September 2, 2021

Dear Maine Dental Association Members:

We have heard from many of you over the last couple weeks regarding Governor Mills’ new mandate requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The MDA has shared your concerns with the Governor’s office and is working toward a solution to hopefully reduce any potential negative impact of this mandate on your practice.

Please find a letter MDA sent to Governor Mills on September 1, 2021 attached HERE. In the letter, we emphasized to the Governor’s office that:

  • Approximately 33% of hygienists surveyed will “walk away from the profession if mandated to have vaccine,” creating a catastrophic workforce shortage in dental practices across the state that will negatively impact access to oral health care. 
  • MDA is working proactively to develop an educational module that has helped several Board members succeed in reaching 100% COVID-19 vaccine compliance in their practices. 
  • An extension of the deadline until January 1, 2022 would assist members in efforts to achieve compliance and in developing and implementing systems to fulfill the medical reporting requirements of the Rule.

We will continue to advocate for your interests as we work closely with the Governor’s office. A Healthcare Worker Vaccination FAQ from the Office of the Governor is available HERE.

The MDA will also continue to share resources to help you comply with the new requirements. Continue to visit our website at www.medental.org for more information.

We will continue to share updates regarding the mandate implementation and how you can help in this effort. As always please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.