Dental clinics were among some of the first places to be shut down in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. Public Health officials singled out the practice due to its high risk of spreading droplet-spread viruses like COVID-19. “The practice of dentistry in particular will often actually produce aerosols that place dentists and patients and staff at risk for either transmission or being exposed to COVID-19,” said Dr.
Ben Davis, dean of Dalhousie’s faculty of Dentsitry. The transmission through aerosols is especially high risk during even routine procedures, including the use of the dental drill. “So the dental drill produces air and water, and that will produce a fine mist that will carry the virus up into the air,” explained Davis. “