OSHA Releases New Guidance for Oral Health Professionals

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released the following tips to help safeguard oral health professionals as they return to practice.

• Encourage clinicians and staff to stay home if sick
• Maximize use of telemedicine for nonemergency consultations, and prioritize urgent and emergency procedures
• Install physical barriers or partitions between patient treatment areas
• Provide adequate ventilation and airflow in patient treatment areas so that air moves away from staff work areas
• Frequently clean and disinfect surfaces and equipment with hospital-grade, Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals from List N or that have label claims against the coronavirus
• Minimize the number of staff present when aerosol-generating procedures are performed and ensure staff who are present are appropriately protected
• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment, such as eye goggles, face shields, and N95 respirators, as necessary to protect oral health professionals and staff
• Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns

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