The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an informational guide to help individuals understand their rights to access their protected health information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The guide answers one of…
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published new resources for infection prevention and control in dental settings. Entitled Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care, with a March 2016 publication date,…
On June 1, 2016, OSHA’s revised Federal Hazard Communication (Hazcom) Standard will be in full effect. By this date, all chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers must be in compliance with all modified provisions of the Hazcom Standard. All employers…
In January 2016, new regulations for prescription drug labels took effect in California. While these new mandates target mostly pharmacists, they also apply to a dentist who dispenses medications to a patient for use outside of the office. The new…
Dental personnel ask us all the time if chemical indicators are adequate to assess sterilizer functionality. In short, the answer is no. Generally speaking, sterilizer monitoring should include a combination of mechanical, chemical, and biological monitoring. However, while chemical and…
In response to growing alarm surrounding the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus spreading rapidly in South America, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued two Zika health advisories, as well as posted online resources about the…
On December 3, Cal/OSHA issued a News Release stating that the California agency cited Kaiser Foundation Hospitals $149,000 for exposing workers to injury and infection from used needles in the hospital’s sharps collection containers. At least three employees have been…
When you consider the decontamination procedures for high-tech equipment, including computers, digital imaging equipment, and intraoral cameras, first and foremost, you should follow the manufacturer's directions. This provides the best results with the least damage to the equipment. In its…
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends a flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. The CDC also recommends the following as part of your everyday preventative actions: • Frequent hand…
The World Health Organization (WHO) would like you to be a part of the first World Antibiotic Awareness Week, which will be held during the week of November 16th-22nd. With antimicrobial resistance occurring everywhere in the world, compromising the ability…
