Yesterday, the ADA launched a campaign to urge Congress to further address dentistry in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation. Please read the following message and click here to send a message to Congress.

Urge Congress to Add the Following Provisions to the Next Phase of COVID-19 Relief Legislation

As many states begin the reopening process, Congress will also be returning to Washington, D.C. to deliberate on the next legislative package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ADA members came together to ensure that Congress included our dental concerns in the previous package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and now we need your help once again!

We expect the next bill to expand on some of the provisions in the CARES Act, as well as address other concerns and issues brought forth by the pandemic. We are asking Congress to include the following provisions in the next phase of economic stimulus and COVID-19 relief legislation:

• Give small businesses increased flexibility within the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which they seek forgiveness for the PPP loans. This will allow small businesses to make more appropriate decisions about staffing and payroll based on when they plan to fully reopen.
• Ensure adequate oversight over the distribution and loan forgiveness provisions in the CARES Act for PPP loans. This will guarantee that only those small businesses that were economically distressed as a result of the pandemic receive the funds and forgiveness.
• Intensify the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and focus its distribution to dentists and health care providers who are treating emergency cases or near-emergency cases now and in the future without an adequate supply of N95 masks and face shields. This will help the dental team to continue to practice in a safe environment for themselves and their patients.
• Provide tax credits or allow PPP funds to be used for the purchase of additional PPE and safety improvements to the office. This will assist financially stressed practices in providing an additional layer of safety and protection.
• Extend the Department of Health and Human Services’ discretionary authority during public health emergencies to provide targeted liability protections for providers who administer FDA-authorized COVID-19 diagnostic tests within their scope of practice until the end of 2020. This will expand the nation’s capacity to screen patients for COVID-19 outside of already burdened hospital emergency departments.
• Permit nonprofit dental and medical organizations to utilize the PPP or future small business loan programs. This will ensure that non-profit medical and dental associations can continue to serve as a trusted resource for their health care professionals and patients.

Click here to urge Congress to include these provisions in the next round of relief legislation.

Contact Congress

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On-Demand Webinar: Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit

ADA has recorded an online course to provide an overview of the Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit and answer questions from the dental community.

Watch Webinar

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Free Service for Decontaminating Used N95 Masks

Battelle’s Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS) is designed to work on N95 respirators for the decontamination of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Battelle was awarded a contract by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on behalf of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide N95 decontamination at no charge to HCP as defined in the EUA.

View an infographic on the process and visit Battelle’s FAQ page to learn more and sign up. Please email Michael E. Reininger at reininger@battelle.org with questions.

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Please continue to check wsda.org/COVID-19 and its Clinical Guidance and Business Impacts pages for additional resources and updates.

Sincerely,



Dr. Dennis Bradshaw
WSDA President