The medical industry could learn a lot from the way dental has handled the Covid-19 Pandemic. Practitioners have surprised the world with their ability to adapt and maintain the professional edge even during these difficult times.
Covid-19 changed almost every industry in the world within the blink of an eye. Virtually overnight, companies had to pivot the way they reach their customers. Customers had to change the way they seek out products. For dentists and patients, this problem is magnified tenfold. After all, you need to see your patient in person, and you are treating their mouth, which is the primary source of the pathogen. On its face, Covid dental treatment can seem like a nightmare. How did the dental industry accommodate the Covid reality, and was it an easy transition for practitioners and patients?
Before Covid-19
Dentistry is just like any other medical field before Covid. Conferences got held worldwide, and specialists attended and hosted lectures in person to compare findings in their studies and present new products to one another. More importantly, on the home front, dentists are working diligently every day to give the best care they provide to their patients, and all is running smoothly.
"Before Covid, for at least one week out of the month, I was flying to different countries to give a lecture," says Renowned Endodontic Specialist – Dr. Michael Solomonov. Covid may have stopped travel, but it did not stop time. The dental field needed to accommodate the new changes the pandemic presented while keeping up with patients' daily demands and innovations. A difficult task, but it was done with flying colors. Dr.Solomonov is a frequent user of BJM's RCS – Endodontic Sealer and has been starring BJM products on his lectures one of which will soon be featured here.
Trial and Error
The first of many concerns that needed to be addressed during Covid was and remains the safety of both practitioners and patients. But how can you keep yourself and your patient safe from one of the most transmissible viruses in history? It depends on the region in the world. However, some examples in western dentistry, for instance, was the fifteen-minute rule. In essence, dentists were advised to keep their treatments no longer than 15 minutes. This option proved not to be the right way to go. After all, just prep for more procedures took 10 minutes, and you don't want to rush a treatment.
Disinfection Is More than A Given
For the past 100 years, a sterile atmosphere was a given in any form of medical treatment. The Covid pathogen needs special treatment. According to Dr. Solomonov, western practitioners have adopted a 15-minute break between patients to clean every surface of the clinic before the next treatment, which has seen positive results. But 15 minutes is not a solution for every challenge. After exchanging information with one another online, a consensus is starting to arise.
One Day Treatments
It should be considered during this pandemic that a patient may not have a chance to come back to the clinic so quickly as they did before Covid. They may not be able to see the same practitioner in every visit. A solution to this is the one-stop one-day treatment. An idea that instead of treating a patient as fast as possible, the entirety of the treatment should be completed in one visit.
An Increase of Patients
It's fair to guess that fewer people will be inclined to leave home to see a dentist since fewer people can leave due to extended home lockdowns. This could not be further from the truth. Private practitioners like Dr. Solomonov has reported a very noticeable increase in patients since the start of the pandemic. There are a few theories to explain this phenomenon. Mainly, people want to leave the house. Going to the dentist is beneficial and rightly considered an essential activity. Another explanation is the increase in stress is locked down populations, as stress is a significant contributor to medical complications, especially in the head and mouth.
No Time for Politics
The Corona Virus has proven itself a very divisive subject in many industries. This divide could have quickly crept into the world of dentistry. However, instead of bickering over where it came from and what should be done to stop it, the dental community has banded together. "None stop communication." According to Dr. Solomonov, you cannot keep up with the number of articles that dentists are writing about on the subject of Covid. "Despite the fact that many conferences had been canceled, practitioners are doing everything they can to keep the community informed. All lectures have been moved to beneficial web events. Even universities are finding innovative ways to tackle educating new practitioners from home. With students reportedly being provided solutions like mystery packages sent to their homes with new tools to study and treatments they can practice from home.
For the Greater Good Dentistry Came Through
Coming together and finding quick solutions to one of the most divisive and disruptive times in modern history is no easy feat. But the dental industry has passed the test with flying colors and proved itself to be flexible enough not just to make it work but innovate and collaborate around it. Suppose the rest of the medical world takes notice and gets on board. Then there should be nothing but hope for the future.