Negative pressure isolation room with HEPA filtration REQUIRED for dental emergency treatment in PA

March 25, 2020 in News by RBN Staff

By “J. C.” via email
This is the height of insanity. Have you ever had a dental emergency? I have and if I lived in PA no dentist legally could treat me because in PA the DOH issued the following guidance that dentists must follow. What if your state follows suit and issues this directive and you had a dental abscess and swelling with extreme pain? Some people would at that point go postal – could you blame them?
Below is directly from www.market-ticker.org. I removed the expletives. I also attached the document from the PA DOH.

On March 22, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) released new guidance stating that dental facilities and offices must close immediately, even for emergencies, if they do not have all of the following protective equipment and protocol in place:

• All personnel must follow proper protocol when donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE).

• All personnel must use N95 masks or higher; goggles or a face-shield covering face and sides; disposable gowns and gloves.

• Treatment must be provided in negative pressure isolation rooms with HEPA filtration.

I’m willing to bet there is not one dental office in the state that has negative-pressure isolation rooms for routine procedures, including extractions and root canals, never mind cleanings and fillings.

And if I’m blinded by the pain to the point that I need that procedure done right now, and you just closed my dentist with this bs when I need that work I’m rather unlikely to be all docile and passive about my reaction to such a notice on the door.

Further, this will radically raise the cost of dental procedures to everyone in the state — permanently.

Do the people of this nation even own a pitchfork or torch anymore?

Member Alert – DOH Issues New COVID-19 Guidance

March 23, 2020

 

PDA Members,

 

On March 22, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) released stating that dental facilities and offices must close immediately, even for emergencies, if they do not have all of the following protective equipment and protocol in place:

 

• All personnel must follow proper protocol when donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE).

 

• All personnel must use N95 masks or higher; goggles or a face-shield covering face and sides; disposable gowns and gloves.

 

• Treatment must be provided in negative pressure isolation rooms with HEPA filtration.

 

DOH did not consult with PDA prior to releasing its guidance.

 

We are now working with the deans of Pennsylvania’s dental schools and have already communicated our concerns to DOH and asked for clarification on a number of issues that now arise because of this new guidance.

 

PDA remains hopeful that we will be able to work with DOH to provide you with more information as soon as possible.

 

If you have questions about this DOH guidance, please contact .

 

In addition, we will be consulting with PDA legal counsel today to see what options we may pursue.

 

PDA will continue to be a trusted resource for information in the days ahead.

 

We continue to update PDA members with all dental-related coronavirus developments via our PDA Go mobile app, with a comprehensive COVID-19 resources tab and a COVID-19 forum. If you have not yet downloaded , please do so today to take advantage of these excellent resources.

 

We encourage you to post all coronavirus-related questions on the PDA Go forum. It is a great way for the entire membership to seek answers as we work through this, together.

 

We also have continuing updates on our website at as well as our and feed.

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