Twice in a Career: An Epidemic and a Pandemic Ethan Pansick, DDS, MS, FACD Dr. Pansick practices prosthodontics in Delray Beach, Florida and is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists.
H
aving started my dental school education in New York City during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, I was accustomed to universal precautions to prevent disease transmission in the dental setting. In fact, as compared to our physician colleagues, many of whom did not even have masks in their offices, we, as dentists were way ahead in the infection control game. As I watched and read what was happening in Wuhan, I began to feel a bit less confident in our overall preparedness as private practice dental clinicians. Surgical masks began to be rationed by the dental supply companies and the new kid on the block, the coveted N95, was difficult to find. Our expertise in preventing the transmission of bloodborne pathogens was not the same knowledge base that was needed for a disease that was transmitted by respiratory droplets and aerosols.
Journal of the American College of Dentists
Our office was closed by state mandate for almost eight weeks. During this time, we formulated plans to help protect the patients, the dental team members, and ourselves from an invisible vector that would be invading the place we spend our days. We were kept busy by sifting through the rapidly evolving guidance from the CDC and state dental association. Our office was closed by state mandate for almost eight weeks. During this time, we formulated plans to help protect the patients, the dental team members, and ourselves from an invisible vector that would be invading the place we spend our days. We were kept busy by sifting through the rapidly evolving guidance from the CDC and state dental association.
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