HOWARD (NBC 26) -- A local dentist is trying to make sure front line workers have the protection they need.
Dr. Sam Schmidt is a dentist with Dental Associates in Howard. He says he's upgrading masks into higher quality masks.
A website showed him how to make seals from Neoprene rubber to help the masks fit tightly to the face.
"The advantage of an n95 is that it seals. The regular surgical masks actually have quite a good filtration rate, a level 3 is just as good as an N95, but it doesn't fit, you have all these open areas. With this, it solves that problem, despite the shortage, you can make these yourself."
The idea is to take a surgical mask, then use the brace to get a better seal of the mask on one's face. You can download the template for free to upgrade masks by clicking here.
