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Below, we have gathered information to addresses many of the questions and challenges that we know
members have. If you have further questions or are seeking more information, call the ADA&C reception at 780-432-1012 to be redirected appropriately.

Returning Traveler Guidance for Health Professionals:
If you or your staff have you returned from travel anywhere outside of Canada on March 13,
2020, or later, you are to self-isolate and limit contact with others for 14 days.

For travel dates up to and including March 12, 2020 see the Returning Traveler Guidance for
Health Professionals triage chart.

Further self-isolation guidelines
AHS has indicated that if you are feeling symptoms such as a cold or runny nose, you should self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms (and/or until symptoms clear up).

If you are already in self-isolation for 14 days due to travel or an AHS recommendation, and you start having symptoms, you must add a minimum of 10 days to wherever you are in the process. For example, if you are on day 8 of your isolation, and you get a runny nose, you are to add the additional 10 days to your isolation from the start of their symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

See the Chief medical officer of health COVID-19 update – March 23, 2020

Continuity of Care:

You continue to be your patients’ dentist of record. You are obliged to address their ongoing emergency questions. Core elements of care to asymptomatic patients include that you have arranged for these patients to have availability to you or another dentist that you have asked to do this. This other dentist is essentially stepping into your shoes as the patients’ care provider.

Your voice mail and email messaging to patients must include information about how a patient can contact you or another dentist, including a telephone number. You must ensure their calls or emails are returned in a timely way. Being available by phone or email is the essential element.

It is NOT appropriate to refer your patients to an emergency room for a dental emergency when you or the other dentist can reasonably assess that patient in a dental setting or over the telephone. Pharmacological care may be your first level of management. Use your clinical judgment

Duty to Report:
Public and patient safety are of utmost concern, therefore ADA&C members have a duty to report under Article A3 of the Code of Ethics:

What You Must Report

    • Reporting only applies if a regulated member tests positive for COVID-19; or if you are
      aware that a regulated member has tested positive is continuing to practice or has
      returned from travelling outside of Canada on or after March 13, 2020 and is not self isolating.
    • It is crucial the ADA&C is aware of who has tested positive for COVID-19 so as to assess impact
      on practice and the services available to the public. Personal reporting of this information is
      confidential. This is a novel virus with unpredictable and unknown effect. Understanding the
      nature of the spread of this disease is part of what we do as regulators to protect the public and
      act in the public interest. We have an obligation to require our members to report this, so that we
      can meet our obligations to you, patients and the Government of Alberta.
    • To report any of above, please contact the Professional Conduct Department, Colleen Wetter or
      Katherine Gibson: kgibson@adaandc.com, or call the office to be redirected: 780-432-1012.

What You Do Not Have to Report

    • You do not need to report if you are self-isolating due to travel or a presumptive connection to
      COVID-19.
    • You do not need to report if your staff (hygienists, assistants, office managers, lab techs or
      receptionists) test positive or self-isolate.

Practice disruptions (and school cancellations):
As of March 15, 2020. Alberta’s chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said all K-12 and post-secondary classes are cancelled and all licensed child care facilities, out-of-school care programs and preschool programs are closed until further notice. As employers you should consider how this will impact your staff and practice.

Online Resources and Social Media:

  • Alberta Health Services has current information available and updates.
  • We suggest that you share practice information and links to AHS through your social media
    channels.

We hope the information contained herein answers a lot of the questions we have been receiving from
members and the public. We also hope that Membership and their teams can play a crucial role in  delivering factual information to their patients. The dedicated staff are here to provide you with an excellent level of response and attention to your concerns and questions.

For general questions, please call reception at 780-432-1012 to be redirected appropriately.

Executive and ADA&C staff will continue to provide updates regarding COVID-19 as they develop.