The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected many industries all over the world, including the dental industry. Dentists have a high risk of being infected due to their proximity to their patients while performing treatments.
How COVID-19 is changing the dental market
The outbreak of the coronavirus has left many business owners wondering how they will take care of their expenses. Dental clinics fall under this umbrella because many are small businesses run by a single owner.
The American Dental Association has recommended that dentists only offer emergency services to their patients as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. Many dentists are following the recommendations of the ADA and cutting back on their hours of operation. Some clinics are even shutting down completely in the midst of all of the uncertainty. Dental clinics are also highly impacted by the scarcity of essential items like face masks, which help protect dentists and their patients.
Dentists will have to look for creative ways to help their patients and keep their businesses running while trying to practice social distancing. Some dentists are now using their websites and phone lines to help their patients. Patients are screened over the phone to understand the nature of their problem, and the dentist can give them advice on how to proceed. Patients with issues that require emergency dental treatment are asked to come to the clinic. Screening patients helps limit the number of people at the clinic at any given time, which makes it a safer environment for everyone.
The Importance of providing emergency dental treatments
Dentists have a responsibility to treat patients with dental emergencies because failing to do so would leave emergency rooms — many of which are already at their max capacities due to the pandemic — with an additional burden to take care of. The White House agrees with the ADA’s recommendations in terms of advising the population to delay elective dental or medical treatments while COVID-19 remains an issue.
Increasing hygiene practices
Dentists also have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients during this outbreak. Social distancing should be practiced in waiting rooms with patients sitting six feet apart from each other. This should be easier to manage if only patients with dental emergencies are allowed in the clinic.
Tele-dentistry companies will likely emerge as winners during this pandemic because people with non-essential dental needs are now more likely than ever to try such services. Brick-and-mortar dentist offices should also start developing ways to perform non-essential treatments without a need for patients to come to the clinic.
Help is available for the dental industry
The U.S. government has passed a $2-trillion stimulus that aims to provide some relief to businesses that have been hit hard by the coronavirus. Programs that dental clinics qualify for include:
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL): These loans are being provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. It provides an emergency grant of up to $10,000 that must be used to pay overhead expenses, employee wages, or rent/mortgage.
Paycheck Protection program: This can give small businesses up to 2.5 times their monthly payroll to keep them afloat.
Doctor Genius, located at 2 S Pointe Dr #200, Lake Forest, CA 92630, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
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