Do you know how long you are required to keep those old material safety data sheets (MSDSs – now referred to as safety sheets, SDSs) that keep piling up in your office? Because illnesses resulting from workplace exposures often do…
Today, September 23, 2013, is Deadline for Updated HIPAA Notice of Privacy Policy Dental offices have until today to make sure that their Notice of Privacy Policy is updated with new patients rights, as required by the Health Insurance Portability…
Oklahoma investigators announce first documented patient-to-patient hepatitis C transmission in a dental office On September 18, Oklahoma public health investigators released a status update confirming the first known patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C. The transmission occurred in an Oklahoma dental…
Employees with potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens (BBP) must receive BBP training initially upon employment and annually thereafter. Cal/OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Standard – Title 8 California Code of Regulations Section 5193 (8 CCR 5193) requires annual training for all…
Infection control and prevention in the dental setting are critical part to a successful dental practice. Not following the infection control “standard of care” can lead to unwanted exposure to transmissible infections during dental treatment. This past April, media outlets…
As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), on October 1, 2013, employers covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must provide a notice of coverage options to each employee, regardless of plan enrollment status (if applicable) or of…
In early 2013, the federal HIPAA Omnibus Rule went info effect, with a compliance date of September 23, 2013. The Rule brings together the requirements of HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009) and HIPAA…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, and most states require, dental offices to monitor their sterilizers weekly using a spore test. Regular sterilizer monitoring using biologic indicators, i.e. spore tests, is considered the standard practice in dentistry,…
In early August, the US Public Health Service (USPHS) released updated guidelines for managing occupational exposures to HIV and recommendations for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The updated guidelines were developed by an interagency USPHS working group consisting of members from the…
The California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch (CDPH-RHB) recently issued an exemption that allows dentists to use portable hand-held x-ray systems. Without the exemption, portable hand-held x-ray systems would be prohibited in dentistry, as stated in the following…
