by Olivia Wann
If you’re staying up to date with the latest guidelines, then you are familiar with antibiotic stewardship. Four out of five antibiotics prescribed by a dentist are unnecessary or in discordance per the latest guidelines.
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!
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.
We’ve all had that patient who tells the hygienist as soon as they walk into the treatment room, “No x-ray today.” A patient is refusing radiographs- do we simply make notes in the patient’s record and continue with the prophy? Hmm…sounds like a poor risk management plan.
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.
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.
If you’re a healthcare worker including an individual working in a dental setting, it’s very important to stay up to date on recommended vaccines to protect yourself and your patients. Read below to see which vaccines are required for dental workers.
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.
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!
by Caitlin Denison, BS, RDH
When I was a compliance officer and OSHA Inspector, I tried to keep my cool and not let the little things irk me. Despite my best efforts, however, each industry had its few hazards that I always found particularly frustrating. Today, I’m going to share with you my compliance pet peeves for the dental industry. I have issued citations and fines for each of these hazards and want your office to avoid them!