Representatives from the AGD met with officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on June 1 and June 12, to discuss the importance of the agency providing concise guidance for dentists as they resume providing comprehensive care to patients.

AGD followed up with OSHA after the meeting with a letter requesting that they create a single guidance document based on OSHA’s Guidance for Dentistry Workers and Employers, the Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the Revised Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

AGD also requested that modifications be made to the OSHA recommendations and guidelines to offer latitude to dental care providers as they make personal protective equipment (PPE) decisions. The request to OSHA stressed the importance of ensuring that any guidance issued be in alignment with CDC recommendations.

Impact on General Dentistry: AGD is actively working with agencies such as OSHA to make certain that official federal guidance is reasonable, attainable, and understandable for dental health care providers, as they care for patients during this challenging time.