COVID-19 Management in Clinical Dental Care Part III: Patients and the Dental Office

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically changed all aspects of life. In the context of clinical dental care, a significant number of new recommendations have been implemented to comply with public health policies, ensuring the safety of dental care professionals, staff, and patients and preventing further spread of the virus. This article is the third in a series of 3 on the management of COVID-19 in clinical dental care and presents a set of recommendations and standards to be implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include remote contact with all patients for triage and guidance before scheduling a clinical visit to know if they have COVID symptoms or are positive for COVID, if they belong to a risk group, and if there is a suggestion that aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) will be required during their visit. It also reviews additional precautionary measures in the waiting room and reception area, where the environment is reorganised to protect patients and clinical staff, avoiding situations that could result in cross contamination. The dental office operates under a strict set of guidelines, namely, use of personal protective equipment by professionals, contact with patients, a strategy to avoid aerosol-generating procedures, as well as disinfection procedures for the dental office before, during, and after each patient visit. The implementation of these protocols to mitigate cross infection and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the dental office will help improve safety and restore the confidence required to provide dental care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Dentistry and the COVID-19 Outbreak

IntroductionInfection prevention in dental practice is a principle of utmost importance aiming to protect patients, the dental team, and ultimately, public health. The recent pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has instigated worldwide public concern. This highly contagious disease has called for profound changes in patient care around the world. The goal of this article is to review the current literature and introduce essential knowledge about COVID-19, recommend management protocols and adequate protection for dental professionals during the outbreak.Material and methodsThe literature search was conducted from April to June 2020. After full-text screening a total of 85 studies were included.ResultsGiven the novelty of SARS-CoV-2, some characteristics of the virus remain yet unknown. The virus is aerosol-transmissible and, because of the nature of dental procedures, this puts dental professionals and patients at a high risk of contamination by this pathogen. Adequate management protocols and specific protective approaches are essential to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in dental settings during the outbreak.DiscussionThe overall impact of COVID-19 in health care worldwide is yet to be determined. This constitutes a significant limitation to this review because the information obtained risks being outdated as the pandemic progresses. The prudent practitioner will use this review as a starting point and continue to proactively update themselves as the outbreak continues. Further studies are required to investigate the potential impact of infections with SARS-CoV-2 within dental settings.     

Guidelines for dental care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Several dental care facilities in affected countries have been completely closed or have been only providing minimal treatment for emergency cases. However, several facilities in some affected countries are still providing regular dental treatment. This can in part be a result of the lack of universal protocol or guidelines regulating the dental care provision during such a pandemic. This lack of guidelines can on one hand increase the nosocomial COVID-19 spread through dental health care facilities, and on the other hand deprive patients’ in need of the required urgent dental care. Moreover, ceasing dental care provision during such a period will incense the burden on hospitals emergency departments already struggle with the pandemic.This work aimed to develop guidelines for dental patients’ management during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Guidelines for dental care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic were developed after considering the nature of COVID-19 pandemic, and were based on grouping the patients according to condition and need, and considering the procedures according to risk and benefit.It is hoped that the guidelines proposed in this work will help in the management of dental care around the world during and after this COVID-19 pandemic.     

What is the association between income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and children’s dental care?

BackgroundThe degree to which children experience unmet need for dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with pandemic-related household job or income loss are unknown.MethodsThe authors performed a cross-sectional household survey of 348 families in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from June 25 through July 2, 2020. Unmet need for child dental care and pandemic-related household job or income loss were assessed using caregiver self-report.ResultsCaregivers reported that the greatest unmet child health care need during the COVID-19 pandemic was dental care (16%), followed by medical care for a well visit or vaccination (5%). Approximately 40% of caregivers reported job loss or a decrease in household income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found a significant association between the probability of unmet child dental care and pandemic-related household job or income loss (P = .022). Losing a job or experiencing a decrease in income due to the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with unmet child dental care (relative risk, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 2.88).ConclusionsIn this sample, 3 times as many households reported unmet dental care for a child compared with unmet medical care. Unmet child dental care was more common in households where pandemic-related job or income loss occurred.Practical ImplicationsIf unmet dental care continues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, nontraditional strategies for delivering dental care can be considered to improve access to dental care for children, such as teledentistry and oral health prevention services in primary care settings.     

Multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on dental practice: American dental care professionals prepared and ready during unprecedented challenges

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental practices and their readiness to resume dental practice during arduous circumstances.MethodsThe authors distributed an observational survey study approved by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Institutional Review Board to dental care practitioners and their office staff members using Qualtrics XM software. The survey was completed anonymously. The authors analyzed the data using R statistical computing software, χ² test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test.ResultsNearly all participants (98%) felt prepared to resume dental practice and were confident of the safety precautions (96%). Only 21% of dentists felt the COVID-19 pandemic changed their dental treatment protocols, with at least two-thirds agreeing that precautions would influence their efficiency adversely. Although most participants were satisfied with the resources their dental practice provided for support during the pandemic (95%), most were concerned about the impact on their general health and safety (77%) and to their dental practice (90%), found working during the pandemic difficult (≈ 60%), and agreed there are challenges and long-term impacts on the dental profession (> 75%).ConclusionsDental care professionals, although affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and at high risk of developing COVID-19, were prepared to resume dental practice during most challenging circumstances.Practical ImplicationsThe pandemic has affected dental care practitioners substantially; thus, there is need to formulate psychological interventions and safety precautions to mitigate its impact. Further research should evaluate the long-term effects on dentistry and oral health and interceptive measures for better communication and programming around future challenges.     

Paediatric dental care during and post-COVID-19 era: Changes and challenges ahead

BackgroundCOVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and by physical contact from contaminated surfaces to the mucosa. Its route of transmission has caused a significant challenge in medical and dental healthcare.ObjectiveThis article aims to review the literature and information available on the provision of paediatric dental treatment during and post-pandemic and to provide specific recommendations on the safe provision of paediatric dental care.ResultsChildren infected by SARS-CoV-2 have no or milder COVID-19 symptoms and are potential vectors in spreading the disease. Routine dental treatment is suspended in many countries because of the increased risk of cross-infection in dental practices. Only emergency dental care is provided for urgent conditions. It is necessary to gradually reinstate regular dental care to paediatric patients and maintain their good oral health. To control the disease transmission and maintain the oral health of the population, minimally intervention techniques that minimise or eliminate aerosol generation, plus comprehensive oral health preventive measures should be practised to safeguard safety at dental practices in this unprecedented time.ConclusionsRobust infection control guidelines should be implemented in dental clinics to minimise the risk of infection and to ensure the safety of patients and staff during the pandemic. Three levels of preventive care should be practised to prevent oral diseases and improve children's oral health in this COVID-19 era. Treatment should be prioritized to patients in urgent needs and aerosol-generating procedures should be minimized.     

COVID-19 Management in Clinical Dental Care Part II: Personal Protective Equipment for the Dental Care Professional

Background: Facing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) challenge on a global level, dental care professionals are encouraged to optimize universal precautions and adopt measures that ensure protection against infection by contaminated aerosols and droplets. Although aerosol transmission is possible, direct contact through large droplets is probably responsible for the vast majority of transmissions. Methods: This paper is the second of a series of 3 on the management of COVID-19 in clinical dental care settings and aims to describe the selection and use of personal protection equipment (PPE) by dental care professionals (DCP), with consideration of the level of risk associated with the planned procedures. PPE selection depends directly on the local epidemiological setting, the patient's characteristics, and the level of risk of the planned procedures. The procedures performed in the office environment are classified as low-, moderate-, or high-risk. Moderate risk includes 2 further sublevels associated with the cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of materials for clinical procedures that do not generate aerosols. The training of DCP on how to properly don (put on) and doff (remove) PPE is as important as choosing the appropriate PPE because it can be associated with a risk of infection. Discussion: When there is limited availability of PPE, measures should be adjusted to the risk associated with the intervention. Assuming that an effective COVID-19 vaccine will be developed, once it becomes widely available for DCP, PPE requirements will likely be different. Conclusion: The proper use of PPE, together with the adoption of other operational procedures, can provide effective protection against microorganisms being transmitted via body fluids or in the air.     

Willingness and ability of oral health care workers to work during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt dental practice in the United States. Oral health care workers play an integral role in societal health, yet little is known about their willingness and ability to work during a pandemic.MethodsOral health care workers completed a survey distributed on dental-specific Facebook groups during an 8-week period (May 1-June 30, 2020) about their willingness and ability to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, barriers to working, and willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.ResultsFour hundred and fifty-nine surveys were returned. Only 53% of dentists, 33% of dental hygienists, 29% of dental assistants, and 48% of nonclinical staff members would be able to work a normal shift during the pandemic, and even fewer (50%, 18%, 17%, and 38%, respectively) would be willing to work a normal shift. Barriers included caring for family, a second job, and personal obligations, and these were faced by dental assistants and hygienists. Dentists were more likely than hygienists (P < .001), assistants (P < .001), and nonclinical staff members (P = .014) to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.ConclusionsOral health care workers have a decreased ability and willingness to report to work during a pandemic, and dentists are significantly more able and willing to work than hygienists and assistants. Dentists are more likely than staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.Practical ImplicationsThe results of this study may help inform future initiatives of dental workforce readiness during a pandemic. Dentists should be prepared to discuss alterations to standard operating procedures to allay staff members’ fears and improve retention rates during pandemics, allowing for improved access to oral health care.     

