Redefining Essential in the Midst of a Pandemic

Am I essential? As general dental professionals, we do not imagine many of you have asked yourselves this question. By choosing dentistry as a profession, it is safe to assume a certain level of job security and financial stability. Though both of those factors may have been initial lures into the field, what inspires us daily to practice dentistry is the impact we have in the lives of our patients, each created in the image of God. As dentists, all that we work to achieve is essential to the health and well-being of our respective communities. And yet, in the midst of the Coronavirus global pandemic, it feels like oral healthcare was deemed non-essential. States recommended dentists limit their offices to emergency patients only. No handpieces were running. No cavitrons were cleaning. Some dentists were even finding themselves unemployed! Oral healthcare seemed low on the priority list, and any momentum we had made in terms of advocating prevention felt lost.

Read More

Stephen Ko, MD: COVID-19 Update

This week’s interview on CMDA Matters with Dr. Mike Chupp features Reverend Dr. Stephen Ko, a pastor and former CDC medical officer. With a real and present danger of widespread community COVID-19 in the U.S., Dr. Ko gives insight into how Christians can be the hands and feet of Christ without fear while taking necessary precautions.

Read More