FAQ for the Public

If in the past 48 hours have you had, or are you currently experiencing:

A fever (measured temperature greater than 38.0) or fever-like symptoms: chills or sweats

OR

A new or worsening cough

OR

Two or more of the following symptoms (new or worsening):

• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Headache
• Shortness of breath

You will not receive dental treatment unless it is an emergency.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency contact your dentist, or another dentist in your area, who will manage your care by tele-dentistry, or refer you to a dental office that has proper airborne precautions.
If you have a fever or cough or two or more of the above symptoms you will not receive non-emergency dental treatment until your COVID-19 situation is resolved.  You should call 811 to arrange for a COVID-19 test.

The Answer is yes.   

As indicated in the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia’s document titled “COVID – 19 Reopening Plan for Dental Clinics Phase 3 – Comprehensive Care” and as approved by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, patients must wear a non-medical mask to their appointment or be provided with a mask (non-medical or surgical) when they arrive.  Nova Scotia Public Health states, “You should wear a non-medical mask… if you’re going out to access medical care or other essential health services.”

Patients wearing a non-medical mask will need to take it off prior to starting their treatment and put the mask back on when treatment is completed.

For information regarding the exemptions for wearing a mask, please go to:

https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/masks/#Exemptions

The Chief Medical Officer of Health has made an Order under the Health Protection Act of Nova Scotia, allowing some groups of workers and other individuals to be exempt from the 14-day self-isolation period when arriving in Nova Scotia.  The following groups and individuals are exempt from the 14-day requirement:

Healthy workers in the trade and transportation sector who are employed in the movement of goods and people across the Nova Scotia border by land, air, or water, including truck drivers, crew, maintenance and operational workers on any plane, train or food production plants;

People travelling into Nova Scotia for essential health services and one accompanying support person;

Canadian military personnel, Coast Guard and RCMP; and

First responders, including police, fire and EHS paramedic workers.

If you are an essential worker that has travelled outside of Atlantic Canada, the dentist will triage and manage your oral health care needs by tele-dentistry whenever possible. If you require an appointment the dental office will schedule you an appointment.   These rules also apply to members of your immediate household.  While you may book a dental appointment within 14 days of returning to Nova Scotia, you are not exempt from pre-screening and screening and must pass these requirements to be treated in a dental office. Dental healthcare providers will use their clinical judgement regarding the scheduling of your appointment and treatment performed.

Essential workers are workers, such as truck drivers, who have been exempted from self-isolation requirements when arriving in Nova Scotia.  This exemption applies even if the essential worker has travelled outside of Canada.  Essential workers can receive dental treatment within 14 days of returning to Nova Scotia.

Rotational workers are residents of Nova Scotia who have a set schedule where they alternate between living in Nova Scotia, and working in another Canadian province or territory, or internationally.  Rotational workers must follow self-quarantine requirements established by the CMOH, effective December 4, 2020.  However, rotational workers can receive dental treatment within 14 days of returning to Nova Scotia from their work.

For both essential workers and rotational workers the dentist will triage and manage oral health care needs by tele-dentistry whenever possible. If you require an appointment the dental office will schedule you an appointment.  These rules also apply to members of your immediate household.  While you may book a dental appointment within 14 days of returning to Nova Scotia, you are not exempt from pre-screening and screening and must pass these requirements to be treated in a dental office. Dental healthcare providers will use their clinical judgement regarding the scheduling of your appointment and treatment performed.

People with COVID-19 who have ended home isolation can receive comprehensive dental care. In Nova Scotia, discontinuation of home isolation for patients with COVID-19 occurs at the direction of NS Public Health if at least ten days have passed since onset of the first symptom or laboratory confirmation of an asymptomatic case, the case did not require hospitalization, or the case is afebrile and has improved clinically. Absence of a cough is not required for those known to have a chronic cough or for those who are experiencing reactive airways post-infection.

When you have recovered from COVID-19 you will be informed of the end of self-isolation by Public Health. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet ended home isolation you should not be treated unless your condition is life threatening. If so, you will be referred to an appropriate center that can provide your dental care using airborne precautions.

Prior to treatment all patients will be subject to strict screening protocols to check for COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors.  Staff in the dental office are also required to stay away from work if they are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms.

Dental offices will have to ensure social distancing protocols are respected in their waiting rooms, and all offices will have to follow enhanced infection control protocols.

Patients may also notice that dental office personnel will be wearing additional PPE.  Additional PPE could include lab coats, goggles, face shields and/or masks, depending on the procedure. Front office personnel will have masks and there may be a transparent partition at the reception.