juliabarnido

[juliabarnido]

Covid-19 and Dentistry: Challenges in the Dental Practice.

The impact of COVID-19 on dentists and dentistry has been humongous. While some countries have decided to brave it out, most of the nations have issued directives to close down all elective procedures. 

Dentists around the world are still doing e-consultations with their patients. Helping them with their problems. They even perform few emergency procedures with proper safety measures and protocols. Given this, the overhead of dental practice will increase, due to extra PPE, better suctions, and other precautionary measures that cost more. Dentistry will become a higher risk profession than before and dental treatments will become more expensive.

Unfortunately, the impact of COVID-19 in the professional lives will continue to last long after the world is done with Lockdowns and Social Distancing. In my opinion, given the current trajectory of cases in our country, a high risk state for our profession could continue till at least end-June; a moderate risk state till at least end-November and a mild risk state for a further year thereafter. However, this assessment can very well change depending on the course that the disease takes.

Clinicians are caught between the devil and the deep sea. In the given circumstances, they are trying to do the best they can for their patients. But trying to manage everything through audio/ video calls or by prescribing medications isn't always enough. Yet, they are still trying. To assuage their concerns and to heal them with reassuring words. 

I don't think anything really prepared us for this contingency. This has been a bolt from the blue. We are fighting this war in our hearts and minds everyday. And, all we can hope is that the patients continue to keep their faith.

Unfortunately, our ordeals won't end when the world would have seen the worst of this pandemic. When the lockdowns are over, and social distancing won't be the most coolest thing anymore, we shall still have to deal with this threat. This menace will change a few things in clinical practice forever. The professional, financial and legal implications of all that the future holds for us hasn't yet been understood in all its dimensions. I only hope we have the collective courage to defeat those demons and get back to doing what we do best; caring for our patients.

We have been hit; and we have been hit hard. Make no mistake about that. But, today we have a bigger battle to fight, the frontline warriors to salute, and our civic and social responsibilities to honor. And yes, we believe that this too shall pass; that we shall overcome. Make no mistake about that either.