New electric motor handpieces installed

The School of Dentistry is one of the first Dental Schools to install electric motors and speed increasing handpieces as part of the response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact on dental treatments across the UK. Concern remains about the risk of transmitting the virus from procedures that create aerosols in the atmosphere known as Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). Whilst it has been possible to carry out these AGPs with full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in an enclosed dental surgery, Dental Schools have had to suspend this type of treatment in an open clinic, which has limited the clinical experience for dental students.
 
Recent research carried out by Leeds School of Dentistry and Kings College London has shown replacing air turbine handpieces with ones that use electric motors, controlled to a speed of 60,000 rpm under a water coolant, can eliminate the generation of aerosols and mitigate the risk of viral spread.

The installation of the new electronic handpieces with high volume aspiration and a rubber dam, ensures patients, students and staff at Leeds are kept safe. This allows students to gain the experience required to become safe beginners, and enter into the next stage of their training, all throughout a worldwide pandemic.