British dental journal
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British dental journal · Jun 2020
COVID-19, domestic violence and abuse, and urgent dental and oral and maxillofacial surgery care.
Household isolation measures to reduce coronavirus transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in increased risk of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). DVA physical injury most frequently involves the face. ⋯ Early intervention and referral to a DVA advocate can prevent an abusive situation becoming worse with more intense violence. It can save lives.
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British dental journal · Jun 2020
COVID-19: establishing an oral surgery-led urgent dental care hub.
COVID-19 has changed the face of dentistry in the UK and around the world. The potential for aerosol generation, the presence of the virus within saliva and the fact that dental professionals work with the oral-pharyngeal environment determines that dental treatment poses a risk of viral transmission. At the start of the pandemic, the cessation of routine dental care across the country necessitated the rapid establishment of an emergency dental service at King's College Hospital. This paper describes its evolution to date and the challenges encountered along the way.
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British dental journal · Jun 2020
The impact of the risk of COVID-19 on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) members of the UK dental profession.
There is growing evidence that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups in the UK are at increased risk of death from coronavirus (COVID-19), with Black Afro-Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi populations being particularly at risk. Although the reasons are unclear, it is likely to be a combination of cultural and socioeconomic, as well as the higher prevalence of co-morbidities such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, raised body mass index (BMI) and type 2 diabetes in these populations. ⋯ There is, however, little evidence on the risks posed to the BAME community within the dental profession. This paper outlines some of the challenges faced, and advocates that urgent action needs to be taken to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 and ensure BAME staff safety upon returning to work.