Alachua County limits dental procedures to ‘urgent’

 Alachua County issued an Order limiting dental procedures to urgent dental care only:

“Dentists and those who practice under their license shall not perform any elective procedures and services until such time as a State of Emergency ceases to exist in Alachua County or this restriction is lifted in writing,” it states.

According to the Order, the American Dental Association issued a statement that recommended that Dentists postpone elective procedures for at least three weeks due to COVID-19.

“Dental professionals and providers have a strong role in the mitigation of the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” the Order states. “And the Florida Board of Dentistry has recommended that Dental practitioners follow the recommendations of the American Dental Association and stated that ‘Concentrating on the provision of urgent dental care will serve the public and alleviate any emergencies from placing more stress on hospitals and emergency rooms. Clinics should establish procedures to provide care for these appropriate precautions to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19, including screening of patients and caregivers prior to their arrival in our dental offices’.