Lessons from the Pandemic for Dental Practices: A Year Later

2021-03-16 - 2021-03

It’s hard to believe it has been about year since dentistry was shut down nationally to all but those requiring emergency care. Reflecting on the uncertainty of the early days of the crisis and the confidence with which we deliver care today, I have to say I am proud of how the dental profession has handled COVID-19. The saying “Necessity is the mother of invention” was never more accurate than in 2020. It was a year of rapid change in terms of PPE shortages and requirements, social distancing and its implications on practices, and lightning-speed adaptation within a constantly changing regulatory landscape. Although some of the technological and functional changes we implemented at the beginning of the pandemic were out of necessity, many hopefully will be here to stay. The Importance of PPE One of the most important lessons we have all learned is that dentists were already doing the right things when it comes to safety. Initially, the picture was not promising. By virtue of operating in an aerosolized environment, both providers and patients feared that dental offices would be hotbeds of transmission. Dentists and hygienists were thought to be among the most vulnerable to COVID-19 from an occupational standpoint. In reality, there has been little to no transmission in dental offices, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Let’s face it. The field of dentistry is no stranger to infectious disease. Offices deal with the possibility of transmission from every patient, every day, which is why dentists are taught from day one of dental school about the importance of universal precautions. It is now clear that those precautions are effective and that dentistry was and is well-suited to deliver care before, during, and after the pandemic. As dentists struggled to balance fear with precautionary measures, we all gained a new appreciation for the importance of good PPE. My favorite childhood dentist, Dr. Timothy Martin, was cutting-edge in all areas of practice. But cutting-edge in the 1970s did not involve wearing gloves and masks. Contrast that to today where gowns, booties, caps, and N95 and KN95 masks are all used in addition to basic safety gloves. Though many providers find the added PPE to be a small nuisance, the ability to deliver care and still feel extremely safe—not just for ourselves but for the patients we serve—is worth its weight in gold. Exploring New Products One of my favorite lessons from the past year has been the importance of continuously seeking new products, because the challenges in our field are always changing. I had not always appreciated the need to continuously pivot. In the past, once I found my favorite products, oftentimes I simply stuck with them. The pandemic caused me to investigate new products, such as IoRinse Molecular Iodine Mouth Rinse. A recent study showed that it was the only product that was completely effective at deactivating SARS-CoV-2 in the mouth.

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Lessons from the Pandemic for Dental Practices: A Year Later

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Lessons from the Pandemic for Dental Practices: A Year Later