What you must do before you visit your dentist

New Delhi, May 20: The Ministry of Health Affairs has issued detailed guidelines for dentists. The guidelines specify, where dental clinics are allowed to open.

It further specifies, what patients must do before and after visiting their dentist. The guidelines issued would cover the entire country, which means states will not be allowed to tinker with the norms.

Where dental clinics can open:

The dental clinics will remain closed in the containment zone. However, they can continue to provide tele-triage. Patients in this zone can seek ambulance services to travel to the nearby COVID Dental Facility.

In the RED ZONE, Emergency dental procedures can be performed.

The dental clinics in orange and green zones will function to provide dental
consults. Dental operations should be restricted to Emergency and
urgent treatment procedures only.

All routine and elective dental procedures should be deferred for a later review until
new policy/guidelines are issued.

Due to the high risk associated with the examination of the oral cavity, oral cancer
screening under National Cancer Screening program should be deferred until new policy/guidelines are issued.

List of urgent procedures:

What patients must do before arriving at a dental clinic?

• Minimise or eliminate wearing a wrist watch, hand and body jewellery and carrying of additional accessories bags etc.
• Use their own wash rooms at home to avoid the need for using toilets at the dental facility.
• Have a mouth wash rinse
• Wear a facemask during transport and before entering the premises.
• Have the body temperature checked and use a sanitiser on the entrance.
• Patients consent and declaration to be obtained in a physical print out or electronic system.
• Maintain social distance.