 |
Good Vibrations
&
Information Exchange!
Issue # 9
June 26, 2020
#KDAgoodVibrations
#KDAinformationExchange
#KDAdentalCommunity
We are dedicated to sending you good vibrations and helping our dental community share good information with each other.
Submissions are FREE for EVERYONE!
We invite EVERYONE in our dental community to participate, vendors too!
The name of this publication is Good Vibrations, so we are looking for positive and helpful submissions to share.
Now accepting submissions. Here are the particulars:
* This publication will now be sent on the last Friday of each month before noon. Submissions must be in by the previous Tuesday at 9 a.m.
* Please keep submissions to 50 words or less - you may also include one photo and one link, in addition to the 50 words (So, you will have to be creative!)
* Seriously, no negative stuff - please share positive, helpful or fun news.
|
KBD Memo on COVID-19 Related Waivers and Extensions
The Board of Dentistry is aware that Kentucky's current social distancing requirements have made it difficult, if not impossible, for some practitioners to keep up with their licensure requirements. Therefore, under the authority of Executive Orders
2020-243
and
2020-257
, the Board has issued a
memorandum
announcing the following suspensions and changes to the rules governing the practice of dentistry:
CPR Certification
- The requirement that dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants maintain an active CPR certification is suspended until 90 days after the order to postpone elective procedures is rescinded.
ACLS / PALS Certification - The requirement that sedation permit holders maintain an active ACLS or PALS certification is suspended until 90 days after the order to postpone elective procedures is rescinded.
CE Requirements - All other Continuing Education requirements will be extended for 90 days after their original deadlines.
Provisional Licensure - Dental and dental hygiene school graduates who are unable take the clinical examination but meet all other licensure requirements are eligible to receive a temporary license.
Specialists Practicing General Dentistry - Specialists can now practice general dentistry in an emergency capacity while the state of emergency is in effect.
Click on the link below to read the memo:
|
|
Whip Mix donates over 1,000 face shields to Louisville hospitals
In an effort to help our community hospitals and medical personnel, Asiga developed and Whip Mix 3D printed face shields with autoclavable headbands and donated over 1,000 to local hospitals in Louisville, Kentucky. We are also making masks with changeable N95 filters, comfort bands for facemasks, and Covid-19 testing swabs.
|
|
Check here for potential sources for all types of PPE on our resource page. We will add new sources as we receive them.
Disclaimer: While the KDA will make every effort to list legitimate PPE providers, a company's inclusion on this page in no way reflects any endorsement from the KDA, whatsoever. Please take thoughtful care when dealing with any company. Do your own additional vetting of any entity, before you act.
|
|
The ADA COVID-19 Strategic Recovery Plan
|
|
Updated CDC Guidelines for Dental Settings:
|
|
ADA Tip Sheet Helps Health Care Professionals Avoid Counterfeit N95 Masks
The ADA News (5/7, Versaci) reports that the ADA has "created a tip sheet with guidance from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health group at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help health care professionals avoid buying or using counterfeit N95 respirators, which are often simply referred to as masks." For instance, suspicious websites or marketplaces may have "a primary email contact that uses a free email service; typos, bad grammar and other errors; broken links; and unfinished content." In addition, N95 counterfeit masks may lack or misspell NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) on its marking, lack an approval number or other type of marking, have ear loops rather than a headband, claim approval for use by children, or include decorative add-ons.
The ADA also offers a free, on-demand webinar called Respiratory Protection in the Era of COVID-19 that includes presentations from two infection control experts from the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention and focuses on the steps necessary to introduce the use of N95 and other masks into the dental office.
The ADA also created a chart that highlights the characteristics of several common types of masks and their appropriate uses.
From ADA News, May 7, 2020
|
Children ready for school during the 1918 flu epidemic...
Photo courtesy of https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/8937
|
|
Get a "coronavirus refund" on your malpractice insurance
It's not automatic, unfortunately. How it works: for the time you had to be closed, your malpractice will be moved to part-time status and will be moved back to full-time once your practice restrictions are lifted. While it's not going to be a big refund, it's what we can do to help. Dentists who graduated in 2018 or 2019 are not eligible for this reimbursement because your "new dentist discount" is already higher than the part-time discount. (Sorry to you new grads who received this email; there was no way for me to filter you out. But at least now you know we're good people.)
