Table 3.

Main characteristics of the included studies categorised by dental procedure/ instrument use (n = 83). Please note that the numbering in this table refers to the list of references (included studies) in Appendix 3 and are not the same numbering system as found in the main text.

Procedure category (no of studies)	Procedures investigated (e.g. cavity preparation) and type of investigation (clinical/ laboratory, patient/ mannequin)	Investigated contamination of operator, assistant, patient	Area within dental surgery investigated*	Different timepoints sampled (hours, minutes, seconds)	Detection sensitivity scores for outcome methodologies
USS (n=44)a	Ultrasonic scaling (n=44)	Operator (n=18) 5,8,9,10,16,21,31,44,45,55,59,60,63, 65,70,72,83,85	Environmental surfaces < 1m (n=15) 8,16,21,33,37,45,52,54,61,66,71,73,74,76,78)	During procedure (n=28) 8,9,22,23,24,25,32,48,90,52,54,59,60,61,62,64,65,66,69, 70,72, 73,74,76,78,80,85,87	High detection sensitivity (n=5)
	Simulation Mannequin (n=3)8,25,83	Head/face (n=13)8,9,10,16,21,31,44,53,59,65,72,83,85	>1m (n=3)25,44,64	During and after combined (n=8) 10,16,21,31,41,44,45, 71	Moderate detection sensitivity (n=3)
	Simulation Typodont Laboratory (n=3)33,34,66	Body (n=8)5,8,10,31,60,70,83,85	< 1m and > 1m (n=9) 10,41,48,69,90,70,80,83,87	After procedure(n=3)	Low detection sensitivity
		Assistant (n=4)	Air Samples (n=7)6,22,23,24,29,32,87	0–30 min29,37,83	(n=34)
		Head (n=2)16,83		30 min-1 hr29,37,83	Uncategorized detection sensitivity (n=2)
		Body (n=3)31,70,83		1–2 hr29,83
		Patient (n=14)		2–4 hr29
		Chest (n=14)5,8,16,21,31,44,60,61 62,65,70,71,73,85
HSAR (n= 31)b	Tooth/cavity preparation (clinic) (n= 24)	Operator (n=10)	Using settle plate within 1m of operating area	Within the first 30 minutes after the procedure (n=4)8, 29,51, 94	High detection sensitivity (n=4)
	Mannequin/ Typodont (clinic) (n=3)8,36,42	Head/face (n=9)96,95, 20,8,81,59,63,55,3, Body (n=2)8,60	(n=12)93,8,92,42,48,59,63,90,60,81,94,87	Between (30 min -1 hr) after procedure (n=2)29,51	Moderate detection sensitivity (n=6)
	Mannequin/ typodont simulation (laboratory) (n=4)13,30,51,89	Assistant (n=3)	Using settle plate 1m or more from operating area (n=9)93,48,90,56,63,94, 60,63, 81	1-2 hr (n=2)29,51, 2-4 hr (n=2)29,51, > 4 hr (n=1)51	Low detection sensitivity (n=21)
		Head/face (n=3)8,81,63, Body (n=1)8
		Patient (n=6)
		Intra-oral (n=1)20, Head/face (n=1)95, Body (n=4)92, 20, 8, 94
Oral surgery (including extractions) (n=11)c	Surgical removal of teeth (clinic) (n=8) 4, 17, 38,39,84, 43, 87, 98	Operator (n=5)	Environment and surfaces within 1m from operating area (n=4) 17,32, 39, 46, 87	Up to 30 min during procedure (n=2)17,43	High detection sensitivity (n=3)
		Head/ face/neck (n=4) 4, 38, 40, 98
	Implants (clinic) (n= 1) 98	Arms/ Cuffs/ hands	Environment and surfaces 1m or more from	During treatment with agar plates replaced every 10 min (n=1)32	Moderate detection sensitivity (n=2)
	Extraction (clinic) (n=2) 32,98	(n= 3) 4, 38, 40	operating area (n=0)		Low detection sensitivity (n=6)
	Other: restorative and periodontal procedures (clinic) (n=1) 87	Abdomen/ shoes (n= 3) 4, 38, 4	Sampled at mouth (n=0)
		Nearby operator (n=1) 43
		Assistant (n=3)
		Head/ face/neck (n=2) 4, 98
	Not verified/ unclear (clinic) (n=2) 40, 46	Arms/ Cuffs/ hands, (n=1) 4
		Other body parts (n=1) 4
		Nearby assistant (n=1) 43
		Patient: (n=3)
		Head/ face, (n=1)4
		Chest (n=2)4, 17, 43
Slow-speed handpiece (n=5)d	Removal of excess material following fixed orthodontic appliance removal (n=3)14,15,97	Operator (n=1)2 (thorax and abdomen area of technician)	Air sampler 30cm from patient’s mouth (n=2)14,15	Not specified (n=5)	High detection sensitivity (n=3)
			Air sampler 10cm from patient’s mouth (n=1)97		Moderate detection sensitivity (n=0)
	Polishing and trimming of denture (n=2)2,47		Settle plates at 1ft, 2ft and 3ft from the motor n=147		Low detection sensitivity (n=2)
Air-water syringe (n=4)e	Air-water syringe with air and water used together (n=3)89,90,95	N/A	Experimental Simulation-Air Samples Human aerosol test chamber89	During procedure (n=3)89,90,93	High detection sensitivity (n=0)
				After procedure (n=1)51: at 2 min, 35 min, 2 hr, 4 hr and 6 hr.
	Air-water syringe with air alone (n=4)51,89, 90,93		Quartz crystal microbalance cascade impactor (QCMCI)95		Moderate detection sensitivity (n=1)
	Air-water syringe with water alone (n=4)51,89, 90,93		Clinical (splatter plate) 90,91		Low detection sensitivity (n=3)
			0–1m90,91
			1–2m90,91
Air polishing (n=4)f	Air polishing (clinic) (n=3)18,49,53	Operator	Air sampled 12 inches from patients’ mouth at 50o angle53	30 min including procedure of 2 min49,53	High detection sensitivity (n=0)
		Head/face (n=3)18,49,53
	Mannequin/ typodont simulation (laboratory) (n=1)35	Patient	Air sampled < 1m of operating area35	During procedure (n=2)18,35	Moderate detection sensitivity (n=1)
		Body (n=1)18	Surface < 1m operating area (n=1)49		Low detection sensitivity (n=3)
			Surface > 1 m (n=1)49
Prophy: cup and pumice (n=2)g	Prophy on patient’s head in closed experimental test chamber with side glove ports (clinic) (n=1)89	N/A	Air sampling of the closed chamber around the patient’s head89	During the procedure (10–120 sec) with 4 min clearance period of quiet breathing before and after89	High detection sensitivity (n=0)
	Prophy (clinic) (n=1)90		Air sampled 3 ft from floor and 1 ft from patients’ mouth (in front) to the sides and end of the surgery90	During procedure (30 sec)90	Moderate detection sensitivity (n=0)
					Low detection sensitivity (n=2)
Hand scaling (n=2)h	Hand scaling patient head in closed test chamber with side glove ports (clinic) (n=1)89	N/A	Air sampling of the closed chamber around the patient’s head89	During procedure (10–120 sec) with 4 mins clearance period of quiet breathing before and afterwards89	High detection sensitivity (n=0)
					Moderate detection sensitivity (n=0)
	Mannequin/typodont simulation (laboratory) (n=1)34		Air sampled around mouth distance not specified34	During procedure (2 sec)34	Low detection sensitivity sampling/measuring approach (n=3)

