The Governor responded to our call and dental hygienists are officially being authorized for frontline relief support. This victory belongs to every person who signed this petition. Keep a close watch on the official state guidelines to ensure these new protocols are implemented correctly in your local hospitals.
May 11, 2020
Final supporters
The California Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is requesting Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to execute an inclusion of registered dental hygienists (RDHs) to provide relief support for the healthcare workers on the frontline of our current statewide crisis, COVID-19. Our hospital workers are inundated with triaging and treating the influx of people seeking testing or in need of care, while having little to no time to pause for their own health and safety, due to the shortage of available personnel or volunteer support. By including RDHs to be called upon to provide relief support for our hospital workers, the State of California and hospital personnel will have access to more than 17,000 qualified and readily available RDHs.
We at CDHA support you and want our State to know we are ready to be called upon! Sign this petition and show Governor Newsom and CDPH that we are CDHA strong!
Governor Gavin Newsom and Public Health Officer Dr. Sonia Angell,
As a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), I’m bringing it to your attention the continuously overlooked healthcare provider, the RDH. For one to become an RDH, we must graduate from an accredited program, pass a national written board exam, a state board exam, and the California’s jurisprudence exam. RDHs hold degrees ranging from an Associates of Science to a Masters of Science in Dental Hygiene [completing the same prerequisites as a nurse, doctor or any other allied healthcare provider]. To maintain our California license to practice as a provider, we have to complete a minimum of 25 continuing education units (CEUs). Of these CEUs, 2 units of infection control and 4 units of basic life support (BLS) are mandated courses. In addition, we are also trained and knowledgeable in occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) protocols. RDHs are more than capable of providing relief support for our hospital workers, who can be better utilized in other high level care areas. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) must be made aware of our ability to provide the same standard of care services as our allied healthcare providers who have been asked to assist in this pandemic.
I am writing to inform you that we have more than 17,000 RDHs who are currently being excluded from a pool of allied healthcare providers that CDPH could utilize during our COVID-19 crisis and any future state of emergency crisis we may encounter.
Thank you for your leadership.
Updates
March 29, 2020
I am spending my time today drafting formal letters to the Governor's office to ensure they understand our specific qualifications and availability. Please take a moment to tag the California Department of Public Health on your social media accounts to keep this request front and center. I will report back here as soon as I receive any acknowledgment from their team.
March 29, 2020
The momentum behind this effort proves that our state is ready to recognize the expertise of dental hygienists during this crisis. Email your local representatives today to tell them we are qualified and prepared to provide relief support.
Reached 100 supporters
March 29, 2020
27 Comments
I am RDH, RDHAP. As a hygienist we know about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, diseases, and infection control. We can take care of patients in dental office as in hospital. I am ready to be a hand in this battle with COVID -19.
Hi, I am a registered dental hygienist and I’ am ready to help in the front lines if called upon. Kind regards, Alejandro Garcia-Navarro, RDH
RDH's are educated in infection control and treat every patient as if they have an infectious disease. We can easily be utilized during this crisis.
RDHs are well educated and it is a routine procedure to swab people’s oral mucosa for a epithelial biopsy and saliva flow evaluation. If we can be any help, we can help. Taking blood pressure and triage patients.
So many hygienists in California want to help!!!! Please utilize us to help our hospital staff fight COVID-19!
Let us help!
I’m a RDAEF.
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The Governor responded to our call and dental hygienists are officially being authorized for frontline relief support. This victory belongs to every person who signed this petition. Keep a close watch on the official state guidelines to ensure these new protocols are implemented correctly in your local hospitals.
May 11, 2020
Final supporters
The California Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is requesting Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to execute an inclusion of registered dental hygienists (RDHs) to provide relief support for the healthcare workers on the frontline of our current statewide crisis, COVID-19. Our hospital workers are inundated with triaging and treating the influx of people seeking testing or in need of care, while having little to no time to pause for their own health and safety, due to the shortage of available personnel or volunteer support. By including RDHs to be called upon to provide relief support for our hospital workers, the State of California and hospital personnel will have access to more than 17,000 qualified and readily available RDHs.
We at CDHA support you and want our State to know we are ready to be called upon! Sign this petition and show Governor Newsom and CDPH that we are CDHA strong!
Governor Gavin Newsom and Public Health Officer Dr. Sonia Angell,
As a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), I’m bringing it to your attention the continuously overlooked healthcare provider, the RDH. For one to become an RDH, we must graduate from an accredited program, pass a national written board exam, a state board exam, and the California’s jurisprudence exam. RDHs hold degrees ranging from an Associates of Science to a Masters of Science in Dental Hygiene [completing the same prerequisites as a nurse, doctor or any other allied healthcare provider]. To maintain our California license to practice as a provider, we have to complete a minimum of 25 continuing education units (CEUs). Of these CEUs, 2 units of infection control and 4 units of basic life support (BLS) are mandated courses. In addition, we are also trained and knowledgeable in occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) protocols. RDHs are more than capable of providing relief support for our hospital workers, who can be better utilized in other high level care areas. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) must be made aware of our ability to provide the same standard of care services as our allied healthcare providers who have been asked to assist in this pandemic.
I am writing to inform you that we have more than 17,000 RDHs who are currently being excluded from a pool of allied healthcare providers that CDPH could utilize during our COVID-19 crisis and any future state of emergency crisis we may encounter.
Thank you for your leadership.
Updates
March 29, 2020
I am spending my time today drafting formal letters to the Governor's office to ensure they understand our specific qualifications and availability. Please take a moment to tag the California Department of Public Health on your social media accounts to keep this request front and center. I will report back here as soon as I receive any acknowledgment from their team.
March 29, 2020
The momentum behind this effort proves that our state is ready to recognize the expertise of dental hygienists during this crisis. Email your local representatives today to tell them we are qualified and prepared to provide relief support.
Reached 100 supporters
March 29, 2020
27 Comments
I am a retired RDH If anyone knows about working in blood, saliva, aerosols, it is a Dental Hygienist. Our educational requirements the first two years are the same as a RN. We have currant Dental Infection control and CPR training. As a hygienist we know about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, diseases, and infection control. It would seem fool hardy not to use this pool of skilled healthcare professionals.
I am RDH, RDHAP. As a hygienist we know about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, diseases, and infection control. We can take care of patients in dental office as in hospital. I am ready to be a hand in this battle with COVID -19.
Hi, I am a registered dental hygienist and I’ am ready to help in the front lines if called upon. Kind regards, Alejandro Garcia-Navarro, RDH
RDH's are educated in infection control and treat every patient as if they have an infectious disease. We can easily be utilized during this crisis.
RDHs are well educated and it is a routine procedure to swab people’s oral mucosa for a epithelial biopsy and saliva flow evaluation. If we can be any help, we can help. Taking blood pressure and triage patients.
So many hygienists in California want to help!!!! Please utilize us to help our hospital staff fight COVID-19!
Let us help!
I’m a RDAEF.
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I am a retired RDH If anyone knows about working in blood, saliva, aerosols, it is a Dental Hygienist. Our educational requirements the first two years are the same as a RN. We have currant Dental Infection control and CPR training. As a hygienist we know about anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, diseases, and infection control. It would seem fool hardy not to use this pool of skilled healthcare professionals.