The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of life. Schools closed, workplaces shut down, and businesses had to implement safety protocols. Among all these changes, the most significant impact was seen in the healthcare sector.
Healthcare facilities are obligated to implement all necessary safety measures to protect both patients and healthcare personnel since they are the places where the risk of disease transmission is highest.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus can spread from one person to another through respiratory droplets of an infected person. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks, droplets can linger in the air and infect anyone who comes into direct contact with the patient or is within 2 meters of them.
As you can imagine, the risk of COVID-19 transmission significantly increases in environments such as dental clinics where working in an open mouth of a patient is involved. While dentists are knowledgeable about controlling the transmission of bloodborne diseases, controlling airborne diseases is somewhat uncharted territory. Therefore, new measures have been implemented to limit the spread of this outbreak.
Screening Patients Before Appointments
The first thing dental clinics do is to screen patients before scheduling appointments. During phone calls, patients are asked about their health status, whether they have shown any symptoms of cold or flu-like infections recently, and whether they have traveled abroad recently. They are informed about the need to adhere to social distancing, wearing masks, and hygiene protocols when they enter the clinic.
Preparing the Patient to Enter the Clinic
Upon arrival, patients are asked to wear shoe covers before entering the clinic. They are provided with hand sanitizer for hand hygiene, and their temperature is checked.
Hygiene and Disinfection Measures
Patients showing symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to reschedule their appointments, but dentists implement strict measures to ensure hygiene as they know that some SARS-CoV-2 carriers may be entirely asymptomatic. These measures include enhanced hand hygiene, regular surface and equipment disinfection, and wearing personal protective equipment.
Reducing Oral Aerosols and Droplets
What exacerbates the risk of transmission in dental environments is regular aerosol use, causing these particles to linger in the air for an extended period. To reduce aerosols and droplets, dental clinics use larger saliva ejectors, try to regularly exhaust the air, and use rubber dams to minimize or prevent contamination.
Proper Ventilation
Since droplets can linger in the air for hours, proper ventilation is of utmost necessity. To effectively control the transmission of all airborne diseases, dental clinics use air purifiers with HEPA technology, install powerful fans, disinfect equipment using UV light after each patient, and use antiviral disinfectant sprays. If possible, they can also use negative-pressure rooms.