Dentist offers mini kits to help people maintain oral health
Updated: 9:06 AM EDT May 2, 2020
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JENNIFER: CORONAVIRUS HAS PUT MOST NONEMERGENCIES ON THE BACK BURNER, INCLUDING DENTAL HEALTH. JOINING US IS DR. JOANNE REIFF. THANKS FOR JOINING US. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. JENNIFER: TALK ABOUT THE THINGS YOU’RE HANDLING RIGHT NOW. >> WE’RE ONLY ALLOWED TO SEE EMERGENCY PATIENTS SO THAT’S ANYTHING FROM AN ABSCESSED TOOTH TO A TOOTH THAT MAY BE AVULSED OR KNOCKED OUT OF THE MOUTH OR SEVERE PAIN KEEPING PATIENTS UP AT NIGHT. THAT’S PRETTY MUCH ALL WE’RE ABLE TO SEE AT THIS POINT. >> AND THAT CAN BE FRUSTRATING FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE A LITTLE OVERDUE EVEN FOR THEIR TEETH CLEANING FOR SURE. SO WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING PEOPLE DO? >> WHAT I’VE DONE IN MY PRACTICE, WE’VE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING CALLS CROSSROADS CARES AND WHAT WE’RE DOING IS HAVING PEOPLE COME UP TO MY OFFICE TODAY FROM 10:30 TO 2:00 TO PICK UP AN ORAL HEALTHCARE KIT. THIS WILL HELP PATIENTS WHO ARE THREE TO SIX MONTHS OVERDUE OR MAYBE EVEN MORE BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW WHEN WE’RE GOING TO OPEN IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. WHEN WE DO, WE’LL HAVE A BACKLOG. THAT KIT WILL HAVE A DENTAL MIRROR, A SCALER, A DENTAL PICK AND A GUM STIMULATOR WITH INSTRUCTIONS DETAILED ON HOW TO USE THESE AT HOME. THIS IS ONE THING WE’RE RECOMMENDING. YOU CAN PURCHASE SOME OF THESE AT THE STORE, ANYWHERE FROM WALGREEN’S TO GIANT. YOU CAN PURCHASE THESE. IT WILL HELP BECAUSE WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS HAVE AT LEAST SOME BASIC MAINTENANCE AT HOME UNTIL PATIENTS CAN GET IN TO SEE THEIR DENTISTS SO THEY WON’T LOSE TOO MUCH GROUND. JENNIFER: WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE IF SOMEONE COMES AND GETS ONE OF THESE KITS FOR A DENTAL SCALER? HOW DO YOU NOT HURT YOUR GUMS? >> THERE ARE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS THAT TELLS YOU HOW TO HOLD THE INSTRUMENTS. THEY’RE NOT AS SHARP AS OUR INSTRUMENTS. I DON’T THINK YOU’LL DO TOO MUCH DAMAGE. EVERYONE WILL BE IN GOOD SHAPE. JENNIFER: THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. ARE THESE KITS FOR FREE, OR IS THERE A PURCHASE PRICE? >> THEY’RE FREE. I’M GIVING THEM AWAY IN A BEAUTIFUL BAG. THERE WILL BE OTHER SWAG. WE HAVE FLOES AND A FEW OTHER THINGS IN THE BAGS. WE’RE GIVING THEM AWAY TO ANYBODY, NOT JUST OUR PATIENTS. JENNIFER: HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING FROM PATIENTS WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO GET IN, THEIR MOUTHING FEEL KIND OF GRODY RIGHT NOW. >> WHEN WE FIRST HAD THE MANDATES, I CALLED OUR PATIENTS OVER 80, AND MADE SURE THEY WERE OKAY. I’VE BEEN CALLING BETWEEN 30 TO 50 PATIENTS A DAY TO RESCHEDULE THEM. SO YES, WE’RE GETTING UP KINDS OF COMMENTS, ANYTHING FROM, AGAIN, WHAT CAN I DO TO WILL MY INSURANCE STILL PAY FOR MY SECT CLEANING THIS YEAR. WE’RE GETTING INTERESTING COMMENTS WHEN I’M CALLING PATIENTS. JENNIFER: THIS HAS BEEN A TOUGH TIME FOR DENTISTS TOO. I DON’T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS IS IMPACTING — YOU ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL. HOW TOUGH HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU? >> WELL, FIRST, WE ALL HAD TO LEARN THE CARES ACT. THAT TOOK A WHILE. WE ALSO HAD TO ADVISE OUR EMPLOYEES TO GO ON UNEMPLOYMENT. MOST OF US HAVE DONE THAT. THE PROBLEM FOR SOME EMPLOYEES IS TODAY’S MAY 1. THEY APPLIED MIDDLE TO THE END OF MARCH. SOME HAVE RECEIVED NO FUNDING YET. THE DENTISTS STUDIED THE CARES ACT AND THEN WE’VE APPLIED FOR OUR GRANTS AND LOANS. AGAIN, IT’S MAY 2ND. WE HAVE NOT — SOME OF US HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FUNDS AT THIS POINT EITHER. SO IT’S BEEN TOUGH. NOW, WHAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO GET READY TO REOPEN. PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. AND WHAT ARE OUR OFFICES GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REOPEN. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, THE PPE, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND SOME OF THIS, BECAUSE IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. WE’VE DONATED A LOT TO HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES. >> NOW YOU’LL NEED IT BACK WHEN YOU TRY TO REOPEN. LET’S PUT UP THE FULL SCREEN OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET THE MINI KITS. IT’S GOING TO BE IN YOUR OFFICE AT OWINGS MILLS FROM 10:30 T
Dentist offers mini kits to help people maintain oral health
Updated: 9:06 AM EDT May 2, 2020
The coronavirus has put most non-emergency dental work on the back burner. Dr. Joanne Block Rief shares what she’s doing to help people maintain oral health.
The coronavirus has put most non-emergency dental work on the back burner. Dr. Joanne Block Rief shares what she’s doing to help people maintain oral health.
