Compliance guides and regulatory updates for California dental practices covering the Dental Board of California, Title 17, infection control, OSHA requirements, and state-specific dental regulations.
Most state dental boards require that biological monitoring of the sterilization cycle be conducted using a spore test on a weekly basis. But what about sterilizer monitoring using a chemical indicator? Do most dental boards require chemical monitoring too? Chemical…
Healthcare employers are not required to provide routine booster shots or serologic testing to their employees, other than serologic testing immediately following the vaccination series. OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard incorporates the recommendations of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) by…
Pharmaceutical waste in a dental office is regulated as medical waste, and includes expired or partially-used over-the-counter medications, patient prescriptions, and emergency drugs. Since California is the strictest state in terms of medical waste disposal, California’s requirements are provided below…
While not specifically prohibited in California, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that dental personnel with direct contact with patients refrain from wearing artificial nails, keep natural nail tips short and groomed, and stop wearing jewelry…
Part of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and by providing training,…
In 2013, OSHA revised its Hazard Communication (Hazcom) Standard to align with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Affecting mostly chemical manufacturers, distributors, and importers, the major changes to the Hazcom Standard require…
“Documented occupational acquisition to HIV infection in healthcare workers has become rare in the United States,” states the January 9th edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Since 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified…
With the deadly Ebola virus claiming its first victim on American soil this past week, healthcare providers, including dental professionals, need to be aware of how to screen and manage patients for the disease. Although the U.S. Centers for Disease…
On September 23, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule to control dental amalgam effluent that will be published in the Federal Register. The rule would require most dentists to install best available control technology, amalgam…
While not prohibited, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that dental personnel with direct contact with patients refrain from wearing artificial nails and keep natural nail tips to no longer than ¼ inch in length. Artificial nails…
