After unlock, dentists bear brunt of Covid-19

Dentists are increasingly facing the risk of Covid-19 as many of them are trying restart their practices after Unlock 3.0 on August 1.

In Karnataka, at least 66 doctors and dentists have officially died of Covid-19 so far, even as the state chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) warned that growing fatalities and exhaustion among medicos could impact healthcare in the near future.

President of the Karnataka State Dental Council (KSDC) Dr V Ranganath said fear is widespread among dentists as they have to work closely with patients who could potentially have the disease. “The result has been hundreds of infections among dentists across the state, plus about 15 recorded deaths,” he said.

Dr Ranganth said younger doctors who made huge investments in setting up equipment, have suffered the most economically. He said many were forced to reopen, which has exposed them to the disease.

KSDC said nearly all of the dentists who have died were aged 40 or under. “In about six to seven cases, we do not even know how they died. All of them are developing post-Covid complications like Multi Inflammatory Syndrome,” Dr Ranganath added.

Some dentists were infected despite wearing top-of-the-line face shields and personal protection equipment (PPEs). “The lack of operating guidelines was a hindrance before,” the KSDC president said.

The 35,000-strong dental community is said to have lost about 60% of its clientele.

Infections are not limited to dentists. According to Dr Srininvas S, secretary of the Indian Medical Association (Karnataka), at least 51 doctors in the state have died so far.

Dr Nagendra Swamy S C, past president of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Home Association, said, “Private doctors are working without government insurance while government doctors have not had leave for seven months."