'Dentists do it right': Fall River, Somerset practices remain busy, taking extra COVID-19 safety precautions

SOMERSET — Dentist James E. Silvia could not relate. Not when he was told of a national newspaper story whose headlined claimed dentists are expected to raise fees and exit family practices because of COVID-19 fears keeping patients away while driving up operational costs.

About to complete his 19th year practicing dentistry in Somerset, Silvia said he remains busy, seeing six to seven patients per day. Owner of an essential business, Silvia never closed. He was open for emergencies from the get-go. His staff wanted to work. The federal Paycheck Prevention Program helped him to pay his hygienists even when they were off for nine weeks.

And, get this one: The dental insurance companies have gone above and beyond.

According to the USA Today story, “industry leaders and analysts say dentists are increasingly likely to sell their family practices to private equity companies or other investors.”

“I don’t know of any colleagues who are selling their practices,” Silvia said on Monday afternoon from his office at the intersection of Riverside Avenue, Read Street, and County Street. “Maybe there are people approaching retirement who will say ‘I’m getting out now.’

“And I didn’t raise my fees on anyone. We are dealing with the costs.”

The pandemic-related expenses include PPE equipment and lost patient time due to cleaning/disinfecting rules.

Silvia, the lone dentist in his practice, has happily gone the extra yard, installing glass doors on all the treatment rooms. His central air conditioning system, he noted, already included a HEPA filter and a microbe-killing UV light. His waiting room, which seats 12, is now limited to four.

Dental insurance companies are being sympathetic.

“What’s happening with me, and with any dentist that takes dental insurance; 85 percent of my patients have dental insurance – the insurance companies are sending us an extra $5 or $10 per procedure we bill them for,” Silvia said.

Silvia said he never considered shutting down. The American Dental Association encouraged its members to stay open. Silvia said to shut down would have contradicted what he was taught, to be there for the patient. “I’m obligated to see patients every day. I’m going to show up to work," he said.

Silvia said he paused the teeth cleaning at the request of the state.

The USA Today story said that DSOs (Dental Support Organizations) are growing in popularity. DSOs take care of the paperwork, allowing dentists to focus more on the hands-on work of dentistry.

"DSOs are groups that buy dental practices," said Dr. Kevin Kilroy, 58, whose one-dentist office is located on Weetamoe Street in Fall River. "Because some young dentists graduate with as much as $500,000 of debt, they may not be in a position to purchase a dental office. The DSOs purchase multiple practices and employ recent dental school graduates. It is similar to when the  large pharmacy chains bought out the individually owned pharmacies."

Kilroy, who has been practicing for 32 years, said that while the panademic has squeezed his profit margin, he has not raised his fees. He said the insurance company stipends are only short term and ending soon. He said one of the companies gave $8 extra per visit from Sept. 1 until Oct. 26. He said he has "no idea" what the rationale is for those start and end dates.

Kilroy said his business has not been plagued by COVID-fearing patients staying away from the office. He operated on an emergency-only basis at the start of the pandemic before the governor in June gave the green light for full operation.

"In my office there were very few patients who were reluctant to return for treatment," Kilroy said. "In fact, we are busier than ever. I think the patients realize that we have always set high standards for infection control and we have their best interests at heart. The risk of transmission of infection is actually much greater to the practitioner than it is to the patient."

Silvia said he’s very proud of the dentistry community, noting that the mask and glove wearing has been the standard for his 19-year career. He said that's how it should have been throughout the medical profession, and probably will be henceforth.

Silvia noted an American Dental Association study he recently read. It concerned coronavirus infection among dental office workers. Of the 2,500 offices that responded, he said, the infection rate was less than 1 percent.

“Dentists,” he said, “do it right.”

Email Greg Sullivan at gsullivan@heraldnews.com. Follow him @GregSullivanHN.