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The oral cavity houses a large number of microorganisms that are potential pathogens, such as cytome-galovirus, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, human immuno-deficiency virus, mycobacterium tuberculosis and currently with the appearance of the SARS COV-2 that causes covid-19, the dental community must take stricter measures in its protection protocols against diseases. To evaluate its germicidal efficacy, ultraviolet light was applied with different exposure times on the alginate dental impressions, immediately after having taken the impression, which when it came into contact with the oral cavity of the patient is contaminated. As a result, a decrease in size and quantity of the bacterial colonies was observed in most of the samples in which the UV LED light was applied at 10 and 15 minutes of exposure. Some samples showed less bacterial growth even after 5 minutes of exposure. All this confirms its germicidal capacity thanks to its 245 nm ultraviolet spectrum that affects the DNA and RNA chain of microorganisms since it is the wavelength of maximum absorption of its molecule, eliminating its reproductive and survival capacity. The advantages it offers such as its small size, easy to handle and install, that it does not require constant maintenance, low acquisition cost;its constant high intensity light that does not generate any increase in temperature, makes it an excellent disinfectant auxiliary that can be incorporated into dental clinics.Copyright © 2023, Ediciones Avances S.L.. All rights reserved.
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Infection control (IC) practice routines depend mainly on knowledge, perception, and awareness of a disease among dental professionals. However, there has been no report on the perception, awareness, and adaptability to the new practice guidelines of Thai dental professionals (dentists, dental nurses, dental assistants, and dental technicians) to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate how dental professionals in Thailand perceive and are aware of COVID-19, and how they have changed their IC practices in response to the pandemic. Online cross-sectional surveys using convenience sampling during September 2021 were sent to Thai dental professionals. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 22.0. The tests were two-tailed, with a significance level of p < 0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The 1,177 dental professionals who completed the questionnaire were from the public and private sectors. Most respondents obtained their knowledge about COVID-19 from social media (91.8%). 86.7% had adapted to the new IC practice guidelines. The respondents reported that they had modified their work practices in several aspects; changes in administrative control, 1,039 (88.3%); enhancing local source control of dental aerosols, 1,031 (87.6%); heightening sterilization and disinfection procedures, 1,032 (87.7%); and improving the ventilation system, 994 (84.5%). As of October 2021, 1,162 (98.7%) respondents were vaccinated, and 47 (3.99%) had tested positive for COVID-19 compared with 2.30% in the general population. Among infected individuals, 10 (21.3%) were suspected of being infected while working in the dental setting. In conclusion, with an average worry score well over 4.10 out of 5, more than 96% of Thai dental professionals reported seeking updated knowledge and agreed that escalation of IC measures was needed. However, only 86.7% improved their COVID-19 infection prevention practices in 4 aspects and appropriate PPE use. The infection rate in dental professionals was 3.99%, with the highest infection rate in dental assistants. Despite statistical insignificance of infection rate between changed and unchanged group, it cannot be concluded that stricter IC measures are negligible as ones might contract disease from setting other than work.
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Background: The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission cannot be eliminated during aerosol-generating dental procedures in most dental settings. The present study was conducted to assess impact of COVID- 19 on utilization of dental services. Material(s) and Method(s): 485 patients who obtained dental treatment before and during COVID- 19 period were enrolled. Type of complaints for which patients visited dental offices was recorded. Result(s): Out of 485, males were 310 and females were 175. During pre- COVID period, 170 patients <18 years and 210 above 18 years visited dental office while during COVID period, 40 below 18 years and 65 above 18 years reported to dental clinics. The common complaints were periapical seen in 120 and 45, cellulitis in 80 and 30, cellulitis in 70 and 10 and trauma in 110 and 20 in pre- COVID and during COVID period. The difference found to be significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion(s): COVID- 19 had strong impact on utilization of dental services among patients.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.
