Infection Control in the Dental Office in the Era of COVID-19

Dr. DePaola is the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Professor, Department of Oncology & Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore. He received his DDS in 1975, completed a Master's Degree in Oral Biology; is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists; and has a Certificate in Prosthodontics. From 1998 to 2002 Dr. DePaola served at the NICDR, Division of Extramural Research of the National Institutes of Health to help develop dental treatment guidelines for patients with HIV/AIDS and infection control practices to protect both patients and practitioners from  the transmission of infectious diseases in the dental office. Dr. DePaola serves as a dental and infection control consultant for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland Department of Corrections. In 2015, Governor Hogan appointed him to the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners and he was reappointed for another term in 2020. Well known on the lecture circuit, he has presented at most major national meetings as well as numerous international organizations. Active in research, he has authored and co-authored of over 130 journal articles, book chapters, and abstracts and serves as a consultant to the American Dental Association and numerous other professional groups and private industry. He is the Editor of the Book Infection Control in the Dental Office: A global Prospective published in 2020. Over the past 20 years, he has been awarded over 75 research and service grants, many in the field of antiplaque chemotherapeutic agents, HIV/AIDS, management of medically compromised dental patients, rapid salivary diagnostic testing, dental unit waterlines and infection control. Dr. DePaola was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus for Public Service for the year 2021 and the MSDA Presidential Award for Distinguished Service during the COVIC-19 pandemic

Dr. Robert Windsor is the Director of Clinical Operations at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD).  His duties include daily operation, staffing, budgets, and management. Dr. Windsor came to the school in 2018 after 39 years in private practice.  His area of interest is dental reconstruction and he has completed several advanced study programs including the Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, FL, and the Spear Institute in Arizona.  H was appointed by Governor Hogan in 2016 to serve on the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners.  He also travels to various dental schools in the country to administer board examinations.  I have a recent appointment to CODA that includes a review committee and future site visits. He served CODA on a site visit to UMSOD in May 2018 before I began my current position with UMSOD in October 2018.  Heavily involved with reduction of airborne risks in the dental office, he recently completed a research study with CDC/NIOSH involving the elastomeric respirators and he is currently involved in a new study with the University of Maryland Medical System Pulmonology Department studying a new respiratory prototype device for NIOSH. 

Dr. Nisha Ganesh completed her DDS at the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery at the University of Maryland in 2007, followed by a two-year certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry. After working part time in private practice, she committed to a full-time role as a General Practice Manager, from 2009-2012. Her duties included mentoring third- and fourth-year dental students during their clinical training and tracking their academic progress through the clinical portion of the curriculum. This experience served Dr. Ganesh well during her time at East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine. From the fall of 2012 to fall of 2017, she fulfilled t

1. Overview of infection control since the emergence of COVID-19 and Other Emerging/Re-emerging Diseases.- 2. Overview of Infectious Diseases of Concern to Dental Practitioners - Airborne Pathogens.- 3. Overview of Infectious Diseases of Concern to Dental Practitioners - Bloodborne Pathogens.- 4. Overview of Infectious Diseases of Concern to Dental Practitioners - Other Viral Infections Airborne Pathogens.- 5. Standard, Contact, Droplet and Airborne.- 6. Reduction of Aerosol in the Dental Office in the Era of COVID019 and Other Emerging/Re-emerging Diseases.- 7. Vaccines, Vaccinations and the Re-emergence of and Vaccine Preventable Diseases.- 8. Handling and Disposal of Sharps in the Dental Office.- 9. Surface Disinfection.- 10. Cleaning; Sterilization and Storage of Dental Instruments.- 11. Maintenance and Sterilization of Dental Handpieces.- 12. Management of Dental Unit Waterlines.- 13. Infection Control During Implant Placement and Oral Surgical Procedures.- 14. Infection Control When Administering N2O and IV Sedation.- 15. Summary.