Dental Public Health in Action: Utilising a telephone triage system to run an Urgent Dental Care Hub during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper aims to explore the outcome of a telephone triage system used by different team members to run an Urgent Dental Care Hub (UDCH) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also look at the adjustments made to the system because of the challenges faced. Data were collected from the telephone triage proforma and clinical notes of patients that were triaged from 2nd April to 10th June 2020. With 65% of telephone triaged and accepted patients receiving definitive treatment that alleviated the presenting complaint, the value of telephone triage is highlighted in streamlining an urgent dental care service during a viral pandemic. Public health competencies being illustrated: Dental public health intelligence, Developing and monitoring quality dental services.

Management of odontogenic cervicofacial infections presenting to oral and maxillofacial units during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom

On 25 March 2020, the Chief Dental Officer issued national guidance restricting the provision of all routine, non-urgent dental services in response to the spread of COVID-19. We analysed odontogenic cervicofacial infections (CFI) presenting to oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) departments during the first wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom.

From 1 April 2020 until 31 July 2020 a database was used to prospectively collect records for all patients with CFI who presented to oral and maxillofacial teams. Information gathered included clinical presentation, location/origin of infection, and how this was managed. The OMFS units were asked to compare the patient’s care with the treatment that would usually have been given prior to the crisis. A total of 32 OMFS units recorded 1381 cases of CFI in the UK. Most of the infections were referred via the emergency department (74%). Lower first or second molars were the most common origin, contributing 40% of CFI. Collaborators reported that patients' treatments were modified as a response to COVID in 20% of cases, the most frequently cited reason being the application of COVID-19 hospital policy (85%). The impact of the first wave of COVID modified the management of a significant number of patients presenting with CFI, and there was a proactive move to avoid general anaesthetics where possible. Some patients who presented to secondary care were given no treatment, suggesting they could have been managed in primary dental care if this had been available. We recommend that OMFS units and urgent dental care centres (UDCCs) build strong communication links not only to provide the best possible patient care, but to minimise COVID exposure and the strain on emergency departments during the pandemic.