The practice of dentistry amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The initial onset of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in humans was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Due to rapidly spreading the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11th, 2020 that has globally increased to 62,844,837 cases worldwide with a total of 1,465,144 confirmed deaths, as of December 1st, 2020. With the ever-evolving nature of COVID-19, it is imperative that healthcare professionals, especially those in the dental profession, remain educated and prepared with the best inclusive practices to ensure the safety of their patients, staff, and themselves. A review of guidelines from organizations around the world has been conducted to evaluate the most comprehensive strategies dental practices can take to minimize the risk of disease transmission during the pandemic and the post-pandemic future.