The OSHA emergency standard, released June 10, provides additional guidance for healthcare settings, including hospitals and nursing homes, where all employees may not be screened for COVID-19, and non-employees and patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 are allowed to enter and may be treated. Dental offices most likely to be affected by the new standard include hospital-based oral surgery practices or those dentists who provide care for COVID-19 patients.
Other dental offices are largely exempt so long as they continue pre-appointment screenings of patients, as well as screening of staff and other non-patients entering the practice. Dental offices should also have a COVID-19 plan in place with a hazard assessment to mitigate risk to employees. To learn more about this Emergency Temporary Standard, the ADA analysis and how the standard affects dentistry, visit ada.org/virus (member login required to access documents).