The Impact of COVID-19 on Dentistry in Yichang,China, and Protective Suggestions for Normalisation of Epidemic Prevention

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been identified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, and it affects all aspects of life, including dental care.ObjectivesThe purpose of this article is to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the daily operations of the stomatology department and provide some guidance for dental health care personnel around the world in continuing to provide exemplary care while limiting the spread of COVID-19.Materials and methodsRetrospective analyses were performed on dental patients’ medical records from the stomatology department of the First People's Hospital of Yichang, China, which were collected in the pre-epidemic, epidemic, and post-epidemic periods. Hospital-wide triage and stomatology department–specific protocols were established in the hospital to prevent cross-infection during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThe number of patients decreased and proportion of emergency cases increased during the epidemic period. With prevention protocols in place, the number of dental patients returned to the normal range with a slight elevation during the post-epidemic period. Thus far, there has not been a single documented case of COVID-19 related to dental treatment in the hospital.ConclusionsCOVID-19 has a major impact on daily life, including dental care services. Effective prevention and control measures including 3 levels of protection—zoning, instrumentation, and environmental disinfection—are needed for dental settings to provide care.     

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health and oral health care use

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic led to early restrictions on access to oral health care and social distancing requirements. The authors examined the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health and access to oral health care in the United States.MethodsUsing nationally representative data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, the authors compared several measures of children’s oral health and oral health care use early during the pandemic in 2020 with 1 year earlier. Logistic (multinomial or binary) regression models were estimated, adjusting for several child and household covariates and state fixed effects. Similar comparisons were estimated for 2019 relative to 2018 to evaluate prepandemic trends.ResultsChildren in 2020 were 16% (relative risk ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.93) less likely to have excellent dental health as perceived by parents and 75% (relative risk ratio, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.67) more likely to have poor dental health than in 2019. In addition, children in 2020 had higher risk of bleeding gingivae (odds ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.85). The likelihood of having a dental visit in the past 12 months was 27% (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.82) lower in 2020, including lower likelihood for preventive visits. The differences between 2020 and 2019 were observed across demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. There were no such differences between 2019 and 2018.ConclusionsThere was a widespread decline in children’s oral health status and access to oral health care early during the COVID-19 pandemic.Practical ImplicationsPrompt policies and oral health campaigns are needed to counter the pandemic effects and increase timely access to dental services.     

To Drill or Not to Drill: Management of Endodontic Emergencies and In-Process Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionDental professionals are at high risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection because of their scope of practice with aerosol-generating procedures. Recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to suspend elective dental procedures and avoid aerosol-generating procedures posed significant challenges in the management of patients presenting with endodontic emergencies and uncertainty of outcomes for endodontic procedures initiated, but not completed, before shutdown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of palliative care on endodontic emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate the stability of teeth with long-term Ca(OH)₂ placement because of delays in treatment completion.MethodsPatients presenting for endodontic emergencies during COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place orders received palliative care, including pharmacologic therapy and/or non–aerosol-generating procedural interventions. Part I of the study evaluated the effectiveness of palliative care, and need for aerosol-generating procedures or extractions was quantified. Part II of the study evaluated survivability and rate of adverse events for teeth that received partial or full root canal debridement and placement of calcium hydroxide before shutdown.ResultsPart I: Twenty-one patients presented with endodontic emergencies in 25 teeth during statewide shutdown. At a follow-up rate of 96%, 83% of endodontic emergencies required no further treatment or intervention after palliative care. Part II: Thirty-one teeth had received partial or full root canal debridement before statewide shutdown. Mean time to complete treatment was 13 weeks. At a recall rate of 100%, 77% of teeth did not experience any adverse events due to delays in treatment completion. The most common adverse event was a fractured provisional restoration (13%), followed by painful and/or infectious flare-up (6.4%), which were managed appropriately and therefore seemed successful. Only 1 tooth was fractured and nonrestorable (3%), leading to a failed outcome of tooth extraction. The remaining 4 outcome failures (13%) were due to patient unwillingness to undergo school-mandated COVID testing or patient unwillingness to continue treatment because of perceived risk of COVID infection.ConclusionsPalliative care for management of endodontic emergencies is a successful option when aerosol-generating procedures are restricted. This treatment approach may be considered in an effort to reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19 infection during subsequent shutdowns. Prolonged Ca(OH)₂ medicament because of COVID-19 related delays in treatment completion appeared to have minimal effect on survival of teeth.     

