Another new, old airborne illness? Measles is back!

April 16, 2024

Measles has recently reappeared, largely due to people deciding not to get the MMR vaccine. In Medical History Mysteries, we’ll talk about how to protect your dental office from becoming a source of inoculation.

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Tom Viola, RPh, CCP

You’d think we’ve been through enough with COVID, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses, but an old disease is back. There’s been a recent resurgence of measles. Whether by personal choice or due to immunocompromised issues, some people have chosen not to get the MMR vaccine.

Dental offices can become a source of inoculation because measles is highly contagious and spread through saliva. If any of your patients or team members have not been vaccinated against measles, it could present problems.

As travel becomes more common over the next few months, the risk of contracting measles will increase. In this episode of Medical History Mysteries, we’ll discuss how to talk to your patients and team members about measles as well as precautions you can take to reduce the spread of illness in your practice.

Thumbnail background image credit: Design Cells / iStock / Getty Images Plus

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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.

About the Author

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. 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. You may contact her at [email protected].

About the Author

Tom Viola, RPh, CCP

With more than 30 years’ experience as a board-certified pharmacist, clinical educator, professional speaker, and published author, Tom Viola, RPh, CCP, has earned the reputation as the go-to specialist for making pharmacology practical and useful for dental teams. He is the founder of Pharmacology Declassified and is a member of the faculty of more than 10 dental professional degree programs. Viola has contributed to several professional journals and pharmacology textbooks, and currently serves as a consultant to the American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs.

Updated February 10, 2022