COVID-19 Update - Omicron Variant and Revised Guidance for all Ontario Dentists
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) has revised Directive #1 which sets out new requirements for health care providers.
What this means for dentists
Dentists must adhere to the following new requirements based on on Directive #1:
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Dentists must don a fit-tested, seal-checked N95 respirator (or the equivalent, as approved by Health Canada) for all in-person patient interactions and for the provision of all direct clinical care.
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Dentists must ensure that all staff don a fit-tested, seal-checked N95 respirator (or the equivalent, as approved by Health Canada) for all in-person patient interactions except where there is a physical partition or barrier between office staff and patients.
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Dentists and staff who are not yet fit-tested for an N95 respirator must don a well-fitted surgical/procedure mask, a KN95 respirator, or a non-fit-tested N95 respirator (or the equivalent, as approved by Health Canada). Dentists must make reasonable efforts to ensure that all staff who are not yet fit-tested for an N95 respirator obtain fit testing at the earliest opportunity.
These changes are effective immediately and are in place until further notice. They have been made in response to increasing community transmission of the new Omicron variant of concern, and in compliance with the CMOH’s revised Directive.
Dentists must continue to adhere to all additional precautions as set out in RCDSO’s COVID-19: Managing Infection Risks During In-Person Dental Care guidance document.
We continue to monitor the situation and will amend our guidance as circumstances warrant. We expect to release an updated guidance document in January 2022.
Note: The College will be closed from end of day December 24 and re-opens January 3, 2022. More information is available on our website. You can also review our COVID-19 FAQs.