CDC issues May 19 update to guidance for dental settings

News brief

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an update to its Guidance for Dental Settings.¹ The new guidance replaces CDC recommendations issued April 27, 2020, and comes as 42 states have reopened dental offices for elective procedures.²

The new guidance provides recommendations for the following:

• Resuming nonemergency dental care
• Facility and equipment considerations
• Sterilization and disinfection
• Test-based strategies
• Dental care for patients with COVID-19
• Dental care for patients without COVID-19

Link to new guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.html

References

1. Guidance for Dental Settings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated May 19, 2020. Accessed May 22, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.html
2. American Dental Association Center for Professional Success. COVID-19 State Mandates and Recommendations. Updated May 21, 2020. Accessed May 22, 2020. https://success.ada.org/en/practice-management/patients/covid-19-state-mandates-and-recommendations

Editor's note: For full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, visit the DentistryIQ COVID-19 Resource Center.