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The emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China during late 2019 spread quickly and creating international emergency and tremendous challenges for healthcare workers (HCWs) including dental and oral healthcare professionals. The brisk spread of this new viral disease forced HCWs to suffer from different types of stress including mortality and morbidity, delayed patient dealing, scarcity of complete personal protective equipment (PPE), and fear of being COVID-19 virus target and carriers to their family members. The dental and oral HCWs were also advised to apply mobility restrictions and social distancing measures. All of a sudden, most of the regular medical check-ups including dental clinic appointments were cancelled, reducing the number of patients flow. The abrupt cancellation of appointments put a sudden break on medical profession including dental practice. Different scales like progression of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chinese Health Questionnaire-12 (CHd-12), Davidson Trauma Scale-Chinese (DTS-C), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Impact of Event Scale (IES), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) etc. have been devised in different countries to assess the overall mental health status. The reports from earlier SARS outbreak in 2007 had also put a psychological impact on HCWs but least has been learned from this out break. The reports from previous Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks and early COVID-19 pandemic have a considerable negative impact (short and long-term) on mental status of HCWs. Different types of negative impacts on mental health like depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and distress were reported in HCWs during COVID-19 pandemic. The current COVID-19 pandemic given a broader understanding of how much, how far and how fast an outbreak can occur and affect HCWs psychologically. In this review, authors summarize the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the psychology of HCWs, as reported from different countries.Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.
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Cross-contamination within a dental clinic can occur when the disinfection and sterilisation protocols are not impeccably followed. Aerosol plays an important role in the transmission of COVID-19. These facts essentiate the need to educate patients on cross-infection control procedures, for which assessing their knowledge attitude and practice is essential. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Microsoft platform among patients attending Oman Dental College using an internally validated e-questionnaire containing 17 closed-ended questions. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using SPSS 19.0 software. Tables were generated using Microsoft Word and Excel. The means of different variables across groups were compared using ANOVA and independent t-tests. In the case of continuous measurements, we presented the mean and standard deviation. Categorical measurements were presented as numbers and percentages. Statistical significance was determined using 5% level. A total of 387 responses were analysed, which showcased that 78.6% were familiar with the COVID-19 protocol issued by the Ministry of Health Oman. However, only 59.12% exhibited ideal knowledge. In all, 36.4% displayed optimal practice characteristics and 86.8% of the population felt safe (at varying degrees) attending a dental clinic during the pandemic. Gender, nationality, occupation, age and educational qualification were the variables that significantly influenced the knowledge, attitude and practice of dental patients. Based on the results, it is evident that the patients have a good understanding of both preventive and cross-infection control protocols to be followed during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but there are still a few areas to be addressed to enhance patient awareness.Copyright © 2023, Codon Publications. All rights reserved.
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With COVID-19 declared as a worldwide pandemic, a nationwide lockdown was implemented overnight in India on March 24, 2020. With no prior warning or anticipation, patient appointments were temporarily ceased as institutions and clinics were indefinitely closed. Thus, with no prior warning or anticipation, orthodontic appointments were temporarily ceased. In the field of orthodontics, treatment is generally not considered an emergency. However, what is not understood is the importance of regular check-ups or monthly appointments, as well as the impact of restrictions put on patients concerning visiting their orthodontists in times of need. Understanding whether patients realize the importance of regular follow-ups, feel the need for orthodontic treatment to be regarded as emergencies, or assess the reasons for fear or inconveniences in the minds of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment in a time where they are entirely restricted to the confines of their homes are grey areas that are left unexplored. A set of 12 questions was formulated and distributed among the study. The participants were asked to fill the questionnaire. The survey was conducted in an online forum. A total of 100 validated entries were collected. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed in SPSS V20. Associations between categorical variables were determined using Chi-square. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.85% of the population are aware of orthodontic treatment, 93% of the population responded that they are concerned about their facial appearance. 84% of the population believes orthodontic treatment is must. 76% of the population responded that orthodontic treatment affects their hygiene system. 63% of the population felt safe to visit dental clinics post COVID, 52% of the population are not aware of permanent teeth extraction during orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment is required mainly in smile correction or any other dental problems like elimination of malocclusion, trauma, periodontitis. Hence awareness on orthodontic treatment post COVID was improved.Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
