From the Office
By KDA Executive Director, Kevin Robertson
What’s next?
I’m sitting “safe-at-home” in my makeshift home office, staring at the framed US flags, which flew over the United State Capitol, in commemoration my two sons’ Eagle Scout awards thinking…how BACKWARDS things have become.
Congress actually mustered a UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN vote to pass the CARES Act COVID-19 relief bill; the once revered Boy Scouts of America has declared bankruptcy amid an ongoing leader sexual abuse scandal; and then there’s COVID-19, which is threatening the economic and actual health of the United States and her citizens.
My thoughts then quickly turn to Kansas dentists and the unprecedented number of KDA members whom KDA staff and I have spoken with since March 16. I don’t mean a quick “I need to pay my dues” phone call between patients.
I’m talking about:
“I have staff that count on me."
"How am I going to pay my mortgage and student loans?”
"Are my staff and I at risk of getting COVID-19?”
I'm talking about
“How can you help me?”
phone calls. It’s been sobering.
Sure, the KDA office has had to deal with some inconveniences of our own, and also had to lay off a staff member last week; however, we know dentists across the country are facing real financial hardships and concerns.
I want you to know, the KDA, its officers, and staff are here for you, doing our best to understand new topics, decipher the information, and get it out to you as quickly as possible.
The ADA worked closely with Congress so dentistry was properly understood in the CARES Act, and is now quickly pushing out webinars and information to dentists about accessing the financial relief loans and grants. The ADA is also working with the CDC and other agencies in an attempt to understand SARS-CoV-2.
There’s a lot of anxiety across the country right now and dentists’ emotions are running the gamut. The recent Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) emergency-only care extension to April 17, along with the Governor's statewide stay-at-home order, haven’t helped.
I’ve talked to dentists angered about dentistry being asked to scale back patients to emergency-only procedures, as well as dentists who are frustrated that some of their colleagues have continued to work “business-as-usual,” while they have heeded the recommendations of the KDHE, CDC, ADA and others.
Anxiety, sadness, worry, and maybe a little fear… it’s all there. Many of the calls
just want ANSWERS. Most often it’s simply,
“when can I go back to work?”
Unfortunately, there are very few simple black and white answers right now - just one enormous blob of gray uncertainty.
If there is any certainty at all in this situation, please know you are not alone and the KDA and ADA are here for you.
Thank you for your confidence in us.
