Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak & Dentistry; Routes of Transmission & Infection- Control Challenges and Responsibilities
1. Associate Professor,Fixed ProsthodonticsDepartment, faculty of Dentistry, Assiut University-Deraya university
2. Lecturer, Oral & Dental Pathology Department, Faculty of Dental medicine, Boy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo -Deraya university
Raafat. Tammam and Amr M. Ibrahim., “Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak & Dentistry; Routes of
Transmission & Infection- Control Challenges and Responsibilities”. American Research Journal of Dentistry, Volume
3, Issue No. 1, 2021, pp. 1-13.
Abstract
The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, originating in Wuhan, China, is becoming a major public health problem for not only
China, but countries all over the world as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that outbreaks of the novel coronavirus
have become a globally worried public health emergency. As of February 4, 2021, COVID-19 has been recognized in 235 countries, with more
than105.000.000(one hundred and five millions) laboratory-confirmed cases and above 2.280.000 (million) deaths. To prevent the virus
from further spreading and to help manage the disease situation, infection control measures are necessary. The risk of cross contamination
can be high between patients and dental practitioners because of the characteristics of dental settings. Strict and efficient infection
management protocols are urgently needed for dental practices and hospitals in areas which are (potentially) affected by COVID-19. This
article, based on our experience and relevant guidelines and research, introduces essential knowledge about COVID-19 and nosocomial
infection in dental settings and provides recommended management protocols for dental practitioners and students in (potentially) affected
areas.
