Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, health experts have stated that certain people need to follow guidelines more strictly and take extra precautions as they are at a higher risk of contracting or developing a severe form of the infection in comparison with others.
This includes older adults age group as they have a weakened immune system, those with existent medical health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer, and front line health care workers as they are exposed to the virus on a daily basis.
For people who are more likely to develop severe coronavirus infection, the best option is to avoid going outdoors and stay inside homes as much as possible.
However, for health care workers, this is not an option as they have to work in hospital environments daily and usually cannot afford to take a leave because of the increasing burden on the healthcare system since the beginning of the health crisis.
RELATED: How to Maintain Mental Health During Election SeasonÂ
As a result, many workers have contracted, developed, and even lost their lives to the coronavirus infection.
Even with N95 masks and personal protective equipment, the chances of catching coronavirus while working are still very high for doctors, nurses, and other staff members, which is why the rates of the virus among them have also been very high.
In addition, the shortage of masks and PPEs in many US states and other countries has also further contributed to the transmission of the virus among health care workers.
Keeping the high rates of spread and the number of cases in health care workers in mind, most people assume all medical professionals and clinics have an equally high risk of transmission.
However, this is not true. A new survey conducted by the American Dental Association shows that even during the peak of the ongoing pandemic, the cases of the infection among dentists were significantly low.
The findings of the survey further show that only one percent of the practicing dentists in the US have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
These results show much more than the low prevalence of the infection in the dental community, according to experts. They also accentuate the quality and standards of dental practice in the country.
Hygiene is one of the key factors of dental practice for decades and nearly all clinics have strict policies regarding cleaning and disinfecting. It is not only confined to the tools used during procedures but also technicians and dentists themselves.
This is one of the reasons why the coronavirus infection is not common among dentists or in their clinics. It also shows that hygienic practices recommended by agencies such as the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention are indeed effective.
Lastly, the findings also clarify the claims regarding dentistry adding to high rates of the coronavirus infection. A few months ago, it was assumed that dental checkups are very risky and can increase the chances of contracting coronavirus.
Therefore, visiting a dentist for checkup is actually not risky at all even during the peak of a health epidemic.
