May 7 - California Department of Public Health Issues
Guidance for Resuming Deferred and Preventive Dental Care
Today the California Department of Public Health issued guidance for resuming deferred and preventive dental care, noting that dental health care personnel (DHCP) are in a very high risk category for exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
The
Guidance
provides the conditions for dental practitioners to "resume clinically necessary dental for previously scheduled procedures or for those with non-COVID patients who are likely to develop dental emergencies", with the following provisos:
- Local orders that are more stringent than the state's public health orders must be followed
- If local health departments permit resumption of deferred and preventive dental services, practices must be prepared to cease all but emergency procedures if there is a surge
- Dentists must have adequate PPE and sanitation supplies and it is recommended to have a minimum 2-week supply of PPE for dentist and staff to include N95 respirators, face shields, goggles, and surgical masks
Specific steps and conditions are further detailed in the
Guidance.
