Impact of COVID-19 on the Utilization of Dental Services: A Systematic Review
Manal Adnan Barry
Ministry of Health, Northern Dental Clinic Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shahad Abdullah Aldawsari
Ministry of Health, Northern Dental Clinic Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Seham Muslih Alrashidi
Ministry of Health, East Dental Clinic Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rami Mohammed A. Alshehri
Ministry of Health C2 Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Badr S. Alhussain
Restorative Department, PSMMC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shahzeb Hasan Ansari
Preventive Dentistry Department, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Emergency Department (ED) visits result from urgent conditions and instances caused by disease, disaster, accidents, or injury and require immediate medical attention. Today, emergency dental services are becoming an integral and crucial facet of properly functioning healthcare systems. Dental emergency visits are a risky undertaking when the COVID-19 epidemic is decimating global health systems. Emergencies in dental care are possibly life-threatening occurrences and demand instant attention to curb infection, severe pain, and tissue bleeding. Examples of these conditions include trauma affecting different facial bones, bacterial infection on soft tissues or cellulitis, and uncontrolled bleeding. Today, given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, all providers need to use their professional judgment to determine the need for emergency or urgent care for a patient. Consequently, this systematic review of literature reviews the implications of the COVID-19 epidemic on the use of dental services in different care facilities across the nation.
Keywords: COVID-19, emergency dental visits, dental hospitals, clinics or institutions