The American Dental Association's updated pandemic procedures for dental offices emphasize hazard assessments to mitigate risks of COVID-19.
The update was released July 13 to help dental offices conduct best practices as COVID-19 regulations change.
According to the update, practices should have a safety plan in place for exposure control. Hazard assessments required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration should be done regularly, and dentists should stay updated on COVID-19 guidelines from various organizations and examine how to best implement them in their practices. Dental practices should also consider multiple factors when implementing guidelines, including evidence-based scientific data and psychosocial, state and community factors.
Additionally, patients should continue to be screened before appointments and anyone, including staff and nonemployees, should be screened before entering a dental office.