Spanish Dentists’ Awareness,Knowledge, and Practice Regarding COVID-19: A Multiple Regression Analysis

IntroductionDuring the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Spain had the highest mortality rate and the second-highest infection rate in the world.ObjectiveTo analyze the occupational situation of dentists, hygienists, and dental auxiliary staff during the peak of the pandemic, after the state of alarm was declared in Spain, and when the state of alarm was declared. In addition, a possible relationship between the geographical distribution of infected people and the availability of individual protection systems was investigated.Material and MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire was answered by 6470 dentists and dental staff via WhatsApp and social media.ResultsA total of 1 in 4 dental professionals ceased working completely. Of those that kept working, 25.28% of dentists and 19.61% of hygienist-auxiliary were equipped with filtering face piece (FFP) 2 masks (P < .05), and 61.8% complied with the official protection recommendations set by the General Council of Dentists of Spain. Nearly 59.4% of respondents had symptoms, but only 1.5% of dentists were tested, with 14% of dentists in isolation at the time of response. Overall, it is suggested that 10% of dental professionals may have been in direct contact with the coronavirus.ConclusionsDirect contact of Spanish dental health professionals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS CoV-2) has been high during the most active phase of the pandemic. Dental professionals did not have personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to care for patients, a situation that justified the reduction in scheduled dental care and only emergencies being treated. The Spanish geographical regions with the highest number of contagions had the least amount of individual protective resources (FFP2 and FFP3 masks).     

Palliative dental care: Ignored dimension of dentistry amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Palliative care (PC) represents an approach that encompasses the procedures to relieve pain and distressing symptoms and maintain function as much as possible in the terminally ill patient until death. PC dentistry (PCD) is an approach for providing supportive and palliative dental care in patients with serious life-threatening illness (cancer, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cognitive impairment). The care is provided at different time points of diseases (i.e., from in-therapy care to survivorship care to end-of-life care). Dentists have a significant role to play in the multidisciplinary team of PC. Oral health problems (ulcers, mucositis, pulpitis and abscess) have a negative impact on general health and quality of life and can be acutely debilitating in these patients. These patients with existing comorbidities are at increased risk of developing oral complications. Furthermore, social isolation can cause an increase in anxiety, hopelessness, psychosocial and existential suffering amongst these patients. It is essential to incorporate PCD in the guidelines of critical dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic to decrease the suffering of these patients by symptom management. Teledentistry can be used with caution to provide at-home care to such patients during the pandemic.     

OMFS moving into the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic – a survey on general practice for elective local anaesthetic procedures

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant a halt to elective oral and maxillofacial procedures under local anaesthetic. As oral and maxillofacial departments enter the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic there are many considerations to make regarding standard operating procedures. Thus, this survey was conducted to identify areas of consensus and divergence in practice during the recovery phase of the pandemic for local anaesthetic procedures in oral and maxillofacial units. Our findings show there are some areas of inconsistency of practice particularly in preoperative risk management and self-isolation as well as fallow time between patients for aerosol generated procedures and non-aerosol generated procedures.     

口腔急诊医务工作者应对新型冠状病毒感染的防控管理规范

2019冠状病毒病(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)疫情期间,口腔医务人员因其诊疗操作的特殊性存在较大交叉感染的风险。目前多数地区的医院仅保留口腔急诊通道。本文依托本单位急性创伤急救中心,结合临床急救经验,从新型冠状病毒的流行病学特点、口腔科急诊诊疗感染的特点、医务人员的个人防护及诊室环境的防控管理等多个方面提出口腔急诊医务工作者的应急管理和防控规范,供口腔急诊医务人员参考。     

Frequency and pattern of outpatient dental visits during the COVID-19 pandemic at hospital and community clinics

BackgroundThe authors aimed to measure the frequency of dental visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate whether dental visits can be predicted from demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, oral problem diagnoses, and dental service providers.MethodsParticipants for this retrospective study were patients visiting dental care providers at hospital- and community-based outpatient clinics in Alberta, Canada. Data were retrieved from electronic databases from March 12, 2020, through September 30, 2020, and from the same period for 2018 and 2019. The COVID-19 lockdown was declared for March 12 through May 14, 2020. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance test and multiple logistic regression at α = 0.05.ResultsFrom a total of 14,319 dental visits, 5,671, 5,036, and 3,612 visits occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) frequency of daily visits was 36.69 (15.64), 32.09 (15.51), and 24.24 (14.78), respectively. Despite the overall decrease, the frequency of visits for infections, salivary problems, and temporomandibular disorders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Dental visits during the pandemic were associated with more complicated oral diagnoses and dental services as well as higher economic status.ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of dental visits decreased specifically during lockdown. Patients with complicated problems requiring urgent treatments mainly visited dental clinics. Reduced access to care was observed primarily among socially disadvantaged groups.Practical ImplicationsAlthough guidelines and related recommendations have been effective in restoring the compromised dental system during the COVID-19 pandemic, additional modifications are needed to promote in-person visits to improve the oral health status of patients.     

