Becker's Dental + DSO Review

13 BECKER'S DENTAL + DSO REVIEW - VOL. 2 JUNE 2020 Kaiser slashes dental appointments by 75% due to coronavirus concerns By Mackenzie Garrity O akland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente announced March 15 that all nonemergency medical and dental procedures in Oregon and Southwest Washington were postponed through the end of the month, according to The Oregonian. Patients could either reschedule their appointments or ask to visit with a provider through a virtual appointment. Kaiser decided to postpone nonemergency appointments to handle the anticipated influx of patients during the coronavirus outbreak. The health system wants to reserve medical staff and supplies for the most critical patients. The coronavirus outbreak has affected hospital's supply of products, including goggles, swabs, face shields and masks. By reduc- ing dental appointments by 75 percent, Kaiser estimates it will save 100,000 masks and 250,000 gloves per month. By mid-March, Kaiser had already postponed 420 surgical cases. n New Jersey dentist suspended after 15 patient infections, 1 death tied to practice By Gabrielle Masson A New Jersey oral surgeon has agreed to a five-year sus- pension after being tied to 15 bacterial heart infections since 2013, including a case that resulted in a patient dying from surgery complications, according to NBC's flagship station WNBC. John Vecchione, DDS, agreed Feb. 3 to the suspension and $293,500 in penalty fees after initially fighting allegations. A two-year investigation by the state health department and dentistry board into Dr. Vecchione's two outpatient surgery clinics began after a patient was diagnosed with endocarditis, a heart infection, five weeks after having two wisdom teeth pulled. A physician treating the patient had previously treated a similar case and alerted the state. The investigation found Dr. Vecchione engaged in "professional misconduct and gross negligence" by failing to follow infection control standards, according to WNBC. The state claimed the dentist did not properly prepare instruments, use sterile water or sterile saline during procedures, or properly handle and store single-dose medication vials. The suspension is retroactive to August 2016, and Dr. Vecchione could begin a one-year probation period as early as Aug. 31, 2020, if he complies with the consent order and demonstrates competency. n Dental patients are crowding ERs, providers say By Gabrielle Masson H ealthcare workers say emergency rooms are seeing increasing numbers of patients requiring emergency dental work as dental offices across the U.S. have canceled regular appointments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Both CMS and the American Dental Association urged dental clinics to postpone non-emergent care in efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and limit supply use during a shortage. The Northeastern District Dental Society of Minnesota reminded patients experiencing a dental emergency to contact a local dentist instead of a hospital, according to Pine Journal. People with dental emergencies, which can be life- threatening at times, were told to call the dental office before showing up, Nathan Halstead, DDS, president of the Northeastern District Dental Society, told Pine Journal. "We want to help our medical colleagues out by making sure we are not having patients show up to the emergency room with dental problems while they're dealing with the COVID-19 crisis," Dr. Halstead said. Richland, Wash.-based Lifetime Dental Care created an emergency response team to see patients with dental emergencies during the outbreak, Michael Breier, DMD, told KEPR-TV. The dental team is helping ease the burden on hospitals and emergency rooms, Dr. Breier said. n QUALITY & INFECTION CONTROL

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