Like many people and business owners in western North Carolina left to pick up the scattered pieces after the remnants of Hurricane Helene pummeled the region, dentists have had to pivot to tend to their patients' needs.
Safe drinking water is critical to that care.
And with key components of Asheville's municipal and its feeder reservoirs suffering from , the issued an on Oct. 14 waiving some facility requirements related to piped water and functioning toilets to allow oral health care providers more flexibility.
One dental that water of a "safe, sanitary quality, from a source approved by the health officer, shall be piped under pressure, and in an approved manner, to all equipment and fixtures where the use of water is required."
Another rule requires there to be on the premises of every dental office, and they must conform to environmental standards set by the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Workers trying to fix Asheville鈥檚 water woes have been for when safe, drinkable water will be freely flowing through all pipes again. Efforts are underway this week to filter out sediment causing the murkiness in the North Fork reservoir, a 350-acre lake that supplies water for nearly 80 percent of the city鈥檚 water system. Until the sediment in the reservoir settles to the bottom, those particles would be enough to clog intake pipes feeding the city鈥檚 water system.
Water problems have left a sense of uncertainty for dentists whose patients need care during a time of great upheaval in their lives. Many dentists have been able to source clean distilled water that is safe to use and have brought in portable toilets and hand-washing stations that are common in storm-ravaged areas.
But they needed the board鈥檚 OK to veer from the standard rules and regulations.
鈥淭he board鈥檚 position was 鈥楲et鈥檚 remove a layer of bureaucratic entanglement,鈥� if you will,鈥� Bobby White, the board鈥檚 chief executive officer and legal counsel, told NC Health 瓜神app this week.
Expand health care capacity
The emergency order is linked to an , issued by Gov. Roy Cooper on Oct. 5, stating that North Carolina should take reasonable actions in the wake of the storm to expand health care capacity.
The dental board鈥檚 order instructs dentists operating in facilities subject to the waivers to 鈥渃onsult with and, where applicable, comply with鈥� several of the published guidelines for reopening health care facilities after natural disasters.
The also has published for returning to work after prolonged shutdowns or reduced operations.
鈥淣atural disasters can have long-lasting effects on communities, including dental offices,鈥� Michelle Lee, the association鈥檚 executive director, . 鈥淎fter Hurricane Helene hit, several members wanted to make sure the dental profession had an updated document, with current guidance and resources in one place, to guide them in reopening.鈥�
The board also directs its licensed dentists to the Alaska Division of Environmental Health鈥檚 stations, and to guidelines and information offered by the and the for the of .
White said the impetus for cutting out some of the 鈥渂ureaucratic entanglement鈥� did not mean safety checks would be abandoned as dentists get their practices up and running again. Local boards and commissions also have procedures for ensuring that safety measures are followed.
Pivoting for patients
, a longtime provider in the city, sent a to its patients on Oct. 10, letting them know the office was operating on a limited schedule but had power and had "sourced clean, distilled water" but had no phone service, encouraging people to use text messaging.
, a family practice in Asheville, to its website from "the WNC Dental Family" announcing its plan to reopen Oct. 7.
"We deeply appreciate your patience and understanding during this time as we work to restore our services. We know that many of you are eager to reschedule appointments and return to regular care, and we are committed to doing everything we can to accommodate you as quickly as possible."
"Please note that in the early stages of our reopening, we may need to operate with reduced hours as we balance staff needs and manage the limited resources available post-storm,鈥� the message continues. 鈥淲e ask for your continued patience and cooperation as we work through these adjustments."
The post acknowledges that with many roads damaged during the storm, transportation could be an issue for many patients. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to answer your dental questions over the phone as much as we can,鈥� the post states.
has established for emergency assistance for dentists.In a moving about Helene鈥檚 impact on dentists in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, Jim Goodman, chief executive officer and executive director of the North Carolina Dental Society, said nearly a 1,000 dentists live in the area. At least one dental society member lost a family member during a landslide that also destroyed his home.
What's ahead
White said he has heard that at least one dental office washed away, and that others had suffered a variety of damages in the 25-county region declared to be in a state of emergency.
One positive note board members had not anticipated is that no storm-related workforce shortage issues had been brought to their attention.
鈥淭he workforce seems to be intact,鈥� White said.
As often is the case in times of trouble, communities come together to help each other out. Dentists have been sharing office space, White said.
High-stress events, such as those caused by Helene, can disrupt oral hygiene routines. Without clean running water, people might not brush their teeth as often. And just like during the pandemic in 2020, when there also was a contentious presidential campaign, dentists see cracked teeth, worn enamel and people complaining of TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, pain from .
鈥淧eople get abscesses, teeth break 鈥� there are still needs,鈥� White said.
The NC Oral Health Collaborative that as western North Carolina rebuilds, it鈥檚 important that accessible dental care is not overlooked.
鈥淲hile oral health might not be among the most pressing needs immediately after a natural disaster like Hurricane Helene, addressing dental needs as Western North Carolina recovers will be vital for overall health and ensuring people have access to the care they deserve,鈥� .
Mobile clinics also have helped fill health care voids in areas where roads have been cleared.
, which has been an option in North Carolina since 2022, also should play a key role in recovery effort, the Oral Health Collaborative recommended.
鈥淚n the coming months, deploying more mobile dental clinics and using teledentistry whenever possible will be important in addressing the long-term oral health care needs of impacted communities,鈥� . 鈥淭hese access points are already vital for people in rural and underserved areas. Expanding them even further is crucial as the impacts from Helene pose additional barriers, exacerbating access and equity issues even more.鈥�
This first appeared on and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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