Oral Care-Givers To Talk COVID-19 Risks

Oral health care providers are at a higher risk of contracting and transmitting diseases like COVID-19.

This is one of many key issues that the Fiji Dental Association annual conference will talk about at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, today.

Association vice president and chair of the organising committee, Dr Leenu Maimanuku, said the conference would focus on COVID-19 in the oral health profession.

With the theme, ‘New normal: New Horizons in Dental Practice’, local and international experts will be addressing members on COVID-19 and oral health dental practices.

“The dental profession is at a higher risk of contracting and transmitting the disease and consequently changes are required to ensure that treatment provided will be safe for the patient and the oral health care providers,” Dr Maimanuku said.

“Infection control protocols and use of Personal Protective Equipment is nothing new in dentistry however guidelines from bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Dental Federation (FDI) require dental professionals to relook and adjust to the level of precautions needed,” she said.

She also said key speakers in the conference would include Professor Jayantha Weerasinghe, a senior academic and a clinician from Sri Lanka, who currently serves at the CWM Hospital, which is the main training centre for postgraduate training in oral surgery.

Speakers will also include Dr Inosi Salababa, who currently serves as a Senior Dental Officer practicing oral surgery in the Lautoka Hospital; Dr Sailasa Luvunakoro, a senior dental officer practising oral surgery at the CWM Hospital; and Dr Monesha Singh, who is currently working as a dental officer trained in oral surgery at the CWM Hospital.

President Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konrote, will officiate the event today.

Edited Naisa Koroi

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