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Background: The pandemic caused by the spread of COVID19 generated throughout the world great changes in all areas of life. Social distancing was carried out very drastically in some countries, and even in the field of dental care, some countries prohibited the practice of dentistry. Objective(s): To demonstrate that the dental office is safe regarding the possibility of contagion of Sars-Cov-2 as long as good biosecurity protocols are used. Method(s): A structured survey of 19 questions was applied to 103 patients who subsequently attended a periodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery office in Mexico, to receive care from these specialties between April 2020 and July 2021. The questions posed in this survey were aimed at knowing the opinion of the patients regarding the measures that this establishment has for the prevention of the transmission of COVID19, as well as questions regarding the possible effects of attending this office in contagion of the disease from patients and their families. Result(s): A total of 18 (17.5%) patients reported having suffered COVID19, and none reported that they fell ill after the consultation. None of the clinic's specialists and assistants have fallen ill with COVID-19 during the pandemic. Conclusion(s): It is not necessary to suspend or condition dental care during times of pandemics such as what happened with COVID19, as long as strict safety protocols are observed within clinical facilities.Copyright © 2022 The Authors
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BACKGROUND: The risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection through droplets/aerosol in dental clinics has renewed focus on the utility and possible adverse effects of using personal protective equipment (PPE) on dentists. OBJECTIVE: To obtain information from a cross-section of dentists regarding their PPE usage and to evaluate the possible risk factors that can influence their work efficiency. METHODS: A 31-item cross-sectional survey with a structured multiple-choice questionnaire was designed. Social media and emails were used to circulate the questionnaire among dental professionals worldwide. A total of 317 respondents returned the completed forms. RESULTS: A total of 184 (55%) participants reported getting soaking wet while wearing PPE at the end of the working hours (approximately eight hours of working). Many respondents (nâ=â286, 90%) reported that the use of PPE resulted in reduced visibility of the operating field. The majority of respondents (84%) felt that their overall work efficiency had reduced after using PPE. Binary logistic regression had shown that two significant factors that were associated with reduced work efficiency included, pre-existing systemic illness and getting soaking wet from wearing a PPE. CONCLUSION: Definite protocols should be introduced that mandate the doffing of PPE for every patient, in a separate well-ventilated area where the skin can recuperate from the heat and pressure points caused by the PPE. Dentists should take greater care in choosing the appropriate PPE to prevent exacerbation of pre-existing illnesses, which may reduce their work efficiency.
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Aim: This research aims to determine the organizational preventative strategies implemented by dental clinics in Fiji during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): This qualitative study was conducted amongst Dental Officers (Dos) and Dental Managers (DMs) who were working at government dental clinics, private dental clinics, and the School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used for data collection through in-depth interviews via zoom. A manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Result(s): Thirty Dos and 17 DMs participated in this study. 16 themes emerged from data analysis: Major Strategies implemented, Staff perception about strategies in place, Triaging and Screening, Hand hygiene, Waiting room changes, Operational Capacity, Universal precautions, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), Disinfection and decontamination protocols, Ventilation, Sterilization, Pre-procedural mouth rinse, Waste management, Vaccination status, Bubbles and Adaptation of Protocols. The Dos were generally satisfied with the strategies implemented by the DMs. The DMs along with other Dos had used various guidance documents to devise tailor-made ones suited for dental clinics in Fiji. Conclusion(s): Various strategies were adopted from several guidelines and tailor-made Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for each workplaces were developed by the various DMs. The majority of Dos were in favor of and satisfied with the protocols in place. Future research can be conducted in other divisions and include other health care professionals as well apart from just Dos and DMs. Copyright © 2023 Kajal and Mohammadnezhad.
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BACKGROUND: It is important to adhere to infection control measures in dental procedures due to direct contact with blood and saliva. During the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, regular surveillance is imperative to ensure adherence to the standards. AIM: This study aimed to assess the level of adherence to infection control guidelines in specialized dental clinics in different working shifts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study assessed the level of adherence of 45 selected dental departments to three main guidelines released by (I) the center for disease control (CDC), (II) the Ministry of Health (MOH), and (III) armed forces organization (AFO) in three different working shift. The CDC checklist had eight domains. Thus, the items of each domain were individually scored, and considering the weighting coefficient of each item, the total score was calculated. The same procedure was carried out for the two remaining guidelines. The possible effect of working shifts and different specialties on infection control practice was also calculated. RESULT(S): The mean rate of adherence was 70.7% to the CDC, 93.8% to the MOH, and 84.4% to the AFO guidelines indicating that adherence to the CDC guidelines was lower than the other two domestic guidelines. Individual assessment of each item revealed that hand hygiene (39%) and safe handling and disposal of sharp instruments (46%) acquired the lowest, while sterilization (79%) and safe injection (97%) acquired the highest score according to the CDC checklist. There was no relationship between working shifts and dental specialties regarding the adherence to infection control standards. CONCLUSION(S): Dental clinics had different performances regarding infection control guidelines. Further emphasis should be placed on hand hygiene and disposal of sharp instruments. Copyright © 2022 Mohammad Ali Keshvad, Mohammad Taghi Vatandoust, Elahe Tahmasebi, Mohsen Yazdanian, Hormoz Sanaeinasab, Mahmood Salesi, Esmaeil Rafiei.
