Keep moving forward
Initial planning at the start of the COVID-19 emergency has given way to longer-term strategies. The Chicago Dental Society will continue to provide helpful information and resources during this new phase for dental practices so CDS members emerge stronger and prepared for what’s ahead.
We urge you to email us at [email protected] with questions you'd like answered and we will do our best to address them.
Please keep in mind that information is changing hourly and daily. CDS will update its website by 9 a.m., Monday – Friday, so you have the most current information to weather this unprecedented challenge to our profession and nation.
Updated August 5, 2020
COVID-19 Webinars
Times are Central Time Zone
CDS Webinars
- COVID-19: CDC & OSHA Guidance (originally presented by Jackie Dorst, RDH, on May 14, 2020) Download the handout
- Human Resources Questions and the Business Impact of COVID-19 in Illinois (originally presented April 30, 2020)
ADA Webinars
- How COVID-19 Is Impacting Dental Practices and Patient Attitudes Toward Visiting the Dentist (7 – 8:15 p.m., Aug. 5, 2020)
- Selling your practice in the COVID-19 era: Advice from accounting experts (on demand)
- ADA offers online course to review Return to Work toolkit
- Archived ADA COVID-19 Webinars
Latest News
- COVID-19 codes added to CDT
- In pandemic, it’s crucial to ‘bring the team back together’
- Five students test positive for COVID-19 at University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Dentistry
- Virus outbreaks hit two Colorado dental practices
- New COVID-19 cases in Illinois near 1,500, 19 deaths
- HHS extends Provider Relief Fund deadline to Aug. 28
Chicago Dental Society Updates
CDS in the News
CDS president, members respond to COVID-19 pandemic in various media articles, broadcasts
CDS Review Stories
- To Sell or Not To Sell: Following COVID-19, dentists face big decision on their futures (July/August 2020)
- Practice Smarts: Teledentistry may greatly improve access to care (July/August 2020)
- Snap Shots: Muslim dentists set up hotline during shutdown (July/August 2020)
- On Hold: COVID-19 crisis leaves career plans in a state of flux (May/June 2020)
- Scam Alert: Be wary of unsolicited help (May/June 2020)
- Practice Smarts: In scary times it is best to be proactive to reassure your patients (May/June 2020)
What CDS Members Are Talking About
- Dr. Lynse Briney: Preparing kids for their next dental appointment (July 22, 2020)
- CDS President Terri Tiersky discusses the reopening of dental practices: Associated Press (June 24, 2020)
- CDS Leaders provide Guidance for Reopening Chicago
- Dr. Eric Jackson: Navigating the Coronavirus Crisis (June 11, 2020)
- Dr. Larry Williams: Keeping Patients Safe in the COVID-19 Era (June 2, 2020)
- Dr. Larry Williams: Essential Steps to Prepare for the Reopening of Dental Offices (May 12, 2020)
- Dr. Sherece Thompson: Ways to Maintain Good Oral Health While Dental Offices are Closed (May 5, 2020)
Additional CDS Updates & News
- Watch a conversation about COVID-19 with CDS President, Dr. Terri Tiersky and UIC Dean, Dr. Clark Stanford
- Stay Strong and Determined: CDS President Terri Tiersky
- Dr. Terri Tiersky has spearheaded a PPE donation drive to aid first-responders at UIC
PPE Resources
- IHFS says increased PPE costs can’t be passed on to Medicaid participants
- Tips to prevent PPE overheating
- Waukegan firm offers to decontaminate N95 masks free
- FDA-authorized respirators listed
- To report PPE shortages to the FDA, email [email protected]
- NIOSH-approved filtering facial respirators provided
- 3M offers FAQ on respirator protection
- Best practices offered for using facial masks
- CDC offers strategies to preserve PPE
Practice Recovery Resources
- 24-month recovery strategies from Dr. Roger Levin
- How the CARES emergency paid sick leave law affects your practice
- Guidance for applying for HHS provider relief funds; deadline Aug. 3
- Staff furlough v. layoff: Dental Economics explains the differences
- IRS has guidance on sick leave requirements under CARES Act
- Q&A on 2020 insurance trends
- Returning to work protocols for symptomatic healthcare professionals
- Full forgiveness for self-employed PPP borrowers, SBA rules
- Tips for navigating medical, dental insurance billing
- How PPP, ‘Families First’ programs affect re-staffing decisions
- IDPH has guidelines on business health, safety
- CDC updates guidance for dental practices planning to reopen
Business Concerns
- Employers can’t require virus antibody testing of workers: EEOC
- IHFS makes temporary change to prior authorization requirements
- Insurance-related strategies shared by insider
- IRS to allow midyear changes to insurance, FSAs
- SBA releases more info on PPP forgiveness rules
- HR experts discuss high-risk employees, liability waivers
- Coronavirus points to new approach for insurance contracts
Office Risks
- Study indicates how to prep teeth without using sprays
- PVP-1 rinse, throat spray kill 99% of SARS-CoV-2 in seconds
- UConn researchers say oral rinse can inactivate COVID-19 virus
- Accuracy of virus tests still unknown
- Water line maintenance key in infection control
- How to avoid scams, fraud during pandemic
- ADA cautions dentists to study sanitation products’ claims carefully
- A better way to disinfect surfaces?
