As the spread of COVID-19 continues in our state, we have received several questions from members. We are providing the following resources, based upon the most current information and guidance, to address the most frequent questions we are receiving.

Patient Appointments

Several patients have been asking whether they should go to regularly scheduled medical and dental appointments. The following is a statement from the Department of Health responding to this question:

I have a regularly scheduled doctor or dental appointment. Should I go?
The best thing for your health is to keep up with your regularly scheduled check-ups – medical, mental health, and dental. However, if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 but have not had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, follow our guidance on self-quarantine. 

ADA Publishes New COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

On March 11, ADA published a series of answers to frequently asked questions including patient communications, availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), and additional clinical recommendations for preventing transmission in dental offices.

MouthHealthy.org Content to Share with Patients

Consider sharing this article from the ADA's MouthHealthy.org, which features the precautions dental offices already take every day to prevent the spread of infection.

Additional Resources

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a dedicated page of information for Healthcare Professionals
• Washington’s Department of Health has a page dedicated to COVID-19 that provides updates on the current situation in our state as well as fact sheets and other educational materials in several languages
• Washington’s Department of Health also has released a new blog called Public Health Connections that includes several COVID-19 related FAQs
• The ADA has a dedicated page on its website developed specifically for dental offices

WSDA has compiled resources from the ADA and the Washington State Department of Health at wsda.org/COVID-19 and will continue to add resources as they are released.

We appreciate your commitment to providing optimal care to your patients.

Sincerely,