Pandemic Response in Dentistry to COVID
About This Event
This course provides the basics of pandemic preparedness and response for COVID-19 with best practices for closing and re-opening of dental practice. Dental health personnel are among those at highest occupational risk for acquiring COVID-19, according to OSHA. Data indicate that both droplets and certain aerosols from both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients up to 13 feet away contain the RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, minimizing prolonged, close contact with patients will reduce any risk of transmission of pathogens. As the data evolve, key questions remain. This course reviews key infection control policies and practices by dental offices prior to re-opening. Among best practices evolving, these include optimizing teledentistry use for patient intake, management of some emergencies with prescriptions, and risk reduction, including IRT and medical management of caries.
Learning Objectives
- Describe key communication in assuring pandemic preparedness, health security and implications for dental practices
- Review key epidemiologic data on COVID-19, including cause, symptoms, course of infection, mode of transmission, and mitigation strategies
- Identify gaps in surveillance efforts, including testing, and evolving science of droplet and certain aerosols related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19
- Review key infection control practices to reduce any risks of droplet or aerosol transmission of any disease
- Focus on emerging best practices now and after re-opening, including teledentistry, minimizing patient wait times, increasing air exchanges in offices and medical management of caries.