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Since the global outbreak in 2020 of the novel virus SARS-CoV-2 that triggered the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers have continued performing their clinical duties to fulfill their work responsibilities while being exposed to infection risks. Dental procedures are considered a high risk for infection because many generate aerosols. The administration of sedation and general anesthesia may result in high levels of respiratory aerosols being generated, especially when positive pressure ventilation is used during intubation and extubation

In preparing to write this editorial about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentistry, around mid-April while home quarantined, I sought out my Magic 8 Ball for its predictive wisdom. Unfortunately, each query produced the same response, “Ask again later.” At this time, the nation appears to be approaching the apex of the (initial?) peak of the viral curve, so read this editorial from that perspective. It will be interesting to see how this relates when published this summer. Where to begin? Should we start in China with the

Because of the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have decided to print the following commentary to help provide another alternative for reducing potential exposure to and incidental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during the provision of anesthesia for dentistry. — Kyle J. Kramer, Editor-in-Chief Coronaviruses are thought to primarily spread via respiratory droplets and close or direct contact. Transmission is also possible through prolonged exposure to high concentrations of

At present, the world is facing a viral crisis in the most literal sense with the novel coronavirus, or specifically the SARS-CoV-2 virus (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses), and the resulting COVID-19 (World Health Organization, February 2020) pandemic affecting all levels of society around the world. 1 Of note, this newly emerging strain of Betacoronavirus is thought to be spread by aerosols or droplets per early investigations, 2 posing a substantial infection risk to all dental professionals, including providers of

ingested or aspirated materials is removal via flexible endoscopy. 2 This case report describes an incident in which a dental provider failed to place any type of throat screen or airway protection, which resulted in the ingestion of an amalgam fragment during the removal of an existing restoration. The patient incidentally tested positive for COVID-19 during workup for the fragment removal, thus eliminating the possibility for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). This case also highlights alternative management for dental foreign body ingestion and challenges the

authors postulated that the lower absorption of intranasal dexmedetomidine as compared with IV administration may have contributed to the relative hemodynamic stability seen in this trial. Le ST, Kipnis P, Cohn B, Liu V. COVID-19 vaccination and the timing of surgery following COVID-19 infection. Ann Surg. 2022;276(5):e265–e272 doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005597 This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19 vaccination status or mode of anesthesia modified the temporal harms associated with surgery following coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19

airway cart, the formulation of an airway emergency plan, and an update of airway management techniques and equipment. Prasad NK, Lake R, Englum BR, et al. COVID-19 vaccination associated with reduced postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and morbidity. Ann Surg. 2022;275(1):31-36. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005176. PMID: 34417362; PMCID: PMC8678152. The purpose of this nationwide, observational cohort study was to determine the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on postoperative mortality, pulmonary complications, thrombotic complications

Brown J, Gregson FKA, Shrimpton A, et al. A quantitative evaluation of aerosol generation during tracheal intubation and extubation. Anaesthesia . 2021;76(2):174–181. doi: 10.1111/anae.15292. PMID: 33022093; PMCID: PMC7675579. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, guidance issued from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend minimizing aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) and adopting personal protective equipment and engineering