Both the Dental Board of California and Cal/OSHA require personal protective equipment (PPE), including protective attire, to be removed prior to leaving the work area(s). While “work area” must be defined individually on a case-by-case basis, a work area in…
Infection control is at the heart of safe, effective dental care. While cleaning and disinfecting clinical contact surfaces are essential to prevent disease transmission, many items in the dental operatory are difficult to clean and disinfect thoroughly between patients. The…
The Dental Board of California’s (DBC’s) Table of Permitted Duties for Dental Assistants has been updated to reflect amendments to the California Dental Practice Act (DPA), which took effect January 1, 2025 with the passage of Senate Bill 1453 last…
All contaminated disposable sharps generated in a California dental office must be placed into a sharps container, which should1 be placed in each operatory where disposable sharps are used. The sharps container must be rigid, puncture-resistant, leakproof, portable if necessary…
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the hepatitis B vaccination to be made available to all employees with the potential for occupational exposure to blood/OPIM (other potentially infectious material), within ten working days of initial employment or…
In July 2025, Cal/OSHA published updates to its Safety and Health Protection on the Job poster (Poster 12B in your OSHA Review Poster Set). Employers with 1 or more employees must post the updated poster. For our OSHA Review subscribers……
In September 2024, California Senate Bill (SB) 1453, the Dental Board of California’s (DBC’s) sunset review bill, was chaptered into California law. Among other things, this bill amended to Section 1700(c) of the California Dental Practice Act. Previously, the law…
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific requirements for sharps containers in dental offices under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). These rules are designed to protect dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) from exposure to bloodborne pathogens…
Federal regulations determine if radiation dosimetry monitoring is necessary in a dental office. Dental employers are not required to perform individual personnel dosimetry monitoring unless dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) are likely to receive a radiation dose in excess of 10…
Under 29 CFR 1910.151(c), the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that “suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use” where the eyes…
