Strategic Preparation for Dental Care Delivery during COVID-19 Transition-An Update

Abstract

As we all look forward to phasing towards the new normal, COVID-19 has certainly changed the way we would be practicing dentistry. As the global health organizations are working relentlessly laying down guidelines to control the transmission, the dental team should effectively integrate these guidelines to establish safe practices considering the scarcity of available armamentarium. As we cautiously move from treating emergencies to regular care, it would be important to modify and reorganize our existing offices to best contain and prevent cross contaminations of the novel corona virus. Incorporating teledentistry wherever possible, careful management of personal protective equipment, employing strategies for extended use, re use and decontamination of respirators, improvising disinfection protocols will enable us to effectively surmount the existing scarcities and provide quality care. Also it is important that each and every one of the dental team have clear guidelines on how to manage patients with different COVID experiences. These experiences may range from COVID screening to dealing with patients who have active infection or patients who have resolved COVID infection when presented for dental care, and if situations arise, the team should be prepared for self quarantine. It is crucial to be in collaboration with local and state health departments to better understand local disease transmission rates and follow guidelines until we receive evidence based data.