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The nature of dentistry does not allow for social distancing of patients, so it was not a surprise on March 24 that practices to stop the spread of Covid-19 were closed as part of a temporary closure in the UK.
Following Boris Johnson’s speech on Sunday, and government guidelines on how the UK will prepare for normalcy, it is still unclear when dental practices will open. They could open in June along with other retail services, but they will most likely reopen on July 4, possibly alongside beauty salons and hair salons. As talks on loosening the stringent measures begin, dentists have urged the government to allow the practices to be among the first to reopen.
On May 1, UK Dental Director Sara Hurley wrote a letter to dental teams noting that ‘we are fully aware of our responsibility to carefully balance access to care against the needs of protecting the public, patients and the dental workforce. The expectation is that the workforce will continue to operate within its competencies, in a safe and secure clinical environment using all recommended and essential PPE.
After an early closure, Denmark reopened its dental offices on April 20, after reopening schools a week earlier. In Switzerland and Norway, dentists returned to work on April 27, after seven weeks of closure. If we follow that estimate, UK dentists would have gone back to work this week.
The main risk
In addition to the social distancing aspect, the main risk in dentistry is the creation of aerosols when using vibrating water cleaners. There is speculation among dentists that the use of sprays may be prohibited once they are reopened initially, particularly since they work so close to the respiratory tract.
“Everything that uses water or air is an aerosol that goes into the surrounding air,” says Dr. Mervyn Druian, co-founder of the London Center for Cosmetic Dentistry. “Currently, NHS urgent care centers are leaving 45 minutes between each emergency patient to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.”
Routine check-ups
The reopening would allow routine check-ups to be performed again, giving dentists the opportunity to stop minor problems and detect signs of oral cancer and major health problems, problems that could eventually overwhelm the NHS, particularly afterward. It could be 15 weeks without the opinion of a professional. Issues Minor dental problems are now becoming significant due to neglect of care and clients being unable to receive restorative treatment in the clinic. It means the NHS is having to extract teeth that could have been saved, “says Dr. Rhona Eskander of the Chelsea Dental Clinic.
As such, Dr. Eskander was one of 150 dentists who signed a letter to Health Secretary Matthew Hancock asking for a call to action to urgently reopen dental practices due to the rise of dangerous DIY dentistry. Eskander has attended video call queries and helpful Instagram Live tutorials during the crash.
Orthodontic treatments
For patients undergoing specialized orthodontic treatment, personalized information on what to do next and how to maintain it during closure has been vital. “I have been sending Invisalign aligners to my patients through UPS,” says Dr. Emma Laing. “It has been helpful for them to allow their treatment to progress while we are locked up.”
While a date has yet to be set, dentists across the UK are hopeful that they will be able to see desperate patients again as soon as possible. “We are upset that there has been no directive, but I have ordered excessive amounts of PPE, gloves, hats, shoe protection and sleeve gowns so that we can immediately open if the government gives us the green light,” added Dr. Eskander.
Your clinic isn’t the only one preparing for a safe and quick reopening. “We have been informed that once we reopen, we cannot have anyone in the waiting room and patients can only come for their appointments or surgery,” says Dr. Mervyn Druian. “We hope it will be in June, but we will wait to see what direction the Prime Minister and the Dental Director give us.”
