RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFECTION CONTROL IN DENTAL LABORATORIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND NORMALIZATION PERIOD

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), a novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing a severe acuterespiratory syndrome, was first reported in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. SARS-CoV-2 is transmittedprimarily between people through respiratory droplets. Direct contact with blood, oral fluids and otherpatient materials has been reported as another transmission route of Covid-19. Dental impressions, trays,occlusal records, prostheses or appliances can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses and fungi. Thenecessity of determining the precautions for safety in dental laboratories, one of the dental servicecomponents, and evaluating them periodically due to their potential as a source of cross-infection hascome into prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic. For this purpose, we publish this guideline for dentallaboratories.