In January 2017, California Assembly Bill (AB) 2235 took effect, which added to the Dental Practice Act’s definition of unprofessional conduct the failure of dental practitioners to obtain the written informed consent using mandatory language from a minor patient’s parent or guardian prior to…
Back in 2016, more than 60 children were diagnosed with confirmed or probable mycobacterial infections in Anaheim, California, after becoming infected with serious oral cellulitis, following dental pulpotomies performed at the same dental clinic. The microorganism in question was Mycobacterium abscessus, which…
Cal/OSHA Standard Section 5203 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) mandates that all employers who use a regulated carcinogen must report that use in writing, by mail or email, to Cal/OSHA’s Asbestos and Carcinogen Unit. Cal/OSHA regulates ~30 regulated carcinogens under Title 8 CCR Sections…
In October 14, the California Dental Association (CDA) published a warning notification on its website about an email scam that looks like it was sent by its president Del Brunner with a signature of “R. Del Brunner”. These are not CDA-authorized emails from Dr…
On September 6, the Dental Board of California (DBC) posted a warning on its website about a phone scam targeting California dental licensees. Scam artists posing as DBC staff are calling California licensees and identifying themselves as DBC staff members or investigators…
In late August, over 400 dental practices were affected in a ransomware cyberattack against DDS Safe, a service from The Digital Dental Record that facilitates secure data backups for dental practice computer systems. Unfortunately, scenarios like this are becoming all too…
On August 23, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement addressing the first suspected fatality in Illinois linked to severe lung disease caused by e-cigarette use, or vaping: “This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks…
We often get questions from our clients about dental licensees’ continuing education (CE) requirements for license renewal by the Dental Board of California (DBC). Read on for the DBC’s requirements, which can be found in Sections 1015-1017 of Title 16 of the California…
Most dental offices do not generate “red-bag” biohazardous waste, also known as regulated medical waste. Cal/OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Standard (Title 8 CCR Section 5193) and the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH’s) Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA) each have a unique,…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule, to take effect on August 21st, which will prohibit healthcare facilities, including dental offices, to “sewer” pharmaceutical hazardous waste. The term “sewering” refers to disposing of pharmaceutical hazardous waste by dumping it…
