Oral healthcare is severely affected all over the world by the Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic because of the risk implied for both dental professionals and patients.
In order to provide the dental sector with a protocol to navigate the crisis effectively, the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) has published a set of infographics that provide suggestions on how dental practices can operate safely and manage patient workflow before, during, and after their treatment.
Co-ordinated by Filippo Graziani, EFP past president and chair of its European Project Committee, this safety protocol has been devised as a response to the crisis affecting the provision of oral-healthcare services around the world.
The scientific evidence related to dental management during the Covid-19 pandemic is so far merely observational, and prospectively designed interventions - to form the basis for proper evidence-based guidelines - are missing. This document is based on the limited scientific literature available and on the observations and experiences of dental clinicians. It does not conflict with any guidelines issued by local and national healthcare authorities.
We have tried to highlight the current knowledge, basing our ideas on three different levels of strength according to the information we have on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
For the EFP, the safety of our colleagues, co-workers, and patients worldwide is of utmost importance. Despite the relatively little knowledge that is available, we have tried to encapsulate some practical informationin graphics to support the dental and periodontal world globally.
Please follow your own institutions' guidelines if any discrepancies are noted and check for changes, as knowledge on the management of the virus is changing swiftly."
Filippo Graziani, EFP Past President and Chair of European Project Committee
The infographics illustrate protocols for patient triage, patient management in the dental office, and treatment and post-treatment routines, as well a phone-triage questionnaire with questions to ask patients when they call the dental practice to make an appointment. All the material is available for downloading at: http://www.efp.org/publications/covid-19.html.
"In these uncertain days, at the time when we will probably start going back to work in many countries, the EFP felt that this initiative was necessary to offer to all our members clear guidelines and also to have a global vision of the situation and the impact of the pandemic on periodontists, dentists, and hygienists," adds Xavier Struillou, president of the EFP.
EFP, global benchmark in periodontology
The European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting awareness of periodontal science and the importance of gum health. Its guiding vision is "periodontal health for a better life."
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