A Review of COVID-19 and the Implications for Orthodontic Provision in England

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-124
Author(s):  
Sally Zahran ◽  
Natasha Wright

COVID-19 is an unprecedented virus that is destroying the lives of many people worldwide. Dentistry as a profession falls into a high-risk group due to our close proximity to patients and the aerosols generated in routine dental procedures. The UK dental community has frantically searched for answers to questions about the new virus and guidance on provision of dental care. This article will review the most up-to-date recommendations for infection control procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in England. PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar databases were searched up until 9 June. This is a review of the current information, guidelines and recommendations about the COVID-19 virus and use of PPE for dentists and orthodontists. As of 9 June, the dental profession has received mixed guidance on how best to manage our patients whilst national lockdown is eased and we enter a recovery phase, but uncertainty remains for the long-term provision of Orthodontics. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article gives an overview of guidance and recommendations for dentists and orthodontists in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with regards to infection control and use of PPE.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-66
Author(s):  
Jennifer Haworth ◽  
Jonathan Sandy ◽  
Anthony J Ireland

We are living through a period of immense change following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China in December 2019. Even before the pandemic, the cost of managing healthcare-associated infections in the UK was considerable. The risk of acquiring any infection from the dental environment must be reduced to a minimum. As we have observed in recent years, new infectious agents emerge frequently, and the dental profession must be ready to respond appropriately and quickly. Orthodontic practice presents unique challenges in relation to infection control procedures. The impact of healthcare waste on the environment must also be considered. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This paper describes the range of infectious agents posing a risk to dental team members and patients. The aim is to place the recent coronavirus pandemic in the context of other recent emerging infections. Some of the latest research regarding infection control procedures is reviewed. Current best practice is described.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
J. Lochard

Publication 111, published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in 2009, provided the first recommendations for dealing with the long-term recovery phase after a nuclear accident. Its focus is on the protection of people living in long-term contaminated areas after a nuclear accident, drawing on the experience of the Belarus population, Cumbrian sheep farmers in the UK, and Sami reindeer herders in Norway affected by the fallout from Chernobyl. The ICRP dialogue initiative in Fukushima confirmed what had been identified after Chernobyl, namely the very strong concern for health, particularly that of children, loss of control over everyday life, apprehension about the future, disintegration of family life and of the social and economic fabric, and the threat to the autonomy and dignity of affected people. Through their testimonies and reflections, the participants of the 12 dialogue meetings shed light on this complex situation. The ICRP dialogue initiative also confirmed that the wellbeing of the affected people is at stake, and radiological protection must focus on rehabilitation of their living conditions. The challenge is to incorporate the important clarifications resulting from the ICRP dialogue initiative into the updated version of Publication 111 that is currently in development. This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 303-303
Author(s):  
Jan Sindhar ◽  
Sabine Martin ◽  
Loay Rahman ◽  
Sifan Zheng ◽  
Yaseen Mukadam ◽  
...  

303 Background: Rapid Diagnostic Clinics (RDC) are being set up across the UK allow primary care physicians to refer patients with symptoms concerning for cancer that do not fulfil tumour-specific two week wait urgent referral criteria. Guy’s RDC was established to address the high cancer related mortality in our network. There is little data assessing the effectiveness of RDC models is available in a British population. Methods: We evaluated all patients referred to Guy’s RDC pilot scheme between December 2016-June 2019 (n=1,341) to assess the rate and type of cancer diagnosed and clinical outcomes. Results: Of 1341 patients, 96 cancers were diagnoses (7.2%). Most common were lung (16%), haematological (13%) and colorectal (12%). A third were at early stage (I-II) and 40% received radical treatment. Median time to cancer diagnosis 28 days (IQR 15-47) and treatment 56 days (IQR 32-84). 75% of patients were suitable for anti-cancer treatment: surgery (26%), systemic (24%) and radiotherapy (14%). We plan to present updated data on > 2000 patients referred until June 2020. Overall 6% of patients were diagnosed with pre-malignant conditions. Conclusions: RDCs provide a streamlined pathway for complex vague symptoms patients which are challenging for primary care. The 7% rate of cancer diagnosis exceeds many tumour specific urgent pathways which supports the need for rapid tailored diagnostics. The detection of pre-malignant conditions in 6% allows surveillance and intervention to potentially improve long-term outcomes. RDCs are likely to be pivotal in the cancer recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 04 (4) ◽  
pp. 01-08
Author(s):  
Vrushali Abhyankar

Background: Covid -19 pandemic has affected dental profession tremendously and has placed dentists and dental professionals in the very high exposure risk jobs. Practicing dentistry requires the provider to be in close proximity of the patients and their oral cavity. Many dental procedures tend to generate aerosols owing to the use of an air rotor or highspeed handpiece. The impact of Covid –19 on dentistry, like all other professions is ever evolving and newer guidelines are published almost every day. The authors also examine the ethical, psychological and financial implications of this pandemic to the dental professionals as well as patients. The important role of organized dentistry is highlighted in facilitating change to adapt to the new norm and implement the safer practice guidelines. Conclusions: The authors conclude that significant changes need to be undertaken to protect patients, dental professionals, auxiliary personnel.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Duval ◽  
Thomas Obadia ◽  
Pierre-Yves Boëlle ◽  
Eric Fleury ◽  
Jean-Louis Herrmann ◽  
...  

