Dental Protection calls on Government to prioritise vaccinations for dentists

Dental Protection is calling on the Government to prioritise dentists and dental teams to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Dentists are especially at risk of exposure to Covid-19, given the nature of the treatment they provide. The new Covid-19 variant is 70% more transmissible and poses a greater threat.

Dentists are one of the group of workers most exposed to the virus as they work in such close proximity to the patients mouth and undertake aerosol producing procedures.

Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection said:

“Dentists in Ireland are committed to providing the highest standard of clinical care to their patients.  It is vital that they and their teams be prioritised in the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, so that they can continue to provide the necessary care to their patients in a safe environment.

“We urge the Government to work with the HSE to confirm the plans for vaccination of dental professionals, without further delay.

“Dentists always put the interests of the patients first; it is now up to the Government and the HSE to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of dentists, their teams and their patients, is treated as a priority.”