As dentists open, expensive PPE is in short supply
EVERETT — During work before the pandemic, dentist Amy Norman wore her everyday clothes under a gown, along with gloves, eye protection and a basic face mask.
Now she’s added scrubs, a face shield over a heavy-duty mask, such as an N95 or respirator, and hair and shoe covers.
“Without wearing all that gear, the risk to the dentist and dental assistant is very high,” she said. “They are splattering all that stuff out of the patient and into their face, their eyes, their mouth.”
Norman’s office is in Everett, at the corner of 36th Street and Colby Avenue.
She and other dentists around the state closed for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. In March, Gov. Jay Inslee halted elective procedures to save protective equipment for medical workers exposed to COVID-19.
Even though dental offices were allowed to reopen at the end of May, there still isn’t enough protective gear to go around. Norman and other dentists have had to find supplies in places they usually wouldn’t, and prices have skyrocketed. In many cases they’re working together to trade equipment and letting others know where they’ve found supplies. Single-use masks can now cost around $10 each.
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