We hate to boast, but when it comes to the risk-benefit ratio of seeing your dentist, it appears a visit in these unprecedented times is worth the effort.
A new study by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (“MIT”) has analyzed the economic benefits and potential health risks of the reopening of various businesses during the CoViD-19 crisis in an effort to better inform decisions regarding which types of businesses should be reopened. The study found that dental offices, which ranked high on measured “dimensions of importance” (consumer importance, economic importance, etc.) and low on measured “dimensions of transmission risk” (number of visits, number of unique visitors, etc.), were second only to banks or financial institutions in terms of the analyzed reward/risk ratio. The author’s note “[t]he core idea is that locations offering better trade-offs should face looser restrictions,” and they conclude that “banks, general merchandise stores (e.g., Walmart), dentists, grocery stores, and colleges and universities should face relatively loose restrictions,” while “[g]yms, sporting goods stores, liquor and tobacco stores, bookstores, and cafes should face relatively tight restrictions.” In fact, when you consider the additional PPE (masks, full-length gowns, etc.) and safety protocols (temperature checks, wellness screenings, etc.) we’ve currently implemented, we could not be more confident that we’re providing an extremely safe experience for our patients.
All of that said, your peace of mind comes first, so if you need to reschedule for a later date, we’re happy to accommodate!
You can find a more thorough discussion of this research at the MIT News site – Which businesses should be open in light of Covid-19?
The study itself, Rationing social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic: Transmission risk and social benefits of US locations, by S.G. Benzell, A. Collis, and C. Nicolaides, published June 10, 2020, is also available on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America website, at https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/06/09/2008025117
Stay safe,
Dr. Page
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