Name: Dental supply is becoming the ‘Wild West’ in San Mateo County
Brand: smdailyjournal.com
SKU: smdailyjournal-com-35
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Dental supply is becoming the ‘Wild West’ in San Mateo County

preview

Please to continue reading.×Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.×To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading.Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.DIGITAL ACCESS to all our award winning content onlineCommenting capabilities on every storyAccess to our daily e-edition for the past 90 issuesThe good feeling of supporting real, local news in your community$99.00for 365 daysRatePriceDuration1 Year$99.00for 365 days6 Months$72.00for 180 days3 Months$45.00for 90 days1 Month$20.00for 30 days1 Week$8.25for 7 days$60.00for 365 daysRatePriceDuration1 Year$60.00for 365 days6 Months$42.00for 180 days3 Months$27.00for 90 days1 Month$12.00for 30 days1 Week$5.00for 7 daysThank you for visiting our booth at the Rediscover San Mateo Community Fest! Enjoy one free month of access to the San Mateo Daily Journal's website and e-edition. Offer expires September 15, 2022, so sign up today!You have permission to edit this article.Welcome,A depleted personal protective equipment supply chain has left dentistry personnel scrambling to prepare for an increase of patients after the California Department of Public Health gave physicians the yellow light to begin less urgent procedures.“A lot of dentists early on donated our masks and PPE to front-line workers resulting in us now in desperate need for PPE. ...We are essential workers too and now we’re in need,” said Dr. Carliza Marcos, a San Carlos based dentist practicing alongside her brother Anthony Marcos.&nbsp;Although the CDPH’s move to broaden permitted procedures allowing for urgent cases to be seen at the doctor’s discretion was welcomed, strict protective measures tied to the guidance may force smaller practices to turn away patients and eventually close.&nbsp;“They may shut down eventually and that will be a big impact on health care,” said Marcos. “It’s a domino effect.”&nbsp;Based on a national American Dental Association survey, just under 20% of dentists lack confidence in the sustainability of their businesses if current restrictions remain as they are through the end of June but that number jumps to 50% of dentists extended through the end of August.Recommended safety measures include maintaining at least a two-week supply of N95 masks, face shields, surgical masks and other forms of PPE. According to the ADA survey, nearly 62% of California Dentists who responded to the survey said they have less than a two week supply of N95 or KN95 masks while just over 42% said they had less than a two week supply of face shields. Although, over 50% of California respondents said they had two weeks of surgical masks.&nbsp;Additionally, sanitation processes are to follow after each patient and social distancing protocol to be strictly enforced. Any patient displaying symptoms of COVID-19 will also be asked to reschedule their appointment until their symptoms subside and all individuals will have their temperature checked before they may enter the office.&nbsp;Protective measures have been suggested to protect both the patients and the practitioners. According to the CDPH, dental health care personnel are amongst some of the most vulnerable for contracting COVID-19 due to the close proximity personnel share with patients. Aerosol generating equipment can also widely spread disease filled droplets, and some face coverings lack the seal necessary for preventing inhalation of the virus.&nbsp;“Dentists have always had a focus on disease control. It’s second nature to us and as long as the public is always safe we’ll just be upping protection now,” said Marcos.&nbsp;While practicing good hygiene may be status quo in the medical world, physicians are under major restraints as multiple industries operating as essential businesses compete to access their own PPE.“The dental supply world is literally the Wild West at the moment,” said Jim Wiggett, CEO of The Dentists Supply Company, out of Sacramento.&nbsp;Wiggett said the supply chain has been hit hard with an abundance of counterfeit products claiming to be legit. Some of these items have been falsely labeled with “FDA Approved” markings despite the Food and Drug Administration not approving logos on products.&nbsp;Others are marketed as medical grade respirators, sought after by health care professionals due to the model providing a tight fit necessary for sealing off spaces the virus can infiltrate. Wiggett said a fake can be spotted by observing the type of securing bands, noting those with ear loops are “not legitimate.”&nbsp;“A gray market in products has hit the dental industry. We were hit with 450 leads on getting PPE most of which are fakes. We’re looking for authentic products but we’re operating on a national level,” said Wiggett. “Demand went up instantly when the pandemic came and cases went up. There was no supply system in the world who could have predicted this and the system is playing catch up.”&nbsp;Despite a growing need for PPE, the FDA revoked U.S. authorization from nearly 60 Chinese manufacturers of N95 masks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered samples failed to meet particulate filtration efficiency of 95%. While these products can still be marketed as face coverings, they fail to meet standards necessary to be marketed as respirators.Claims at the national level that plenty of protective equipment for medical professionals exists are a “misrepresentation” and “not a true statement” said Wiggett. He also said foreign nations have been cooperative in sourcing PPE but he speculates production will be coming back to the U.S. in the near future due to previous trade wars. Until then, he remains hopeful supply will rebound.&nbsp;“If shelter in place lasts longer the good news is the PPE supply will catch up. The bad news is it’s hard on dentists who can’t go back to work,” said Wiggett.Marcos said until a vaccine is available, safety practices will be vital in ensuring patients continue to get the care they need.&nbsp;“Dental care is health care and your mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body. If we’re not able to care for our patients because of a lack of PPE it could really impact the rest of the health care system,” said Marcos. “I want patients to know they shouldn’t be afraid to go to the dentists.”×××Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.Error! There was an error processing your request.If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!© Copyright 2022 , 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 123 San Mateo, CA&nbsp;| &nbsp;|Powered by from .

Please to continue reading.×Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.×To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our...

Dental supply is becoming the ‘Wild West’ in San Mateo County

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS