Administrative Controls and Work Practice Considerations

OHCP should limit clinical care to one patient at a time whenever possible.

Set up operatories so that only the clean or sterile supplies and instruments needed for the planned dental procedure are readily accessible.

• Any supplies and equipment that are exposed but not used during the procedure should be considered contaminated and should be disposed of or reprocessed properly after completion of the procedure.

Avoid aerosol-generating procedures whenever possible (e.g., use of dental handpieces air/water syringe and ultrasonic scalers).

• Prioritize minimally invasive/atraumatic restorative techniques (hand instruments only).

• If aerosol-generating procedures are necessary for dental care, use four-handed dentistry, high evacuation suction and dental dams to minimize droplet spatter and aerosols.

Limit the number of OHCP in the operatory to only those essential for patient care and procedure support.

The use of a preprocedural mouth rinses (PPMR) to reduce viral load or prevent SARS‑CoV‑2 transmission has not been clinically validated.¹⁴ Nonetheless, the use of antimicrobial PPMR (e.g., chlorhexidine gluconate, essential oils, povidone-iodine or cetylpyridinium chloride) may reduce the level of oral microorganisms in aerosols and spatter.