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Is Your Website in Compliance With HIPAA?

by Olivia Wann

Most practices maintain a website. According to the Office of Civil Rights, if you maintain a website, you are required to make available your Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP). According to 45 CFR 164.520(c)(3), “(i) A covered entity that maintains a web site that provides information about the covered entity’s customer services or benefits must prominently post its notice on the web site and make the notice available electronically through the web site.”  


If you have a run in with a HIPAA violation, don’t be surprised if the OCR peruses your website. They will want evidence that the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) plus the contact information.


The NPP must designate who the HIPAA Compliance Officer is. This person would receive complaints and provide additional information. Is your NPP current? Is the HIPAA Compliance Officer name current and the contact information current, such as the name and practice telephone number?

These are two very basic requirements and trust me, it comes up.


If you are collecting protected health information (PHI) through your website, this is another potentially serious issue. You must consult your webmaster about encrypting data that is in motion and at rest to prevent a breach.

Inventory Control

by Olivia Wann

Over-ordering can result in pushing the practice over budget and risk expiration of products prior to use. Not having enough supplies leads to frustration especially when you reach for a product only to find an empty shelf. How do we implement good inventory control?   

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Alert!!! New HIPAA Requirements for 2025!!!

The Department of Health and Human Services published in the Federal Register the HIPAA Security Rule, including new HIPAA requirements, to Strengthen the Cybersecurity of Electronic Protected Health Information on January 6th, 2025. It is open for public comment until March 6th and then dental offices must work toward compliance within 180 days—that’s only 6 months!

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Fire Safety in the Dental Practice

by Caitlin Denison, BS, RDH

In the early morning hours of March 26, 2024 firefighters were called out to a dental office in Chattanooga, Tennessee where flames were seen coming through the roof. The building was severely damaged, as was the equipment inside. Luckily, due to the early hour of the fire, no employees or patients were harmed.

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States Are Getting Involved in Infection Control in Dentistry

It’s time to get into complete compliance and not linger with an infection control program full of holes! States like Maryland and California have introduced stricter requirements for infection control training and oversight. It’s clear that the focus on patient and employee safety is growing with infection control in dentistry.

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OSHA and the Hepatitis B Vaccine: What Are Your Rights and Responsibilities?

Most dental professionals recognize the risk of contracting hepatitis B while working in the dental field. They also understand that the hepatitis B vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect against the virus. However, during training Q & A sessions, we often find that employees and employers are unsure about their rights and responsibilities regarding the Hep B vaccine. To clarify, here are some common questions and answers to demystify the requirements.

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Walking to Work (Remotely!)

For those of us who work at a desk, we’ve all grown familiar with the sensation of our backs (and let’s be honest: our butts) not feeling the greatest at the end of the workday. Sitting in a chair and leaning toward our computer screens, our postures take the brunt of our hard day’s work. How many times have I clocked out of work and felt like my body was just kind of… mad at me? If you can relate, try walking to work in a remote setting.

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A Former OSHA Inspector’s Top 3 Pet Peeves

As a former OSHA Inspector and compliance officer, I worked hard to keep my cool and not let the little things irritate me. However, each industry had a few hazards that consistently frustrated me. Today, I will share my compliance pet peeves for the dental industry. I issued citations and fines for these hazards and want to help your office avoid them!

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