- COVID-19 and the problem with dental aerosols
- Unreliable COVID-19 test kits being marketed to dentists
- Infection control guidance
- OSHA has developed guidance to help identify risk levels in workplace settings in response to COVID-19
Students/New Dentists Resources
- Researchers seeks dental students’ pandemic stories
- Banker advises furloughed New Dentist on stabilizing finances
- Mundelein New Dentist: ‘We need to create a new normal’
- Illinois expands debt relief measures to private student loans
- Testing agencies moving to non-patient exams for dental licensing
- ADA Member Advantage sponsors offer banking, loan support
- Student loan repayment during uncertain times (webinar originally broadcast April 2, 2020)
- Temporary relief for student loan borrowers
- FAQ with guidance on student loans amid the COVID-19 crisis
- ASDA Guidance for Students
ADA Resources
- ADA has answers about the Provider Relief Fund
- ADA updates Return to Work toolkit
- ADA releases Hazard Assessment guide
- ADA has tips on extending use of N95 masks
- ADA charts explains Sars-CoV-2 diagnostic test options
- ADA urges Medicaid, CHIP providers to apply for HHS relief funding
- ADA launches Patient Communication Resource Center
- ADA encourages CHIP, Medicaid providers to apply for HHS funding
- ADA guidance on testing employees for antibodies, antigens
- ADA weighs in on change in CDC waiting period change
- ADA asks that tariffs be suspended for needed pandemic supplies
- How will COVID-19 affect access to care for vulnerable populations? ADA video
- Three questions to ask yourself if COVID-19 has you wondering about selling practice
- ADA distributing KN95 masks to dentists in states facing low supplies
- Updated CDC dental setting guidance echoes ADA guidance
- Steps to take if a patient later reports positive for COVID-19
- ADA provides COVID-19 contract tracing explanation
- ADA updates toolkit with patient interaction guidance
- Understanding the dental practice in the pandemic age
- ADA launches ‘Return to Work Toolkit’ interim guidance
- ADA has guidance for contract negotiations in anticipation of higher costs
- ADA offers interim guidance as states consider reopening economies
- ADA presses feds to let dentists test patients for COVID-19 before treatment
- Video-conferencing, teledentistry risks spelled out in ADA fact sheet
- ADA fact sheet on Paycheck Protection Program
- ADA has released updated employment law guidance
- A breakdown on recommendations and mandates on dental practices state-by-state
- COVID-19 Resources for dentists
- ADA has released COVID-19 coding and billing guidance
Health/Well-being Resources
Illinois Updates
- Illinois among states meeting testing targets
- Illinois opens community COVID-19 testing sites to everyone
- Gov. Pritzker unveils phased, regional reopening plans
- Delta Dental Foundation donates to ISDS Foundation to provide care during pandemic
- FAQ on human resources, insurance and financial relief
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Self-isolate for 10 days after positive virus test: CDC update
- Virus cases rising among kids, teens: CDC
- CDC urges Americans to wear masks to fight COVID-19
- CDC expands list of people most at risk of COVID-19
- CDC reclassifies those at high risk of catching virus
- CDC updates its dental care guidance
- CDC estimates 35% of virus patients show no symptoms
CDC reports on ‘superspreader,’ stresses need for distancing, self-reporting
- CDC reports new symptoms of COVID-19
- CDC chief says 25% of infected people may be asymptomatic
- Air, floor samples in CDC study show rampant virus contamination
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings
- Interim planning guidance for businesses
- Healthcare providers with potential exposure to COVID-19
- Strategies for optimizing PPE supplies
Additional Information & Resources
- World Health Organization – International updates
- CDC – National updates
- State of Illinois – State updates
- City of Chicago – City updates
- Chicago Public Schools updates
- Chicago Park District updates
- Illinois Department of Public Health – State updates from Dept. of Health
- Ask Dr. Arwady – Ask Chicago Commissioner of Public Health questions at 11 a.m. any day on Twitter.
- Governor’s Daily Press Conferences – The Governor live streams daily press conferences usually at 2:30 p.m.
- American Dental Association
- Illinois State Dental Society
- ISDS petitions governor for reopening guidelines, access to PPE