COVID

Be prepared to pay a PPE fee when you return to the dentist

As they reopen under new safety guidelines, dentists are searching for ways to offset the skyrocketing costs of personal protective equipment.

Dentist Dora Gemesi (right) and her assistant Time Raksi-Csuhai, wear full PPE outfits as they work on a patient during the first day that dental practices reopened during the coronavirus crisis on May 18, 2020 in Budapest, Hungary. Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Getty Images

By Ainslie Cromar

2 minutes to read

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Your next trip to the dentist may look a little different, and an extra fee might pop up on your bill to cover the costs of personal protective equipment. 

During the pandemic, most dental practices have been treating patients only for emergencies and situations that are likely to become emergencies if care is rescheduled. But routine dental visits are scheduled to resume in phase two of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan, and resuming business means having and maintaining an adequate supply of PPE on an ongoing basis without support from the state stockpile, according to the Massachusetts Dental Society. 

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Janis Moriarty, MDS president and owner of her own Winchester-based practice, said until offices know whether or not the additional cost of PPE will be reimbursed by insurers, some dentists will need to offset the expense by charging a small patient fee. 

“This is just an example of how things have changed and become a necessary, but increased financial burden,” she told Boston.com in an email. 

While gowns, N95 masks, and gloves are a major concern when caring for patients, they’re also in short supply, and more expensive than ever. 

“We’re hoping that Delta Dental and other insurers will step in and help cover some of these costs,” Moriarty said. 

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While individual practices will determine how much they need to charge, the fees will likely be in the range of $20 to $40 per patient, WBZ reported.

The American Dental Association is also urging third-party payers, such as insurance companies, governmental agencies, and employers, to alter their fees to account for increasing PPE expenses. 

“Benefit programs should either (1) adjust the maximum allowable fees for all procedures or (2) allow a standard fee per date of service per patient to accommodate the rising costs of PPE,” the ADA said in a statement. 

Offering guidance to dentists resuming their work during the pandemic, the ADA recommended that employees change their protective equipment in between appointments, like switching out their masks, face shields, gowns, and goggles.

With costs adding up, and no word from insurers, Moriarty said each dentist will handle the situation differently. 

“Every dental office will approach the additional cost of PPE differently,” she said. “Some may charge a fee but many are unlikely to pass a fee onto the patient.” 

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