| Summary: | An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) began in the city of Wuhan in China and has widely spread worldwide. While human strains of coronavirus (CoV) are associated with about 15% of cases of the common cold, the SARS-CoV-2 may present with varying degrees of severity, from flu-like symptoms to death. It is currently believed that this deadly CoV strain originated from wild animals at the Huanan market in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province. Bats, snakes, and pangolins have been cited as potential carriers based on the sequence homology of CoV isolated from these animals and the viral nucleic acids of the virus isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Common clinical signs of the infection comprises of respiratory symptoms in the form of fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection results in pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death. Standard recommendations advocated to prevent spread of infection consist of frequent hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. This article, based on our experience and relevant guidelines and research, introduces essential knowledge about CoV in dental settings and provides recommended management protocols for dental practitioners affected areas.
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