Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Dental Practice During First, Second And Third Wave Among a Group of Pediatric Dentists : A Cross -Sectional Study

On the 11th of March, 2020, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. SARS-CoV-2 is an unpredictable virus that is rapidly transmitting from one country to another, and unfortunately as of today, there is no effective medication or vaccine for the disease control. This virus has gone on to cause one of the most rapidly expanding pandemics with over 9 million people being infected worldwide including the pediatric population.

Due to the unique nature of dentistry, most dental procedures generate significant amounts of droplets and aerosols, posing potential risks of infection transmission. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of the oral mucosa in COVID-19 infection, in addition to expressing the ACE2 receptor in salivary glands in the asymptomatic process in infected saliva, thus being one of the main sources of viruses.

Clinical features of COVID-19 in children include fever and cough, but a large proportion of infected children appears to be asymptomatic and may contribute significantly to transmission. Therefore, it can be assumed that, at this stage in the pandemic, all children and their parents/carers are potentially infective with the potential of cross-infection to dental stuff, parents and the public. This has, in theory, an impact on medical and dental procedures that are Aerosol Generating Procedures.