The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response.
The updates include more guidance on physical distancing and how to respond to SARS-CoV-2 exposures among dental health care professionals and patients, according to a summary of the update.
The guidance now aligns with the CDC’s Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in health care settings regarding fever and recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) during patient encounters, including aerosol generating procedures.
The guidelines also have been reorganized into two sections: recommended infection prevention and control practices for routine dental health care delivery, and recommended practices when providing dental health care for a patient with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In areas with moderate to substantial community transmission, during patient encounters with patients not suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the CDC guidelines now recommend that dental health care professionals wear eye protection in addition to their facemask to ensure the eyes, nose, and mouth are protected from exposure to respiratory secretions.
Added language explains that protective eyewear, such as safety glasses and trauma glasses, with gaps between glasses and the face likely do not protect eyes from all splashes and sprays. The CDC also recommends using an N95 respirator or a respirator that offers an equivalent or higher level of protection during aerosol generating procedures.
“Dental settings should balance the need to provide necessary services while minimizing risk to patients and dental health care personnel,” according to the CDC. “Dental health care personnel should stay informed and regularly consult with the state or local health department for region-specific information and recommendations and should monitor trends in local case counts and deaths, especially for populations at higher risk for severe illness.”
Click here for more information on the updated guidance.