Gov’t allows dentists to augment COVID-19 vaccinators

MANILA, Philippines — The government is now allowing dentists to augment vaccinators against COVID-19 as long as they have training, the chairperson of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said Thursday.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) and the Philippine Dental Association discussed the possibility of having dentists augment the vaccination workforce as suggested by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos.

“Ang kanilang final recommendation is to allow the dentists to do vaccination. Sabi nga ni [Health] Secretary [Francisco] Duque, mas mahirap nga ‘yung iniinjection ng dentists kasi special area ang mouth,” Cabotaje told an online media forum.

(Their final recommendation is to allow dentists to conduct vaccinations. Health Sec. Duque even noted that dentists inject on the mouth which is a special area.)

“So we have now released, upon the recommendation of the Board of Dentistry and with the concurrence of the PRC, with authorization from the DOH (Department of Health), we released the National Vaccines Operations Center advisory. Pwede na pong isama ‘yung dentists na bakunador, basta may kaunting training,” she added.

(We can now include dentists as vaccinators, as long as they have training.)

Cabotaje said a doctor should still be the supervisor of the dentist who will help in the vaccination.

“They should be registered. Tapos kailangan they link with the local government unit. Ang supervisor ng dentist ay medical doctor. Ibig sabihin alam ng doktor, ‘yung head of the implementing unit, na mayroon siyang additional dentist,” she said.

(They should be registered. They should also link up with local government units. Their supervisors will be the doctors or the heads of the implementing unit who should know that they have an additional dentist in the team.)

“They will be a very big help in additional human resources for vaccination,” Cabotaje said of dentists.

The government has tapped dentists as additional vaccinators as it plans to open up the vaccination drive to all minors aged 12 to 17 and to administer booster and third doses to priority groups, which will require more manpower.

Cabotaje said the DOH has also provided additional funds to different regions so they can retain the services of their existing vaccinators and hire more workers.

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