The significance of coronavirus disease 2019 in dentistry: A scoping review

Background: The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on dental profession, and COVID-19 prevention and control have been the topic of numerous investigations. Objectives: This study aimed to review and present the most effective strategies for prevention and control of COVID-19 before, during, and after dental procedures in the pandemic and post-pandemic era. Materials and methods: This scoping review was conducted according to the five stages of conduct proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. The latest findings available in most accredited databases and scientific websites including Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, and the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control and Prevention were searched using the following MeSH terms: “COVID-19”, “Dentistry”, “Infection Control”, and “SARS-CoV-2”. Irrelevant articles, duplicates, and those not meeting the eligibility criteria were excluded. The remaining 24 eligible articles were reviewed. Results: After data analysis, an efficient protocol for dental procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic was tabulated, which included emergency treatments only, preoperative rinsing of an effective mouthwash, patient triage, principles of personal protection for patients and the staff, aerosol elimination from the office, efficient disinfection of the environment, and specific measures for different dental procedures. Conclusion: Dental clinicians can play a pivotal role in prevention of COVID-19 transmission by precise adherence to the protocols, updating their knowledge, and educating patients prior to their visit. Accordingly, they can fulfill their professional responsibility in treatment of emergency cases and other patients. Despite the ongoing global vaccinations against the COVID-19, genetic mutations that occur in the viral genome over time can still challenge the future of dental profession.