Patient and Dental Personnel Protection

As we progress from emergency dental care to dental treatment, preventing the spread of infection and protecting all the personnel involved is imperative.

Before the patient’s appointment:

• Communication and careful planning
• Check the temperature of the patient before any procedures
• Tele dentistry

At the dental appointment visit:

• Standard precautions assume that every patient is potentially infectious.
• Operatories should be isolated with barriers.
• Training needs to be provided to all personnel as regards donning and doffing the PPE.
• High-velocity evacuation and four-handed dentistry are mandatory when using aerosol-producing equipment.
• All staff should wear masks, gloves, goggles, and face shields if coming within six feet of the patient.
• Ideally, all PPE should be discarded for every patient or when it is visibly soiled.
• Laundry service needs to be provided at the office if scrubs are worn.

Post-dental appointment:

• All visible surfaces should be covered with disposable plastics and discarded after each patient appointment.
• Dirty surfaces should be cleaned with soap water, before disinfection with approved disinfectants that meet EPAs criteria against SARS-COV2. The personnel responsible for this should follow proper hand hygiene and be required to use the entire PPE.