Commenting on the announcement that patients will continue to be required to wear face coverings in healthcare settings after July 19, Stephen Henderson, MDDUS head of dental, said, “I wrote to the chief dental officers of the four UK nations on July 8 to request clarification on behalf of MDDUS members on the use of face coverings in dental settings.
“With the wearing of face masks more widely set to become a matter of personal responsibility in England from July 19 onwards, alongside the lifting of lockdown restrictions from the same date, we had seen a rising number of members getting in touch with us who had been challenged by patients about the requirement to wear them in the dental practice setting, leading to complaints and threats of claims under the Equality Act.
“I am delighted that England’s chief nurse has provided confirmation that Public Health England’s infection prevention control guidelines will remain in place for healthcare settings beyond July 19, meaning that it will still be expected that patients will wear face coverings when visiting a dental practice.
“Any MDDUS member with concerns about the use of face coverings in their practice after July 19 should get in touch with us to discuss on 0333 043 4444."