B.C. dentists want guidelines before reopening for service

VANCOUVER – The British Columbia Dental Association says its members' offices won't be open for service until it gets further direction on protecting patients and staff from COVID-19.

A statement from the association says full dental services will be introduced gradually and when it's safe to do so, not on the opening date on May 19 when other services are set to resume in the province.

Premier John Horgan and public health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have said guidelines for various sectors, including dentistry, are being developed but haven't yet been published.

Association spokesman Dr. Alastair Nicoll says dental teams are experts at infection control and they want to ensure their practices are appropriately set up to comply with physical distancing and other requirements to reduce the transmission of the virus.

WorkSafe BC says industry-specific guidelines will be available on their website by the end of the week.

Nicoll says when patients do start returning to their dentists, they'll notice changes with assistants behind Plexiglas and chairs, magazines and toys removed from waiting rooms.

The B.C. government has said services such as elective surgeries, dentistry, physiotherapy and speech therapy may resume by next Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2020.