Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 6

On August 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a guidance document on the provision of oral health services in the context of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the WHO document was widely misinterpreted, and led to confusing and sometimes inaccurate information and reports in the media. CDA Responds to WHO’s Ambiguous Guidance T he WHO document advised that “routine non-essential oral health care—which usually includes oral health check-ups, dental cleanings and preventive care—be delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates from community transmission to cluster cases or according to official recommendations at national, sub-national or local level.” On August 12, CDA issued a public statement to clarify that “theWHO’s considerations to delay the provision of non-essential oral health care during the COVID-19 pandemic are not relevant for the current status in Canada since there is not wide-spread community transmission of COVID-19 in our country. Canada is experiencing cluster-contained outbreaks and has strong infection protocols in dental offices—conditions which allow for routine oral health care to be provided.” The FDI World Dental Federation released a statement in response to the WHO guidance document, reinforcing the commitment of its member associations to ensure the safety and well-being of the communities and patients they serve. Additionally, FDI’s statement emphasizes the importance of routine oral health care for the early detection, prevention and control of oral diseases: “Contrary to recent media reports, people can safely visit the dentist and utilize oral health services, in the context of COVID-19, if a country’s regulations permit this.” Recognizing the misinterpretations, the WHO, through the WHO Global Oral Health Network , indicated that a number of media headlines, intentionally or not, when referring to the WHO guidance did not mention that the recommendation to delay routine oral health care is only suggested in an intense uncontrolled community transmission scenario—a scenario that does not fit with the current situation of most of countries around the world. CDA and FDI made similar requests to the WHO in hopes to avoid repeating similar issues in the future. On behalf of the Canadian dental profession and the public, CDA contacted the WHO with a letter, outlining its concerns regarding the unclear release of the guidance which caused considerable confusion for Canadians. In a separate letter to FDI, CDA expressed its concern that the WHO neglected to consult with FDI before the considerations were published. Consultation could have likely prevented these negative outcomes. Canadian dentistry has among the highest infection control standards in the world and takes its guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and the dental regulatory authorities in each province. Canadians can rest assured that dentists are infection control experts, and that dental offices continue to follow strict provincial guidelines and regulations that protect the health of patients and dental staff. CDA has focused its energies to make sure that Canadians are aware that routine oral health care is accessible in Canada at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and should not be delayed. Read CDA’s full statement at: bit.ly/2EjwgvJ N ews and E vents 19 Issue 6 | 2020 |