If you’ve recently been dismissed from your job as a dental hygienist, see this time in your life as an opportunity to try something new. If you were getting bored of your old way of working, now’s the time to look into alternative career options in dentistry. Whether you’re temporarily out of work due to the coronavirus or you’re permanently out of work because your old office has closed down, there are always other options out there.

Regardless of the levels of success, competency, or experience, at one time or another, almost every dental staff experiences professional fears and moments of doubt. For instance, currently, the novel Coronavirus is a case study of uncertainty. No dental staff can predict how long the pandemic, or fear of the pandemic will ultimately affect their job or the economy.

Millions of people in the U.S.A face considerable barriers to obtaining the critical dental care they need to attain good oral health. The reason being, there is a scarcity of dental providers in some parts of the country.

When the outbreak first began, COVID-19 was known as the “novel” coronavirus, because everything about it was entirely new. Despite there being six other known coronaviruses, none were similar enough to help experts understand how the virus behaved or responded. This is still true today. It will take years of study and research to fully understand the impact of the devastating pandemic. 

One question patients have, even in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, is whether dental care can ever be affordable or accessible to everyone? Their uncertainty towards this issue is supported by the fact that a majority of dental practices have followed the market trends and hiked their prices.

Not having access to affordable dental treatment impacts many people’s lives in ways that stretch far beyond having the perfect Hollywood smile. From an increase in developing serious diseases and worsening already-present health conditions to being socially-stigmatized and less likely to find work, the lack of economical dentistry in the United States further widens the gap between rich and poor in our society. 

One of the best ways to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect your dental practice is to determine whether patients are possibly carrying the virus before you treat them. Until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, the most effective method of reducing your risk of developing the disease is to avoid coming into contact with anyone already infected.

Businesses, dental businesses included, love nothing more than stability. Well, they do enjoy profits; however, those come when markets are predictable and consistent, and where business owners can accurately plan for a future that is plainly laid out before them.  

Dental professionals are at a much higher risk of catching respiratory infections, such as COVID-19, than people in other professions. Because of this, it’s important you take extra precautions to keep yourself safe and limit the spread of the coronavirus within your practice. Here are some steps you can put into action right away to protect yourself against infections in the dental office.

With the staggering rate at which COVID-19 is spreading across the United States, it’s likely dental professionals are going to start coming into contact with patients carrying the virus. To help protect your practice against infection, it’s important you know how to spot symptoms of the coronavirus.