Throughout 2020, we have all seen dentists rushing around trying to arrange fit testing in order to provide AGP treatments to their patients. While it could be seen that the new PPE requirements may be going too far, adherence to regulations remains a necessity in order to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Sadly, a lot of PPE stockists have used the pandemic as an opportunity for profiteering. My Dad asked if £37.50 was a reasonable price to pay for a box of 50 face masks at one well-known high-street retailer. Prior to Covid-19, the same box was around £3.50- £4.00. This somewhere around a 1000% inflation!
With PPE quickly becoming a worldwide commodity, getting hold of supplies wasn’t easy. In the early days of the travel restrictions, this was made harder by lack of air freight and much higher demand. When looking for respirator masks, some retailers had increased their prices. After all, supply and demand are one of the basics of economics.
Due to the need of masks for prolonged periods of time, many dentists have gone down the route of reusable respirator masks rather than the single use masks. This is the same direction our practice has taken. I personally feel much safer wearing one of these as the fit is more reproducible than single use masks, they are specifically fitted by qualified professionals, such as the consultants at Safer. Furthermore, there is also the added bonus of them being quite comfortable and far more economically and environmentally friendly. The real struggle was actually getting hold of them at reasonable prices.
