Based upon the telephone calls, emails and social media posts regarding yesterday’s Alert about Treatment Permitted in Dental Offices, it became apparent that the advisory raised more questions than clarifications. That was not the intention and the NJDA sincerely apologizes for not presenting a clearer message. Therefore, we want to emphasize the following:
- Neither the Executive Orders issued by the Governor nor the clarifications furnished by his office authorize New Jersey dentists to conduct “business as usual”
- Licensees should exercise their reasonable clinical judgment to delay any invasive procedures that do not involve the diagnosis or treatment of active dental/orofacial disease, acute pain or mastication difficulties.
Whenever a treating dentist, in the exercise of proper discretion, believes that a procedure should be performed because its delay would pose an undue risk to the current or future oral health of the patient, the procedure can be performed provided, however, the basis for the discretionary decision should be documented in the patient record.
Thomas A. Rossi, D.M.D
NJDA President
Mitchell L.Weiner, D.M.D.
NJDA President-Elect