Wildfire Response and Recovery Resources

Many of you, along with your families, team members and colleagues, are feeling the impact of the devastating fires in Southern California. We are here for you and will support you in any way we can. CDA, the CDA Foundation, TDIC and your local dental societies are working together to assist members in affected areas. We’ve curated a list of resources and information and will update it as more resources become available.

Disaster response resources

Practice Interruption Guidelines may be applicable for affected dentists. And if a staff member has to be out of the office to address personal matters and needs to bring in a locum tenens, this leave of absence information can be helpful to minimize disruptions for patient care and reimbursement from dental plans.
Guidance on managing emergency patients when your office is closed and guidance on managing cancellations and production during a practice disruption is also available.
Disaster-Related Services FAQ from EDD provide answers to common employment questions.
Partial Unemployment Wage Claim benefits may be available to eligible employees whose hours and pay have been cut. This EDD resource is for employers who may not be able to schedule their teams for some time but don’t want to end their employment. The Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program provides benefits for those who are self-employed as well.
TDIC’s Wildfire Resources include guidance on handling patient care, practice closures, temporary locations and staff and patient safety.
California wildfires – FAQs on laws enforced by the Labor Commissioner’s Office
Dental-specific FAQ on paying employees during an emergency
Emergency recovery guide for Henry Schein customers
Medi-Cal Dental Disaster Assistance to Evacuated Members and Dental Offices Due to Palisades Fire
Wildfire victims can file a request to delay state payroll taxes up to two months
Renewal fees for licensees impacted by Los Angeles fires postponed to 2026: See details, eligible ZIP codes

Disaster recovery resources

Connect with your local chamber of commerce as well as your city or county on recovery programs.
The Small Business Administration provides low-interest loan information to recover declared disasters.
As the wildfire received a Major Disaster Declaration, federal funding is also available for individuals and businesses at disasterassistance.gov
Real-time Local Information: A new hub for information, local services and government resources for Southern California residents has been launched at CA.gov/LAfires. Sign up for daily email or text updates.

Disaster preparedness resources

Outsmart Disaster offers information and guidance, including webinars and workshops, to raise awareness about the importance of preparing your business for disasters and emergencies.
Fire/Emergency Action plan, developed by CDA’s analysts as part of the Regulatory Compliance Manual, is an example of the contingency/business disaster plans that dentists are required to have under HIPAA with regard to patient information management. (Sign in to cda.org for access.)
Employee Manual Resources for CDA members help put clear policies in place to address reporting time, pay and personal leave for employees who may be affected by fires or other emergencies.
TDIC’s resources also include guides to prepare your practice for potential wildfires, such as emergency planning, taking inventory and minimizing loss.

Wellness resources

In addition to the CDA Foundation’s Wellness Program, which offers peer-to-peer support and assistance, there are several sources to support dental professionals:

ADA Wellness Resources and Well-Being Index (for ADA members)
Local NAMI Chapters and NAMI Mental Health Education
Local contact information for County Mental Health Plans
CHCF Provider Burnout Webinar and Healing the Healers Publication
National Hotlines for mental health and substance abuse support

Donate to the Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund

The Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund in now open to support those in need: Donate Now

How to donate:

Specify the amount of your donation.
Select the frequency of your donation (one-time).
Choose “Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund” from the drop-down menu.
Fill in the remaining fields and select “continue” to proceed with payment. (Volume-related delays are impacting page load times. If you experience a delay, try refreshing the page. Once you submit payment, do not close the window until you see a payment confirmation message which will include a link to your payment receipt. An email receipt will be sent within two business days.)

Impacted individual California dentists, dental staff and dental society staff can review application criteria and apply online for funds.