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OBJECTIVES: Droplets or aerosols loaded with SARS-CoV-2 can be released during breathing, coughing, or sneezing from COVID-19-infected persons. To investigate whether the most commonly applied air-cleaning device in dental clinics, the oral spray suction machine (OSSM), can provide protection to healthcare providers working in clinics against exposure to bioaerosols during dental treatment. METHOD: In this study, we measured and characterized the temporal and spatial variations in bioaerosol concentration and deposition with and without the use of the OSSM using an experimental design in a dental clinic setting. Serratia marcescens (a bacterium) and ΦX174 phage (a virus) were used as tracers. The air sampling points were sampled using an Anderson six-stage sampler, and the surface-deposition sampling points were sampled using the natural sedimentation method. The Computational Fluid Dynamics method was adopted to simulate and visualize the effect of the OSSM on the concentration spatial distribution. RESULTS: During dental treatment, the peak exposure concentration increased by up to 2-3 orders of magnitude (PFU/m3) for healthcare workers. Meanwhile, OSSM could lower the mean bioaerosol exposure concentration from 58.84 PFU/m3 to 4.10 PFU/m3 for a healthcare worker, thereby inhibiting droplet and airborne transmission. In terms of deposition, OSSM significantly reduced the bioaerosol surface concentration from 28.1 PFU/m3 to 2.5 PFU/m3 for a surface, effectively preventing fomite transmission. CONCLUSION: The use of OSSM showed the potential to restraint the spread of bioaerosols in clinical settings. Our study demonstrates that OSSM use in dental clinics can reduce the exposure concentrations of bioaerosols for healthcare workers during dental treatment and is beneficial for minimizing the risk of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Air Microbiology , Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets , BacteriaABSTRACT
With COVID-19 declared as a worldwide pandemic, a nationwide lockdown was implemented overnight in India on March 24, 2020. With no prior warning or anticipation, patient appointments were temporarily ceased as institutions and clinics were indefinitely closed. Thus, with no prior warning or anticipation, orthodontic appointments were temporarily ceased. In the field of orthodontics, treatment is generally not considered an emergency. However, what is not understood is the importance of regular check-ups or monthly appointments, as well as the impact of restrictions put on patients concerning visiting their orthodontists in times of need. Understanding whether patients realize the importance of regular follow-ups, feel the need for orthodontic treatment to be regarded as emergencies, or assess the reasons for fear or inconveniences in the minds of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment in a time where they are entirely restricted to the confines of their homes are grey areas that are left unexplored. A set of 12 questions was formulated and distributed among the study. The participants were asked to fill the questionnaire. The survey was conducted in an online forum. A total of 100 validated entries were collected. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed in SPSS V20. Associations between categorical variables were determined using Chi-square. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.85% of the population are aware of orthodontic treatment, 93% of the population responded that they are concerned about their facial appearance. 84% of the population believes orthodontic treatment is must. 76% of the population responded that orthodontic treatment affects their hygiene system. 63% of the population felt safe to visit dental clinics post COVID, 52% of the population are not aware of permanent teeth extraction during orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment is required mainly in smile correction or any other dental problems like elimination of malocclusion, trauma, periodontitis. Hence awareness on orthodontic treatment post COVID was improved. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
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COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Amidst the current pandemic, economic turmoil will occur, such as the occurrence of employees' desire to resign. This research aims at examining the influence of job satisfaction on employee turnover in dental clinics during the COVID-19 period. This research employed a qualitative approach using triangulation. Meanwhile, the sample in this research consisted of six resource persons at Tami Dental Care, which is renowned as the best dental clinic in Bandung, Indonesia. The research results revealed that job satisfaction had an influence on employee turnover. Job satisfaction in the form of salary and relationships with coworkers has become the factors influencing employee turnover, whereas workload did not influence the decision to make a turnover because, during the COVID-19 period, there was no additional workload at the dental clinic. The novelty of this research was found by examining the influence of job satisfaction on employee turnover during the COVID-19 period. © 2022, ResearchTrentz Academy Publishing Education Services. All rights reserved.
