COVID-19 Vaccines and Dentistry

Transplant pioneer, Peter Medawar, once said that a virus is ‘simply a piece of bad news wrapped in protein’. One could opine then, that the new COVID-19 vaccines are ‘Bits of corona viral proteins in gift wrapping.’ For, most of the COVID-19 vaccines are based on the principle that pre-exposure of the vaccinee's host immune system to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, the first part of the viral anatomy that touches the vulnerable host cells, will elicit an effective antibody response to curb potential future infections. COVID-19 vaccines come in many sizes and shapes, and clearly, a return to normal, post-COVID dental practice entails protecting all members of the dental team with an appropriate vaccine, as and when available. We provide a thumbnail sketch of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in the offing, which we hope will be helpful for decision-making for choice of vaccine. The commentary ends with a discussion of the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on dentistry, in general.