Dental offices in Pennsylvania are struggling with pandemic-related stress such as reduced staff, fewer patients and increased costs, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Reduced staff combined with increased COVID-19 safety measures have left dental offices unable to meet with as many patients, meaning some could wait weeks or months to get appointments.
Some dental offices are adjusting to the changes by raising fees, taking out loans or cutting expenses.
Kari Hexem, DMD, chief dental officer at Philadelphia FIGHT Family Dentistry, told the Inquirer that in January, her office saw 325 patients, compared to 548 in January 2020.
Between March and May 2020, about 76 percent of the state's dental offices closed except for emergencies, and 19 percent closed entirely. According to data from the American Dental Association, 1 percent of offices remain closed.