COVID-19 Information and FAQs

With several promising vaccines for the new coronavirus in various stages of testing, California is developing its own vaccination plan for the state’s population. CDA is asking the state to revise its distribution plan to standardize the list of essential health care workers for the purpose of phase-1 distribution and to include oral health care providers on that list.

The ADA in October released a COVID-19 and Lab Testing Requirements Toolkit to assist dentists preparing to implement COVID-19 testing as part of the patient screening process. To assist members with California-specific requirements, CDA’s Clinical Care Workgroup has released additional guidance in the form of a new toolkit resource.

With the surge in COVID-19 cases quickly accelerating, learn what CDA is doing to advocate for dentists and what steps members can take to mitigate risk in the dental practice.

Most counties in California mandate annually that licensed health care facilities require their health care workers to provide evidence of influenza vaccination during the influenza “season.” The flu season typically runs between September and May, but it can be defined differently per county. 

The manufacturer of a decontamination system used to decontaminate certain N95 respirators for health care personnel received a warning notice last week from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for “failure to comply with regulatory requirements for medical device reporting.”

The American Dental Association has released a COVID-19 & Lab Testing Requirements Toolkit to aid dentists who are interested in incorporating rapid point-of-care testing in their practice. To assist members with California-specific requirements, CDA’s Clinical Care Workgroup will release additional POC testing guidance next month.

HHS is accepting applications Oct. 5-Nov. 6 for the latest round of Provider Relief Funding intended to help health care providers suffering economic losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Phase-3 General Distribution funding is open for the first time to dentists who began practicing Jan. 1 through March 31. 

Employees in California may be entitled to workers’ compensation if they test positive for COVID-19 or if their place of employment experiences an “outbreak” of COVID-19 as defined by legislation signed into law Sept. 17 by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

HHS announced last week that it was releasing an additional $20 billion in a new phase ― Phase 3 ― of the Provider Relief Fund, which was created in April by the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act to help health care providers suffering economic losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dental assistants and dental hygienists in California who have not been able to complete their RDA and RDH programs and therefore take the required examinations and obtain their licenses due to COVID-19 restrictions now have additional time to satisfy the exam requirements.