Ventilation in dental surgeries relating to COVID-19

Dental practices are facing many challenges while operating post the COVID-19 lockdown. The fallow time – the time between patients is one of the most significant barriers. There are reports in some private dental practice treatment capacity is running at 30-50% of its normal rate.

Understanding the ventilation in a practice’s treatment room is crucial to helping Dentists make safe decisions both for employees and the patients.

The information about risks of Covid-19 transmission through dental aerosols is still evolving. Current guidance accepts that 60 minutes should be the recommended fallow period after a high-risk aerosol-generating procedure. However, it is only applicable for a surgery where six air changer per hour (ACH) can be assured.

Practitioners can adjust the fallow period through a justifiable and clearly documented risk assessment, which would also include reviewing methods of ventilation, measuring and calculating air change rates.

We can help Dentists understand their ventilation systems and provide risk assessment documentation.