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.
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