Coronavirus impact on dental practices: Are extraoral evacuation systems worth the investment? (Video)

May 21, 2020
There’s a lot of talk among dentists about extraoral evacuation units. Do you need to have one? Do they really work? Are they worth their weight in gold? John Leonard, chemical application specialist at Sentry Air Systems, has some answers.

John Leonard, chemical application specialist with Sentry Air Systems, realizes that there are a lot of questions surrounding coronavirus and dentists, and they’ve been reaching out to him about the company’s extraoral evacuation unit. In this video with Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, Leonard explains that the unit was actually designed for other businesses.

Because of the aerosols generated in dental offices, dentists have been calling the company to say they need something like the evacuation unit. This led Leonard and his colleagues to do some research with dentists in their offices, and they found that the unit does work well in the dental setting extracting aerosols.

Leonard explains the key items dentists should look for when shopping for a unit. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz asks whether the diameter of the hoses that come with the units plays a role in suction. How loud is the unit? What are the differences in filtration systems? Leonard answers all of her questions and more here so that dentists can figure out whether an extraoral evacuation unit is right for their offices.

Editor's note: To view DentistryIQ's full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, including original news articles and video interviews with dental thought leaders, visit the DentistryIQ COVID-19 Resource Center.

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics.