Dental Practice and COVID-19: A Brief Outlook
Author(s): Asma Khurshid*, Madiha Mohaimin, Anam Bilal, M Ammar Ahmed, Tuba, Fahad Kidwai, Nighat Shafiq and Kulsum Iqbal
Abstract
Based on transmissibility and high mortality rate of COVID-19, it has incapacitated the global health care systems and economy. The emergence of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019- nCoV) outbreak has put the global population under major life-threatening state. The global expeditious spread of COVID-19 pandemic from China is mainly based on airborne transmission of aerosols and possibly through viral droplets due to close contact with infected individuals especially during speaking, sneezing and breathing. Based on clinical requirements dental practitioners and patients are under considerable huge risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared to other healthcare professions, the epidemic period of COVID-19 has posed severe limitations in terms of diagnosis and treatment of oral health emergencies due to lack of instructional guidelines, swift and contagious spread of virus presenting devastating situation of cure and prevention. The aim of this article is to share the general perspective and associated challenges of post pandemic impact from dental practitioners, clinicians and faculty affiliated to dental education and clinical dentistry practice across the globe due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. In this article we will focus on our recent understanding related to the prevalence, viral biological characteristic, and mode of transmission and clinical manifestation of SARS-CoV-2. The potential risk of transmission among dental setup emphasizes the implementation of effective strategies and policies to mitigate the transmission rate and impact of SARS-CoV-2.