Diversifying the Healthcare Workforce With Oral Health Professionals

As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise at a rapid pace, public health experts warn that a shortage of medical personnel may be on the horizon. New York’s Department of Health is currently asking retired physicians to come back to work to help during this global pandemic, which has hit the state decidedly hard. As the number of hospitalized patients grows, the number of medical team members in the US may not be sufficient. Also, if personal protective equipment is not readily available, more health care workers will become sick, depleting numbers further. To alleviate shortages, some states are considering bypassing regulations to allow retraining of other types of health professionals, such as dermatologists, dentists, and dental hygienists, to join medical teams treating patients with COVID-19. Read more here.