ADA on-demand webinar available Friday, March 20
The ADA will release an on-demand webinar on Friday, March 20, with infection control experts representing the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) to provide the dental community with practical guidance and education as it navigates the challenges COVID-19 is presenting to the profession. The ADA has been collecting questions from members to address on the pre-recorded webinar; it will be available at
ada.org
as
soon as it is ready for viewing.
The ADA reports that it is also working on additional information, including guidance on business and clinical matters, for release as quickly as possible. Continue to watch for ADA emails and visit the Coronavirus Resource Center for Dentists at
ada.org/virus
. If you have specific questions about the ADA’s recommendation for dental office closures, please email
msc@ada.org
or use the live chat function on
ada.org
. Team members will be online from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM CDT each weekday.
The
ADA Morning Huddle is featuring full coverage devoted to COVID-19 in order to bring dentists the latest news and resources. To ensure you receive the latest information from the ADA, members can subscribe to receive ADA e-communications by updating your email at
My ADA.
KDHE strongly recommends Kansas dentists suspend nonessential or non-urgent dental care
Earlier today the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a statement strongly recommending dentists suspend nonessential or non-urgent dental care for 14 days through March 30, 2020. The KDA and the Kansas Dental Board both distributed the recommendation to dentists around 12:00 PM CDT. The full text of the recommendation can be viewed on our homepage at
ksdental.org
.
Trump Administration advises delaying all nonessential medical procedures
The Trump Administration on Wednesday urged Americans and healthcare providers to delay elective procedures across the country to ensure medical supplies go where they are most needed. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma said her agency will release guidance recommending providers limit all "nonessential" elective medical and surgical procedures, including dental procedures. We will provide this guidance to our members once it becomes available.
Does your office have a surplus of personal protective equipment?
Please consider contacting your local hospital and offering to provide or donate any surplus of professional protective equipment you may have in your dental office! As you are very much aware, the supply of PPE is running critically low and masks, gowns, gloves, and face shields are needed.
KDA offices remain open, with some staff working remotely
The KDA office in Topeka remains open to meet the needs of our members. Our plan is to be open as usual, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. We are taking sensible measures to protect our staff and comply with state requirements regarding public and private gatherings, with some team members working remotely. We hope these actions and the circumstances requiring them will be short-lived, and we are confident that our plan will allow the KDA to continue to serve our members through this challenging time.