AbstractAntibiotic-resistance of hospital-acquired infections is a major public health issue. The worldwide emergence and diffusion of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP), is of particular concern. Preventing their nosocomial spread requires understanding their transmission. Using Close Proximity Interactions (CPIs), measured by wearable sensors, and weekly ESBL-EC– and ESBL-KP–carriage data, we traced their possible transmission paths among 329 patients in a 200-bed long-term care facility over 4 months. Based on phenotypically defined resistance profiles to 12 antibiotics, new bacterial acquisitions were tracked. Extending a previously proposed statistical method, the CPI network’s ability to support observed incident colonization episodes of ESBL-EC and ESBL-KP was tested. Finally, mathematical modeling based on our findings assessed the effect of several infection-control measures. A potential infector was identified in the CPI network for 80% (16/20) of ESBL-KP acquisition episodes. The lengths of CPI paths between ESBL-KP incident cases and their potential infectors were shorter than predicted by chance (P = 0.02), indicating that CPI-network relationships were consistent with dissemination. Potential ESBL-EC infectors were identified for 54% (19/35) of the acquisitions, with longer-than-expected lengths of CPI paths. These contrasting results yielded differing impacts of infection control scenarios, with contact reduction interventions proving less effective for ESBL-EC than for ESBL-KP. These results highlight the widely variable transmission patterns among ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae species CPI networks supported ESBL-KP, but not ESBL-EC spread. These outcomes could help design more specific surveillance and control strategies to prevent in-hospital Enterobacteriaceae dissemination.Author summaryTracing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) dissemination in hospitals is an important step in the fight against the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria. Indeed, understanding ESBL spreading dynamics will help identify efficient control interventions. In the i-Bird study, patients and hospital staff from a French long-term care facility in France carried a wearable sensor to capture their interactions at less than 1.5 meters, every 30 seconds over a 4-month period. Every week, patients were also swabbed to detect carriage of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Based on the analysis of these longitudinal data, this study shows that ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) mostly spreads during close-proximity interactions between individuals, while this is not the case for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC), suggesting that ESBL-KP but not ESBL-EC may be controlled by contact reduction interventions.


Author(s):  
Hala Abdallah Traina ◽  
Nourelhouda Salaheddin Misurati ◽  
Noora Shaaban Berhaim

Introduction: The available knowledge about Covid-19 mandate applying set of strict preventive measures for medical and dental professions. Dental health personnel are considered among high risk occupation group during the pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of adherence to the preventive measures against the coronavirus disease and infection control among prosthodontists and general dentists in Tripoli, Libya. Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 8 questions was distributed among dentists who are working in private clinics or public health centers during Covid-19 pandemic, in Tripoli. Dentists were selected randomly to participate in this survey. Results: This study included a total of 70 dentists forming a response rate of about 87,5% (70 dentists participated out of 80 dentists), a total of 19 were prosthodontists and 51 were general dentists. The results showed that only 32% had attended lectures regarding COVID-19. The percentage of dentists who wear PPE during fixing post insertion complete denture complains and during fixing high spots before final cown/ bridge cementation were (60%, and 61.4%) respectively. During dental treatment, all dentists reported they do keep frequent hand hygiene by using ABHR or water and soap, (72.8%) ask their patients for pre procedural mouth rinse before starting the treatment, (62.8%) stated that they use rubber dam during aerosol generating procedures.. Conclusions: Libyan dentists in this study showed practicing of moderate infection control procedures to minimize transmission of Covid-19, limited comprehension of what constitutes as emergency dental procedures was recognized. Dentists are required for attending awareness days and workshops in this respect. Keywords: COVID-19, Dentists, Preventive measures, Infection control.


2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Walsh

This paper is an update on infections, and potential infections, related to acupuncture, and a brief review of the relevant infection control procedures. There is no evidence at present to suggest that significant numbers of infections are being transmitted through standard acupuncture treatments in the UK. None the less, good infection control is essential. Like any other science, new research forces infection control to evolve and refine its procedures. Acupuncturists need to constantly review their standards as new viruses and risks are identified.


1995 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 8-29
Author(s):  
Garry Yoang

The UK economy will soon be completing the third year of recovery from the low point of the business cycle reached in the second quarter of 1992. Since that time output has risen by close to 8 per cent and now stands at 4 per cent above its previous peak. Over the recovery phase of the cycle, output in the onshore economy has grown at an average rate of 2.7 per cent per annum, with the annual rate of expansion accelerating to reach 3.7 per cent in the last quarter of 1994. This rate of growth is certainly in excess of that which the economy can sustain in the long term. Unsustainable growth eventually leads to inflationary pressure as firms, faced with strong product demand, push up their prices. Depending on the attitude of the monetary authorities, this leads either to a period of higher inflation or to tighter policy and higher interest rates to prevent inflation speeding up.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Budzynski-Seymour ◽  
James Steele ◽  
Michelle Jones

Physical activity (PA) is considered essential to overall health yet it is consistently reported that children are failing to meet the recommended levels. Due to the bidirectional relationship between affective states and PA, affective responses are a potential predictor to long term engagement. Since late March 2020 the UK government enforced ‘lockdown’ measures to help control the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19); however, this has impacted children’s PA. Using online resources at home to support PA is now common. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the use of the Change4Life 10-minute Shake Ups to support PA by examining the effects of Disney branding upon children’s (n=32) post activity affective responses and perceived exertion. The secondary was to investigate the effect of the lockdown on PA habits. Children had similar positive affective responses and perceived effort to activities; however, branding was considered to be a key contributing factor based upon qualitative feedback from parents. Children’s PA levels dropped slightly since ‘lockdown’ was imposed; though online resources have been utilised to support PA. The use of immersive elements such as characters and narrative in PA sessions, as well as utilising online resources during ‘lockdown’ appear potentially promising for future research.


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