When the Pennsylvania State Department of Health ordered dental offices to close, one local dentist found himself with a supply of PPE (personal protective equipment) that he wouldn’t be using for the foreseeable future.

Dr. James Zora, who operates Zora Family Dental in Pleasant Hills and Fox Chapel, offered his supplies to his longtime friend Dr. Kip Jenifer, EMS medical director and assistant medical director at Jefferson Regional Hospital in Jefferson Hills. He was shocked that Jenifer not only took him up on the offer but offered to come and get the supplies.

“It’s such a simple thing and I think – I’d hope – every dentist would come to the same conclusion,” Zora said.

He also took it a step further and called his suppliers to let them know that he was ordering not for his own practice, but for the hospitals. Gloves, face masks (N95 masks weren’t available from Zora’s supplier) and sterile wipes were among the items that he gave to Jenifer.

Zora said he initially saved a box of gloves and a box of masks, anticipating to be allowed to handle emergency cases during the shutdown. When he got the directive that even emergency procedures weren’t allowed, he decided to give the hospital everything that he has.

Jenifer said Jefferson isn’t using extra supplies right now, but that the hospital ks keeping the donations in a secure place as a backup.

“We may not have to use any of it, but we definitely want to be prepared,” he said.

Allegheny Health Network, of which Jefferson Regional is a part, on Sunday announced that it had secured a shipment of 65,000 N95 protective masks. On Monday, it announced that Massaro Construction Group also donated N95 masks.

According to Jenifer, there aren’t a lot of known coronavirus positives coming into the hospital for treatment, though there are still patients coming in with the flu and other respiratory symptoms. But, “we’re feeling like a lot of those who have tested positive will get more ill and have to come to the emergency room for assistance,” he said.

For Jenifer and the staff at area hospitals, the support has been great.

“The overall community rallying behind everyone, daily, with calls of how are you doing from friends, family and the community itself has been pretty amazing,” he said.

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