(770) 312-6257

Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Hot-line.
(doctors on call 24 hours a day to discuss procedures and
the need for PEP after a needle stick): (888) 448-4911
or http://www.ucsf.edu/hivcntr
 

New Stuff and Alerts:

• NEW RULE in Georgia: Please note that we are now required to use Board of Pharmacy approved security paper when we write prescriptions for any Schedule II controlled drugs.
  The deadline for compliance is December 31. 2011.
  
  Click for “Prescription Pad Paper”.
  Click for approved security paper vendors “prescription pad vendors”.
   
• There's a new federal poster requirement after January 31, 2012, and as usual, you do NOT have to pay for it. Download a poster that you can print, tape together and post with the rest of your posters. Print - Download Poster
   
• It's official: We're out! Congress has passed a law that exempts dental and medical offices from the Red Flag Identity Theft Rules. No policies, no procedures, no fines, no worries! Woo-Hoo!
  
  (The only exception may be if your office accesses credit bureaus before extending credit to a patient; if you do, these rules may apply to your office, so check with your attorney to make sure you're in compliance.)
   

OSHA Compliance Checklists and Info:

• For the latest and greatest information on infection control in dentistry,
  check out www.osap.org (Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures).
  They also have a fantastic OSHA checklist (click here) and are a great organization to join for the latest updates in infection control.
   
• From OSAP, the dental infection control gurus of the universe, here's some fantastic guidance on becoming your office's office compliance queen (or king, as case may be!):
  click here for guide
   
• For a quick overview of what OSHA requires for dental offices and some recommended publications, check out this link:
  http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3187/osha3187.html
   
• For a list to help you get your Hazard Communication Plan in order:
  ( Hazard Communication Plan Checklist )
   
• Here's some information from the ADA about what to do in the event of an OSHA inspection: click here for info sheet
   

Stick Injuries and Sharps Info:

• If someone in your office is stuck, DO NOT CALL ME!!!  If you have any questions about stick injuries, call the Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Hot-line. (doctors on call 24 hours a day to discuss the need for PEP after a needle stick): (888) 448-4911 or http://www.ucsf.edu/hivcntr
   
• Here's an interesting article about stick injuries in hospital-based dentistry (where needlesticks may be more common than in regular dental practices because of the use of IV needles and different types of procedures); the article reiterates the importance of making all procedures as safe as possible. click here for article
   
• Here is a great checklist from OSAP about what to do after a stick: click here
   
• In the event of a stick injury , fill out this exposure report form and give it to the doctor when you and the source patient go for testing:  click here
   
• Review of Rapid HIV Tests: click here
  Click link below for more info on rapid HIV antibody tests,
  how they work and how you can use them for your office:
  More: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/oraqck.htm
   
• For free sample forms to evaluate safer sharps devices,
  go to: http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/infection_control/forms.htm
   
• Here is an evaluation of a safety syringe that you can print out, go over with your office staff, and if you agree with the findings, place it in your OSHA notebook:
  (click here for evaluation)
   
• Here's a study discussing dental safety needle effectiveness:
  Dental Safety Needle Effectiveness, results of a one year study.
  click here to view / print this article.
   
• Here is a sample OSHA needle safety plan to help you design a plan for your office, if you need one.  It’s in a “Word” format so you can change it however you want:
  click here for OSHA needle safety plan
   

Disinfection/Sterilization and MSDS info:

• Here are two articles from infection control experts about the effectiveness of wipes:
  
  OSHA Disinfectant Surface Wipes
  
  OSHA Wipes Effectiveness
   
• Here's some help when selecting approved disinfectants in dentistry:
  
  Here's a list of surface disinfectants from OSAP, the dental infection control experts:
  (OSAP Surface Disinfectant Reference Chart - click here)
  
  Gordon Christensen, the dental products expert, evaluated several disinfectants for effectiveness: (click here)
  
  For a list of EPA approved disinfectants, directly from the EPA, click here
   
• The bib chain may be a source of cross contamination, so it’s important to disinfect or sterilize it.  Here's some information you might find helpful: 
  
  OSHA Bib Chain Contamination
   
• MSDS forms: For a great way to access and store MSDS forms for your office check this out: http://www.msdsxchange.com/english/index.cfm
  
  If you're missing some MSDS forms, here's a great place to find them and print them out: http://www.ehso.com/msds.php
   

HIPAA Info:

• For specific questions and answers about HIPAA, click here for the US Dept of Health & Human Services web link ( http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/index.html )
   
• For general information about HIPAA in dentistry go to the following websites:
  
  http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/hipaa/hipaa_faqs.pdf
  
  www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa
   
• ADA commentary on HIPAA regulations and how it affects dentistry.
  Here's a great "HIPAA Questions" link that you can print to answer a lot of questions that affect us specifically. (American Dental Association)
  http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/issues/topics/hipaa/index.html
   
• For a quick reference sheet directly from the HIPAA folks, check this out:
  HIPAA Fast Facts for Covered Entities
   
• HIPAA Authorization Form: Here is a form you can use for any patient whose dental work is paid for by another person (so you can disclose information but still make an effort to comply with HIPAA requirements).
  
