Health Ministry issues guidelines for dental professionals amid COVID-19

NEW DELHI | May 20, 2020:

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines for dental professionals amid the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Dentists, auxiliaries as well as patients undergoing dental procedures are at high risk of cross infection as most dental procedures require close contact with the patient's oral cavity, saliva, blood, and respiratory tract secretions.

Hence, the Health Ministry said, many patients who are asymptomatic may be carriers of the corona virus, therefore it is suggested that all patients visiting a dental office must be treated with due precautions.

The dental clinics will remain closed in the containment zone, however, they can continue to provide Tele-consultation to the patients.

Patients in the containment zone can seek ambulance services to visit the nearby Covid Dental Facility. In the Red Zone, emergency dental procedures can be performed.

The dental clinics in Orange and Green zone will function to provide dental consultation.

Ministry has said that dental operation will be performed only in emergency and urgent condition and 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 guidelines are issued.