Omicron Variant and Revised Guidance for all Ontario Dentists
On December 22, 2021, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) revised its guidance to dentists in Ontario. Dentists are required to ensure that all staff who have direct in-person patient interactions don a fit-tested, seal-checked N95 respirator (or the equivalent, as approved by Health Canada).
RDTs who work or attend chair-side in dental clinics must be aware of these requirements and RCDSO’s COVID-19 Managing Infection Risks During In-Person Dental Care guidance document.
Ontario Extending Call to Arms to Businesses, Volunteers and Retired Health Professionals
The Ontario government is taking action to scale up its capacity to administer vaccines and get more boosters into arms sooner by:
- Recruiting everyday Ontarians as volunteers to support health care providers and others at vaccination clinics across the province through the Ontario COVID-19 Volunteer Portal.
- Making regulatory amendments to allow more individuals to safely administer the COVID-19 vaccine, such as retired nurses and physicians, dentists, and firefighters. These individuals are encouraged to register through the Health Workforce Matching Portal.
- Unleashing the full potential of the province’s businesses, workers and union leaders to support the vaccine rollout by hosting employer-led clinics. Employer-led clinics must be set up, operated and funded by employers and meet established criteria.
