Regarding Fully Reopening Dentistry

We know that everyone wants definitive answers on when dental offices will be able to open. 

Here’s what we can say. Late last week, the Governor’s office convened a work group of health care organizations to develop guidelines for fully reopening health care. This group, which includes leaders from WSDA, is actively working on these guidelines. At this time, we cannot say definitively what these guidelines will include, as discussions are ongoing. WSDA and many other groups are strongly advocating for a broad reopening based upon dentists, physicians, and other providers assessing COVID-19 in their communities and using their clinical judgment to determine the need to provide specific health care services versus a one-size-fits-all approach. The impacts of continuing to delay needed care must be weighed in the decision-making process. We will continue to wholeheartedly advocate this position.

We have also heard from members that an answer the Governor gave to a reporter’s questions during a press conference yesterday created confusion on when dental offices can fully reopen. Unless Governor Inslee issues further restrictions, in writing, dental offices will be able to fully reopen when Proclamation 20-24 expires next week.

WSDA will continue to keep members appraised of all developments.

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DQAC Special Business Meeting This Friday

DQAC Special Business Meeting
Friday, May 15
1:00 PM
Webinar

See the agenda here.

The Commission will only discuss published agenda items and will not take public comment during the meeting. Please send written comment to the commission at dental@doh.wa.gov. The Commission is considering allowing public comment at their scheduled June 5, 2020 meeting.

GoToWebinar, the Commission's webinar system, only allows up to 1,000 participants to attend the meeting. If participation reaches 1,001, the meeting will be cancelled.

Please register for the meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with webinar details.

WSDA is continuing to have PPE discussions with state and federal officials. Masks (N95/KN95, Level 3) still remain incredibly difficult to source. Both the WSDA and ADA are doing everything we can to assist our members. In addition to these efforts, WSDA has received additional statements on PPE availability from new sources. We have posted these additional sources to our supplier PPE statement page. 

Supplier PPE Statements

We want to remind you that ADA has put together an incredible list of resources on ADA.org/virus. Here is a list of just some of the resources available.

• Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit (Updated 5/7/2020)
• Online Course: Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit Q&A
• Interim Mask and Face Shield Guidelines
• On-Demand Webinar: OSAP on Respiratory Protection in the Era of COVID-19
• Extend the Use of N95 Masks
• PPE Coding Guidance
• ADA Interim Guidance Flowcharts for Minimizing Risk of COVID-19 Transmission

Thursday, May 14 at 11:00 AM PT | Register

Concerns that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can spread through aerosol have led to closure of dental offices. In the United States, as we begin to re-open our offices to our patients, we are aware that we do not return to a COVID-free world, but to one where we will be treating potential carriers and asymptomatic patients. Dr. Don Milton will explain the role of aerosol in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, analyze the potential measure to prevent virus transmission and answer questions related to virus load in the air and patient risk.

Sincerely,