Access to dental care

There was a list of emergency treatment providers available throughout Level 3 and 4. Upon return to Level 2, most dentists have resumed work as they are allowed to provide routine dental care.

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 2 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:

• Do you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19?
• Are you waiting for a COVID-19 test or the results?
• Have you travelled internationally in the last 14 days?
• Have you had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or been in isolation with a suspected case in the last 14 days?
• Do you have any of the following symptoms:
  - cough
  - sore throat
  - shortness of breath
  - runny nose, sneezing, post-nasal drip (coryza) 
  - loss of smell (anosmia) 
  with or without fever?
   

Dental care under Alert Level 2

As per the MoH & DCNZ Joint Guidelines at Alert Level 2 dentists can provide routine dental care and urgent or emergency dental care, for patients who are NOT:

• COVID-positive
• suspected to be COVID-positive
• a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, or have not been in isolation with a suspected case in the last 14 days
• exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19
• international travellers in the last 14 days.

They can provide only urgent or emergency care for patients who are:

• COVID-positive
• suspected to be COVID-positive
• a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, or have been in isolation with a suspected case in the last 14 days
• exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19
• international travellers in the last 14 days

only when the room and PPE requirements can be met.