The American Dental Association (ADA) has issued a statement saying that they “respectfully yet strongly disagree with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to delay “routine” dental care in certain situations due to COVID-19″

On August 3rd, 2020, The WHO released “Considerations for the provision of essential oral health services in the context of COVID-19” interim guidance, which states:

“WHO advises that routine non-essential oral health care – which usually includes oral health check-ups, dental cleanings and preventive care – be delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates from community transmission to cluster cases or according to official recommendations at national, sub-national or local level. The same applies to aesthetic dental treatments.”

The ADA has taken issue with the WHO’s definition of “non-essential oral health care,” with the association’s president, Chad P. Gehani, D.D.S., stating:

“Oral health is integral to overall health — staying well depends on having access to health care, which includes dental treatment.”

He added:

“Dentistry is essential health care because of its role in evaluating, diagnosing, preventing or treating oral diseases, which can affect systemic health.”

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