COVID-19 Update – April 20 , 2020 As Some States Consider Reopening , ADA Offers PPE Guidance to Dentists
The American Dental Association ( ADA ) recommended on March 16 that dentists restrict their practices to all but urgent and emergency care . This recommendation was later extended until April 30 at the earliest . The intent of the recommendation was to observe social distancing , help mitigate the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus , conserve essential personal protective equipment ( PPE ) for medical frontline colleagues , and avoid the need for patients requiring emergency dental treatment to go to overburdened hospital emergency departments .
As of mid-April , conditions regarding virus transmission vary greatly across the U . S . Some state and local governments are now considering reopening certain businesses considered “ essential ,” including dental practices , as they phase their communities back into normal operations . The federal government has now released criteria for states to use in making decisions related to elective health care availability and sheltering in place mandates .
The ADA recognizes that local or state government decisions regarding closures , including restrictions regarding elective health care , supersede ADA recommendations . In addition , local and state health departments , state dental societies and , in some cases , large urban local dental societies may better understand local disease transmission rates and conditions and make more informed recommendations regarding elective dental care availability .
In states that are considering reopening , the ADA believes dentists should exercise professional judgment and carefully consider the availability of appropriate PPE to minimize risk of virus transmission . The ADA is communicating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ), other federal agencies , and relevant organizations to advocate that dentists , as essential healthcare workers , are prioritized for PPE .
As of April 16 , FDA approved tests for COVID-19 are not available to dentists in the U . S . Therefore , dentists should be aware that asymptomatic healthy appearing patients cannot be assumed to be COVID-19 free .
To aid dentists who may be reopening their practices when state mandates are lifted , the ADA has developed interim guidance on the PPE recommended in order to practice during this pandemic and minimize the risk of virus transmission . In addition to this interim guidance , ADA has provided further details on the variety of mask types . Additional guidance documents will be issued regarding protocols for office and treatment procedures .