COVID19-Personal Protective Equipment ergonomic improvements: necessary considerations for the dental team health

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus impacted worldwide without any precedents, including the dental world, from the education to the advanced cares. The co-existence with the virus circulation imposed the use of personal protection equipment such as respiratory protective equipment. The aim of this paper is to report the modifications made to a Power Air Power Respirator to improve the quality of work during dental hygiene procedures. The device is composed of a hood and a power-air unit. The power-air unit is equipped with a strap to secure the filters and battery at the waist. The hood and the power-air unit presented visibility, weight, and use issues during dental hygiene procedures. The modifications to the hood made the shield more resistant and allowed the place for magnifying loupes. In addition, placing the battery-unit in a backpack, the weight was better distributed. Further innovations in PPE, barrier devices to minimize aerosol contamination, air purification systems, antiviral adjuvants, chairside screening for COVID-19, changes in clinical techniques could be envisaged to minimize the spread of COVID-19, possibly adapted, and adopted in future pandemics.