CDC Guidelines for Effective Covid-19 Response in Dental Settings
Now more than ever, safe dental care and infection control training is important for maintaining good health. Following the new CDC guidelines for control of Covid-19 in your dental practice will help you keep your patients Covid-19 free while they are receiving the best dental care possible.
In this video, the ADA outlines the CDC recommendations for minimizing community transmission in your dental practice.
Health Safety Measures in a Dental Environment:
- Encourage Telehealth visits as much as possible.
- Delay less essential dental services and resume services gradually, using a phased-in strategy.
- Prioritize at-risk patients and those who need emergency or essential procedures, that, if delayed, could cause more harm.
- Screen all who enter your dental facility for symptoms of Covid-19 as well as for fever, and deny access if there are indications of a possible infection.
- Make sure all dental equipment is regularly maintained, sterilized and disinfected according to Covid-related time intervals
- Have patients tested for Covid-19 before allowing them to come in for dental procedures.
Understand Your Risk of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2:
- Know that Sars-CoV-2 is spread by coughing, sneezing or talking when people are in close proximity with each other.
- Know that this disease can be spread by contact with some surfaces.
- Know that even asymptomatic people can transmit this disease.
- Presume that there is risk of contracting this illness during dental procedures.
- Be sure to follow all CDC Covid-19 guidelines to reduce risk of community spread.
We recommend you watch the entire video to better understand the new CDC guidelines and how to put them into practice.