Further to Friday’s announcement about the resumption of routine dental care from 8 June 2020 and the Chief Dental Officer for England’s 11-point Prompt To Prepare, over the weekend the Faculty of General Dental Practice, College of General Dentistry and a range of national dental organisations have done amazing work preparing a comprehensive practical guide for dentists and dental care professionals returning to work.
The aim of the guidance is to “facilitate a safe and timely return to the practice of dentistry within primary care” as this is recognised as “vital to securing the oral health of the nation, and to maintaining public confidence in the profession”.
The full guidance, entitled Implications Of COVID-19 For The Safe Management Of General Dental Practice – A Practical Guide, can be accessed here.
Whilst no guidance can eliminate risk entirely, the guidance provides a framework that dentists and DCPs can follow to identify and mitigate key risks for both them and their patients, adopting a pragmatic approach about what can safely and practically be achieved in primary dental care.
The General Dental Council, Care Quality Commission and Chief Dental Officers have all encouraged practitioners to refer to the guidance published by recognised professional bodies before exercising their professional judgement on whether to offer dental care services. In the circumstances, our advice is that the guidance is mandatory reading for all those planning to resume routine dental work on Monday.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you need assistance in relation to any COVID-19 or return to work issues in dentistry.