News and Views

Dental anxiety is a common issue among American adults — nearly 80% of adults feel anxiety before dental treatment. As a result, patients may experience physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses, as well as avoid the environments that stimulate these negative feelings, increasing the likelihood of missed dental appointments.

Effective Monday, August 9, 2021, California will require all health care workers in the state to either show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or to be tested regularly. Dental offices and staff are included in the order, and dentist employers will have to provide proof of their staff being fully vaccinated.

More than 70 percent of dentists surveyed by the American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute saw an increase of stress-related dental conditions such as teeth grinding and clenching, compared to less than 60 percent of dentists seeing an increase in these conditions last fall.

Over the past year, many societal issues have surfaced during the global COVID-19 crisis, including a heightened awareness of racism, exclusion and poverty.