COVID19 and dentistry strategies to contain the infection

This new pathogen, originally isolated in Wuhan, capital of the Chinese region Hubei, has been holding the planet under siege since December 2019. This newly isolated coronavirus, the seventh of its kind able to infect humans is transmitted easily and rapidly between individuals and has a fatality rate that, depending on the geographic area, ranges between 2 and 10%.

Currently, there is no vaccine or evidence-based treatment for it.

Since the beginning of the epidemic in China private dental offices were immediately identified as places “at-risk” of spreading the disease and were closed. Emergency dental therapies were allowed only in hospitals and all elective dental treatments had to be postponed. In the Chinese epicenter of the disease the situation has not yet returned to normal and many other countries are now, in different ways, experiencing more or less severe limitations of regular dental care. Many of us are currently only administering emergency dental treatment and we really do not know when we will be able to return our regular professional “routine”.

Under the circumstances, it is natural for the members of the dental community to experience fear and anxiety.

From a detailed analysis of the problem and several critical issues, related to the dental office and therapy, initiatives to control the Sars-Cov-2 have come to light.

There are several key points to be discussed and that deserves careful thinking.

The author, brakes down the problem into its multiple aspects, having researched the available scientific evidence and, where missing, having applied a precaution principle to define a general strategy for the dental team.

The objective of this presentation is to provide useful suggestions to be immediately put into action for better management of our practices while approaching a gradual return to our regular activities.

We need to understand that there will be a new “normal” that will stay with us for some time and it is important to be optimally prepared for this.