Dental care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: operatory considerations and clinical aspects.

OBJECTIVES

This paper is aimed at addressing the urgent need to develop a protocol that will address the operatory and clinical aspects of dental care during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

DATA SOURCES: The epidemiology, clinical signs and symptoms, and modes of transmission of COVID-19 are presented. This protocol was established as an international collaboration of three dental universities: Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Israel; University of Rochester Medical Center, USA; and the University of Pennsylvania, USA. This protocol is based on a detailed review of the existing English language literature as well on the logistic and clinical experience of each facility and the opinion of the authors. The protocol is designed for a hospital setting and includes considerations related to dental treatment in both healthy subjects and those suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19. The first part of this review discusses operatory considerations; the second part discusses general dental clinical aspects; the third part discusses endodontic considerations; and the fourth part discusses surgical aspects. This protocol may be applicable to other future similar pandemics.

CONCLUSION

Logistic and clinical steps are required to provide dental care during the COVID-19 outbreak while preventing cross-contamination and protecting the dental team during the provision of care.