Experts created protective shields especially designed for dentists

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Portuguese government ordered the temporary suspension of dentistry and stomatology practices, except in cases of emergency, due to the potential for infection during those procedures. “The proximity with the oral cavity, as well as the ease of transmission of the coronavirus through particles that spread in the air, raises the necessity of providing a higher degree of protection for oral care professionals”, explained Miguel Pais Clemente.

Clemente is a researcher at Oporto University’s Medical College. Together with Joaquim Gabriel Mendes, from the University’s Engineering College, they created a protective shield for Dentistry. According to Medes, the solutions they created is “an additional medium of protection that works as a protective shield between the patient and the physician”. It is meant to be used in addition to the required personal protective equipment.

The shield is made out of acrylic material and consist of a hood that is placed over and around the patient’s head. It is equipped with a forced ventilation system that extracts the aerosols through a filter that traps bacterial and viral particles. On the sides of the frame there are four orifices through which medical professionals and their assistants can insert their arms to perform the medical procedures.

The researches have filled a patent request for the device and are waiting for approval by the competent authorities.

Adapted from: https://expresso.pt/coronavirus/2020-06-01-Covid-19.-E-portugues-o-escud...
https://eco.sapo.pt/2020/06/01/portugueses-criam-escudo-protetor-de-aero...