A.G. Gancarski
Unless Florida dentists can get back to work soon, many of them will be out of business.
That was the major takeaway from remarks made Friday by Dr. Rudy Liddell, President of the Florida Dental Association, to a subgroup of the Governor’s Re-Open Florida Task Force.
Though dental facilities are medical by definition, the vast majority of the work they do was shut down last month when an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis banned elective medical treatments.
Liddell, addressing the Agriculture, Finance, Government, Healthcare, Management and Professional Services committee, pushed for dentists to be considered “essential” so they can get the Personal Protective Equipment, such as N95 masks, that is necessary for a timely and safe re-opening.
Liddell suggested that in dentistry, delays in “elective care … can lead to a dental emergency.” Liddell said.
The larger issue is what is a mounting financial emergency for the sector.
More than 90% of dentists are seeing 10% or less patient volume, Liddell said regarding an internal survey, noting that if restrictions continued through the end of June, nearly half would not reopen.
“If these dentists can’t re-open their practices, this could hurt dental access for years to come,” Liddell said, suggesting bridge loans for dentists on the financial brink, and an opening no later than May 8.
The dental experience, he suggested, would change.
Liddell noted new protocols for dentists, including pre-screening questions asked multiple times regarding COVID-19 exposure.
Temperature checks, for patients and staff, will be a regular thing, in hopes of “bringing transmission down to zero.”
Quick tests for COVID-19 would also be ideal.
Even waiting areas will change, with patients calling to verify arrival before coming in, to “reduce patient-to-patient interaction.”
“Gradual starts” to reopening are Liddell’s preference, though he wouldn’t want to see a delayed opening past May 8.
“My message isn’t one of gloom and doom but optimism and assurance that Florida’s dentists are ready to get back,” Liddell said.
However, if dentists don’t get back, and soon, gloom and doom will descend on the sector, another consequence of the unprecedented fight against COVID-19.
8 comments
M
April 24, 2020 at 2:31 pm
This seems very sketchy, how will all the aerosols be disinfected , how will the production be enough to pay staff their time and salary after the 2 month ppp program. How will the staff be tested and patients get testing?
Elizabeth
April 24, 2020 at 2:47 pm
This is ridiculous. We need to postpone cleanings. Please consider postponing opening of elective dental treatments such as dental cleanings. I am a registered licensed dental hygienist and this would be waaaay too soon to go back to work may 8. The numbers of covid have NOT declined. We are number 1 at risk and theres no real way to obtain proper air sanitation, testing and PPE at this time. I am immunocompromised and care for an elderly parent and children at home. Theres no way I can social distance from my patients who are a foot away from me while i work in their mouths. This would expose and raise your infected numbers greatly as it’s been shown majority of carriers are asymptomatic and testing has many false negatives. Please please please help us out by proper PPE and procedures laid out prior to reopening. Standard precautions are NOT sufficient. Thank you!
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Myra Ortiz
April 24, 2020 at 9:34 pm
I have a question.For the past 15 years or more, most dental offices are open no doors, just cabinets in between treatment rooms, and hall ways. Which means if 4 hygenist are working plus the dentist has multiple rooms, how is he suppose to minimize airborne contamination? Is it going to be a law to enclose rooms? I’m an assistant, high risk because of my asthma. Office is thinking of opening on May 11th, possible sooner. I’m doubting how safe it really is. Standard,precautions are not really any good. Just thought of, may not be able to even use ultrasonic, due to aerosols. Are dental offices going to have updates soon ?
Vintage
April 26, 2020 at 1:30 pm
Light up the place with UV lamps.
dentist patient
April 30, 2020 at 12:49 am
Dentists cannot possibily protect themselves from covid 19. Even with the best ppe, the social distance of dental treatment is under 2 feet.The use of ppe by a dentist is always subject to exposure,through unintended carelessness.No one is 100% perfect always.
The average dentist sees between 12 to 25 patients per day. With that volume, at that social distance,a dentist’s odds of infection skyrocket. If he is asymptomatic,but covid 19 infected,he will expose that many people,and they inturn will expose their families and friends.This is a potential diaster for dentists,their families, as well as the populations they serve.
From an economic prospective, reducing patient volume initially will help control exposures, but volume controls will leave solo dentists at a financial loss, since they average 60% of production as overhead at full operation. Therefore if they average 50% of their former practice volume, they may in fact be running at a loss. At that pace, many will just fold shop. This is a diaster from every angle.
Common Sense
April 30, 2020 at 10:18 am
Employees of dental offices that are high risk due to pre-existing conditions should not come in to work. Duh, no-brainer! Let the rest of us try to resume our lives using common sense precautions. Our Constitution does not guarantee the right to a total risk-free life. If you don’t let your dentist open his practice, you may not have a practice to come back to work to!!
Dentalpatient
April 30, 2020 at 10:48 am
The constitution is not the issue Dentistry as a vector for covid transmission is the issue. Remember thyroid Mary?
Dentalpatient
April 30, 2020 at 10:50 am
Thyphoid Mary**
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