New Research Examines Infection Control And Other Pandemic-Induced Changes In Dentistry

CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the interest of public health, the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) is promoting a new research article entitled "COVID-19's Impact on Dentistry: Infection Control and Implications for Future Dental Practices." The review article was published on the IAOMT's website this week.

The work is crucial to disseminate because it involves an examination of more than 90 scientific journal articles, culminating in an original analysis of dental-specific engineering controls to mitigate infectious disease risk. Additionally, the authors report on the pertinent issues of adequate respiratory protection (i.e. masks) from aerosols, saliva's role in disease transmission and diagnostic testing, and the imperative need for dentistry's contribution to the understanding of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathology.

"Thousands of dentists, hygienists, and other dental professionals around the world have just experienced a sudden and unprecedented interruption in the delivery of oral health care. Many of them want to understand the science behind the return to work guidance being offered to them now, as well as potential implications for future dental practices," lead author Carl McMillan, DMD, explains. "We have an urgency to share the information in our review so that dental practitioners have access to a summary of the available and applicable scientific knowledge regarding dentistry and COVID-19."

The IAOMT has examined scientific literature related to the safety of dental practices since the non-profit organization was founded in 1984. Carl McMillan, DMD, and his co-authors Amanda Just, MS, Michael Gossweiler, DDS, Asma Muzaffar, DDS, MPH, MS, Teresa Franklin, PhD, and John Kall, DMD, FAGD, are all affiliated with the organization. You can visit the IAOMT's website for more information about the new review and other subjects relevant to the future of oral health care.

SOURCE International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology

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