Impact of the Coronavirus on Providing Oral Health Care in the Netherlands

ObjectiveTransmission of SARS-CoV-2 during oral health care is potentially increased compared to regular social activities. Specific amendments to the Dutch national infection control guidelines were promulgated. This study aimed to map the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on providing oral health care during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 in the Netherlands.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was sent via email to a representative sample of dental hygienists and dentists in the Netherlands.ResultsOf the 1700 oral health care practitioners approached, 440 (25.9%) responded to the survey. Patient access to oral health care was severely restricted during the lockdown in the spring of 2020. A total of 1.6% of the oral health care practitioners had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 during the study period, although this is likely to be an underrepresentation due to limited access to testing at that time. Over half of the participants perceived an increased risk of virus transmission during aerosol-generating treatments in their practices. A large majority (65.0%–87.1%) of the oral health care practitioners followed the COVID-19-specific amendments to the national infection control guidelines. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, additional personal protective equipment and protocols were applied. Factors related with compliance with the additional recommendations were age, employment status, and occupation.ConclusionsThe pandemic had a profound impact on both the accessibility and practice of oral health care. This survey study found that most Dutch oral health care practitioners paid extra attention to hygiene and infection control. Also, a low number of COVID-19 infections detected amongst Dutch oral health care practitioners was reported in the Netherlands. These overall outcomes suggest that safe oral health care can be provided when following the current infection control recommendations.Key words: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Dental infection control, Dental care, Dental practice management, Dentists     

Oral and maxillofacial dental care professionals in critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a ‘call to arms’ across the oral and maxillofacial staff. This article reports on the extended role of the department's dental care professionals (DCPs) and the tremendous opportunity and value that temporary redeployment presented.     

Teledentistry and its applications in paediatric dentistry: A literature review

BackgroundDuring the unfortunate event of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions were placed on face-to-face interactions in dentistry to promote social distancing and reduce spread of virus. In order to provide dental services teledentistry was employed.ObjectiveThis article aims to review the literature and information available on the provision and utilization of teledentistry as a method to address oral health needs of paediatric patients.ResultsTeledentistry has been utilised in paediatric population for the purpose of oral health education and promotion, remote diagnosis and monitoring, and behaviour guidance. Studies involving paediatric population for aforementioned applications have shown that this practice strategy is beneficial to provide dental treatment in remote locations with little access to paediatric dental specialists, monitor patients between appointments, conduct remote diagnosis and screening programmes, promote oral health of children through dental education, and in pre-appointment behaviour guidance. This method was particularly useful during the current COVID-19 pandemic where dentists use their mobile phones, computer webcams for patient appointments while maintaining safe distance and avoid exposing themselves as well as patient to the virus.ConclusionTeledentistry can be a supplement to face-to-face methods of paediatric dental care, ultimately leading to better patient management. This technology can make a significant contribution in reducing the supply-demand gap of paediatric dental specialists in places where healthcare facilities are limited and ensure safety during the pandemic whilst providing dental care to paediatric patients. Further research is required for safe, effective and evidence-based use of teledentistry in the field of paediatric dentistry.     

Caregiver acceptance of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccination

BackgroundThe world is hopeful a vaccine will help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors conducted a hospital-based study using a questionnaire to examine parental acceptance of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccination.MethodsA 41-item questionnaire using the Health Belief Model was administered to caregivers of children receiving oral health care in a dental clinic in an urban pediatric teaching hospital. Demographic, health-seeking, and health-behavior questions were assessed.ResultsA total of 39.2% of caregivers would not allow their child to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Whereas 27.8% of caregivers agreed that if their physician recommends a COVID-19 vaccination, they will allow their child to receive it, 52.2% said that a health care professional could influence this decision.ConclusionsDentists, intimately aware of the suggested risks of aerosol-generating procedures, can play a critical role in educating the public about the importance of accepting a COVID-19 vaccine.Practical ImplicationsDentists are in a unique position to discuss and advocate for vaccine acceptance. If a COVID-19 vaccine is not widely accepted, risks associated with performing aerosol-generating procedures will remain.