The pandemic has impacted worldwide, causing a global health and economic crisis. The virus of COVID-19 can transmit through direct, indirect, or close contact through infected secretions, including respiratory secretions, saliva, etc. Even in oral care clinics, the risk of cross-contamination between oral care personnel and patients is greatly increased. Therefore, to stop the spread of the virus, a few crucial trends and changes have been adopted by various dental care clinics:
Teledentistry: Several dental clinics have now opted for teledentistry facilities, where the patients can call the dentist before visiting the clinic. They have to give information and details regarding them and the problems they are facing based on which the dentist decides how to treat the patient.
Precautionary measures for patients’ safety: During their visits, the patients are asked to follow the precautionary measures of COVID-19, such as sanitizing hands frequently, wearing mouth masks, etc. However, patients are not allowed to bring any unnecessary items like laptops and shopping bags inside the clinic.
Waiting Time & Procedure of Patients: The number of patients visiting the clinic has now been limited due to the covid-19 outbreak. However, if the number of appointments has risen, they can wait outside or anywhere as they find fit. They are not even allowed others to accompany the patients during their visit, except the one whom they need to reach home after the treatment. During the dental procedure, all the dental areas and instruments are kept sanitized and cleaned respectively. Even the dentists who undertake the dental procedure wash or sanitize their hands before starting the treatment.
Precautions taken during dental procedures: All the unnecessary items in the treatment area should be removed, except the instruments and materials required for the procedure. Also, the dental care workers undertaking the procedure are required to wash or sanitize their hands before starting the treatment. Moreover, make sure that the dental care workers are well trained to use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) alongside a risk assessment and standard precautions including gloves, fluid-resistant disposable gown, medical mask, etc. The dental care personnel should prioritize minimal invasive procedures using hand instruments. In addition, during the treatment, the patients should be instructed to use a disposable cup to spit, or high-speed suction should be used for the same. Furthermore, taking an image of a dental patient using an intraoral radiograph causes stimulation of saliva, and in some patients, it leads to cough and gag reflex. Therefore, it is advisable to use an extraoral radiograph like CBCT or OPG to avoid this.
Precautions post-treatment: After the treatment, standard cleaning should be done of the entire treatment area. High-touch surfaces like door handles, chairs, phones, and reception desks are regularly cleaned. All patient-care items, including dental instruments, devices, and equipment, must be sterilized or otherwise subjected to high-level disinfection. The staff performing cleaning and disinfection should wear appropriate PPE. Respirators, surgical masks, gowns, and gloves must be discarded after every treatment. However, any reusable items, like eye protection and face covers, must be cleaned and disinfected before re-use.
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