Summary

COVID-19 caused worldwide disruption of delivery of dental care and altered many ways in which dental healthcare professionals approach infection control. Similar to the paradigm shift that occurred after the HIV epidemic and the subsequent focus on prevention of bloodborne pathogen transmission in the dental office, COVID-19 will likely result in substantive changes in infection control methods, particularly as it pertains aerosol disease transmission in dental practice. The COVID-19 pandemic also served to highlight the oral cavity as a source for uptake of SARS-CoV-2 viral pathogens into the body and the impact of periodontitis and periodontal inflammation on COVID-19 severity. As the impacts of the pandemic continue to be better understood, dental healthcare providers play an integral role in the promotion of overall health through oral health and will help identify and manage the oral impacts of COVID-19 infection.