East Lansing dentist fighting to get back to work; has petition with over 3k signatures

Four days ago, Dr. Shaheen-McNiel started collecting signatures on change.org.posting a video, where she asked the governor to let dental workers open up.

She's already had more than 3,000 people sign their names.

SUPPORTING GOVERNOR WHITMER'SSTAY-HOME ORDER...BUT SOME DENTISTS ARE NOT.FOX 47'S SPENCER SOICHER TALKEDWITH ONE OF THEM... WHO'SGATHERINGSIGNATURES... SO SHE CAN GO BACKTO WORK.UNDER THE GOVERNORS EXECUTIVEORDER, DENTAL WORK IS DEEMED NONESSENTIAL.

BUT ONE LOCALDENTIST THINKS THATS NOT RIGHTAND SHE'S GATHERING SIGNATURESTO HAVE HER VOICE HEARD.THERE'S THIS COMMONMISCONCEPTION THAT ROUTINEDENTAL CARE IS ELECTIVE AND THATSIMPLYISN'T TRUE.DOCTOR JENNIFER MCNIEL SHAHEENIS A DENTIST AT THIS EASTLANSING OFFICE.

SHE CAN'TLEGALLY WORKON PATIENTS... UNLESS ITSCONSIDERED AN EMERGENCY....SOMETHING THAT WOULD SENDSOMEONE TO THE HOSPITAL IN PAIN.THIS WEEK ALONE I'VE ALREADYGOTTEN THREE CALLS AND I WAS NOTABLE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THEMBECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DEEMED ANEMERGENCY, EVEN THOUGH IN FACTTHEY ARE ERMERGENT.

FOUR DAYSAGO SHE STARTED COLLECTINGSIGNATURES ON CHANGE.ORG..POSTING THISVIDEO ASKING THE GOVERNOR TO LETDENTAL WORKERS OPEN UP.

SHE'SALREADY HAD MORE THAN THREETHOUSAND PEOPLE SIGN THEIRNAMES.MICHIGAN ISN'T UNIQUE IN BANNINGDENTAL WORK DURING THE STAY HOMEORDER.

NEARLY ALL STATESHAVE.WE KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY DAWN AMASK.

WE UNDERSTAND THEIMPORTANCE OF INFECTIONCONTROL"HAVE YOU CONSIDERERD GOINGAGAINST THAT AT ALL?

OR WOULD ITBE TOO RISKY TO LOSE YOURMEDICALLISCENSE?"ABSOLUTLEY NOT.

I WANT TO DOWHATS BEST FOR MY PATIENTS, BUTIM A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.

IDON'TWANT TO BREAK THE LAW.

ANDNEITHER DO MY COLLEAGUES.

DOCTORMCNIEL-SHAHEEN SAYS WHEN THEYARE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO OPEN UP,HER STAFF OF 6 WILLWEAR RESPIRATORS INSTEAD OFMASKS.

AND WITH THE PROPER PPE,SHE SAYS THEY ARE READY TOOPEN HERE IN MICHIGAN.GOVERNOR WHITMER WE ARE READY,WE ARE CONFIDENT.

WE CAN DOTHIS.

WE CAN ABSOLUTLEY TAKECARE OF THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN."IN EAST LANSING SPENCER SOICHERFOX 47 NEWS.THE DENTAL RESTRICTIONS ARE INPLACE THROUGH MAY 28TH... WHENTHE STATEOF EMERGENCY ENDS.GOVERNOR WHITMER COULD EXTEN