key: cord-0847846-u1962vbk
authors: Salvatore Freitas., Karina Maria; Cotrin., Paula
title: COVID-19 and Orthodontics in Brazil: What should we do?
date: 2020-06-28
journal: Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2020.06.014
sha: 956f3192ecb2358a5ca131fc85a24945d731bdee
doc_id: 847846
cord_uid: u1962vbk

nan

We are writing about the commentary published in the Litigation and Legislation section in the June 2020 issue of AJO-DO, "Exceptional circumstances." 1 A reader, weighing the risk of seeing patients during a pandemic versus the risk of not seeming them, asked "What is the standard of care in this situation?" (What is correct, to provide dental care or avoid seeing patients and staff? What are the risks we face? Are we putting our patients and families at risk?) A legitimate question came to my mind: What should we Brazilian orthodontists do? Our current situation is critical. Brazil has the second highest number of coronavirus infections in the world, behind only the United States. The numbers are intimidating. On June 7, the Brazilian Ministry of Health counted 1,382 deaths, the highest reported on a Sunday since the beginning of the pandemic. 2 If this trend is maintained we will soon overtake the UK and we will also have the second highest number of deaths. And the contamination curve is still rising.

To complicate the situation, the president and his government are constantly giving divergent information regarding stay-at-home orders, restrictions, and reopening of non-essential activities. We have been without a Minister of Health for almost a month, and since the beginning of the pandemic, On the other hand, the paralysis of the economic activities in a developing country has had devastating effects that will cause a long-lasting recession. 3 In order to minimize the damage, several cities are gradually resuming non-essential business activities, re-opening business offices, shopping malls, bars and restaurants, as well as dental offices and regular dental care.

And how are we, orthodontists, dealing with this situation? We are thousands, with no market reserve and struggling day by day to work with dignity and efficiency. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Federal Council of Dentistry of Brazil 4 ordered the closure of dental offices, maintaining only urgent and emergency care; this was recommended in a quite different scenario, with far fewer cases of infection and death. Now, amid the chaos of rising infections rates, the gradual reopening of businesses, including dental clinics, is being promoted, and we orthodontists must ponder about the health of our patients and team and also our financial health. Knowing that even with the use of personal protective equipment and enacting all the safety precautions to avoid coronavirus infection, there is still a risk of contamination during dental procedures due to the proximity to patients and oral fluids, we must make the moral decision whether or not to provide dental care to our patients. 

Exceptional circumstances

Ministry of Health. Coronavirus panel

The early impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global and Turkish economy

Federal Council of Dentistry presents guidelines for evaluating dental urgency and emergency against Coronavirus