Complete the COVID-19 Part-Time Supplement Application
Click here
and return it to me via email or fax to 502-690-5201 as soon as possible. DO NOT WAIT for your office to reopen. The date that your State authority lifts restrictions will be the end date of your temporary part-time status. We will send your refund once normal business resumes.
Tips for the app:
- Question 2: Exact office hours are only needed if you are scheduling regular office hours. If not, write "as needed."
- Question 4: If you have posted some sort of notice at the office, your website, on social media, practice voicemail, or emailed your patients about your office operations during the shutdown, describe that or provide a copy/photo/etc.!
- Question 5: If the return date is unknown, please indicate "per state advisement."
- You can use an electronic signature.
Continue to follow ADA, CDC, and your state guidelines and recommendations. The carrier's dedicated COVID-19 resource page is available at
www.protectorplan.com/covid-19/
. Our best wishes go out to you, your colleagues, and loved ones.
Sincerely,
The Bowman Insurance Team
Brandon Bowman
Teri Myers
Dana Byrley
David Bowman
502-638-2969
|
Green Lights Stand for Hope!
Tonight, and every night that I have to report a fatality, it's a small thing but we're going to light the Kentucky Governor's Mansion green. Green is the color of compassion, it's the color of empathy. It's also a color of renewal.
Gov. Andy Beshear
Text from LEO Magazine, April 17, 2020
Photo: Louisville's Big Four Bridge from wave3.com
Have you seen any green lights in
your neighborhood?
Send us a picture!
|
|
COVID19 PPE Request Fact Sheet
We are sharing information from Dr. Julie McKee, State Dental Director regarding PPE. Please see the link below and refer to it as appropriate.
From Dr. Julie McKee, KY State Dental Director
|
|
KY Dept. for Family Services introduces
Battelle CCDS
Critical Care Decontamination System
To protect our healthcare workers and address the PPE shortage across the U.S., we are pleased to announce the arrival of a Battelle CCDS
TM Critical Care Decontamination System in Louisville.
The Battelle CCDS
TM will provide healthcare facilities throughout the state a process to decontaminate N95 or N95-equivalent respirators for reuse up to 20 times without degrading the respirator's performance. The system can decontaminate up to 80,000 N95 respirators a day.
From Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner, KY Dept. for Public Health
|
|
KASPER Prescriber Report Cards have returned
It's easier than ever to read, identify high risk patients and view prescribing comparisons within your specialty. Follow the instructions in the KASPER - KOG User Guide to access KASPER, select your dental specialty, and view your report.
From David R. Hopkins,
KY Cabinet for Health & Family Services
|
A Message from CareCredit CEO Beto Casellas...
As many KDA members have opened or prepare to open, CareCredit has been working behind the scenes on how we can help patients and providers during these unprecedented times. We want to assist in the success of your members as they return to a new normal. From May 1st-July 31st, 2020, to help revitalize production we are offering special pricing on select Merchant Rates to help provider/member businesses rebound while giving provider/member patients or clients more time to pay for the care they want and need.
Below is a message from our CEO with information regarding the revitalization program.
Submitted by Angela Martinez, Care Credit
|
|
How to Donate PPE in Kentucky
To donate gloves, masks or other safety gear to state government, please call 833-448-3773
(833-GIVE-PPE) or visit this website:
giveppe.ky.gov
.
Submitted by Amanda Stringer, CDA, RDH, BSDH
|
Colgate is here for you during these "crazy" times!
We care for the dental community and have taken many steps to support you as we live through this together.
As a reminder - the Colgate Oral Health Network is a wonderful tool that provides information and hundreds of FREE CE options. Many programs have been added in the past few weeks and there are many more to come. Please visit
www.ColgateProfessional.com
to access these programs.
Stay safe, stay healthy, this too shall pass and we're in this TOGETHER.
From Christie Pfeffer of Colgate
|
Dental Lifeline Network Partner Resources for COVID-19
Submitted by Jennifer Venerable of Dental Lifeline Network
|
|
A list of helpful links for you...
(If you have a helpful link to share, send it in!)
|
Here's wishing you GOOOOD VIBRATIONS!
Take care out there, eat your vegetables, take your vitamins, wash your hands for 20 seconds after everything you do and stay away from everybody! We want to see you on the flip side!
|
|
|
|
|
