The B.C. Dental Hygienists Association is warning its members could be laid off, and dental visits cancelled, if a medical mask shortage caused by COVID-19 fears continues to grow.
The hygienists’ concerns are echoed by their employers — the dentists of the province, represented by the B.C. Dental Association — and fellow health care professionals.
Dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienists are required to wear a new, disposable mask for every patient they deal with, to protect themselves from splashes and sprays from the mouths of their patients.
But the masks have been in increasingly short supply, due to the current fears over the spread of COVID-19 — and the rush by the general public to buy-up the face masks on the mistaken belief they’re needed for protection.
To view the full story, please click here.
