Management of special needs patients in dentistry during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Special needs patients and their guardians commonly encounter several difficulties due to delayed provision of oral healthcare services in private and public sectors. They are a vulnerable group and are considered highly susceptible to the repercussions of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The reduction in the availability of operating rooms and the inability to manage routine visits highlight the need to redesign the doctor-patient and dentist-patient relationship for this category of patients. Diagnostic accuracy and adjustments in drug therapies are crucial elements considering that patients with COVID-19 take drugs that can interfere with those usually prescribed for the control of oral pain and infections. This review aimed to provide some guidelines for the management of patients with special needs in dentistry during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.