Carpules, used in dentistry, are small cylindrical glass tubes containing anesthetics which are screwed onto dental syringes, and are commonly aspirated while the practitioner injects the patient. The proper management of glass carpule waste is determined by the condition of…
Maintaining an accurate, complete, and up-to-date patient history file is important to ensure that appropriate treatment is being rendered. Failure to respond correctly to medical conditions disclosed in the patient’s medical history can be dangerous to the patient, and could…
OSHA requires the hepatitis B vaccination to be made available to all employees with the potential for occupational exposure to blood/OPIM (other potentially infectious material), within ten working days of initial employment or new assignment. Employee must be provided with…
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is holding its seventh semiannual national prescription drug take-back day on Saturday, October 26th for consumers. The purpose of this day is to provide a safe and convenient venue for the general public to…
In the dental profession, OSHA does not require that employees or employers receive CE units or attend outside ‘OSHA courses”. The basic premise of OSHA's training requirements, for all employers in the US, is to ensure that employees are trained…
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…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employees who have potential occupational exposure to chemicals to receive training on the new hazard communication (hazcom) guidelines. Employees must be trained on the new label pictograms and safety data sheets…
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…
All clinical contact surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected using a Cal/EPAregistered, hospital disinfectant that is labeled as effective against HIV and HBV, or TB. Furthermore, all clinical contact surfaces that are not protected by impervious barriers must be cleaned and disinfected using a Cal-EPA…
