U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is observed each year from November 18th-24th. This year’s USAAW theme is "Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us.” According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antimicrobial resistance happens when germs,…
In September 2024, Senate Bill (SB) 1453, the Dental Board of California’s (DBC’s) sunset review bill, was chaptered into California law, which codifies substantial changes to the 8-hour infection control course requirements established under Business and Professions Code section 1755.…
On October 25, 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) published its October 2024 Cybersecurity Newsletter. The Newsletter provides valuable information on how to minimize cyber threats from “social engineering”, which is defined…
The California Medical Information Act (CMIA), which differs slightly from the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), was updated in 2004 to require healthcare providers to obtain annual written authorization from a patient for certain disclosures of protected…
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all chemical containers in a dental office to be labeled with either the original (primary) manufacturer’s label or a secondary label. A color-coded system is not required. If a chemical is…
In the United States, under the authority of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sole responsibility to establish and enforce the rules for efficacy claims and safety of surface disinfectants. Under…
The , formerly known as the Organization for Safety and Asepsis (OSAP), is sponsoring Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM) in September, asking stakeholders to support and promote dental safety throughout the month. The theme for 2024 is "Embracing a…
Each year, respiratory viruses are responsible for millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States. In addition to the virus that causes COVID-19, there are many other types of respiratory viruses, including influenza (flu) and…
On July 23, 2024, Cal/OSHA’s new rule to protect employees from unsafe indoor heat took effect. California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3396 – Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment requires most employers where the indoor temperature…
It seems like almost every other day, the national media reports on a new data breach. From large corporations to mom-and-pop local businesses, hackers do not discriminate on their targets. Small and mid-sized businesses like dental practices are often targeted…
