JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Dental Association said dentists are worried about not being able to reopen their practices if stay at home orders continue.
That could mean less access to dental care in some communities.
The president of the board of trustees for the Florida Dental Association, Dr. Rudy Liddell, voiced those concerns during today’s Re-Open Florida Task Force conference call.
Dentists are not considered essential frontline providers, so many offices are closed, and dentists are only working if there’s an emergency with one of their patients.
Dr. Liddell said that once offices can open, your next visit to the dentist will be very different.
If you have a dental appointment over the next couple of months you expect to get a call asking you questions like ‘are you feverish?’ or ‘have you been exposed to COVID-19?’
You may even get your temperature taken at the office.
It’s part of a screening process that local orthodontist, Dr. Shreena Patel, said she will implement.
“We’ll limit the numbers we have a lot of changes that we’ve now implemented,” said Patel.
Her practice, Beaches Orthodontics, has been closed for five weeks now.
“If you’re not working, you’re not producing. But like I’ve said we’ve implemented telehealth,” said Patel.
Right now, Dr. Patel said they’re looking at a May 11 reopening date, but some practices may not be as lucky.
According to the American Dental Association, 9 percent of Florida’s dentists fear they won’t reopen if restrictions last through April, 21 percent say they won’t stay open if restrictions last through May, and 47 percent say if restrictions last through June they’ll be forced to shut down.
“If these dentists can’t reopen their practices then this will have an impact on access for years to come,” said Dr. Liddell.
The Florida Dental Association is now asking the governor to expand the bridge loan program so more local dentists can access the money and keep their practices afloat.
Dr. Liddell is also asking the state to have dentists be reclassified as essential which would enable them to purchase personal protective equipment more quickly.