The practice is staying open to keep patients out of emergency rooms, but is struggling to get the N95 masks it needs to perform four to five emergency procedures a day.
“If we’re not there to provide any type or treatment or assessment, then really the only option for these patients is to go to an emergency room,” oral surgeon Eric Scharf, DDS, told KPIX. “And that’s really the last place they want to be.”
Dentists are among some of the higher-risk healthcare workers for COVID-19. A New York Times study found dental practitioners are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, as many procedures send germs in the mouth into the air.
There are talks about recruiting dentists and oral surgeons to support hospital ERs. If that happens, Dr. Scharf said he would be ready to assist.
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