize oral and maxillofacial surgery cases into: emergency case, urgent case, intermediate case and low priority cases. While there has been a growing literature suggesting the aspect of critical care associated in treating these patients, ample of evidence indicates how this COVID-19 pandemic will affect surgical practice. Here we highlight the current unfavorable situation due to COVID -19 and offer recommendations for changes to dental and maxillofacial surgical practices.
 J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(4): 197-204

Dental and Oral Health Practice in COVID-19 Pandemic: Bangladesh Perspective

“…International organizations like WHO, CDC, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and several professional bodies' guidelines and recent studies have provided detailed guidance on emergency and nonemergency dental services and ways to tailor dental practice to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease. 3,4,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Based on those recommendations, dental professionals should maintain safety precautions and design dental care settings as follows -…”

“…To adjust financial crisis, they may have to charge high or reduce the number of dental staffs. [20][21][22][23][24][25] Globally shortage of PPE supply was one of the major challenges that dental professionals and their staffs were facing while preparing for fighting against COVID-19. [22][23][24] Similar situation was encountered in Bangladesh, too.…”

“…8 Lack of awareness, lack of knowledge and inappropriate practice of effective infection control and preventive measures may put many dental surgeons at risk and many of them to suffer from the disease itself. 8,21,24 If dentists want to reopen their dental clinic for emergency and non-emergency dental services, it needs proper utilization of safety precaution measures for protecting both the dental professionals and patients. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Moreover, dental professionals and their staffs should receive adequate training on infection control and prevention protocol for dental settings as well as on proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).…”