Dentists Justified In Shunning Temperature Checks Outside
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- Published: Monday, 25 January 2021 10:52
- Written by Chris Tapper
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UK dentists are right to be sceptical of infra-red non-contact thermometers according to recent research.
An Australian study published in the American Journal of Infection Control showed that non-contact infrared thermometers (NCIT’s) demonstrated poor accuracy at temperatures greater than 37℃.
Many dental practices across the UK are still carrying out temperature checks of patients outside the building before allowing admission. Under the COVID-19 guidance and standard operating procedures guidance updated in August, there is no requirement for practices to carry out temperature checks, though many general medical practices are also still using NCIT’s before seeing patients.
During an observational study in two Australian hospitals in non-infected patients, NCIT’s showed comparable results with Temporal Artery Thermometers (TAT). But when temperatures exceeded 37.5℃, the accuracy of the no-touch thermometers decreased. Researchers concluded that “these results indicate that the NCIT may not be the most accurate device for fever mass screening during a pandemic.”
A mini-survey on Twitter carried out by @DentistGoneBadd recently, showed that dental professionals were demonstrating a healthy and intuitive scepticism of the no-contact devices. The question was posed in the light of most patient temperature checks being carried out on the doorstep of practices, in varying outside ambient temperatures. Dental professionals were asked if they were confident of readings from non-contact thermometers.
Of nearly 300 respondents, 94% said “No, but has to be done,” while only 6% said they were absolutely confident in temperature results.
One dental professional said “We have carried on mainly because patients now expect it.” Another respondent, a dentist said “It’s a piece of theatre designed to make people feel safe.”
Another dentist said “Stopped bothering ages ago.In the summer, everyone turned up with a fever because they were sitting in their cars, waiting. Five minutes in the shade and they returned to normal.”
A number of dental professionals said their temperatures were often low on arriving at work after a walk to work in the cold.
Many said they had now dropped the practice of temperature checks, while one practitioner now uses an ear thermometer. One dental pro who actually contracted COVID-19 observed that she had only one day where she experienced a high fever. Many dental professionals appeared to cast doubt on the efficacy and reliability of temperature checks alone.
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