We strive to maintain the safety of our patients and community.

Recommended infection prevention and control (IPC) practices for routine dental healthcare delivery during the pandemic
CDC recommends using additional infection prevention and control practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with standard practices recommended as a part of routine dental healthcare delivery to all patients. These practices are intended to apply to all patients, not just those with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. These additional practices for all patients include:

• Consider if elective procedures, surgeries, and non-urgent outpatient visits should be postponed in certain circumstances.
• Implement Teledentistry and Triage Protocols
• Screen and Triage Everyone Entering a Dental Healthcare Facility for Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19
• Monitor and Manage DHCP
• Create a Process to Respond to SARS-CoV-2 Exposures Among DHCP and Others
• Implement Universal Source Control Measures
• Encourage Physical Distancing
• Consider Performing Targeted SARS-CoV-2 Testing of Patients Without Signs or Symptoms of COVID-19
• Administrative Controls and Work Practices
• Implement Universal Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

There are multiple sequences recommended for donning and doffing PPE. One suggested sequence for DHCP is listed below. Facilities implementing reuse or extended use of PPE will need to adjust their donning and doffing procedures to accommodate those practices (see PPE Optimization Strategies).

• Before entering a patient room or care area:
  1. Perform hand hygiene (wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer).
  2. Put on a clean gown or protective clothing that covers personal clothing and skin (e.g., forearms) likely to become soiled with blood, saliva, or other potentially infectious materials.
     • Gowns and protective clothing should be changed if they become soiled.
  3. Put on a surgical mask or respirator.
     • Mask ties should be secured on the crown of the head (top tie) and the base of the neck (bottom tie). If mask has loops, hook them appropriately around your ears.
     • Respirator straps should be placed on the crown of the head (top strap) and the base of the neck (bottom strap). Perform a user seal check each time you put on the respirator.
  4. Put on eye protection (goggles or a face shield that covers the front and sides of the face).
     • Protective eyewear (e.g., safety glasses, trauma glasses) with gaps between glasses and the face likely do not protect eyes from all splashes and sprays.
     • Personal eyeglasses and contact lenses are NOT considered adequate eye protection.
  5. Put on clean non-sterile gloves.
     • Gloves should be changed if they become torn or heavily contaminated.
  6. Enter the patient room or care area.
• After completion of dental care:
  1. Remove gloves.
  2. Remove gown or protective clothing and discard the gown in a dedicated container for waste or linen.
     • Discard disposable gowns after each use.
     • Launder cloth gowns or protective clothing after each use.
  3. Exit the patient room or care area.
  4. Perform hand hygiene (wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer).
  5. Remove eye protection.
     • Carefully remove eye protection by grabbing the strap and pulling upwards and away from head. Do not touch the front of the eye protection.
     • Clean and disinfect reusable eye protection according to manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions prior to reuse.
     • Discard disposable eye protection after use.
  6. Remove and discard surgical mask or respirator.
     • Do not touch the front of the respirator or mask.
     • Surgical mask: Carefully untie the mask (or unhook from the ears) and pull it away from the face without touching the front.
     • Respirator: Remove the bottom strap by touching only the strap and bring it carefully over the head. Grasp the top strap and bring it carefully over the head, and then pull the respirator away from the face without touching the front of the respirator.
  7. Perform hand hygiene.

Employers should select appropriate PPE and provide it to DHCP in accordance with OSHA’s PPE standards (29 CFR 1910 Subpart I)external icon . DHCP must receive training on and demonstrate an understanding of:

• when to use PPE;
• what PPE is necessary;
• how to properly don, use, and doff PPE in a manner to prevent self-contamination;
• how to properly dispose of or disinfect and maintain PPE;
• the limitations of PPE.

Dental facilities must ensure that any reusable PPE is properly cleaned, decontaminated, and maintained after and between uses. Dental settings also should have policies and procedures describing a recommended sequence for safely donning and doffing PPE.

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