7 questions with ECU dental faculty about dental care amid COVID-19

Based on scientific data, expert recommendations and your own expertise, is it safe to go to the dentist right now?

Beasley: Yes! Dentists are no strangers to heavy sanitation measures and have been wearing masks, gloves, gowns and eye protection for decades. We added a few more items to our daily wardrobe, but dentistry was already equipped to help prevent the spread of viruses. We are following all guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association, which has allowed us to continue to operate safely.

Connelly: There is some increased risk with simply leaving your home. With patient and ECU employee screening, personal protective equipment use and stringent disinfection/infection control protocols in place at ECU’s School of Dental Medicine, our patients are very safe being treated here. I am unaware of any documented COVID-19 transmission that has occurred in a dental setting, both here and in the community.

Why is it important for people to continue seeking oral health care, even during the COVID-19 pandemic? How would you advise people nervous about seeking treatment right now?

Connelly: Oral health has a direct impact on physical health, and poor oral health has been associated with a number of medical conditions. For those patients at higher risk of decay, delaying treatment could mean the difference between keeping and losing teeth. For patients with moderate to severe gum disease problems, delaying treatment could result in tooth loss as well.  We have been treating patients at the school since the start of the pandemic with no known transmission of the disease, and we follow CDC guidelines on infection control.

Can putting off dental care result in more costly and invasive procedures?

Beasley: Yes! It is recommended that most people get their teeth cleaned every six months. However, some people need cleanings every three to four months. Those people that require more frequent cleanings are likely to see more effects from delaying cleaning appointments, such as heavy build-up. This can lead to bone loss and mobility of teeth. Also, cavities get bigger with time. Therefore, a small cavity may grow larger and the tooth may need a root canal and/or crown. These are things that can be prevented with routine care and early detection.

Last fall, the ADA released a statement emphasizing the importance of dental care, saying it is an essential to overall health. Can you explain the importance of routine dental care?

Wright: Routine dental care is associated with better oral health outcomes and with overall health. Routine visits can detect systemic issues and oral diseases early or prevent disease from occurring. Dental caries (cavities) are nearly 100% preventable. Regular dental visits can prevent pain and dental damage and can save patients money.

With increased safety precautions and equipment, the ECU School of Dental Medicine continues to provide patient care during the pandemic. (Contributed photo)

What specific safety measures have been added in dental offices since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Beasley: We are limiting access to patients only, except for patients who are children or adults who need specific assistance. We are also limiting the use of the waiting room. Everyone’s temperature in checked when they enter the building. The front desk area has been outfitted with clear plexiglass guards to keep the staff and patients separated at check-in and check-out. We limit all foot traffic to one direction around the building so that patients do not have to worry about encountering other people in the hallways. We now wear head coverings and face shields. We have laundered jackets which we change between every patient and we are wearing either a N95 or KN95 mask beneath our regular surgical masks.

How is a trip to the dentist different during the pandemic, i.e. what should people expect when they go that’s different from pre-pandemic appointments?

Beasley: We ask that everyone wear a mask to their appointment. The mask can be removed once in the dental chair and put back on when it is time to leave. All employees will also be wearing masks. When you arrive, your temperature will be taken and a set of questions will be asked to ensure that you are free of COVID-19 symptoms. You will see hand sanitizer stations throughout the building, and we are limiting visitors, so if you are an adult you may be asked to enter the office alone.

What has been COVID’s impact on dental schools up to this point, as far as changes to patient care and educational experiences?

Wright: The impact on the educational experience has been that most lectures, problem-based learning sessions and meetings switched to online mode. For simulation labs, some schools are using modern digital or virtual reality techniques, while other schools provide simulation training with small groups of students wearing appropriate PPE. Others participate in video simulation. In general, there may be increased levels of stress among students who feel their clinical education has suffered or anxiety about contracting the virus from patients or others at school.

For patient care, the American Dental Association’s recommendation to limit dental care to only emergency care expired on April 30, 2020. The ADA provided guidelines for dentists to provide full dental care in May 2020. Some dental schools are only still seeing emergency patients; some schools have returned to providing full comprehensive care with appropriate PPE, screening and contact history. (The ECU School of Medicine is providing full comprehensive care with appropriate precautions at its Greenville clinics and statewide community service learning centers.)