Chairside Deture Adjustments:

Optimize Appointment Time while Maintaining Safety in a Covid-19 Environment.

Dr. David Goldshaw

*Corresponding Author: Dr. David Goldshaw, The President of Au-Shaw Dental Productions, Inc.

 Received Date:  September 09, 2020

 Publication Date:  September 12, 2020

Striking the balance between optimizing patient appointment time and maintaining a sanitary environment is not an easy task when it comes to the chairside denture and partial adjustments. Operations have undoubtedly been impacted by the spread of COVID-19, especially in settings where geriatric or high-risk patients are involved. For any dentist seeing a large volume of older patients wi.th dentures, adjustments can be a time-consuming process, especially if you are constantly making these adjustments in your lab, rather than chairside. However, with the need to minimize foot traffic and keep contaminated aerosols contained, this isn’t always the most feasible option.

A potential second wave could occur during flu season; dentists are stocking up on PPE and reevaluating their operating procedures to get ahead of the virus—but chairside adjustments remain a concern for many. The ability of the virus to spread through contaminated aerosols produced by grinding poses a threat not only to the dental staff but to other patients visiting the office. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, here are a few recommendations to make chairside adjustments safer and more time-efficient. I came across this item which has been invaluable, very affordable.

Dust-X: Chairside Adjustment Containers

Dust-X from Yates Motloid eliminates the need for dentists to leave the operatory and go to their lab to make adjustments. The product is a gusseted, disposable grinding bag made of FDA-grade material and it has adjustable openings on each side to accommodate hands and tools. As the dentist is grinding dentures in the bag and producing airborne particles, Dust-X acts as a 360-degree shield and collects particles for easy disposal. The FDA-grade material makes Dust-X durable against potential nicks from burs. This sanitary equipment can be used for nearly any application where aerosols are a concern, from air abrasion to TMJ splints, nightguards and more.

HEPA Air Purification Systems

Using a HEPA air purification system in each patient room can drastically cut down on airborne particles produced by grinding. An air purification system by itself is not a guaranteed solution to combat the spread of infection by contaminated aerosols. However, it can add an extra layer of protection and make patients feel more comfortable knowing that their dentist is taking precautions to preserve their health. Filter efficiency studies have shown that 0.3-microns is very close to what is known as the "Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS)" for HEPA filter media. Efficiency is typically greater than 99.97% against larger or smaller particle sizes. Particles larger than 0.3 microns are more easily trapped, or intercepted, by the media. Smaller particles often lack sufficient mass to penetrate the media.

Following is a list of suggested units that will fulfill these requirements:-

• Blueair Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier.
• Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifier.
• Molekule Air.
• GermGuardian AC4825 Air Purifier.
• Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier.
• Dyson Pure Humidify + Cool. 
• Austin Air Healthmate Standard Air Purifier.

Infection Control Coordinator

Leslie Canham, CDA, RDA wrote an informative article that describes the role and duties of the Infection Control Coordinator in a dental office. Aside from doing basic duties such as taking patients’ temperature before their appointment, the Infection Control Coordinator would also be responsible for ensuring that areas are properly sanitized before each appointment, evaluating PPE stock and employee training programs to ensure that timely infection control procedures are being properly applied throughout the building.

Volume 1 Issue 1 September 2020

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