With the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, there are reports of facemasks selling out online and at retail outlets everywhere. And in photos depicted in news stories about the COVID-19 outbreak, it seems as if everyone…
Whether or not protective lead aprons are beneficial to minimizing patient exposure to ionizing radiation is a hot topic right now. In January, many media outlets reported that, due to recent technological advances and current evidence and expert guidance, many…
According to the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is a rapidly evolving situation, and information is constantly updating as it becomes available. What is 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)? COVID-19 is a new virus identified as the cause…
With influenza activity peaking nationwide this season and with the emergence of a novel strain of coronavirus wreaking havoc in China, control of aerosol transmissible diseases (ATDs) is very important in the healthcare industry to minimize transmission to healthcare personnel…
In December, many news sources were abuzz with reports about a Tennessee dentist who failed to properly process and sterilize equipment between patients. Patients who were treated at the Knoxville, Tennessee dental practice between September 2016 and September 2019 received letters advising…
A massive ransomware attack against dental offices strikes again, for the second time in five months. In late November, a ransomware attack of a third party technology company infected and locked the software systems of approximately 100 dental offices that use…
On November 21, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) updated their online Frequently Asked Questions about the new requirement for employers to train their employees on harassment prevention. The FAQ now indicates that the DFEH online training will be…
Lately, we have been hearing more and more reports about cyberattacks affecting businesses of all sizes nationwide. This past summer, over 400 dental practices were affected by a ransomware cyberattack from a third party data company. Then, most recently, the American Dental Association…
On October 30, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology posted a blog about how to effectively use its free online security risk assessment tool for security of…
The American Dental Association (ADA) published an updated clinical practice guideline on antibiotic use for the urgent management of dental pain and intra-oral swelling. According to the guideline, “evidence suggests that antibiotics for the target conditions may provide negligible benefits and probably contribute to…
