Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

ISSN: 1858-5051

High-impact research on the latest developments in medicine and healthcare across MENA and Africa

Tele-Screening, Triaging of Dental Patients, and Reopening of Dental Services During SAR-CoV2 Pandemic

Published date: Dec 31 2020

Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 15 (2020), Issue No. 4

Pages: 371–377

DOI: 10.18502/sjms.v15i4.8159

Authors:

Elhadi M. Awooda - dr.alhadi@yahoo.com

Reem E. Siddig

Abstract:

Background: The nature of dental profession requires a dentist to be in a close proximity to the patient’s mouth to perform various operative treatments including procedures such as generating aerosols. As such, dentistry is considered as one of the riskiest profession for the cross-transmission of SARS-CoV2. Although the prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV2 continue to increase worldwide; the dental services and treatment of non-emergency cases have resumed in many countries including Sudan. Moreover, the use of smartphone technology in communication with patients can play an important role in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV2. Therefore, the aim of this short review was to draw a summary on using smartphone technology for telescreening dental patients prior to their visit to the clinics and to set guidelines and rules for dental treatment during SARS-CoV2 pandemic.

Methods:  For the purpose of this study, telescreening is referred as a virtual contact between patients and healthcare personnel used to provide health services during the highly contiguous SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Using a smartphone, dental patients can be screened and questioned about their medical history and particularly for SARS-CoV2 (for symptoms such as fever, headache, coughing, breath shortness, loss of smell or taste). They should also be asked about their travel history to epidemic area, visiting hospital or coming in contact with a confirmed SARS-CoV2 patient during the last 14 days. On arrival to a dental clinic, the patient's temperature should be measured, instruction for wearing masks, hand hygiene, and keeping distances from others inside the waiting zone.

Conclusion: Telescreening and triaging will minimize the time of patients’ exposure to dental clinic environments, hence decreasing the risk of getting SARS-CoV2 infection for both patients and dental healthcare workers. 

Keywords: COVID-19, dentistry, procedure generating aerosols, smartphone, social distance, surgical masks.

References:

[1] Zou, L., Ruan, F., Huang, M., et al. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 viral load in upper respiratory specimens of infected patients. The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 382, no. 12, pp. 1177–1179.
[2] Chan, J. F., Yuan, S., Kok, K. H., et al. (2020). A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet, vol. 395, no. 10223, pp. 514–523.
[3] Veraa, C., Heidia, L., Janb, P., et al. (2020). Transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 to healthcare workers – observational results of a primary care hospital contact tracing. Swiss Medical Weekly, vol. 150, p. w20257. doi:10.4414/smw.2020.20257
[4] Rothe, C., Schunk, M., Sothmann, P., et al. (2020). Transmission of 2019-nCoV infection from an asymptomatic contact in Germany. The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 382, no. 10, pp. 970–971. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2001468
[5] Liu, Y., Eggo, R. M., and Kucharski, A. J. (2020). Secondary attack rate and super spreading events for SARS-CoV-2. Lancet, vol. 395, no. 10227, p. E47: doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30462-1
[6] Peng, X., Xu, X., Li, Y., et al. (2020). Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. International Journal of Oral Science, vol. 12, no. 9, PP.1-6. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9.
[7] Tom, S. and Jessyka, G. (2020). Telemedicine in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: implications in facial plastic surgery. Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 155–156. doi:10.1089/fpsam.2020.0163
[8] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. USA (2020). CDC Releases Interim Reopening Guidance for Dental Settings. Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/statement-COVID.html
[9] Cantore, S. and Ballini, A. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic burst and its relevant consequences in dental practice. The Open Dentistry Journal, vol. 14, pp. 111–112. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.2174/1874210602014010111
[10] Ather, A., Patel, B., Ruparel, N., et al. (2020). Corona Virus Disease 19 (COVID-19): Implication for Clinical Dental Care. Journal of Endodontics, vol. 46, no. 5, pp. 584–595.
[11] Spinato, G., Fabbris, C., Polesel, J., et al. (2020). Alterations in smell or taste in mildly symptomatic outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA, vol. 323, no. 20, pp. 2089–2090. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.6771
[12] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). USA (2020). Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF) 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/prevent-spread-in-long-term-carefacilities.html
[13] Fallahi, H., Kehyan, S., Zandian, D., et al. (2020). Being a front line dentist during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a literature review. Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 42, no. 1, p. 12. doi:10.1186/s40902-020-00256-5
[14] Ge, Z., Yang, L., Xia, J., et al. (2020). Possible aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and special precautions in dentistry. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 361–368. doi:10.1631/jzus.b2010010.
[15] Spagnuolo, G., De Vito, D., Rengo, S., et al. (2020 ). COVID-19 outbreak: an overview on dentistry. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 6, p. 2094. doi:10.3390/ijerph17062094
[16] Klyn, S. L., Cummings, D. E., Richardson, B. W., et al. (2001). Reduction of bacteria-containing spray produced during ultrasonic scaling. General Dentistry, vol. 49, no. 6, pp. 648–652.
[17] American Dental Association (ADA) Policy on Teledentistry. https://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-teledentistry. (accessed December 2020).
[18] Bashushur, R., Doarn, C. R., Frenk, J. M., et al. (2020). Telemedicine and the COVID19 pandemic, lessons for the Future. Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 571–573.
[19] Hollander, J. E. and Carr, B. G. (2020). Virtually perfect? Telemedicine for Covid-19. The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 382, pp. 1679–1681. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2003539

Download
HTML
Cite
Share
statistics

861 Abstract Views

305 PDF Downloads