I’m a dentist. Even in this pandemic, oral health care is essential, especially for children.
© ( Omar Bárcena)
Dental instruments on a tray. So far there have been zero transmissions of Coronavirus between dental offices and patients in San Diego County. ( Omar Bárcena)
I am a parent and dentist whose personal and professional life has been upended by this pandemic. If you’re reading this, and haven’t gone through similar turmoil, I would like to meet you. While most of the country is trying to get a grip on what to do about the upcoming school year, those of us in the dental field are dealing with a debate of our own.
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) released interim guidance advising routine, non-essential oral health care be postponed because of the coronavirus and transmission risks. Less than two weeks later, the American Dental Association (ADA) released a statement saying that it “respectfully yet strongly disagrees.” The inconsistent recommendations are adding confusion in