COVID-19: Implications on dental profession and precautionary guidelines

The current global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its associated coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has grasped the attention of entire international community and has caused widespread public health concerns. All the efforts taken globally to curtail the novel COVID-19; the outbreak is still on a rise owing to the community spread pattern of this infection. COVID-19 is a zoonotic infection that, like other coronavirus infections, is believed to have been originated in bats and pangolins, and later transmitted to humans. Once in the human body, this coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is abundantly present in nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions of affected patients and its spread is predominantly thought to be respiratory droplet in nature. Dental professionals may soon encounter patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and will have to act carefully not only to provide care but at the same time prevent spread of infection. Thus, the aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of the epidemiology, symptoms and routes of spread of the novel COVID-19 infection. In addition to this, specific recommendations for dental practice are prescribed for patient screening, infection control strategies, and patient management protocol.