Friday, March 20, 2020
These certainly are challenging times. Coronavirus is causing the closure of schools and businesses across the world and country and leaving people wondering how they can stay both physically and financially healthy. Dental offices are being impacted as well, with the ADA recently urging practices to postpone elective procedures and to only focus on emergency and urgent care over the next three weeks.
The situation is fluid, with recommendations and guidelines changing daily. To help you stay informed, we’ve put together a list of resources you can turn to for advice during this unprecedented crisis, as well as information on ways dental manufacturers are doing their part to help.
Places to Find Information
The ADA is a great resource for dentists who want to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 impacts to the industry. After urging dentists to only treat emergencies, the organization put together guidance on what exactly an emergency is. The ADA also has created a Coronavirus Center for Dentists that is filled with regularly updated information.
While many dentists are choosing to close their practices, there are some staying open to handle emergencies. The Journal of Dental Research, co-owned by the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and the American Association of Dental Research (AADR), recently published a paper with a number of recommendations for strict infection control protocols for dental practices and schools. The paper was written by researchers at Wuhan University School & Hospital of Stomatology.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put together Resources for Clinics and Healthcare Facilities to offer guidance during the COVID-19 crisis. You also can find general information about COVID-19, the latest updates and advice on how to keep yourself and your family safe on the CDC website.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a great place to turn for updates and general information on COVID-19.
If you’re looking for local guidance, visit your state dental association’s website.
Dental Manufacturers Offering Help
There are a variety of dental companies helping where they can, including putting together free resources and offering discounted pricing:
-Hu-Friedy has a variety of infection control resources on its website, including posters, on-demand webinars and an eBook. The company also recently posted a COVID-19 podcast.
-Carestream Dental announced plans to launch a teledentistry solution that will enable clinicians to care for patients remotely. The company also held a virtual trade show to help fill the void of the canceled Hinman Dental Meeting. Other dental meeting cancelations continue to come in, including the Academy of Laser Dentistry’s (ALD) annual conference, which was set for April, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s AACD 2020, also scheduled for April.
-MouthWatch recently announced upgrades to its TeleDent software that make it even easier for dentists to interact with patients remotely. The company also has developed a three-step plan to deploy TeleDent.
-Millennium Dental Technologies recently announced an economic stimulus package for pricing on the PerioLase® Periodontal Package. The limited-time pricing represents a $50,000 price reduction, or 42% compared to a current 25% stock price decline. New financing options also are available.
-Henry Schein now has a COVID-19 Education Center on its website that includes downloadable infographics, links to videos and FAQs on the availability of PPE and critical items such as gloves and masks.
Stay Informed
While these are challenging, uncertain times, there are places dentists can turn to for guidance and reassurance. Check these and other dental websites regularly, including Dentalcompare, for the latest on the coronavirus pandemic and how it’s impacting the dental industry, the country and the world.