Reopening of dental clinics during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an evidence-based review of literature for clinical interventions

Seied Omid Keyhan; Hamid Reza Fallahi; Amin Motamedi; Vahid Khoshkam; Paymon Mehryar; Omid Moghaddas; Behzad Cheshmi; Parsa Firoozi; Parisa Yousefi; Behzad Houshmand

doi:10.1186/s40902-020-00268-1

Reopening of dental clinics during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an evidence-based review of literature for clinical interventions

Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg. 2020 Aug 3;42(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s40902-020-00268-1. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Authors

Seied Omid Keyhan^{1

2}, Hamid Reza Fallahi³, Amin Motamedi⁴, Vahid Khoshkam⁵, Paymon Mehryar⁶, Omid Moghaddas⁷, Behzad Cheshmi⁸, Parsa Firoozi⁹, Parisa Yousefi¹⁰, Behzad Houshmand¹¹

Affiliations

¹ CMFRC, National Advance Center for Craniomaxillofacial Reconstruction, Tehran, Iran.
² Craniomaxillofacial Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Dental Research Center, Research Institute of Dental Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Private Practice, Kerman, Iran.
⁵ Private Practice, El Paso, TX USA.
⁶ Private Practice, Austin, TX USA.
⁷ Department of Periodontology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
⁸ Faculty of Dentistry, Boroujerd Islamic Azad University, Boroujerd, P.O 6915136111 Iran.
⁹ Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
¹⁰ Resident of prosthodontics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Isfahan, Iran.
¹¹ Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes serious acute respiratory diseases including pneumonia and bronchitis with approximately 2.3% fatality occurrence.

Main body: This study argues the main concepts that need to be considered for the gradual reopening of dental offices include treatment planning approaches, fundamental elements needed to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus in dental healthcare settings, personal protection equipment (PPE) for dental health care providers, environmental measures, adjunctive measures, and rapid point of care tests in dental offices.

Conclusion: This article seeks to provide an overview of existing scientific evidence to suggest a guideline for reopening dental offices.

Keywords: COVID-19; Dental clinics; Dentistry; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Review