In Clinical Leadership & Infection Control

4 tips for dentists dealing with potential COVID-19 exposure

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines for dental professionals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 during emergency care.

The agency advises dental staff to ask all patients if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and enact a policy to contact all patients who received emergency care 48 hours after their visit.

Four other tips:

  1. Dental staff should inform their facility’s occupational health program as soon as they can if they suspect community or travel-associated exposure.
  2. Dental staff should check their temperature twice daily and stay alert for COVID-19 symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle ache, malaise).
  3. Dental staff should abstain from work in any healthcare setting until 14 days after exposure.
  4. If they develop COVID-19 symptoms, dental staff should self-isolate and notify their local public health authorities and dental office quickly so they can get started on a medical evaluation and treatment plan.

Access the CDC's full guidance here.

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Michigan dentists urge governor to resume routine care, cite potential public health crisis

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