SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Asymptomatic Pediatric Dental Patients

Lamberghini, Flavia; Trifan, Gabriela; Testai, Fernando D.

Background Children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are typically asymptomatic but contagious. Here we investigated the positivity rate of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric dental patients.background Methods We reviewed consecutive charts of children aged <18 scheduled for elective dental procedures between 04/01/20 and 08/01/20. All patients were screened for signs and symptoms of SARS-Cov-2 infection. Asymptomatic patients scheduled for dental procedures underwent polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2. Sociodemographic characteristics were abstracted and positivity rates calculated. Variables for (+) SARS-CoV-2 and (-) SARS-CoV-2 individuals were compared using Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results The sample size was 921. The median age was 6 and 50.9% were males. The overall SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 2.3%. Age, insurance status, past medical history, and dental diagnosis were comparable in SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative patients. Positivity rates were statistically higher for Hispanics/Latinx compared to other groups (p= 0.038).results Conclusion Though the yield of testing is low, the systematic evaluation of asymptomatic pediatric dental cases by PCR results in the identification of SARS-CoV-2 carriers who could be infectious. In our study, Hispanics/Latinx had a higher positivity rate than other demographic groups.conclusion Practical Implications PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 of asymptomatic patients in pediatric dentistry adds value to the use of screening questionnaires for the identification of infected individuals who could be contagious.