Dental schools and programs should require COVID-19 vaccines for students, staff, faculty and residents, the American Dental Education Association said Sept. 13.
The association's statement came after President Joe Biden's Sept. 9 executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all federal employees and a statement by the American Public Health Association and other healthcare organizations supporting COVID-19 vaccines mandates by healthcare employers.
“COVID-19 vaccines are widely and easily available in the United States, and their efficacy has been clearly and scientifically established,” Karen West, DMD, president and CEO of the dental association, said in a news release. “We need to do all we can to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 4.5 million people around the world, including 660,000 in the United States alone. The COVID-19 vaccines are a crucial tool in turning the tide in this pandemic.”