Access to dental care
Access to dental care
Updated 22 April 2021
Alert Level 1
New Zealand is currently at Alert Level 1. Ministry of Health & Dental Council New Zealand Guidelines for oral health services at COVID-19 Alert Level 1 will apply.
Patients are still required to phone ahead to book an appointment so that the appropriate safety questions can be asked.
As per the MoH & DCNZ Joint Guidelines at Alert Level 1 oral health professionals will be required to ask ALL patients the following questions before scheduling an appointment, and will be required to note the patient’s responses in their record:
COVID-19 epidemiological questions:
- Do you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19?
- Are you waiting for a COVID-19 test or the results, or considered a probable case, or been asked to self-isolate?
- Have you had close contact* with other people in the last 14 days who are probable or confirmed to have COVID-19?
Acute respiratory infection symptoms:
- Do you have new or worsening symptoms of an acute respiratory infection with at least one of the following:
- cough
- sore throat
- shortness of breath
- runny nose, sneezing, post-nasal drip (coryza)
- loss of smell (anosmia)
with or without fever?
Overseas travel and close contacts:
- Have you travelled overseas in the last 14 days and been required to quarantine since your arrival in New Zealand?
- Have you had direct contact with someone in the last 14 days who has travelled overseas and been required to quarantine since their arrival in New Zealand?
- Do you work on an international aircraft or shipping vessel?
- Do you work or have you recently at an international airport or maritime port in areas/conveniences visited by international arrivals?
- Do you work or have you recently worked in customs, immigration, or at managed quarantine/isolation facilities?
- Are you a household member or a community contact of aircrew?
Less frequent symptoms:
- Do you have less typical symptoms such as:
- fever only
- diarrhoea
- headache
- myalgia
- nausea/vomiting, or
- the person seemed confused or having difficulty answering the questions where there is no other likely diagnosis?