Dentists must wear PPEs and impose strict health rules, DILG reminds LGUs

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) must ensure that dentists operating clinics within their jurisdictions will strictly follow health standards, including the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE), should they reopen their dental business at this time.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año issued this reminder on Thursday, further explaining in a statement, “The nature of dental operation requires close proximity of a dentist and a patient. Dentists must wear PPEs to ensure their safety as well as their patient’s safety.”

DILG spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya also noted in the same statement that under the Philippine Dental Association guidelines, dental clinics must implement health protocols such as “patient screening, preparation of dental facility teams, and waste management.”

Malaya said dental clinics must first check on the patient’s current residence, the urgency of care, and if they have had interaction with COVID-19 patients.

During the appointment, clinics must provide a questionnaire-checklist for symptoms and contact exposure and must also give consent and treatment options and waiver forms, according to Malaya.

Further, he said, dental clinics must likewise accept patients depending on the availability of PPEs among its personnel.

Dental centers must also put up reminders for patients on strict health rules which includes “wearing masks, avoid touching the face, using hand sanitizers, observing cough etiquette, and maintaining physical distancing,” he added.