Dental Professionals Should Exercise Caution During Ebola Outbreak

Dental Professionals Should Exercise Caution During Ebola Outbreak

The importance of proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when providing dental treatment cannot be overstated, especially in light of the Ebola virus. While the nature of this infection makes it highly improbable that patients infected with Ebola will visit the dental office, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association Division of Science are urging oral health professionals to exercise caution with all patients. This includes proper donning and doffing of PPE,* acquiring thorough patient medical histories, and inquiring about recent travel. The latter is especially important when patients present with symptoms of Ebola infection, including fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising.

The CDC advises against treating patients who exhibit symptoms of the Ebola virus in dental settings. If a patient is chairside and it is revealed that he or she has traveled to one of the countries at the center of the Ebola epidemic, the CDC advises clinicians to immediately protect themselves with PPE (including face masks), call 911, notify the local or state health departments, and properly dispose of contaminated PPE.

While cases of Ebola in the United States are rare, oral health professionals are at high risk of infection should they encounter a patient with the virus who is symptomatic. This is because Ebola is spread through saliva, as well as blood and other bodily fluids.

* For more information pertaining to the proper donning and doffing of PPE, visit cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/procedures-for-ppe.html, cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/ppe-training/index.html, and ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/ebola-resources?WT.mc_id=short_url.

Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter

November 2014