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Background: Various vaccines have been developed, licensed, and administered against COVID-19 infection to combat the disease globally including in India. The behavior, expectations, views, and awareness of dental clinics in India for COVID-19 vaccination are not well understood. Aim(s): The present survey study aimed to assess the expectations, views, and awareness in Indian dental clinics concerning the COVID-19 vaccination. Method(s): The present survey study included 900 subjects seeking dental care treatment in Indian dental clinics. The questionnaire used in the present survey study comprising of four parts. The participants filled out the survey after giving informed consent. The 4 parts of the survey were demographics, knowledge, attitude, and perception. The data gathered was assessed statistically. Result(s): Mean awareness and attitude scores were significantly more in subjects with higher education, socioeconomic status, subjects residing in the urban areas, and who received all the vaccines previously. The attitude scores were also higher in subjects female subjects compared to male subjects. It was reported by 21.44% (n=83), 18.60% (n=72), 1.55% (n=6), and 58.39% (n=226) females reported that uninfected, infected, recovered, and everyone should be vaccinated. In males, these responses were reported by 26.70% (n=137), 24.17% (n=124), 1.55%(n=8), and 47.56% (n=244) males respectively. Conclusion(s): It can be concluded from the results of the present study that subjects visiting Indian dental clinics lack awareness concerning the COVID-19 vaccine. However, these subjects have more optimism in their attitude toward the vaccine. Before vaccination, immediate promotion programs must be implemented to raise awareness. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
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COVID-19 is a pandemic that threatens public health worldwide. Dentists working at great risk play an essential role in protecting public health against coronavirus. This study aimed to evaluate the dental patients' attitudes and behaviors towards and knowledge and fear of COVID-19. We conducted a self-report questionnaire-based survey from 10.26.2020 to 01.12.2021 and included 1110 dental patients who applied at the Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology of Istanbul Medipol University Dental School. We divided the survey into four divisions: 1) Patient's knowledge about COVID-19, 2) attitudes, 3) behavior, 4) patient's fear of COVID-19. We calculated the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the reliability of the COVID-19 Fear scale and evaluated significance at the p <0.05 level. 84.6% of the participants believed that COVID-19 could be transmitted by aerosol. 94.1% of the participants considered COVID-19 a risk for their health and 93.3% that their social life was affected. 46.3% only wanted to have emergency dental treatment and postpone their dental care, and only 7% applied to the clinic for the aesthetic process. Women had a higher fear level of COVID-19 than men. We found the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the patients who applied to the dentomaxillofacial radiology positive towards COVID-19. Dental health professionals should take extra measures in dental clinics to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and more efforts should be made to improve public knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Copyright © 2022 Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi. All rights reserved.
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Aim: This retrospective research was aimed to evaluate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on orthodontic emergencies and Patients' perceptions of orthodontic patients. Material(s) and Method(s): A total of 204 patients were gathered who were not seen for nearly 5 months from the first of March 2020 to the end of July 2020 due to dental clinic closure. The mean age of the samples was 20.2 (SD = 12.5) years consisting of 134 females (66%) and 70 males (34%). All patients had undergone active orthodontic treatment with fixed and removable appliances before the pandemic. The survey included demographics, types of orthodontic emergencies, and Patients' perceptions of orthodontic treatment during the closure of the dental clinic. Continuous variables were analyzed by mean and standard deviation, while categorical variables were analyzed by frequency and percentage. Result(s): In general, 46.5% of the patients suffered from various emergencies. The incidence of emergencies was approximately 3 times higher than that of the normal appointment times. Debonding and poking wire had the most frequently reported classification respectively (14.2%) (7.9%). 30.4% of patients stated that pandemic had a significant impact on the efficacy of orthodontic treatment. Conclusion(s): This study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on patient care due to a higher number of emergencies and in turns, it delayed the therapeutic progress of patients. 16% of patients with active orthodontic appliances did not continue their treatment due to pandemics. More than half of the patients were willing to be seen every 8 weeks. Copyright © by BIOLIFE, s.a.s.
