A group of dental assistants employed by Union Community Health Center in the Bronx, who were terminated after being transferred to St. Barnabas Hospital, and reassigned to care for COVID-19 patients, abruptly cancelled a planned protest which was due to take place on Friday, May 22 at 12:30PM.

 

The rally was planned to highlight what activists say were unjust terminations, and lack of transparency at both Union Community Health Center and at St. Barnabas Hospital.

A spokesperson on behalf of the dental assistants said, during a phone interview, that both parties are now negotiating a settlement.

“They [Union Community Health Center, and St. Barnabas Hospital] are speaking with the CBO pharmacy division of the union [1199SEIU], and negotiating what I hope will be something that is beneficial to the members, and that will be something that will be reflective of their hard work and dedication, and we’re pushing for them to be reinstated,” the spokesperson said.

She was unable to confirm what the status of unemployment benefit was for any dental assistants who are currently unable to work due to the prevailing ‘PAUSE’ order in New York State.

Meanwhile, the American Dental Association (ADA) is urging the CDC to “quickly provide guidance” on how to safely reopen dental practices during the deceleration phase of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a May 6 letter to CDC ADA Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D, Chad P. Gehani, ADA President, and Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, ADA Executive Director,  applauded the CDC’s current interim guidance dated April 7, and reinforced the ADA’s stance calling for dentists to postpone all nonemergency dental visits.

The letter went on to thank the CDC for acknowledging COVID-19 “as an emerging and rapidly evolving situation that would require adjustments” as more information became available.

“The latest CDC guidance (as of April 27) is still appropriate for those parts of the country where COVID-19 infection rates are accelerating or peaking,” Drs. Gehani and O’Loughlin wrote.

“However, the situation is much different in areas where infection rates are now declining, and the risk(s) of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19 are very low. It is critical for dentists to have a new or revised guideline recognizing a risk-based approach.”

“We respectfully ask the CDC to update its guidance to address how to protect dental personnel returning to work during the deceleration phase of COVID-19. Such guidance will give states the confidence to permit the safe reopening of dental offices and enable patients to access essential dental care,” the letter concluded.

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