THESE days of the new normal, dentists and the dental staff are highly at risk of getting infected by the potentially deadly coronavirus disease.
That’s because of their proximity to the patient’s mouth by the very nature of their practice. Many times, dental procedures involve the release of droplets or aerosols that could contain the COVID-19 virus.
The American Dental Association or ADA has released guidelines on what to do when a patient informs the dental clinic that he or she has been found positive of the coronavirus after undergoing a dental procedure or checkup.
The first step is to identify each staff member, both clinical and administrative personnel, who had contact with the patient.
The level of risk exposure for the staff must be assessed. The staff determined to have had higher risk exposure should actively monitor their health, isolate and refrain from working for 14 days after the exposure.
Those who have had lower risk exposure can continue to work with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment or PPE and actively self-monitor their health for 14 days after the exposure.
Those who do not develop a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19 can return to work with the appropriate PPE.
Those that do experience any symptoms should be tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Staff who test positive for COVID-19 should immediately move to case management protocols outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In our case, that would be protocols issued by the Department of Health.
Those with negative test results but who experienced fever or other symptoms should actively monitor their health, isolate and refrain from working for 14 days after the exposure.
Those without a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19 can continue to work.
Those that do experience any symptoms should be restricted from working and get tested for SARS-CoV-2.
Staff testing negative for COVID-19 and whose symptoms have resolved can continue to work and should continue to self-monitor for 14 days.
Those testing positive should immediately move to case management protocols, according to the ADA.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-859151./PN
