ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED DENTISTRY’S CONTINUED EFFORTS IN OUR COVID WORLD
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I know, I know, you have heard enough about SARS-CoV-2. You’re sick of hearing about the sleepless nights and many hours put in by UDA and ADA leadership in order to get dentists back to work locally, and nationally. You’ve read and reread the ADA’s return to work toolkit, and memorized the safety protocols for when you or an employee contract the dreaded Coronavirus. You’ve had enough of the out-of-pocket expenses for, and uncomfortableness of, additional PPE including face shields, gowns, N95/KN95 masks, and protective barriers. You’ve filled out more government forms than you ever thought possible in the hopes of obtaining unemployment, HHS, or PPP money. You’ve had enough conversations with patients, family members and friends about the pros and cons of masks, and vaccines to last a lifetime. You’re done. I know, because I am too. We’re ready for life to return back to normal. I’m writing this article so that you know that the UDA and the ADA understand what we are going through and are doing everything in their power to return our lives back to normal. They are continuing to work with local and national governments to let them know that Dentistry, as it has been performed for the 24
last 30 years, is safe for the dentist, their employees, and patients. They have done and are continuing to do the research to prove this point. They have data to back us up. They continue to lobby “the powers that be” to allow dentistry to continue in an unobstructed manner. As a member of the ADA’s Council of Government Affairs, I am privy to some of the ADA’s governmental efforts and I’d like to share one of their recent letters to OSHA which was considering mandating vaccinations in all dental offices. Here is a portion of that letter… “OSHA posits that a COVID-19 emergency vaccination and testing requirement is necessary due to a grave danger of workplace exposure to the virus that can lead to COVID-19. The requirement, which is being litigated, applies only to large employers (100 employees or more), regardless of industry or level of community transmission. The agency is presently considering whether and how smaller employers should also be subject to the rule. Requiring dental practice owners to institute a mandatory vaccination and testing policy will have little impact on the safety of dental office workers and the patients they serve. January / February 2022
