Coronavirus (COVID-19) – American Dental Association Informational Handout (Leer en Español)
03/05/2020
On February 24, 2020, the American Dental Association (ADA) released an informational handout for dentists on the coronavirus disease COVID-19, which covers strategies for helping prevent the transmission of suspected respiratory disease in the dental health care setting, and answers frequently asked questions related to the virus, based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The ADA recommends that:
- Dental personnel be alert and identify patients with an acute respiratory illness when they arrive, give them a disposable surgical face mask to wear and isolate them in a single-patient room with the door kept closed to limit their contact with other patients and personnel. Isolated patients should wear their masks outside their rooms.
- Dental practices adhere to respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette infection control measures, such as performing hand hygiene, providing tissues and no-touch receptacles to throw away used tissues and offering face masks to patients who are coughing. Offices also should follow routine cleaning and disinfection strategies used during flu season.
- Dental personnel assessing a patient with a flu-like or other respiratory illness wear a disposable surgical face mask, nonsterile gloves, gown and eye protection to prevent exposure.
Because recommendations for COVID-19 could change as more information becomes available about the disease, the ADA suggests checking for updates on the CDC's coronavirus infection control page for health care professionals. In addition, the CDC recommends all health care workers, including dentists and staff, receive the flu vaccine, and personnel experiencing a flu-like illness should not report to work. Please notify LIBERTY Dental Plan immediately if you anticipate or experience any disruption to your practice related to the current coronavirus outbreak.
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