Unique study identification numbers.

Dos Santos 2014¹⁸, Harrel 1999³⁵, Logothetis 1995⁴⁹, Muzzin 1999⁵³.

^*m = metre(s); ft – foot/feet; in = inch(es); cm = centimetre(s); hr = hour(s); min = minute(s); sec = second(s).

^aBalcos 2019⁵, Barnes 1998⁶, Bentley 1994⁸, Choi 2018⁹, Chuang 2014¹⁰, Devker 2012¹⁶, Feres 2010²¹, Fine 1992²², Fine 1993 a²³, Fine 1993b²⁴, Graetz 2014²⁵, Grenier 1995²⁹, Gupta 2014³¹, Hallier 2010³², Harrel 1998³⁴, Harrel 1996³³, Holloman 2015³⁷, Jawade 2016⁴¹, Kaur 2014⁴⁴, King 1997⁴⁵, Labaf 2011⁴⁸, Miller 1971⁹⁰, Mohan 2016⁵², Narayana 2016⁵⁴, Nejatidanesh 2013⁵⁵, Prospero 2003⁵⁹, Purohit 2009⁶⁰, Ramesh 2015⁶¹, Rao 2015⁶², Reddy 2012⁶⁴, Retamal-Valdes 2017⁶⁵, Rivera-Hidalho 1999⁶⁶, Sadun 2020⁶⁹, Saini 2015⁷⁰, Sawhney 2015⁷¹, Serban 2013⁷², Sethi 2019⁷³, Shetty 2013⁷⁴, Singh 2016⁷⁶, Swaminathan 2014⁷⁸, Timmerman 2004⁸⁰, Veena 2015⁸³, Watanabe 2013⁸⁵, Yamada 2011⁸⁷.

^bAl-Amad 2017³, Belting 1963⁹³, Bentley 1994⁸, Cochrane 1989⁹², Dahlke 2012¹³, Day 2008¹⁵, Earnest²⁰, Greco 2008²⁸, Grenier 1995²⁹, Grundy 1967³⁰, Hallier 2010³², Hausler 1966³⁶, Junevičius 2005⁴², Labaf 2011⁴⁸, Larato 1966⁹¹, Manarte-Monteiro 2013⁵⁰, Micik 1969⁸⁹, Miller 1971⁹⁰, Miller 1995⁵¹, Neiatidanesh 2013⁵⁵, Oliveira 2018⁵⁶, Prospero 2003⁵⁹, Purohit 2009⁶⁰, Rautemaa 2006⁶³, Samaranayake 1989⁸⁸, Stevens 1963⁹⁶, Tag El-Din 1997⁹⁴, Toroğlu 2001⁸¹, Toroğlu 2003⁸, Travaglini⁹⁵, Yamada 2011⁸⁷.

^cAl-Eid 2018⁴, Divya 2019¹⁷, Hallier 2010³², Ishiharma 2008³⁸, Ishiharma 2009³⁹, Janani 2018⁴⁰, Jimson 2015⁴³, Kobza 2018⁴⁶, Wada 2010⁸⁴, Yamada 2011⁸⁷, Aguilar-Duran 2020⁹⁸.

^dAgostinho 2004², Dawson 2016¹⁴, Day 2008¹⁵, Ireland 2003⁹⁷, Kritivasan 2019⁴⁷.

^eBelting 1963^93,, Micik 1969⁸⁹, Miller 1971⁹⁰, Miller 1995⁵¹.

^gMicik 1969⁸⁹, Miller 1971⁹.

^hHarrel 1998³⁴, Micik 1969⁸⁹.