Dubai’s DHA suspends non-urgent elective dental services

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has suspended some non-urgent elective dental services and reduced the number of dental clinics across its facilities in the emirate.

The step is a precautionary measure to protect patients and healthcare personnel from the Covid-19 infection and stem its spread.

Dental services will be provided from Sunday to Thursday from 7.30am to 9.30pm at the following DHA facilities: Al Mizhar Health Centre, Nad Al Hamar Health Centre, Al Barsha Health Centre, Al Safa Health Centre, Al Mamzar Health Centre (for children only), Rashid Hospital and Hatta Hospital, DHA said.

Nad Al Hamar Centre and Al Barsha Centre will cater to emergency dental cases only, while the remaining health facilities will cater to patients with prior appointments, the authority confirmed.

The dental department stressed that dental services for urgent cases are being provided under stringent preventive measures, while ensuring that medical staff are wearing special masks, face shields, gloves and medical gowns that cover the entire body, official news agency WAM reported.

Other measures include ensuring physical distancing between customers and comprehensive sterilisation after each patient.

In another directive issued last week, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) also suspended elective surgeries with effect from January 21 to February 19 in a bid to prioritise Covid-19 care. Only elective surgeries that are for medical emergencies are permitted.

Read: Dubai suspends non-urgent elective surgeries for one month

The UAE has seen a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. On Tuesday, it announced 3,601 new cases, its highest daily rise in infections since the virus broke out in the country early last year. The total number of infections reported so far has crossed 285,000.

Meanwhile, the death toll moved past 800.

Read more: Covid-19 update: UAE reports 3,601 cases, highest daily rise in infections; death toll crosses 800