Decoding the English standard operating procedures for dentists and the dental industry.

The recently published Standard operating procedure: transition to recovery for the resumption of dental treatment in England may prove to be not only the blueprint for the resumption of face-to-face treatments, but also a possible catalyst for change. Seemingly, the raison d'être of the new standard operating procedures is not just to outline the detailed procedures for kick-starting dentistry, but also to support practices through transition and the shift towards a preventative and minimally invasive clinical approach that meets the current clinical challenges, and possibly then goes beyond. Detailed guidance is also provided throughout the document, including the provision and type of required personal protective equipment and clinical guidelines.

What will be the new normal for the dental industry?

The COVID-19 situation has seen the cessation of all non-urgent dental care in the UK. Regular practice activity has come to a virtual standstill and the dental industry has seen a very significant reduction in its provision of products and services. There are differing government financial mitigations in place across dental practices for NHS and, to an extent private, activity, as well as for the dental industry. Dentistry is generally classified in the very high-risk category of aerosol production through many aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). To facilitate any move towards the resumption of widespread dental treatment, possibly without mass vaccination or the widespread use of antibody testing, the aerosol issue will need to be addressed and solved. From a dental industry perspective, equipment and product manufacturers and suppliers are building upon, and further developing, the industry's extremely close relationship and partnership with the dental profession, in order to develop and implement new ways of thinking and new approaches, products and techniques to protect patients and clinicians, focusing on a return to the more widespread provision of dentistry.

Counterfeit and Non-Compliant Dental Devices: The Dangers and How to Mitigate Them.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is dealing with a growing number of counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments for sale to dental practices in the UK. This paper examines the extent of the issue, the dangers posed by the use of counterfeit and non-compliant products, discusses initiatives to address the problem and how the dental team can identify these products and mitigate the associated risks. Clinical relevance: To ensure that all members of the dental team are aware of the dangers posed by counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments and how to mitigate such risks.