Rubber dam clamps: friend or foe?

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have reignited our passion for the rubber dam, the ambition being reduction in potentially contaminated patient aerosols. However, following the 2015 Montgomery ruling, are we consenting patients properly? The rubber dam is the standard of care for some procedures, with a metal clamp used most often. This paper highlights some of the dangers of metal clamps and recommends strategies for mitigating either an embarrassing or a potentially catastrophic event.