#15,298
Albeit a couple of months later than I planned, I visited my GP yesterday for the first time since the pandemic virus made its presence felt, and instead of finding a waiting room filled with patients I found myself literally the only person scheduled for the 9am-10am hour.
How much of that was due to their pandemic scheduling procedures, and how much was due to a lack of patients willing to schedule an appointment, is hard to say. But the doctor confirmed to me that patients over the past couple of months had been few and far between.I wore a face covering, the doctor wore a surgical mask, and we skipped our usual warm handshake. But otherwise it was a fairly`normal' office visit; I was temperature scanned twice (once checking in, once in the exam room), my blood was drawn, and my B/P and my Pulse Ox were checked, and my heart and lungs were auscultated by the doctor.
It all felt perfectly safe, if not a bit surreal, and is a hopeful sign that we are getting back to something resembling `normal'.But dental exams or procedures, by their very nature, are far more invasive and require more rigorous infection control protocols than your average GP visit. Many dental procedures are aerosol generating, and there is no `social distancing' when your dentist has their hand in your mouth.
The CDC has issued guidelines for dental settings (see below).
Guidance for Dental Settings
Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response
Key Points
- Dental settings have unique characteristics that warrant specific infection control considerations.
- Prioritize the most critical dental services and provide care in a way that minimizes harm to patients from delaying care and harm to personnel from potential exposure to COVID-19.
- Proactively communicate to both personnel and patients the need for them to stay at home if sick.
- Know the steps to take if a patient with COVID-19 symptoms enters your facility.
This guidance was updated on May 19, 2020 and complements the following CDC guidance documents:
Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings
Framework for Healthcare Systems Providing Non-COVID-19 Clinical Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summary of Recent Changes
Recommendations are provided for resuming non-emergency dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- New information is included regarding facility and equipment considerations, sterilization and disinfection, and considerations for the use of test-based strategies to inform patient care.
- Expanded recommendations for provision of dental care to both patients with COVID-19 and patients without COVID-19.
(Continue . . .)
Tomorrow the CDC will hold a COCA Call for dentists on how to resume non-emergency dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COCA Calls are generally heavily attended and are of greatest interest to clinicians and healthcare providers. If you have trouble getting through - or are unable to attend the live session - the CDC archives these broadcasts for later viewing.Details on tomorrow's COCA Call follow:
Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response
Overview
During this COCA call, presenters will provide an overview of the updated guidance for dental settings, including recommendations for resuming non-emergency dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters also will discuss strategies for dental healthcare facilities to optimize personal protective equipment (PPE).
Presenters
Casey Hannan, MPH
Director, Division of Oral Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Michele Neuburger, DDS, MPH
Infection Prevention Control Team
COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alberto Garcia, MS
Worker Safety Team
COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Marie de Perio, MD (USPHS)
Worker Safety Team
COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
LCDR Megan Casey, RN, BSN, MPH, CIC (USPHS)
Worker Safety Team
COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Call Materials
No Slides At This Time
No Transcript At This Time
Call Details
When: Wednesday, June 3, 2020,
2 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Watch on Facebook: You may also participate in this COCA Call by joining COCA’s Facebook Live.
Webinar Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615437963external icon
Dial In:
US: +1 669 254 5252
or +1 646 828 7666
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US: +16692545252,,1615437963# or +16468287666,,1615437963#
Webinar ID: 161 543 7963Add to Calendar
