May 11, 2020 | Issue 40
Dental Offices Prepare to Reopen
This past Friday, dental offices who are following the  Iowa Dental Board Guidelines for the Safe Transition Back to Practice  and the requirements outlined in the  May 6 proclamation  were allowed to reopen for elective procedures. Many offices are taking this week to train staff on the new PPE requirements and update policies and procedures. Dr. Joel Sardzinski, owner of Blair Ridge Dental in Hiawatha, was part of  the KCRG9 news story  regarding reopening his office.

“Dentistry has been known for infection control, disinfection, and sterilization,” Dr. Sardzinski said during the interview. “I feel like we are prepared, we are kind of a model to look at when it comes to infection control.”
 
IDA has  resources available  for dental offices preparing to reopen, including sample office policies, screening forms, patient communication, and resources for purchasing PPE. 
IDB Releases Second FAQ Related to New Guidelines
The Iowa Dental Board (IDB) has released a second FAQ to answer common questions surrounding the IDB's Guidelines for the Safe Transition Back to Practice released last week. The original FAQ is also available for reference. The IDA strongly encourages all dentists and their staff to view these documents, as they address many of the questions that the IDA and IDB have been receiving.
Utilizing PPP Loan Proceeds Resource Available
Those who participated in last week’s webinar " I Got A PPP Loan, Now What?" received valuable information regarding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. During the webinar, Allen Schiff shared a sample spreadsheet that may be used to assist dentists in identifying the optimal utilization of PPP loan proceeds. The downloadable spreadsheet and the on-demand webinar are available to IDA members on the IDA website.
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In addition, Allen Schiff will be conducting a follow-up webinar in the near future. Information regarding this webinar will be available in an upcoming edition of this publication.

Please note you will have to login with your ADA number and password to access this recording. Not sure if you are an IDA member? Contact the IDA staff at 515.331.2298.
Cybersecurity in Your Practice Webinar Available On-Demand
Cybersecurity is more important now than ever before with so much of our lives uprooted to a digital platform amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Medix Dental IT specialist Tom Terronez's free Cybersecurity in Your Practice webinar is now available on-demand for dentists, hygienists, assistants, and office staff to view at your leisure. Earn one CEU and learn the best ways to protect your practice from cyber harm.
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