Dear KDA Members,
 
The Kansas Dental Association is closely following the situation regarding novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including monitoring guidance and messages from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among others. 
Late this afternoon, the ADA released the following statement:
 
ADA Calls Upon Dentists to Postpone Elective Procedures

The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes the unprecedented and extraordinary circumstances dentists and all health care professionals face related to growing concern about COVID-19. The ADA is deeply concerned for the health and well-being of the public and the dental team.

In order for dentistry to do its part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the ADA recommends dentists nationwide postpone elective procedures for the next three weeks. Concentrating on emergency dental care will allow us to care for our emergency patients and alleviate the burden that dental emergencies would place on hospital emergency departments.
 
As health care professionals, it is up to dentists to make well-informed decisions about their patients and practices. The ADA is committed to provide the latest information to the profession in a useful and timely manner.
 
The ADA is continually evaluating and will update its recommendation on an ongoing basis as new information becomes available. Please visit ADA.org/virus for the latest information.
The ADA recommendation has been made out of an abundance of caution during this historic outbreak of COVID-19 to "flatten the curve” in order to slow the spread of the virus by protecting both dental staff and patients and conserving medical resources.
 
The KDA has noted that the ADA has not identified a start date or specific procedures to be avoided or performed. As such, the KDA would advise that dentists implement the new recommendation at the first feasible opportunity in their office. Additionally, the ADA recommendation allows for the professional judgment and knowledge of the dentist working with the patient to be used to identify appropriate emergency treatment in a dentist patient relationship.
 
The KDA continues to encourage dentists working to provide emergency dental care to exceed normal infection control procedures and following all KDHE, CDC, and FDA guidelines.
Dental offices should:
 
  • Evaluate patients with a detailed questionnaire/conversation prior to treatment about flu like symptoms, travel abroad for self and family/friends, and use a temporal thermometer to take their temperature. 

  • Follow KDHE self-quarantine guidelines and postpone all treatment for fourteen days for all patients who have:

  • Traveled to a state with known widespread community transmission (currently California, New York, and Washington state) on or after March 15.

  • Visited Eagle, Summit, Pitkin, and Gunnison counties in Colorado within the past week.

  • Traveled on a cruise ship on or after March 15. Also people who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their cruise ship travel should finish out their quarantine.

  • Traveled internationally on or after March 15. Also people who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their international travel should finish out their quarantine.

  • Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19. You should quarantine at home for 14 days since your last contact with the case. (A close contact is defined as someone who has been closer than 6 feet for more than 10 minutes while the patient is symptomatic.)

  • Use of rubber dam isolation and high volume suction to limit aerosol in treatment procedures.

  • Use of 1% hydrogen peroxide rinse prior to examination of the oral cavity by the patient to reduce microbial load.

  • Consider having patients wait in their cars instead of the waiting areas to prevent inadvertent spread of the virus (call patient when surgical area is ready for treatment).

  • Consider staggering appointment times to reduce waiting room exposure.

  • Limit access to waiting room use to only patients. Accompanying individuals have to wait in their respective transportation.

  • Remove all magazines, toys, etc. from waiting area to prevent contamination.
For your reference, the ADA has created an FAQ section addressing various infection control issues, including the use of PPE. For additional information, please visit the ADA Coronavirus Resource Center for Dentists
 
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has also created a special website ( kdheks.gov/coronavirus ) and hotline (866-534-3463) to address concerns and answers questions about COVID-19.
 
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of the ADA’s recommendations. These are not normal times and w e believe by taking these extraordinary precautions, dentists can make a difference protecting our community, patients, friends, family and ourselves from COVID-19.   
Sincerely,


Dr. Jon Siebrasse, President
Kansas Dental Association
Kansas Dental Association • 5200 SW Huntoon • Topeka, KS 66604 • 785-272-7360 • ksdental.org