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COVID-19 Found Replicating in Oral Tissues

When Jeanette asked me to write an article for Lightwaves, I debated about the subject. I decided on this title since this is where we all live 24/7: the oral cavity. I wanted to make sure that my ALD Buddies didn’t start to slack off on their COVID-19 protocols, even though we have access to vaccines and many are relaxing their mask mandates. Nine people that I know that have been triple vaccinated have come down with the virus and one very seriously.

 

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AAID Publishes White Paper on COVID 19 Pandemic and Beyond

In September, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry published a white paper entitled "AAID White Paper: Management of the DentalImplant Patient During COVID-19 and Beyond” that addresses risks to patients and dental health care providers, transmission of saliva droplets, dental aerosols, methods for mitigation, including the proper way to equip dental offices. The paper addresses the following questions:  
  • What are the primary COVID-19 factors that put patients and dental health care providers at risk?

  • What is the proper way to equip dental offices to mitigate the associated risk factors?

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COVID 19: Ensuring Safety as a Contract Worker

By Kristin Pristavec-Hunter, RDH, BS


Starting a new job can be intimidating on its own, but as a contract hygienist "filling-in" is like the first day, every day. With COVID, this makes that first-day experience more worrisome. Safety protocols vary between each office, you never know what to expect. Some offices have gone bare bones and even ask that the clinician bring their own PPE while others have made a big effort in upgrading practice systems and give you every piece of PPE you could imagine.

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Nothing Makes Dentistry More Fun Than a Respiratory Virus Causing a Global Pandemic and PPE Shortage!

By Laurene K. Duke, DDS

Uncertainty has been the mantra for me during these COVID times. I willingly shut my practice as the California governor asked us all to do in March. It seemed to be for only a few weeks. I usually take a vacation of 6-8 weeks per year and closing for a few weeks was not an issue for me. Since the stay at home order was in place, I did not travel (my planned trip was cancelled) and I could take this time to revamp a few protocols for aerosols and get back to seeing patients. WOW!! This was not the case as we all know. I did not even suggest my staff go on unemployment for the first few weeks, thinking it would be a short shut down and I could manage the payroll. So many unforeseen circumstances have led to these uncertain COVID times.

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