When a patient brings a service animal to the practice, the situation can be potentially baffling to staff. It’s understandable if practice staff feel apprehensive about what to do next or wonder what the correct questions are to ask and what questions are to be avoided. As this situation seems to be increasingly more common in dental practices, it could be easy to say or ask the wrong thing.
by Gracie Hogue
When a patient brings a service animal to the practice, the situation can be potentially baffling to staff. It’s understandable if practice staff can feel apprehensive about what to do next, or wonder what the correct questions are to ask and what questions are to be avoided. As this situation seems to be increasingly more common in dental practices, it could be easy to say or ask the wrong thing.
By Olivia Wann
OSHA published the Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers and now plans to release a proposed rule in December which would be effective in 2025.
Interestingly, California dental practices were required to establish, implement and maintain a workplace violence prevention plan July 1st of this year, regardless of how many employees are in place.[1]
by Olivia Wann, JD
OSHA published the Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers and now plans to release a proposed rule in December which would be effective in 2025.
by Olivia Wann
Safety (formerly OSAP). A top down strategy to assess risk is to evaluate the areas of strategic, technology, financial, operations, legal/regulatory and human capital.
Based on the audience’s participation, it appears that most practices in attendance are struggling with human capital. Between the labor shortage and having to employ dental assistants and administrative team members with little to no dental background, practices are struggling.
by Olivia Wann
We’ve addressed this support question regularly over the years when dental offices inquire whether their surveillance system violates HIPAA compliance and patient privacy.
Let’s explore the topic balancing HIPAA compliance and job safety.
by Olivia Wann
Gel nails and acrylic nails continue to be popular in today’s world. This article explores the safety of gel and acrylic nails and whether these trends are appropriate for clinical dental team members.
by Olivia Wann
Recently Walgreens was ordered to pay $205,000 in EEOC pregnancy and disability discrimination lawsuit. Evidently a Walgreens store located in Alexandria, Louisiana refused to let an employee take emergency leave to seek medical attention. The pregnant employee suffered with diabetes and hypoglycemia and was spotting. The store manager refused to let the employee leave until she found a replacement. The employee had no choice but to resign so that she could seek medical care. The employee miscarried that day. Walgreens violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.[1] Are you in compliance with state and federal laws?
by Gracie Hogue
We all work from day to day without thinking of the possibilities of a dire emergency happening. But in the offhand chance that someone needs to be revived, is your AED ready?
by Olivia Wann
The Office of Civil Rights indicates that sanction policies can support HIPAA compliance. Your sanction policies can be an important tool for supporting accountability and improving cybersecurity and data protection. Employees are required to comply with written policies and procedures. If they violate these policies and procedures, sanctions are specifically required by HIPAA’s Privacy Rule and Security Rule.