As dentists reopen their practices, there are many precautions they must take and new protocols they must develop to reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure. One of the biggest changes involves personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly the type of masks dental professionals wear.
Before the pandemic, if dental distributors sold three N95 masks in a month they’d consider it an unusual month, Dr. Fang said. Now, dentists and their team members want to use them routinely. But, N95 masks are still difficult to obtain, with most going to medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients. There are alternatives that offer the same 95% filtration, though, including the KN95 masks used in China. The only difference is KN95 masks tend to fit looser, which can be corrected with a clip that hooks onto the two loops in the back, making the mask as airtight as the preferred N95.
“KN95 masks are available, just be careful. More people are making fake KN95 masks than real KN95 masks,” Dr. Fang said. “That’s why it’s important to rely on your distributor. They have gone through every vendor in China and know which masks are FDA certified.”
Distributors are also much less likely to price gouge, as they want dentists to become lifelong customers, Dr. Fang said. If you buy from other sources, you’ll likely pay a much higher price and might end up with a mask that doesn’t offer the necessary protection. Dr. Fang expects distributors to start sourcing masks similar to the KN95 from other areas.
Gowns also may be difficult to source, Dr. Fang said, but it’s OK to wear reusable gowns as long as you are “very meticulous” about washing them properly.
Aerosols also are a top concern as dentists return to work, but there are ways to reduce them, Dr. Fang said. Using dental dams is an inexpensive and proven way to decrease aerosols. Using four hands in the field with two dental professionals is another, with one person “very effectively” using a high-volume evacuator to clear the field and minimize aerosolization. Then there’s fogging, another effective option many dentists are implementing into their practices.
“There are a lot of people trying to figure out how to capitalize on this situation, making aerosol vacuum systems and air purifiers,” Dr. Fang said. “The most important thing to understand is aerosols hang around for hours and the virus is able to exist in aerosols upwards of 16 hours. Not being meticulous about decontaminating the operatory at the end of a case will put the next patient in jeopardy.”
Keep in mind there are many simple steps you can take to reduce aerosols and lower the risk of coronavirus exposure; you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on upgrades, Dr. Fang said. It’s important for dentists to share creative strategies that will help make practices safer. Those are the types of ideas Dr. Fang looked for when judging TheNew.Dentist contest on post COVID-19 preparedness.