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At present, the world is facing a viral crisis in the most literal sense with the novel coronavirus, or specifically the SARS-CoV-2 virus (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses), and the resulting COVID-19 (World Health Organization, February 2020) pandemic affecting all levels of society around the world. 1 Of note, this newly emerging strain of Betacoronavirus is thought to be spread by aerosols or droplets per early investigations, 2 posing a substantial infection risk to all dental professionals, including providers of

slow trickle of reports about a novel virus that grew ever steadily into a world-engulfing torrent? Perhaps the ill-fated Diamond Princess cruise ship? For many in the United States outside the Pacific Northwest, the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly kicked off when National Basketball Association (NBA) player Rudy Gobert, center for the Utah Jazz, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Shortly after this news, several major dominos were quick to fall, resulting in cancellations of the NBA and National Hockey League seasons, in addition to the National Collegiate Athletic

Based on data from the US Department of Labor, 4 of the top 5 professions at highest risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes (coronavirus disease 2019) are in the dental field. 1 At highest risk are dental hygienists, followed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons, dental assistants, and dentists. Furthermore, anesthesiologists are ranked just below those in the dental profession. 1 High titers of SARS-CoV-2 are found in the oral, nasal, and pharyngeal mucosa as well as

Meethil AP, Saraswat S, Chaudhary PP, Dabdoub SM, Kumar PS. Sources of SARS-CoV-2 and other microorganisms in dental aerosols. J Dent Res . 2021;100(8):817–823. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a high degree of concern about aerosols generated during dental procedures and the potential for transmission of respiratory pathogens harbored in saliva. Current knowledge of the pathogens found in dental aerosols is mostly gleaned from case reports and poorly controlled studies. A 2020 review found several studies described the

Because of the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have decided to print the following commentary to help provide another alternative for reducing potential exposure to and incidental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during the provision of anesthesia for dentistry. — Kyle J. Kramer, Editor-in-Chief Coronaviruses are thought to primarily spread via respiratory droplets and close or direct contact. Transmission is also possible through prolonged exposure to high concentrations of

COVIDSurg Collaborative. Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study [published correction appears in Lancet . 2020]. Lancet . 2020;396(10243):27–38. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31182-X . This international, multicenter cohort study of 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30

Since the global outbreak in 2020 of the novel virus SARS-CoV-2 that triggered the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers have continued performing their clinical duties to fulfill their work responsibilities while being exposed to infection risks. Dental procedures are considered a high risk for infection because many generate aerosols. The administration of sedation and general anesthesia may result in high levels of respiratory aerosols being generated, especially when positive pressure ventilation is used during intubation and extubation

caution that no broad conclusions about the risk of actual SARS-CoV-2 infection can be drawn from this study due to several limitations, including the relatively small number of observations, the limited spatial area of aerosolization studied, and the absence of known COVID-19 patients in the study. Comment: This study raises several considerations for the dental anesthesia provider. Intubation appears to have several advantages for limiting and controlling exposure to potentially infectious aerosol in the intraoperative period. Extubation and recovery appear to

remains unclear, although currently it does not. Lifting current social distancing restrictions will obviously depend heavily upon successful vaccine rollouts, which continue to gain momentum. With any luck, the benefits from herd immunity and effective vaccines should materialize by late summer or early fall, unless the emerging variants prove to be quite troublesome. Less than one year ago a viable SARS-CoV-2 vaccine seemed little more than pure fantasy, so I remain cautiously hopeful for the near future. Our ever-shifting geopolitical climate is equally

airway cart, the formulation of an airway emergency plan, and an update of airway management techniques and equipment. Prasad NK, Lake R, Englum BR, et al. COVID-19 vaccination associated with reduced postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and morbidity. Ann Surg. 2022;275(1):31-36. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005176. PMID: 34417362; PMCID: PMC8678152. The purpose of this nationwide, observational cohort study was to determine the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on postoperative mortality, pulmonary complications, thrombotic complications