On September 17, the California Department of Public Health ended mandatory COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated health care workers and other individuals in high-risk settings, including dental offices.

Unvaccinated dentists and their staff have complied with state public health mandates requiring vaccination or weekly testing since full compliance began on August 23, 2021. Negative test to their employer.

Dentist employers had tracking and documentation obligations as part of state mandates. During this time, CDA members will provide CDA self-certification of employee vaccination status, a weekly test tracking form for employees, and a form for requesting and documenting vaccination exemptions to assist in compliance. used resources.

Other high-risk healthcare settings not covered by the weekly or biweekly testing requirements include clinics, general acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, acute psychiatric facilities, and homeless shelters. include, but are not limited to:

Although state orders have been lifted, some cities and counties still require weekly COVID-19 testing. Employers, whether federal, state or local, are required to follow stricter mandates and should check with their local health department to ensure compliance.

Vaccination coverage ‘high among workers in high-risk settings’

A state news release announcing the end of the July 21, 2021 public health order notes higher vaccination rates among workers working in high-risk environments. His CDA’s own survey, conducted from May 2021 to his June, showed that 94% of dentists in California had his COVID-19 vaccination .

The different behavior of Omicron subvariants—mainly their increased contagiousness among vaccinated, boosted, and even previously infected individuals—also influenced CDPH’s decision to withdraw its vaccination or testing obligations. gave.

“Mandatory testing of a small number of unimmunized workers has not effectively prevented disease transmission in the same way as the original COVID-19 virus and previous variants early in the pandemic,” it said. “As a result, while COVID-19 remains with us, I have decided to make the July 26, 2021 State Public Health Officer Order effective September 17, 2022. Canceled,” a state public health official wrote.

Employers are encouraged to continue to promote immunizations, testing

While the weekly testing requirement ends, CDPH encourages employers to continue providing testing resources to staff to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. Mask and improve indoor ventilation. ”

Dentists can continue to use resources from the CDA’s Vaccine Confidence Toolkit to conduct rapid tests in their practice, manage their workforce, and discuss vaccine safety and efficacy with their patients. Just last week, with the support of a CDPH grant, the CDA published new infographics, vaccination topics, sample social media posts, and other resources specifically for use in dental offices.

Additionally, California dentists and other employers can require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A member dentist can use the CDA’s sample her vaccination policy, which includes instructions and considerations for employers, including situations in which employees are exempt from compliance.

Masking, screening and reporting requirements continue to apply in dental practices

Dentists and their staff, as well as patients and visitors to dental offices and other health care facilities in California, should continue to wear face masks, and employers should ensure that staff involved in aerosol-generating procedures are properly worn. A suitable respirator must be provided. Cal/OSHA requires the use of a ventilator during such procedures in both dental and medical settings.

Additionally, dental practices should continue to screen patients for COVID-19 as required by Cal/OSHA.

The CDA includes FAQs on masking and screening requirements and detailed information on ongoing reporting and return-to-work requirements per the current Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards ending December 31st. I have an article.