Dr Kathleen Matthews answers your questions about dental health
Dr Kathleen Matthews explains what the lifting of some restrictions on dental treatment will mean for you, what care is still off limits and how your dentist will keep you safe.
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COVID-19 had brought tight restrictions on Australian dentists, limiting them to providing just urgent and emergency treatment.
But from Monday, the Federal Government has said so-called level three restrictions can be relaxed to level two, meaning patients can access more wide-ranging procedures again.
These include denture procedures, non-surgical extractions, examinations and simple fillings.
However, the Australian Dental Association is continuing to advise patients around the country to call their dentist to discuss treatment availabilities, as some clinics plan to remain closed or limit operating hours.
Dr Kathleen Matthews, the Australian Dental Association’s NSW president, was online today to answer your questions.
Here’s some of what she had to say:
Q. What extra steps are dentists taking to protect patients? Should my dentist be wearing extra PPE?
A. Dentists have been dealing with viruses and ‘bugs’ in the dental setting for over 30 years – as a profession we’ve had to have management for HIV, Hep B & Hep C just to name a few. PPE (personal protective equipment) has been worn by the dental team routinely for many years and we have good protocols that are part of the routine workflow that we use to clean, sterilise and disinfect our tools and the environment. You may notice your regular dentist has some enhanced or extra PPE at the moment depending on the procedure that they carry out – perhaps an extra apron over clothing or a face shield – it will depend on the procedure that is planned and the ‘risk’ for COVID-19 – dentists have an excellent understanding of infection control and prevention so I’d say you’re in very safe hands.
Q. Are the rules for dentists the same everywhere or is it like schools where states are all doing their own thing?
A. The ADA branch within each state has been talking with their individual state health department and will communicate with dentists if there is a state-based decision – my understanding is the majority of Australian dentists will be working under level 2 restrictions from Monday 27th April.
Q. My kids scheduled check-ups were cancelled this month. Do the changes in restrictions mean I can rebook?
A. Check-ups should start to come back on line with the easing of dental service restrictions that starts this Monday 27th April. Phone your dentist after Monday and make the booking – I’m sure they will be happy to see your family because taking care of patients and their families is one of the great parts of dental practice. All the best and tell those kids to brush!
Q. What treatment isn’t available under level 2 restrictions?
A. Under level 2 dental service restrictions some dental procedures need to be delayed or perhaps altered to support reducing the risk of COVID-19 within the community or the workplace – dentistry is up close and personal! The procedures that may not be available may include dental cleans with an ultrasonic scaler, regular fillings or crowns unless a special single-use device called rubber dam is used and tooth extractions where the tooth may need to be removed with minor surgery. Also for patients where there is a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 risk then delaying treatment until they are recovered is important.
Q. I need to get a tooth checked out, but have a bit of a cold – there’s no reason to think it’s anything more – am I able to get treatment?
A. Great question – at the moment as part of the dental service restrictions all dental patients are being screened by phone by dentists and asked about their respiratory symptoms (have you got a cold?) and other risk factors for coronavirus. If you have any of these its best to delay dental treatment and get assessed for a COVID-19 test – in NSW, the premier has announced that anyone with respiratory symptoms should get a test and that these are available over the weekend. If you have dental pain or infection your dentist maybe able to assist with some advice and medication if required and will make an appointment for urgent care after your COVID-19 test result is available – if it’s negative (and that’s quite likely) there is no reason not to go ahead with urgent dental care.
Q. I can’t get in to see my normal dentist. If I go to another, are dentists able to share my treatment records?
A. Sharing of dental or medical records is quite easy – you need to let your normal dentist know that you’d like to transfer the information – usually you sign a form, make a phone call or send an email to authorise this and give the contact details of the new dental practice so they can be sent on wards by fax or email or regular mail – a couple of days’ notice is usually helpful if it’s possible.
Q. Will dental costs go up because practices have been closed?
A. I don’t think so – dentists like many others have been affected by the shutdown of much of our regular activities as the Government’s needed to put policies in place to ‘flatten the curve’.
Dentists are aware that many people in the community have been impacted so they like every business will be in recovery mode and just wanting to see their regular patients/customers to provide what they normally do. Dentistry is part of the health service professions and many health services have been impacted – doctors, pharmacists, optometrists, hospitals – so I believe most will want to return to business as usual.
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Originally published as Dr Kathleen Matthews answers your questions about dental health