How COVID-19 pandemic altered dental hygiene

After dental clinics closed in March 2020 to nonessential care, many dental hygienists left the profession, and those that remained faced challenges navigating infection control, adapting workplace dynamics and shifting patient behaviors, according to a news report from RDH magazine.

Although dental hygiene was deemed elective, dental hygienists cited in the article argued that access to oral health care is integral to maintaining both oral and systemic health. The pandemic illuminated a greater oral-systemic connection.

Updates to infection control measures arose during the pandemic, including upgraded air filtration, surgical caps and gowns and even the more widespread use of teledentistry.

Staffing shortages, propelled by pandemic-related burnout and health concerns, exacerbated patient caseloads, wait times and barriers to oral health care. As a result, the dental profession launched more hygienist programs and flexible learning models to boost enrollment and eliminate staffing shortages.

The dental hygienists reiterated that the preventive care they provide is critical to mitigating oral disease incidence and progression. They concluded that embracing changes in dental hygiene may be key in advancing the practice in the coming years.

Read more: RDH magazine

The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.