COVID-19 and Related Infection Control Resources

Updated 9/14/2021

Pursuant to Iowa Dental Board rule, dental healthcare professionals must adhere to the 2003 CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings. Infection control requirements specific to dental offices are highlighted in yellow, and include Category IA, Category IB, and Category IC. Any items which are listed as Category II are recommended but not required.

The Board encourages dental healthcare professionals to follow the newly updated Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic, but does not have mandatory requirements specific to COVID-19, including patient facemasks. Dental offices should consult the CDC Interim Recommendations and utilize professional judgement to determine what precautions are needed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated Interim Recommendations are applicable to all healthcare settings, including dental offices. Dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) should refer to these recommendations, which include a section specific to dental settings, for infection control considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Guidelines for Dental Settings will no longer be updated; please use the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic site instead. Updates to the interim recommendations include:

Clarified source control recommendations for healthcare professionals, patients, and visitors, to better align with community guidance including limited circumstances where fully vaccinated individuals could choose not to wear source control.
Updated quarantine recommendations for fully vaccinated patients with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 to be consistent with community guidance.

Iowa Dental Board Statement on Expiration of Guidelines for the Safe Transition Back to Practice as of June 28, 2021

The Iowa Dental Board released the following announcement regarding their Guidelines for the Safe Transition Back to Practice on June 28:

"Since May 8, 2020, the Board Guidelines for the Safe Transition Back to Practice have been mandatory for dental offices, pursuant to the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued by the Governor. The provision of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency that required dental offices to comply with the Board’s Guidelines has expired. Consequently, dental offices are no longer under a strict mandate to comply with the Board’s Guidelines related to COVID-19 precautions or transmission. Dental offices are encouraged to follow the CDC’s Guidance for Dental Settings. The Board’s Guidelines were derived from the CDC’s Guidance and dental offices may continue to follow the Board’s Guidelines to meet the standard of care. The standard precautions for preventing and controlling infectious diseases that are required or recommended by the CDC’s Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings (2003) continue to be mandatory, as they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board enforces applicable laws and rules using a complaint-based system. If the Board receives a complaint related to COVID-19 precautions or transmission at a dental office, it will be evaluated based on the prevailing standard of care, which is the care that a reasonably prudent practitioner would provide under the same or similar circumstances. A practitioner who complies with the CDC’s Guidance will be deemed to have met the standard of care and will not face any Board action in response to such a complaint. A complaint against a practitioner who chooses not to comply with the CDC’s Guidance will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the standard of care was met and may face Board action if the standard of care was not met.

The Board will issue press releases and post pertinent information on the website regarding any major updates to the CDC’s Guidance for Dental Settings.

Thank you for all you have done during these difficult times to ensure that Iowans continue to safely access oral health care."

If you have questions regarding this guidance, please contact the Iowa Dental Board at 515.281.5157.

As a reminder, dentistry is largely exempted from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard announced in June. Because most dental offices screen patients prior to entry and do not permit people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, most dental offices are exempt from these requirements falling upon other healthcare facilities. However, all dental offices should perform a hazard assessment and maintain a written COVID-19 plan. OSHA has provided a flow chart to help businesses comply.

Office Guidelines and Policies

CDC’s Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings (2003)

Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

CDC COVID-19 Guidance for Dental Settings (archived page)

Additional Office Resources

Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard - because most dental offices screen patients prior to entry and do not permit people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, most dental offices are exempt from these requirements falling upon other healthcare facilities. However, all dental offices should perform a hazard assessment (below) and maintain a written COVID-19 plan.

ADA Members-Only: COVID-19 Hazard Assessment Guide and Checklist

ADA Update to Office Procedures During COVID-19

Patient Pre-Screening form - to be completed when confirming appointments and before entering the treatment area. Spanish-version

Toolkit: Patient Return: Talking with Your Patients About COVID-19 Vaccines - this members-only toolkit includes resources to help educate patients about the vaccine, correct misinformation, and connect them to local vaccination sites.

Task Force Members

The IDA wishes to thank the members of the COVID-19 task force for their diligent efforts in keeping patients and staff safe during the COVID pandemic.

Members of the Task Force:

Chair, Ryan Stuntz, DDS, Iowa Dental Association Past President, Dubuque
Kara Bylund, Assistant Director, Iowa Dental Association, Des Moines
Tom Cope, Iowa Dental Hygienists’ Association, Johnston
Jeffrey Chaffin, DDS, Vice-President and Dental Director for Delta Dental of Iowa, Johnston
Nathan Hehr, DDS, Iowa Dental Association Immediate Past President, Mason City
David Johnsen, DDS, MS, former Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City
Michael Kanellis, DDS, MS, Associate Dean for Patient Care, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City
Zach Kouri, DDS, Iowa Dental Association President, Urbandale
William McBride, DDS, former Board Chair, Iowa Dental Board, Dubuque
Valerie Peckosh, DMD, Dubuque
Jennifer Pierce, RDH, Iowa Dental Hygienists’ Association Past President, West Des Moines
Bob Russell, DDS, MPH, MPA, CPM, FACD, FICD, State Public Health Dental Director, Iowa Department of Public Health, Des Moines
Nancy Slach, RDH, former Dental Hygiene Member, Iowa Dental Board, Iowa City
Jill Stuecker, Executive Director, Iowa Dental Board, Des Moines
Sara Stuefen, DDS, Vinton
Laurie Traetow, Executive Director, Iowa Dental Association, Des Moines

