EFP issues Covid-19 safety suggestions to protect dental practitioners and their patients

The Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is having a big impact on the oral-healthcare sector because of the risk the virus implies to dental professionals and patients. The EFP has published a set of infographics that provide suggestions on how dental practices can operate safely and manage their patients before, during, and after their treatment.

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.

Co-ordinated by Filippo Graziani, EFP past president and chair of the federation’s European  project committee, this safety protocol is based on the limited scientific literature available and on the observations and experiences of dental clinicians.

It is not intended to conflict with any guidelines issued by local and national healthcare authorities, and clinicians are advised to follow their own institutions’ guidelines if any discrepancies are noted.

“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,” said Filippo Graziani. “For the EFP, the safety of our colleagues, co-workers, and patients worldwide is of utmost importance.”

He added that while knowledge is still limited, the EFP had “tried to encapsulate some practical information in graphics to support the dental and periodontal world globally.”

In a second stage of this project, the EFP will soon launch a survey of periodontists and dental hygienists to find out how they have been impacted by Covid-19.

For Xavier Struillou, who succeeded Prof Graziani as EFP president in March, “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."

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