Spread of Coronavirus

Here are some questions and considerations you should ask all patients before administering any services:

• Do you have fever or experience fever within the past 14 days?
• Have you experienced a recent onset of respiratory problems, such as a cough or difficulty in breathing within the past 14 days?
• Have you, within the past 14 days, traveled to Italy, China, Iran or other locations with documented 2019-nCoV transmission?
• Have you come into contact with a patient with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection within the past 14 days?
• Have you come into contact with people who have traveled to Italy, China, Iran or other locations with documented 2019-nCoV transmission?
• Are there at least two people with documented experience of fever or respiratory problems within the last 14 days having close contact with you?
• Have you recently participated in any gathering, meetings, or had close contact with others in large gatherings and now showing symptoms?
• Is your dental appointment an emergency or is it an elective procedure that can wait several weeks?
• Do you smoke or have had respiratory issues or disease in the recent past?
• Do you have a thermometer and can you measure your current body temperature?

You can download the Questions Here

Countries, States, and local counties are increasingly declaring states of emergencies and the public has not only become alarmed but conscientious of the potential threat this may have to themselves and family members. The mortality rate as of March, 4th 2020 was determined to be almost 4% which is almost double the previously alarming rate of 2%.

The airborne spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome #coronavirus is well reported in many literature’s and dental papers show that many dental procedures produce aerosols and droplets that are contaminated with the virus. As a result droplet and aerosol transmission are the most important concerns in dental clinics and hospitals because it is almost impossible to avoid the generation of large amounts of aerosols and droplets mixed with patient’s saliva and even blood during dental practices becoming airborne. In addition to infected patients potentially coughing and breathing onto dental devices such as a dental hand pieces lights and other nearby equipment, the high-speed turbines as well as cavitrons can propel aerosols which can travel significant distances and remain in the air for respiration.

Contact spread is a huge concern as dental professionals direct or indirect contact with human fluids and contaminated dental instruments may expose them to the Coronavirus. Infected patients who cough in the waiting room or on dental instruments as well as dental professionals who touch contaminated dental instruments or even doorknobs may cross contaminate others without knowing it. It has been documented that human coronaviruses can persist on various services such as metal, glass, and even plastic for several days. Therefore contaminated surfaces can continue to infect other unsuspecting professionals as well as patients long after they infected individual has left her trace.

As a result, it is highly likely that patients may develop a fear of going to hospitals and dental offices where potential, cross infection may become rampant. Telemedicine and Teledentistry can alleviate some of these concerns and if necessary be followed up by individualize care by a mobile dentist who can visit families in their homes or other locations of choice taking proper infection control steps by following protocols published by the CDC, World Health Organization, and governing dental bodies.