Dentists Urged To Only Offer Emergency Services During Coronavirus Outbreak: What Is A Dental Emergency?

The American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended that U.S. dentists postpone all elective procedures for the next three weeks amid growing concerns about the coronavirus and focus solely on emergency services.

The recommendation is an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through dental procedures. The association said by committing to emergency care, dentists will also alleviate the “burden” that these emergency services would otherwise place upon hospital emergency rooms.

While treatment would be up to a dentist’s discretion, emergency services have been defined by the ADA as a potentially life-threatening condition that requires “immediate treatment,” such as tissue bleeding, severe pain or infection, uncontrolled bleeding, bacterial infection, oral swelling that compromises the airway, or trauma to facial bones that restricts the airway.

The ADA has classified other urgent dental care conditions as those that are causing pain or infection.

Non-emergency services would include oral examinations, radiographs, dental cleanings, preventive therapies, orthodontic procedures, tooth extractions, restorative dentistry, and aesthetic dental procedures.

The recommendation from the ADA comes with concern about the “health and well-being” of dentists and the public.