Recent new zoonotic respiratory viruses have infected humans and led to severe acute respiratory syndrome: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), influenza A H5N1, influenza A H1N1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The first SARS-CoV outbreak took place in 2003, in Guangdong, China. A decade later, another pathogenic coronavirus, MERS-CoV caused an endemic in Middle Eastern countries. The latest pandemic coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) has been related to the newly isolated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For the first time since the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the 1980s. Dentistry is facing a new turning point. This critical review aims to discuss the impact of COVID-19 infection on oral health care. In dental practice COVID-19 patients are the main source of infection and symptomatic patients are more contagious. Dentists can be first line of diagnosis of the disease, as they work in close contact with patients and are at the risk of being affected by COVID-19 and all respiratory infections. Several guidelines for dental practice environments have been published by dental associations and regulatory boards. It is already evident that biological, psychological and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have present and future impacts on dental practice. Dental schools, regulatory boards, scientific associations, government authorities, and public and private health care services must join efforts to design enduring answers for severe and long-standing viral challenges.

Background: Recently, increasing importance has been placed on the social determinants of health and disease. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease in Brazilian adults and identify possible relationships with social determinants. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a sample of 743 adults (aged 35–49 years) living in an urban area of a large city in southeastern Brazil. The condition of the periodontium was assessed using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) according to the diagnostic criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The variables related to social determinants were collected using a structured questionnaire. A descriptive analysis of all study variables was performed. Multiple correspondence analysis was subsequently performed to identify relationships between periodontal disease and the social determinants of health. Results: The periodontal exams showed that 36.5% of adults had a healthy periodontium, 2.0% had gingival bleeding, 47.1% had calculus and 9.5% had periodontal pockets of 4–5 mm. Periodontal pockets of 6 mm or more were the worst periodontal condition found (affecting only 2.1% of the participants). The correspondence analysis enabled us to form three groups with different profiles. The first group was distinguished by the presence of bleeding (gingivitis) or a healthy periodontium. The members of this group were typically aged 35 to 39 years and had 9–12 years or more than 12 years of education. The second group consisted of subjects with calculus and periodontal pockets of 4–5 mm. The members of this group were typically white men aged 40–44 years with incomes greater than $ 300.00. The third group was distinguished by the presence of periodontal pockets of 6 mm or more. The members of this group were typically adult females, black and mixed individuals who had 8 years or less of schooling, individuals with incomes ≤ $ 300.00 and widowers. Conclusion: The results suggest that periodontal health is worse in the group for which the social indicators are worse. Therefore, the social determinants of health also affect the severity of periodontal disease in adults Brazilian society.

Several guidelines for dental practice have been published by dental associations and regulatory boards since the beginning of the pandemic. Initially, all non-emergency dental treatment were suspended. Healthcare personnel around the world are gradually expanding back to elective procedures. International updated recommendations alert that professionals must maintain regular observation of local health department reports, ensure personal protective equipment, and screen all patients for COVID-19 signs and symptoms. Telehealth strategies, patient screening, rescheduling when presenting COVID-19 symptoms and/or history of contact with infected people and hand/environment hygiene practices are reinforced. Appropriate cleaning and surface disinfection are mandatory. The dental staff must be trained to use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), following a risk assessment and standard precautions: gloves; fluid resistant disposable gown, eye protection (face shield or goggles) and a medical mask. A fit tested N95 or KN95 respirator (or higher) is recommended when aerosol generating procedures are performed. Only essential accompanying persons should attend to dental appointment with the patient and must wear a cloth face covering or facemask. Social distancing and mask wearing by all staff are necessary in all areas of the office. Dental health care providers should keep up to date to the current guidance of clinical practice during the pandemic.

The objective of this study was to identify dental caries-protective factors among 5-year-old children using the salutogenic theory. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a small-sized municipality in the Southeast region of Brazil, with a representative sample of 247 children registered in preschool and their respective mothers. The data were collected through questionnaires administered to the mothers about the socioeconomic, behavioral, and biological aspects of the mother and children. Additionally, the collections included validated instruments concerning psychosocial aspects, such as a sense of coherence, resilience, family cohesion and religiosity, and intraoral examinations of the children through the decayed-missing-filled primary teeth (dmft) index. All examinations were performed by a trained and calibrated examiner. The non-adjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their respective confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multiple logistic regression with a hierarchical model. Among the examined children, 41.7% were caries-free. In the final model, the chances of the absence of dental caries experience (dmft = 0) were greater in children with mothers who had higher education levels (> 8 years of study) (OR = 2.55 [95%CIi:1.42-4.59]) and those who lived in an environment of high family cohesion (OR = 3.66 [95%CI: 1.19-11.29]). The results indicated that mothers' level of education and family relationships are protective factors against dental caries in 5-year-old children, which overlapped with behavioral and biological factors.

Identifying factors that influence the satisfaction of undergraduate dental students can contribute to establishing strategies for improving the educational process, furthering student development, and enhancing students’ academic and professional achievements. Aim: the present study investigated associations between undergraduate students’ satisfaction with the dental course and their satisfaction with life, perception of professional career and sociodemographic factors. Materials and method: this was a cross-sectional study on 512 dental students from a Brazilian School of Dentistry. Students were asked to respond to three questionnaires about sociodemographic characteristics, academic, and professional perceptions. Satisfaction with life was measured using the Brazilian version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale, which comprises five statements with responses scored on a seven-point Likert scale ranging from “I strongly disagree” to “I strongly agree”. Unadjusted and adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to test associations between satisfaction with the dental course and key variables. Results: most participants were female (73.2%), single (99.8%) and with mean age 21.77 (±2.71) years. Approximately three quarters had a family income over three times higher than the national monthly minimum wage. Higher satisfaction with the course was associated with more optimistic perception of the job market (OR=2.44; 95% CI: 1.36-4.40), better academic performance (OR=1.65; 95% CI: 1.00-2.74) and greater satisfaction with life (OR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.06-1.15). Students’ sex and family income did not have significant impact on satisfaction with the dental course. Conclusions: satisfaction with the dental course is related to an optimistic perception of the job market, academic performance and satisfaction with life. Keywords: dental education - dental student - professional education - personal satisfaction - academic success