Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on orthodontic education and global practice guidance: A scoping review

Abstract

The acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, has had unprecedented impact on orthodontic care and education. Dental schools and clinics have stopped their normal educational and clinical activities worldwide, while only accepting emergency cases. It is still unknown when students will return to clinics to resume patient care and receive training. This scoping review aims to examine, summarize, and reference current resources to analyze the impact of SARSCoV-2 on orthodontic practice recommendations and orthodontic education. This review summarizes recommended global guidelines to provide a better understanding of the current consensus for protocols of safe orthodontic care; this scoping review serves to help create concrete guidelines for orthodontists to deal with the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and for future infectious diseases, and assessing the impact on orthodontic education. Using inclusion/exclusion criteria, 456 articles were screened by two independent screeners and data were extracted and charted from 50 relevant sources. These 50 sources conveyed similar guidelines for provider and patient safety in orthodontic practices, with some stressing certain protocols such as personal protective equipment over others. Impacts on orthodontic education conveyed changes in protocols for learning, competency, and clinical skills. As this respiratory illness progresses, the field of orthodontics needs cohesive universal clinical guidelines and further assessment of the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on orthodontic education.