Recommendations for safe dental care: A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines in the first year of the covid‐19 pandemic

Abstract

In the context of a pandemic, the rapid development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is critical to guide dental staff towards the safe provision of dental care; detailed knowledge of the recommendations will help to achieve the intended results. We carried out a systematic review of the recommendations in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on the provision of dental care issued during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic. A systematic database search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Epistemonikos, and Trip databases to identify documents with recommendations intended to minimize the risk of COVID‐19 transmission during dental care. The selection process and data extraction were carried out by two researchers independently. The majority of CPGs recommended the use of rubber dam, high‐volume evacuator, mouthwash prior to dental care, four‐handed work, and mechanical barriers. The use of aerosol‐generating equipment should be avoided whenever possible. In aerosol‐generating procedures, the use of a N95 respirator (or similar) is recommended, in addition to a face protector, an impermeable disposable apron/gown, a cap, and gloves. The CPGs developed during the first year of the pandemic offer recommendations which guide dental staff in providing safe dental care, minimizing exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2 and reducing the risk of COVID‐19 infection in the clinical environment. Such recommendations must, however, be updated as new evidence arises.