COVID-19 Update

30 March 2020

Last week dentists were advised to cease routine treatment, provide telephone advice and triage and refer those needing active treatment to urgent dental treatment centres. We understand that these centres may not yet be up and running in all areas, but hopefully this will be resolved soon.

These measures are of course designed to reduce unnecessary travel and reinforce social distancing with the aim of reducing the spread of Covid-19.

As well as staffing the urgent care centres many dental staff have volunteered to help in the wider NHS, and it is encouraging to see so many dental professionals being willing to assist in this way. Further information is available here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/returning-clinicians/dental-professionals/

We are, however, concerned to receive reports from multiple sources that some dental practices are not following the CDO advice and guidance and are still seeing patients for routine care including aerosol generating procedures. If these reports are accurate, then dental staff and the public may be exposed to unnecessary risk of virus transmission. Where CQC are informed of such cases we will consider action using our regulatory powers.