Dentists in Alberta can now only provide emergency treatment to patients as coronavirus cases and concerns continue to rise in the province.
The Alberta Dental Association and College said in a notice on Tuesday that it was suspending all non-emergent treatments and services “effective immediately.”
“Emergency dental treatment may include treatment of oral-facial trauma, significant infection, prolonged bleeding or pain which cannot be managed by over-the-counter medications,” the association said.
“It is appropriate to provide needed care that if left untreated becomes a more significant burden on our health care resources and significantly compromises patient health.”
It said it was working on “dental-specific screening directions.”
Any dentists who are doing emergency treatments are being told to do a “thorough pre-treatment risk assessment” which includes a look at the risk to the patient, the oral healthcare provider and the greater community.
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