I enjoy my work with patients very much thanks to the possibilities of working according to the GBT protocol. This results in enormous successes in prevention and therapy. There is not only a time before or after COVID 19, there is a time with COVID 19.

We have always been confronted with bacteria and viruses in the dental practice. We are used to work with high hygiene standards to protect the patient and ourselves. Every work, every working method, every instrument, every drop of water can be a transmission path. (e.g. slowly rotating motors, multifunctional syringes and also hand instruments) We were and are exposed to the risk of transmissions every day and can minimize this risk by trained, professional and responsible behavior.

The “time out” caused by COVID 19 has shown once again that my work as a DH is irreplaceable. Successful therapy processes were abruptly interrupted by the shutdown.

I was horrified and stunned that a virus can paralyze society in such a way.

Due to the orders and specifications of the government, chambers and associations no more treatments were allowed. This unsettled many patients and practitioners and created a confusing situation. Again and again it was said that prophylaxis/prevention and therapy did not contribute to life-supporting measures and that the risk of transmission was too high to take this risk of treatment. The question now arises how we have dealt with risk groups in the dental practice all these years, such as HIV, Hep. C, influenza etc.?

My patients were disappointed because these treatments to maintain health were no longer possible. In many cases, GBT treatments are not only needed to work preventively, but also to stop peri-implant and periodontal diseases. A successful, gentle treatment with GBT was now suddenly missing. I had to interrupt important courses of treatment.

Now further information followed. Aerosols (AIRFLOW^® and PIEZON^® technologies) were and are in the focus. Discussions, uncertainty and statements such as “the renaissance of the curette” followed. In our team in Berlin it resulted in a great outcry. If I had to go the way of the classical prophylaxis method with hand instruments, I would not have returned to my profession.

A time of further uncertainty, insecurity, research, news tracking and investigations began. Covid-19 had and still has us under his unwanted spell. Numerous meetings followed and the patients kept asking when things would continue. Finally, there were statements about the resumption of our now acknowledged necessary profession. Connected with this was also the awareness how important this treatment is for our patients. After long discussions, statements of the government, contributions of practitioners, statements of the science and many examination results with great support of the company EMS (topic aerosols) we decided to restart the dental practice KU64 Berlin, according to COVID 19 protection protocol, intensive preparations, including the right mouth rinse solution, highest protective measures, the correctly performed suction technique and equipment, in our field of work. My patients are relieved. They missed GBT and my work very much.

It was a time of loss. I continue to do everything I can to protect my patients and keep them healthy.