California licensed dentists can now order limited quantities of critical personal protective equipment that is in short supply through traditional, commercial distribution channels.
The California Dental Association worked with state officials to secure the PPE for dentists, who are beginning to resume the provision of deferred and preventive dental care in accordance with updated state guidance issued earlier this month. CDA announced last week that The Dentists Supply Company, a CDA subsidiary, took delivery of the PPE and that TDSC.com staff would first inspect, re-sort and package the equipment to ensure the PPE could reach as many licensed dentists in the state as possible.
TDSC packaged the supplies into 25,000 kits, each containing quantities of surgical masks, face shields, KN95s, N95s (in the first 20,040 kits) and surgical gowns. The items were pulled from the state’s pandemic response stockpile.
Details on ordering and distribution
- Kits are limit one per order to support as many California licensed dentists as possible.
- The products are offered at no cost, but a $20 shipping and handling fee will be assessed.
- Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis and only while supplies last.
- To ensure products are distributed only to licensed dentists within the state (regardless of CDA membership status), dentists will need to create a free TDSC.com account (if they don’t already have one) and upload proof of dental licensure to place an order.
“CDA strongly advocated for dentists, who are essential health care providers, to be allotted masks and other PPE that is badly needed for practitioners to resume providing oral health care to Californians,” said CDA President Richard Nagy, DDS.
The procurement of PPE from the state follows monthslong advocacy efforts, including a grassroots campaign launched early this month. More than 2,300 member dentists and other dental professionals responded to CDA’s May 7 call to action to contact the governor’s office and their legislators to request that essential PPE be immediately and equitably distributed.
The state has indicated it is committed to working with CDA to keep a stream of PPE available for dentists to be able to maintain their practices. And dentists can still request PPE from their local county emergency services authorities. The TDSC kits are not intended to replace local commitments to protect providers and patients.
View and order a PPE kit at TDSC.com/freePPE.