Managing pediatric dental patients during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents one of the major medical challenges that the World Health Organization (WHO) had to declare the situation as a pandemic and public health emergency. As the virus spreads very rapidly across the world through droplets and direct contact, dental professionals are at the highest risk of exposure to the infection. The emergence of COVID-19 has totally changed the way we practise dentistry. However, the true impact of COVID-19 towards pediatric dental practice is under-reported. Literature search was conducted through PubMed, CINAHL, and SCOPUS databases using the combination of terms such as "Covid19," "coronavirus," "pediatric dentistry," and "paediatric dentistry" to identify relevant documents. This review was written around the impact of COVID-19 on scheduling appointments, infection control practices, and clinical settings and impact on dental care practices. With limited available sources, recommendations were summarized from included guidelines and clinical recommendations. Pediatric dentists are advised to remain vigilant to recent international and local institutional guidelines; appropriate professional clinical judgment should be considered when making decisions.