On May 11, the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) eliminated the 15-minute wait time rule for cleaning dental operatories from its Interim Guidance for Dentistry during the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency and the Reopening New York Dentistry Guidelines for Employers and Employees.

Under the section titled “Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfection,” the following guidance has been removed: “Responsible parties must ensure that DHCP wait at least 15 minutes after completion of dental visit or procedure to allow potential contagious droplets to sufficiently fall from the air before beginning cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces in the dental operatory per CDC Guidance on Generation and Behavior Airborne Particles.”

In order to mitigate the spread of the virus, you must continue to follow all other infection-control protocols as stated in the NYSDOH guidelines. These protocols include mandatory health screening practices of DHCP, patients, and visitors.

We encourage you and your staff to carefully review the guidelines. We continue to monitor updated guidance, along with all COVID data, daily and will share information as it becomes available.

NYSDA thanks Commissioner Zucker for reviewing our request to update NYSDOH guidelines to align with the CDC and end the confusion about observing an unnecessary 15-minute wait period before cleaning dental operatories.