b'Dental Fills the Gap for VaccinationsOur dental team is known for its innovative programs integrating dental and medical services, but the pandemic accelerated that work ahead in one giant leap. When COVID-19 vaccinations became available in 2021, our dentists jumped into action to help meet our goal of vaccinating 30,000 patients. While dentists are skilled with oral injections, vaccinations are a different delivery system and required some training. All of our dentists are now certified vaccinators and spent months working at our primary care clinics twice a week, administering thousands of vaccines along with our medical assistants, nurses, pharmacists and providers. We were one of the early adopters, said Dr. Lisa Bozzetti, Dental Director. We set an example for other Federally Qualified Health Centers in the U.S.Dentists are not allowed to administer vaccinations in most states. However, President Biden issued an executive order temporarily allowing dentists, dental hygienists and other eligible professionals across the nation to help medical providers vaccinate against COVID-19. Once that order expires, many dentists across the nation will stop the practice, but not at Virginia Garcia. In 2019, the Oregon legislature passed a law allowing dentists to provide all types of inoculations in an effort to improve the states dismal immunization record. COVID-19 vaccinations became the springboard for Virginia Garcia to add dentist-administered vaccinations in our dental clinics.Oregons children have a lot of catching up to do with their immunizations and our dentists will help them get there.We want to empower other dental organizations to do this, Lisa said. #JointheFight'