COVID-19 Update: How Directive #2 affects oral surgery

Directive #2 for Health Care Providers has a direct impact on oral surgery.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that this version of Directive #2 is intended to stop procedures that could tax intensive care resources (e.g., procedures that carry higher risks of hospitalization) or utilize health human resources that could be redeployed to intensive care, where needed.

As a result, the Ministry of Health has clarified that some non-emergent or non-urgent surgeries must cease immediately. Those surgeries include:

• Major surgical procedures (e.g., osteotomies, use of rigid fixation) that carry a substantive risk of resulting in the use of emergency medical services or other hospital services.
  
  
• Other non-urgent and non-emergent dental procedures that carry a substantive risk of resulting in the use of emergency medical services or other hospital services.
  
  

In addition, the Ministry has halted:

• Sedation and general anesthetic procedures requiring a sedation or anesthetic team, as described in the RCDSO’s Standard of Practice on the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia in Dental Practice.
  
  

Emergent or urgent procedures are permitted. See here for definitions of emergency, urgent and non-essential care.

These measures are in effect until withdrawn by the Chief Medical Officer of Health. We will update you when that happens.

Questions? Contact practiceadvisory@rcdso.org