A COVID-19 Exposure at a Dental Clinic Where Healthcare Workers Routinely Use Particulate Filtering Respirators

Dosup Kim, Jae-Hoon Ko, Kyong Ran Peck, Jin Yang Baek, Hee-Won Moon, Hyun Kyun Ki, Ji Hyun Yoon, Hyo Jin Kim, Jeong Hwa Choi and Ga Eun Park
Additional contact information
Dosup Kim: Jaw Surgery Center, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dentistry, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
Jae-Hoon Ko: Samsung Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
Kyong Ran Peck: Samsung Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea
Jin Yang Baek: Asia Pacific Foundation for Infectious Diseases (APFID), Seoul 06362, Korea
Hee-Won Moon: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
Hyun Kyun Ki: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05030, Korea
Ji Hyun Yoon: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05030, Korea
Hyo Jin Kim: Infection Control Office, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
Jeong Hwa Choi: Infection Control Office, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Korea
Ga Eun Park: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Konkuk University of Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05030, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-8

Abstract: Asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients produce a considerable amount of virus and transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through close contact. Preventing in-hospital transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is challenging, since symptom-based screening protocols may miss asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients. In particular, dental healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of exposure, as face-to-face contact and exposure to oral secretions is unavoidable. We report exposure of HCWs during dental procedures on a mild symptomatic COVID-19 patient. A 32-year-old male visited a dental clinic at a tertiary care hospital. He experienced mild cough, which started three days before the dental visit, but did not report his symptom during the entrance screening. He underwent several dental procedures and imaging for orthognathic surgery without wearing a mask. Seven HCWs were closely exposed to the patient during dental procedures that could have generated droplets and aerosols. One HCW had close contact with the patient during radiologic exams, and seven HCWs had casual contact. All HCWs wore particulate filtering respirators with 94% filter capacity and gloves, but none wore eye protection or gowns. The next day, the patient experienced dysgeusia and was diagnosed with COVID-19 with high viral load. All HCWs who had close contact with the patient were quarantined for 14 days, and polymerase chain reaction and antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 were negative. This exposure event suggests the protective effect of particulate filtering respirators in dental clinics. The recommendations of different levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) for dental HCWs according to the procedure types should be established according to the planned procedure, the risk of COVID-19 infection of the patient, and the outbreak situation of the community.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; infection control dental clinic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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