The U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) is funding several studies that investigate SARS-CoV-2's effects on dentistry, according to a commentary published April 23 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
The agency is supporting several one-year projects that use the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network's infrastructure to investigate the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 through aerosols or contaminated personal protective equipment. The research will also look at mitigation strategies, such as barriers.
Studies about dentists' willingness to provide COVID-19 vaccines during office visits, preprocedural mouth rinses, the effects of COVID-19 on oral-systemic health conditions, and the role of host and oral microbial factors in modulating the engagement of SARS-CoV-2 and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for viral entry also are being supported by the agency.
Additionally, a registry of clinicians has also been launched to investigate dental practice-associated safety issues.
