The corona virus presents dentists with special challenges. Now they call for help from the university clinics.
- The Coronavirus * has Munich and Bavaria under control.
- Dentists are particularly affected. Many practices have closed.
- The virus poses a special challenge to practitioners and patients.
Munich - One of the professions where it is completely impossible to keep a safety distance of 1.50 meters is that of the dentist . His workplace is right on the patient's open throat. Exactly where the coronavirus is located, drilling, grinding and ultrasound are carried out. The aerosols just spurt out of the mouth, the risk of infection is high. Because many of them lack the necessary equipment to carry out this work safely, numerous dental practices in Bavaria have closed or only offer emergency treatment for pain patients. Not a good time for too many sweets.
However, it becomes even more problematic if infected people or people who are suspected of being quarantined due to suspected corona get toothache and need help. Because the resident dentists could not treat these patients, says Christian Berger, the chairman of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists in Bavaria (KZVB), at the request of the Munich Mercury. For safe treatment, you would need: gloves and overgloves, safety glasses, FFP3 mask, protective suit with a hood and overshoes. And because they don't have all of this, they would have to put themselves in danger. "There would also be a risk of passing on infection to practice staff and patients," says Berger.
Coronavirus: To limit dental treatment to what is necessary
So what to do? Ideally, as little as possible, according to the Ministry of Health. Dental treatment of infected people and close contacts should “be limited to what is absolutely necessary,” a spokeswoman told Merkur in Munich. "In the case of urgent dental treatments that cannot be postponed, the health authority must decide in individual cases how and under what conditions dental care can be ensured."
The KZVB, on the other hand, would like to get the university dental clinics in Munich, Erlangen, Regensburg and Würzburg on board to treat the affected patients. "According to our information, only they currently have the necessary virus-proof protective equipment," says Berger.
In addition, the KZVB is currently preparing a list of practices that would also take part in the care of infected people if the civil protection authorities provided them with the necessary protective equipment. Berger predicts that the number of affected patients will be manageable. "Even if ten percent of the population should become infected, we assume that there will be a maximum of 200 infected people throughout Bavaria who will need to be taken care of every day."
Coronavirus: Ministry of Health checks dentists' concerns
The Ministry of Health only says that the KZVB's concerns have reached the house and are currently being examined. At the Ministry of Science, which is directly responsible for the university clinics, the dentists' idea is rather little taken with. A spokeswoman said that an obligation to treat corona infected people and suspected cases "could exacerbate the already high stress situation of the university clinics in this demanding exceptional situation". The houses could therefore not replace the care normally provided by the resident dentists. "But of course they will continue to make their contribution to maintaining good dental care in Bavaria," emphasizes the ministry.
Sebastian Horsch
* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
The corona virus has humanity under control. More and more countries are tightening entry requirements *. Research * is also prepared thanks to test procedures.
List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / Markus Scholz / Markus Scholz