Dentists are making a difference as professionals provide support for frontline hospital workers
Dental practices may be closed, but the dental profession is doing its bit to help in the battle again Coronavirus.
Several dentists have been redeployed to bolster frontline NHS forces, with professionals now working in Critical Care Units, maternity wards and emergency departments. Some dental professionals are also involved in the COVID-19 testing initiative.
Prof Shakeel Shahdad, a consultant in restorative dentistry, said that his team, which is based at Barts Health NHS Trust and QMUL Institute of Dentistry, has been redeployed to help fellow frontline NHS workers in hospitals in London. Some have been working in emergency and CCUs, while others have been assisting midwives.
Dr Shahdad explained that he had known that redeployment was on the cards for a long time. The dental hospital is currently being used a safe space to provide chemotherapy for cancer patients to free up beds in other hospitals and staff are working in various departments to help doctors and nurses treat patients.
As well as doing his bit for the COVID-19 effort on the wards, Dr Shahdad is also coordinating a project to produce thousands of visors for staff working on COVID wards. The visors, which are being manufactured and mass produced in partnership with departments, including the School of Engineering and Materials Science and the Blizzard Institute, provide full protection for the head and neck.
Sourcing sufficient supplies of PPE has been one of the most significant challenges for the government during a global pandemic, and the work of teams like those based at Barts and QMUL is invaluable.
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