​This communication is to provide updated guidance to Local Oral Health Programs (LOHPs) regarding purchasing COVID-19 related supplies to support dental providers resuming dental care.

The Office of Oral Health (OOH) acknowledges these are unprecedented times due to the impact of COVID-19, as a result purchasing guidance is updated for LOHPs to use unexpended Prop 56 funds from an approved 2019/2020 budget to support dental providers who serve underserved populations. This should not include any unexpended 2017/2018 budget, if applicable. This guidance is provisional due to the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Please review both Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) updated COVID-19 Dental Guidance and CDPH COVID-19 Guidance:

• CDC - Updated - May 19, 2020

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Resuming California's Deferred and Preventive Health Care (updated dental guidance)

• CDPH COVID-19 Guidance for Dentistry
  

Purchases Using Prop 56 Funds for Dental Providers

Please see this list for what LOHPs can and cannot purchase with Prop 56 funds for dental providers in their county. This list cannot cover every item that may be asked for, but it should provide some general direction. Please ask your grant manager if an item(s) is not listed here:

• Allowed (Note: funds from approved 19/20 Budget only)

• N95 Fit Testing

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Materials – N95 Respirators, Face Shields, Goggles, Surgical Masks, and other infection control equipment

• Sanitation Supplies
  

• Patient Facemasks

• Touchless Thermometers

• Printing of COVID-19 & dentistry-related materials to include brochures, posters, flyers, banners, and handouts

• Not Allowed

• Dental employee assistance programs

• Installation or maintenance of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) type ventilation systems

• Hiring of a COVID-19 related office cleaning/sanitizing company

• Hiring consultants on sanitation practices

• Standard disinfecting costs

• COVID-19 tests for staff or patients

• The management and disposal of medical waste
  

• Additional resources

• List of trainers for FIT testing
  

• Additional N95 Training resource

• California Oral Health Technical Assistance Center's website

• Governor's website on COVID-19

• COVID-19 Testing Sites in California

• At a minimum, ensure dental providers are receiving all the appropriate COVID-19 guidance and resources from the CDC, CDPH, and California Dental Association (CDA).

• Notify OOH when dental practices in your county start to re-open or if the Local Health Officer sends out new guidelines for healthcare professionals, which include dentists/dental health professionals re: COVID-19.
  

For questions regarding this guidance, please email dentaldirector@cdph.ca.gov or your Grant Manager.

Sincerely,

Jayanth Kumar, DDS, MPH
State Dental Director
Office of Oral Health

CDPH, Office of Oral Health
MS 7218 l P.O. Box 99737 l Sacramento, CA 95899-7377
(916) 440-7197 l (916) 636-6678 FAX
Internet Address: www.cdph.ca.gov