Dental offices struggle to meet strict new guidelines

If dentists have to reduce appointments, patients might not get care they need.

While her daughter’s condition didn’t rise to the level of an emergency, Amanda Weishar was certain the 6-yearold needed immediate medical attention. Two permanent teeth had erupted in Rosie’s mouth, crowding her baby teeth, but no dentist was available to see her.

The issue could have been easily addressed during the child’s routine dental exam. But the visit had been put on hold since thousands of Georgia dentists were told to shutter their businesses except for emergencies to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

To reduce the risk that patients and staff will be exposed to COVID-19, the American Dental Association has provided various guidelines to dental offices. The guidelines echo the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

These are among the highlights:

■ Dental offices must make very effort to interview patients by telephone, text or video conference prior to their visit.

■ If an emergency or urgent dental patient does not have a fever and is otherwise without even mild symptoms of COVID-19 infection, they can be seen in dental settings with appropriate protocols and personal protective equipment in place.

■ Practitioners must wear a surgical mask and eye protection with solid side shields or face shield to protect membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. Surgical masks are one use only, and one mask should be used per patient.

■ Practitioners should reduce aerosol production as much as possible, as the transmission of COVID-19 seems to occur via droplets or aerosols.

■ Aerosol-generating procedures should be scheduled as the last appointment of the day. For an aerosol-generating procedure performed without N-95 masks, regardless of disinfection procedures being effectively executed, subsequent patients and staff are at moderate risk for COVID-19 infection and transmission. Given that asymptomatic patients may carry the virus, CDC suggests a 14-day quarantine.

CONTRIBUTED When 6-year-old Rosie Weishar’s two permanent teeth erupted, they crowded her baby teeth. But her mom had to wait weeks to take her to the dentist, because offices were closed to all but emergency dental work.

CONTRIBUTED Dr. Robert Lee, now a south Georgia dentist who worked in Atlanta, established Omaha Brewing Co. so he could produce hand sanitizer. He ships the product to dental offices that need the product all over the country.