PPE/Equipment/Services

The IDA does not endorse or recommend the following products, but makes them available for dental professionals as a resource to consider. It is your responsibility to confirm the products you order comply with existing requirements and recommendations.

A database of FDA-registered sellers of medical devices and PPE in the U.S. is available for your reference. Enter “ORW” into the product code box to view a list of registered manufacturers for KN95 masks. Please note this is only the first step that should be taken in the vetting process and these are manufacturers and not distributors. Additional information is available 24/7 by contacting the FDA at 888.463.6332.

Face Shields

Ark-La-Tex 3D Technology Face Shield

C2 Imaging Dental Face Shields

Cintas Corporation Face Shield (To order, submit the attached Intent to Purchase form to Tami Smith at SmithT32@cintas.com.)

Enova Face Shields – Designed to Comfortably Work with Most Loupes and Headlights

FastSigns Face Shields Order Form
FastSigns Release of Liability and Indemnification Agreement form (You must submit this form to FastSigns prior to receiving FastSigns products.)

Foremost Medical Equipment Lightweight Face Shield

Geiger Protective Face Shield (Contact Heather Weller at hweller@geiger.com or 319-981-1702 to order.)

Good Wood Face Protection Shield

HealthFirst Face Shield (HealthFirst is an IDA-endorsed company.)

H&J Medical Supplies Face Shields (Contact Connor Roberts at connor19roberts@gmail.com or 516-732-3711 to order.)

Ion Exhibits PPE

LB Products Face Shields (Contact Jessica Cope at parts@lbproducts.com or 641-472-0564 to order.)

MED Alliance Full-Face Protection Shield

MI Face Shields

MIT COVID-19 Face Shield

Nationwide Medical Supply Face Shield

PC Face Shield

Princess Health Group Fluid-Resistance Face Shield

Screen Solutions Dental Flex Face Shield (Contact Andrew Harwin at aharwin@screensolutionsinc.com or 516-359-0233 to order.)

US Nameplate Company Face Shield (Contact Tom McColley at tmccolley@usnameplate.com or 810-210-5764 to order.)

Gowns

Best Solutions Medical Level 3 Isolation Gowns (Contact Dan Morales at 440-379-1434 x 1010 to order for a limited time.)

Best Solutions Medical Polypropylene Isolation Gowns

Britten Gowns

Cintas Corporation Knit Cuff Lab Coat (For more information, contact Lynnae Schroeder at SchroederL2@cintas.com or 319-316-2785.)

Cintas Corporation Standard Barrier Coat (For more information, contact Lynnae Schroeder at SchroederL2@cintas.com or 319-316-2785.)

Dickson Industries DI-20 Reusable Gowns ($9; Contact Robin Hodge at rhodge@dicksonindustries.com or 515-262-8061 to order.)

Dickson Industries DI-21 Reusable Gowns ($12.75; Contact Robin Hodge at rhodge@dicksonindustries.com or 515-262-8061 to order.)

Entropy Medical Supplies Isolation Gowns (Contact Eric Mzyk at eric@entropymed.com to order.)

Geiger Disposable Gown (Contact Heather Weller at hweller@geiger.com or 319-981-1702 to order.)

MED Alliance Isolation Gowns

M Plus Isolation Gowns

Nationwide Medical Supply Disposable Gowns

Powers Athletic Lightweight Polyester Gown (These items are available in limited supply for $17 each. Contact Scott Klieman to order.)

Princess Health Group Isolation Gowns

US Nameplate Company Washable or Disposable Gowns (Contact Tom McColley at tmccolley@usnameplate.com or 810-210-5764 to order.)

White Elegance Protective Medical Gown

N95 Masks

IDA recommends offices work with their suppliers regarding N95 masks and surgical masks, and ask them regarding alternative options.

FlexPac KN95 Masks for Purchase
Due to a large number of counterfeit masks, IDA has previously refrained from including mask suppliers on this list. A very reliable source has vetted and made arrangements for Iowa dentists to purchase KN95 masks from the Davenport company FlexPac. The KN95 Kl-FM02 masks are produced by Jiangsu Clelo Material Technologies Co, LTD and are FDA approved. Masks are sold in packages of 30 at $3.45 per mask or $103.50 per package plus shipping and handling. To order, contact Shelly Barton at 309-794-0013 and state that you are inquiring about the “IDA Quoted Masks.”