by Olivia Wann
Is your HR policy discriminating employees based on hair style and hair texture? Years ago, it was common for HR policies to include a provision prohibiting extreme hairstyles. Perceived as “extreme” hairstyles included afros, dreadlocks, cornrows, braids and twists.
by Olivia Wann
The law requires that we ask the patient to acknowledge receipt of the Notice of Privacy Practices. The law does not require the patient to sign the “acknowledgment of receipt of the notice.” Signing does not mean that the patient agreed to any special uses or disclosures of the patient’s records. Refusing to sign the acknowledgement does not prevent you from using or disclosing health information as HIPAA permits.
By Olivia Wann
Household products are excluded from the Hazard Communication Standard providing that these items are not used in excess of household use, used in a different form or concentration or manner generally used by the average consumer.
by Olivia Wann
If a pregnant dentist, dental assistant, or dental hygienist must take patient radiographs, it is recommended that you provide a personal dosimetry badge to track her exposure to radiation, according to the ADA. Provide barrier protection while operating radiographic equipment.
Utilize the ALARA principle to minimize radiation exposure. Be mindful of any state rules that may vary from this interpretation.
Read more here: https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/practice-management/radiation-safety-for-pregnant-dental-staff-and-patients
by Gracie Hogue
When treating patients, corrosive chemicals and debris and even splash and splatter from the patient’s oral cavity can end up in unprotected eyes. Because of this, it’s vital that an emergency eyewash station is nearby and up to OSHA’s standards. If you’re wondering if your practice even merits having one in the first place, OSHA answers you with a clear and resounding “YES”:
by Gracie Hogue
One thing we often see at the practices during a Mock OSHA Inspection is that the practice’s Sharps Injury Log is blank. This may look great to you because it looks clean and seems to convey the message that there have been no injuries. But OSHA doesn’t see it this way.
by Gracie Hogue
On December 14, 2022, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a settlement with a dental practice in California over the impermissible disclosure of patient protected health information (PHI) in response to online reviews, and other potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. The practice used social media inappropriately responding to a negative online review that disclosed Protected Health Information. The dental practice paid $23,000 to OCR and agreed to implement a corrective action plan (CAP) to resolve this investigation.
by Olivia Wann
Quite a number of support calls and cases have come through with the problem of RDAs and RDHs licenses lapsed. This results in fines and penalties for both the RDA, RDH, and the owner/dentist.
by Olivia Wann
Are you aware the FBI warned of search engine ads when you search for your bank online?
When you search for your bank online, a search engine advertisement may pop up to promote websites distributing ransomware or stealing login credentials.
by Olivia Wann
I have personally been a fan of the Hufriedy IMS cassette system for many years. Why? Number one, the cassette system promotes safety. By handling the contaminated instruments less, the assistants and hygienists are less likely to have a sharps injury. If we can minimize the risk of an exposure incident, we have accomplished two things: 1) employees feel safer, and 2) we minimized the added costs of post exposure management.
I also how it saves time and promotes organization. Up to an hour a day is saved and we all can use more time in our day!
Another plus is the fact that the instruments will last longer by reducing the amount of abrasive contact during transport and pre-cleaning in the ultrasonic cleaner. Once again, this puts dollars back in the practice’s budget.