COVID-19's impact on private practice and academic dentistry in North America.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major public health crisis for countries around the world. In response to this global outbreak, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern. Dental professionals are especially at high risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus due to the unique nature of dentistry, more specifically, exposure to aerosols and droplets. When it comes to dental emergencies, it was crucial to maintain urgent dental care services operational to help reduce the burden on our healthcare system and hospitals already under pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted how dentistry is practiced in North America in both the private practice and academic settings. This article shares the perspectives of dentists practicing in private practice and clinician-researchers in academic dental institutions. More specifically, we discuss about measures implemented to minimize risks of disease transmission, challenges in emergency dental care, impact on patients, as well as impact on the professional and personal lives of the dental team during the COVID-19 crisis.

The impact of COVID-19 on dental education in North America-Where do we go next?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the dental education community faced unprecedented challenges. In this commentary, we share the perspectives of faculty clinicians, residents and students in academic dental institutions in the United States and Canada. We discuss COVID-19's impact on various aspects of academic dentistry including patient care, education, research and raise key concerns regarding the future of dental education post-pandemic.