French dentists are posing naked to protest against government orders to go back to work – despite a shortage of personal protective equipment.
Dental professionals across France have stripped down in their practices to raise awareness of the lack of PPE within the sector.
This follows the government’s decision to send them back to work despite dentistry being a high-risk profession when it comes to COVID-19.
Autour du monde, les dentistes sont tenus de voir les urgences mais sont en bas des listes de priorités pour l’EPI, mettant en danger leur santé et ceux de leurs patients.
En France, le hashtag #Dentisteapoil est le cri de ralliement de ces professionnels de la santé. pic.twitter.com/91IcSwuxUA
— Luong Phuc Nguyen (@luongphucnguyen) April 25, 2020
The professionals used various tools and equipment to hide behind, from tactical poses on dental chairs to creatively-placed equipment.
But dentists in France are not the only healthcare professionals to stage a naked protest.
French dentists go naked without PPEhttps://t.co/uENPRP5FzS pic.twitter.com/MqwJr3PtRX
— Norman Lebrecht (@NLebrecht) April 27, 2020
Doctors in Germany also stripped off to highlight how they are insufficiently equipped to safely handle the challenges posed by coronavirus.
Calling to protest Blanke Bedenken – Naked Qualms in English – the doctors posed behind medical equipment, prescription blocks and toilet rolls.
French dentists are protesting the lack of PPE as they are forced to return to work by posting naked pictures. #OnlyInFrance #DentisteAPoil https://t.co/9UVb8pNOv4
— monika bielskyte (@monikabielskyte) April 26, 2020
Poor fit-testing
Dr Shilan Shah is the principal dentist at Alexandra Dental in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, which has been operating as a UDC for two weeks.
He paid for FFP3 fit-testing privately in order to successfully get the hub up and running to meet patient demand.
He said: ‘Surgical gowns are low, surgical gloves are non-existent. Our FFP3 masks arrived a week late.
‘The testing has been very poor. Additionally, some of our staff have failed the fit-testing. There’s only one kit to cover the entire area from Birmingham to the east coast and no alternative option has been provided.’
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