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California health care providers will be challenged to meet the needs of patients during this pandemic, with active COVID-19 cases expected to surpass the medical capability of the state to respond within its normal workforce. Dentists, with their knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and sterile surgical techniques, are invaluable to the health care worker surge capacity necessary to meet this need.

The California Dental Association is working to adapt its recommendations to dentists in the most timely and accurate manner possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDA's goals are to reflect the intent and purpose of guidance or directions from public health authorities to effectively "flatten the curve" and to navigate what that guidance means for dentists' care delivery and practice issues.

Summary The following statement reflects the deep concern of the California Dental Association's 27,000 members and all 36,000 licensed dentists in California for the health and safety of their patients, staff, families and communities:

Due to the increasing concerns and latest public health guidance related to the new coronavirus, CDA today made the difficult decision to cancel its continuing education convention, CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry, which was scheduled to take place May 14-16 in Anaheim. CDA’s dentist-led board approved the decision.

As the facts and situation around COVID-19 (coronavirus) continue to evolve, and in step with Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent declaration of a state of emergency in California, including the call for all seniors over the age of 65 and residents with chronic conditions to self-isolate at home, the California Dental Association is requesting the cooperation of all California dentists and issuing the following guidance.

The March 2020 issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association celebrates CDA's sesquicentennial with articles on the history of the organization and the roles medicine, technology, dental education and societal needs play in shaping the future of dentistry and oral health.

The February 2020 issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association features articles that focus on preserving healthy tooth structure with minimal intervention to create conservative cosmetic restorative outcomes in cosmetic dentistry.

Richard Nagy, DDS, is president of the California Dental Association.

CDA’s 27,000 member dentists applaud the governor’s proposed budget for its continued commitment to rebuilding and improving the state’s Medi-Cal Dental Program and the oral health of Californians. Under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership, thoughtful investments have resulted in increases in utilization of dental services. Over a thousand dental providers throughout the state have newly enrolled to treat Medi-Cal beneficiaries in recent years, reversing a decade-long downward trend and opening access to hundreds of thousands of deserving Californians.

The California Dental Association recently announced that its new president for 2020 is Richard Nagy, DDS, a periodontist, whose term began Jan. 1. Nagy succeeds Immediate Past President R. Del Brunner, DDS.