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In the majority of health-care organizations including the field of dentistry, biomedical waste (BMW) is becoming a severe concern. All health-care employees must be informed of how to properly dispose of health-care waste and how to handle, segregate, and transport BMW. Proper segregation of BMW is highly essential during these current pandemic times. There is a rapid increase in the spread of infectious diseases, especially in the field of dentistry. COVID currently has a higher spread and affectivity ratio than any other disease since 2019, along with other diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. Without proper disposal of medical waste, there can be no assurance that these diseases will not spread. Hence, there is a need for a safety protocol, which is applied and implemented worldwide and their disposal in a specific guided manner. This article is intended to provide deep insight and to simplify how to categorize and dispose orthodontic BMW.
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Air quality in dental clinics is critical, especially in light of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, given that dental professionals and patients are at risk of regular exposure to aerosols and bioaerosols in dental clinics. High levels of ultrafine particles (UFP) may be produced by dental procedures. This study aimed to quantify ultrafine particles (UFP) concentrations in a real multi-chair dental clinic and compare the levels of UFP produced by different dental procedures. The efficiency of a high-volume evacuator (HVE) in reducing the UFP concentrations during dental procedures was also assessed. UFP concentrations were measured both inside and outside of a dental clinic in Shanghai, China during a 12-day period from July to September 2020. Dental activities were recorded during working hours. The mean (±standard deviation) concentrations of indoor and outdoor UFP during the sampling period were 8,209 (±4,407) counts/cm3 and 15,984 (±7,977) counts/cm3, respectively. The indoor UFP concentration was much higher during working hours (10,057 ± 5,725 counts/cm3) than during non-working hours (7,163 ± 2,972 counts/cm3). The UFP concentrations increased significantly during laser periodontal treatment, root canal filling, tooth drilling, and grinding, and were slightly elevated during ultrasonic scaling or tooth extraction by piezo-surgery. The highest UFP concentration (241,136 counts/cm3) was observed during laser periodontal treatment, followed by root canal filling (75,034 counts/cm3), which showed the second highest level. The use of an HVE resulted in lower number concentration of UFP when drilling and grinding teeth with high-speed handpieces, but did not significantly reduce UFP measured during laser periodontal therapy. we found that many dental procedures can generate high concentration of UFP in dental clinics, which may have a great health impact on the dental workers. The use of an HVE may help reduce the exposure to UFP during the use of high-speed handpieces.
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Background: The use of smart phones inside hospitals especially in clinically sensitive areas is a subject of debate because it may improve the quality of healthcare but can also be a vehicle of hospital acquired infections. Aim: To determine dentist's knowledge and behavior related to the use of smart phones in clinical environment and to determine the presence of microbial growth on these devices. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which validated survey tool was used to collect data about knowledge and behavior of 397 dental graduates from 8 dental colleges of Pakistan, regarding their usage of smart phones in clinical environment. Bacterial isolates were collected from the smart phones of 45 participants from Fatima Memorial Dental Hospital, Lahore. Results: The SPTC Scale was used to divide the participants into 3 categories;low, moderate and high users. The behavior related to smart phone usage in clinical environment was significantly different among the participants. Moderate users had significantly higher average behavior score of 3.7 (p-value = 0.034). The growth of pathogenic bacterial flora was greater on high users of smart phones (95%,) whereas those participants who were low users the percentage was 37%. Conclusion: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are increasing significantly in number of patients and these can be prevented by adhering to proper hand hygiene practices and if hand hygiene is improved the amount of bacterial load will be less and disinfection of smart phone devices will not be required.
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OBJECTIVES: This study aims to review cases of dental visits by patients who had confirmed COVID-19 infection in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. It analyses the patterns of infection transmission among dental healthcare professionals and dental clinic visitors. METHODS: This study obtained data from reports on disease trends and press releases published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on its COVID-19 website. RESULTS: After examining cases of patients with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, 24 people (10 in Seoul and 14 in Gyeonggi-do) visited the dental office 1-13 days prior to their case confirmation; however, the spread of the virus in the dental office was not confirmed. CONCLUSION: The WHO and KCDC guidelines must be followed to curb transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among dental patients and professionals.