COVID-19 Update: How Directive #2 affects procedures involving sedation

Directive #2 for Health Care Providers, released by the Chief Medical Officer of Health this week, has a direct impact on some procedures requiring sedation. 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 has clarified that 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 must cease immediately.

This applies to all non-urgent and non-emergent dental procedures using parenteral moderate and deeper sedation and anesthesia.

Emergent or urgent procedures are permitted.

See here for definitions of emergency, urgent and non-essential care.

The Ministry also requires that the following cease immediately:

• 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.
  
  

These measures are in effect until withdrawn by the Chief Medical Officer of Health.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