by Olivia Wann
It is the policy of the Board to require strict compliance with the laws of the State. It is the duty and responsibility of the Board to enforce the Practice Act.
Prevent a Board complaint from occurring by familiarizing yourself with the Board’s website and reviewing the Board of Dentistry’s disciplinary actions. Seeing the common pitfalls will help you to avoid the same mistakes.
by Olivia Wann
Acadia Health doing business as Just Kids Dental filed a notice of a data breach with the Attorney General of Maine on September 1, 2023. Evidently an unauthorized party accessed patient information including:
The dental practice sent out data breach notification letters affected by the security incident. There were over 129,000 patients and employees affected.
How did this happen? The pediatric office was targeted in a cyberattack. Hackers encrypted the computer networks including any data stored on the system including patient and employee files.
It’s very unfortunate to report that we noted one law firm “inviting” victims of the breach to participate in a class action lawsuit against Acadia Health if they have experienced any fraud or identify theft since August 1, 2023. None of us are immune from a cyberattack. We can only mitigate risk through compliance with recognized security practices (RSPs), compliance with HIPAA and working with a competent IT group. If you need assistance with your HIPAA Security Risk Assessment, contact us today (931) 232-7738.
As many of you are aware, I started working in a dental office when I was 17 years old. I worked part-time as a janitor for a cleaning company.
In dentistry, we know that informed consent allows patients to make decisions in their dental care. We are aware that parents and legal guardians provide consent for minors. But the question arises, who provides consent for foster kids?
by Olivia Wann
In dentistry, we know that informed consent allows patients to make decisions in their dental care. We are aware that parents and legal guardians provide consent for minors. But the question arises, who provides consent for minors who are in foster homes?
There is a deadly fungus among us! Recently we learned more about Candida auris at the OSAP meeting. Candida auris (C. auris) is a deadly fungus that spreads in healthcare settings. It can be carried on the patient’s skin and spread to others.
It may sound redundant, but we cannot please every patient we serve. Although the majority of the individuals we serve may be great patients and contribute to you having a wonderful day at work, the reality is there’s those one or two who make our lives miserable. It’s the rude, disruptive patient who has unrealistic expectations. Maybe they don’t comply with your recommendations and then blame you for unfavorable results. They fail to keep appointments. They don’t pay their bill. And somehow you are the target of lousy dental patients.
by Olivia Wann
It may sound redundant, but we cannot please every patient we serve. Although the majority of the individuals we serve may be great patients and contribute to you having a wonderful day at work, the reality is there’s those one or two who make our lives miserable. It’s the rude, disruptive patient who has unrealistic expectations. They don’t comply with your recommendations and then blame you for unfavorable results. They fail to keep appointments. They don’t pay their bill. And somehow you are the target.
As air quality has been a major headline topic lately in the eastern U.S. and Canada, it is a major consideration for the dental practice as well. The scientific community has made a committed emphasis on indoor air quality of medical and dental facilities since the 1960s, and now with airborne infections becoming a critical focus, there have been new developments in ensuring that your practice’s air quality clean and healthy for both the patients and its workers.
As of May 10, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ OCR entered into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with a Florida health center. This agreement resolves a disability discrimination complaint based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. As well as Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.