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Surgical masks, also called mouth-nose masks, must comply with the Medical Device Directive and with EN 14683. The main reason for wearing a surgical mask is to protect the patient and the immediate environment from contamination by personnel. In some cases, a surgical face mask can also protect the wearer from splashing liquid. However, a surgical mask does not provide respiratory protection because the filter and fit are not designed to protect the wearer from small particles. Surgical masks can be divided into different categories.

• Type I masks offer the lowest level of protection and are therefore only used at a low risk. Type 1 masks are therefore not suitable for surgery. Type 1 face masks have a BFE (bacterial filter efficiency) of at least 95% and are not splash resistant.

• Type II masks have a BFE of at least 98% and are also not splash resistant.

• Type IIR masks work both ways. They have a BFE of at least 98% and are splash resistant. This mask is very suitable for a dentist. The RIVM recommends using this type of mask for general care procedures, including patients with the corona virus. However, since the coronavirus spreads through the air in small droplets and a surgical mask does not fully adhere to the skin, there remains a risk of the patient infecting the healthcare provider.

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FFP masks must comply with the personal protective equipment directive and with EN149. An FFP mask protects the wearer from inhaling contaminated particles that are spread through the air. Due to the close fit, the chance of "leakage" between the mask and the user is much smaller than with a surgical mask.

• FFP1 masks have an efficiency of at least 80%. The side leakage should not exceed 22%.

• FFP2 masks have an efficiency of at least 94%. The side leakage should not be more than 8%. An FFP2 mask protects against harmful water and oil based aerosols. This mask is suitable for industrial use, but also offers protection against airborne biological agents from risk group 2, eg pollen and bacteria such as TB.

• FFP3 masks offer the highest protection and have a minimum efficiency of 99%. The leakage should not exceed 2%. An FFP3 mask protects against the same risky particles as an FFP2 mask, but also offers protection against harmful and carcinogenic water and oil based aerosols and airborne biological agents from risk group 3 (eg viruses).