Don’t like the dentist? You are in luck! No dentist appointments for three weeks!

Another day, another coronavirus cancellation—but this one will make a good portion of the population (and every kid who dreads the dentist) happy. School testing was just canceled, and now, after a recommendation from the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Colorado Dental Association (CDA) to stop non-essential treatment, many dentists in Colorado will offer emergency services only for the next three weeks.  

The decision was made out of an abundance of caution in an attempt to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. As the CDA said in its official statement, this is:

“one of the most disruptive public health emergencies in modern history. As healthcare providers, we all have a role to play by following evidence-based public health advice to help slow the spread of the virus and 'flatten the curve.' In part, the decision was made due to the limited supply of personal protective equipment needed for emergency dental care and other medical professionals treating the pandemic."

Right now, this is not a mandate; it is a recommendation. However, hundreds of practices across the state are heeding the warning. At this time, there have been no coronavirus cases connected to dental providers in the state. After taking extreme precautions with patients over the last few weeks, offices started notifying patients of this decision on Tuesday afternoon. Dentists and orthodontist practices sent emails, calls, and voicemails to patients informing them of the difficult decision to close temporarily, and letting them know how to access emergency dental care should they need it during the next three weeks.

Offices that treat emergency patients during this time are being advised to use virtual waiting rooms and to ensure that all practices have appropriate COVID-19 screening protocols in place, as well as infection control and up-to-date OSHA practices.  

Though this will make all those people who just hate going to the dentist happy, it will have a major impact on the providers and their staff. Hopefully, offices will be able to reopen to all patients after the three-week hiatus.

So while there is some uneasiness about all of this, and no one is really sure how long this will all last, there is one bright spot … We can all eat tons of candy and not fear the disapproving look from the dentist for a while. (Oh, come on you know you were all thinking it, too!)  

What do you think about this new development? Will this affect you personally over the next few weeks? Might be a reason to cut the sugar or hold off on consuming those super-crunchy foods for a while! Let us know what you think in the comments.