Becker's Dental + DSO Review

7 BECKER'S DENTAL + DSO REVIEW - VOL. 2 JUNE 2020 Nearly 1 in 5 dental practices are shut down due to pandemic, survey finds By Gabrielle Masson N ineteen percent of dentists said their offices are closed completely, while 76 percent said their of- fices were only treating emergency patients during the pandemic, according to an American Dental Associa- tion Health Policy Institute biweekly poll. Nearly 70,000 dentists from across the U.S. were asked to participate in the poll, with 19,155 respondents for the week of March 23. When asked if their dental practice staff was getting paid for that week of work, 27 percent of dentists reported pay- ing staff in full, while 45 percent said staff received partial pay and 28 percent did not pay any staff. Of dentists surveyed from DSO-owned practices, 34.6 percent weren't paying staff, while 27.6 percent of dentists surveyed from non-DSO practices weren't paying staff. n ADA creates COVID-19 recovery task force By Mackenzie Garrity T he American Dental Association assembled a task force to help dentists bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many dental practices have implemented restrictions or completely closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ADA has recommended practices keep their offices closed through April 30. The Advisory Task Force on Dental Practice Recovery will work to help dentists get back to work while also protecting patients, office staff and themselves. The task force is composed of prac- ticing dentists and ADA experts. Rudy Liddell, DMD, and Kirk Norbo, DDS, serve as co-chairs. "The COVID-19 crisis has had a challenging impact on our den- tal community," said ADA President Chad Gehani, DDS. "Yet the strength of our profession has never been more evident –– for now, we may be distant, but we are not disconnected. While we guide dentistry through these trying times, the American Den- tal Association also has its eye on what will come next." n DENTAL PROFESSIONALS Utah governor reopens dental offices, unveils COVID-19 tracking app By Gabrielle Masson D ental offices in Utah can immediately reopen, Gov. Gary Herbert announced April 22, according to the Cache Valley Daily. "You can perform really about any procedure that you were doing before, with some safety protocols and pre- cautions in place," Mr. Herbert said. The new order requires patients' temperatures be taken before entering a healthcare facility. Only one visitor is allowed per patient, and everyone is required to wear a mask, except the patient when a procedure is occurring. Mr. Herbert said officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases in Utah and adjust guidelines if necessary. "Data is what is driving us. It's not fear. It is not politics," Mr. Herbert said. Officials also unveiled Healthy Together, a free smart- phone app developed to help users know if they come into contact with anyone infected with COVID-19. n

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