COVID-19 Update – Province-wide shutdown

The Government of Ontario announced a Province-wide shutdown which will go into effect Saturday, December 26, 2020, at 12:01 a.m.

The Government’s announcement does not alter the scope of care that dentists are permitted to provide. Dentists are still permitted to continue to provide oral health care.

All dentists must continue to follow the guidance set out in the College’s COVID-19: Managing Infection Risks During In-Person Dental Care document.

The College strongly recommends that dentists:

• Avoid performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) whenever possible.
• Where AGPs mustbe performed, adhere to the enhanced precautions for performing AGPs that apply to patients who have screened or tested positive for COVID-19, even if the patient has screened or tested negative. (See “How should I adjust my practice” on our enhanced precautions guidance page).
• Triage patients, giving priority to emergency and urgent care.
• Take measures to maintain safe capacity in your office or clinic.
• Rely on teledentistry, wherever possible, to support non-urgent cases.

The RCDSO continues to monitor all Government announcements and directives on COVID-19 and we will continue to update you as new information becomes available.