Dentistry’s recovery continues, with 97% of offices reporting that they are open for elective care with patient volume at 65% of pre-pandemic levels as of the week of June 15, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI). That’s an improvement from 90% of offices open during the first week of June and 3% in early April.
Using data taken from nearly 5,000 dentists, the ADA HPI also reported that 85% of dentists are fully paying their staffs as of June 15, which is an increase over the mid-May total of 58%. During the week of April 20, only 13% of staff was receiving full pay.
Employee dentists are not being hired back as rapidly as other dental staff, the ADA HPI further said, but 59% of them are now being paid fully. During the week of May 18, only 27% of dentists said they were getting paid in full.
Meanwhile, dental service organization (DSO) practices and non-DSO practices are seeing similar experiences. For example, 60.1% of DSO practices are open but with lower patient volume than usual, with 32.8% open with business as usual. As for non-DSO practices, 63.0% are open but with less patient volume, and 33.8% are open with business as usual.
The ADA HPI is keeping its eye on collections as well. Overall, 29.0% of practices are seeing 76% of more in collections; 31.0% are reporting between 51% and 75% in collections; 22.0% are reporting between 25% and 50% in collections; and 9.2% are seeing between 5% and 10% in collections.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies remain a concern. According to the poll, 49.4% of all respondents have more than 14 days worth of N95 or KN95 masks; 69.2% have more than 14 days worth of surgical masks; 72.7% have more than 14 days worth of face shields; and, 47.1% have more than 14 days worth of gowns.
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