Stay Home Work Safe order’ goes into effect in Harris County, Houston TX

HOUSTON — Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge, made an announcement on Tuesday stating that rising numbers in the Houston area indicate that our community “must take further steps” to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19

During her annoincement, Judge Hidalgo, also stat3es that the county is calling a “Stay Home Work Safe” order for both Harris County and the City of Houston. This order is similar to what many other communities around the country are referring to as a “stay-at-home order” or a shelter-in-place.

Are Dentist in Houston considered an essential business during “Stay Home Work Safe” Order?

It has been made clear that grocery stores and restaurants will remain open (for takeout, delivery). Daycares that provide support for essential employees will also remain open.

In addition there has been 16 sectors deemed critial by the Cybersecurity and Infastructure Security Agency:

“There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof. Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21): PPD-21 identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors.”

Here are those sectors:

What Sector do dentist fall under:

Dentist can be categorized as part of the Emergency Services Sector and the Healthcare and Public Health Sector. However after an Executive order from Governor Greg Abbott that went into effect at 3:00 pm on Sunday March 22, 2020 in which he orders all Texas-licensed health care professionals (including dentist) postpone all procedures that are not medically necessary until midnight April 21,2020. Limiting Dentist to only see patients with a Dental Emergency or in need of Urgent Dental Care. This places Dentist and emergency dental visits as part of the Emergency Services Sector under Emergency Medical Services.

What Is Considered A Dental Emergency or Urgent Dental Care

The ADA (American Dental Association) has developed guidance on dental emergency, nonemergency care as they recognized that state governments and state dental associations may be best positioned to recommend to the dentists in their regions the amount of time to keep their offices closed to all but emergency care.

Dental emergencies

are potentially life threatening and require immediate treatment to stop ongoing tissue bleeding, alleviate severe pain or infection, and include:

Uncontrolled bleeiding
Cellulitis or a diffuse soft tissue bacterial infection with intra-oral or extra-oral swelling that potentially compromise the patient’s airway
Trauma involving facial bones, potentially compromising the patient’s airway

Urgent dental care

focuses on the management of conditions that require immediate attention to relieve severe pain and/or risk of infection and to alleviate the burden on hospital emergency departments. These should be treated as minimally invasively as possible.

Severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation
Pericoronitis or third-molar pain
Surgical post-operative osteitis, dry socket dressing changes
Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
Dental trauma with avulsion/luxation
Dental treatment required prior to critical medical procedures
Final crown/bridge cementation if the temporary restoration is lost,broken or causing gingival irritation
Biopsy of abnormal tissue

Other urgent dental care:

Extensive dental caries or defective restorations causing pain
Manage with interim restorative techniques when possible (silver diamine fluoride, glass ionomers)
Suture removal
Denture adjustment on radiation/oncology patients
Denture adjustments or repairs when function impeded
Replacing temporary filling on endo access openings in patients experiencing pain
Snipping or adjustment of an orthodontic wire or appliances piercing or ulcerating the oral mucosa

What Is Considered Non Emergency Dental Procedures

Routine or non-urgent dental procedures includes but are not limited to:

Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain,
infection, trauma)
Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic carious lesions
Aesthetic dental procedures

Which Dental Offices Will Be Open For Emergency Care During “Stay Home Work Safe” Order In Houston?

Antoine Dental Center will be one of few dental offices in Houston that will be operationg under the Emergency Services Sector. Providing Emergency Dental and Urgent Dental Care to the entire city.

Can I Be Seen For My Regular Monthly Braces Check-Up?

Unfortuntely all orthodontic treatment visits that are non emergency will have to be postponed until after April 21, 2020. We will be contacting patients with updates via Text, Emails and Phone Calls. You can also visit our website frequently for updates at www.antoinedentalcenter.com