A first-year dental student at the Rutgers University School of Dental Medicine in Newark, N.J., was recently granted a patent for his dental aerosol protection system.
Mujahid Asamarai is a former mechanical engineer who shifted careers to enter the dental field. He created the aerosol protection system after his brother, Muath Asamarai, DDS, turned to him for a solution to protect his patients and staff against COVID-19 at his Spring Lake Park, Minn.-based office.
Mr. Asamarai used a CAD program and a 3D printer to create the system. It includes an adjustable, self-balancing shield that is placed between the patient and practitioner to block aerosols from the patient’s mouth and a 3D-printed aerosol collection funnel.
He was granted the patent in December, according to a March 13 news release. It is currently used at Dr. Asamarai's practice as well as a few other offices in New Jersey.