  We run into situations all the time where HIPAA prevents us from disclosing information but, for practical reasons, we need to disclose information so we can get paid (examples: moms who bring in college-age kids for dental work and they're still paying the bill, divorced parents who don't want the other to get information but they want us to bill them for payment, 40 year olds who are getting their dental work paid for by their parents, etc.) Make it a policy in your office that anyone who has a financial interest in another person gets information and then have them sign this Authorization.
  
  If a patient doesn't like this policy he can pay the bill himself or he can choose to go somewhere else. (Please note that you can't refuse treatment specifically because a patient refuses to sign an authorization, but you can dismiss a patient for violating office policies, so long as you follow state and federal laws and make sure you don’t “abandon” your patient.) Anyway, it takes us out of the middle and will (hopefully!) help protect us from HIPAA complaints.
   
• click here for HIPPA Authorization form in Adobe PDF Format
   
• click here for HIPPA Authorization form in revisable MS WORD Format
   
• HIPAA Security Standard Information
  click here to view / print the HIPAA Security Standard handout.
  
  Here's 5 great hints on keeping your computer system secure:
  click here
   
• Security Breach: A new section of the HIPAA rules were put into effect as of September 2009. In the event of a security breach of your computer system, you are supposed to follow certain procedures to ensure that patients are notified that their information may have been compromised. Here's are links to the ADA’s website that explains the procedures that need to be followed:
  
  SECURITY BREACH NOTIFICATION FLOW CHART
  
  GUIDANCE FOR COMPLYING WITH THE HIPAA/HITECH BREACH NOTIFICATION RULE
  
  In the event of a breach of unsecured personal health information, we are supposed to maintain a log of all breaches, and report it to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If the breach involves more than 500 individuals in a single geographic area, we are supposed to notify our patients, the local media, and HHS as soon as possible (absolutely within 60 days of the breach); if it's less than 500 individuals, we are to log it and notify HHS on an annual basis, (within 60 days of the end of the calendar year in which the breach occurred). Here is the site to fill out the HHS notification:
  
  http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/breachnotificationrule/brinstruction.html
   
• One of the biggest problems we have is securing our computer's information from a potential breach.  Dealing with a breach has huge implications for a dental practice, so encryption is a great preventative measure.  If someone steals your computers or hacks into your computer system and more than 500 patients are involved, you have to notify the patients AND the local media!  If the information is encrypted, the information is not considered usable and no breach has occurred.  Mr. Justin Hahn installs and maintains computer systems for dentistry, and  he has put together different packages that encrypt your information so it is protected from potential breaches.  Mention that I sent you and get 10% off!  (click here)
   

General Risk Management and Office Safety Info:

• For information about Emergency Kits in the dental office,
  check out the following ADA article for recommendations:
  Office Emergencies - ADA Article
  
  (Also, check with your state board for any additional guidelines, recommendations and requirements about emergency kits, defibrillator and other resuscitative equipment.)
   
• Here's a great article from JADA that helps dental offices deal with medical emergencies: (Dental Emergency Article) 
   
• For information on how often to update a medical history form,
  click here to view this article:
   
• Here's a great reference about radiation exposure levels. If your patients want to know how much radiation they receive from dental x-rays versus other sources of radiation, here's something you can show them that's very interesting (and reassuring!):  (click here for dose chart)
   
• X-Ray Badge Information:  X-ray badges are only required for pregnant employees, as a general rule, but check with your local board to make sure it's not required by your state.  Click here for more information
  
  The Georgia Department of Community Health also recognizes that dental health care workers rarely receive enough radiation to require the use of dosimetry badges. 
  To check out the Georgia laws, there are two links.
  
  Click the first link: http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/docs/290/5/22/03.pdf
  and look at section (3) under "Personnel Monitoring" and you’ll see that we rarely meet the minimum requirements to necessitate the use of x-ray dosimetry badges.
  
  And click here http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/docs/290/5/22/04.pdf 
  for general rules under “X-rays in the Healing Arts”.
   
• Leave it to OSAP to give a great summary of radiation safety guidelines in the dental office: 
  Radiation Safety Guide for the Dental Office
   
• Check out the recommendations from the FDA and ADA regarding the
  frequency and types of dental x-rays for various classes of patients:
  click here for - The use of dental radiographs
   
• Here is an information sheet from the ADA about dental x-rays and safety.  Please note they recommend the use of a lead apron with a thyroid collar when taking x-rays, so long as it does not interfere with the procedure.
  Here is an information sheet.
   
• Here is information about tamper-resistant prescription pads
  (as required by Medicaid): Click here for fact sheet.
   
• For information about dental records
  What is included in the record, copying costs, privacy requirements, etc.
  check out these links:

American Dental Association - Dental Records, click here:

Georgia Laws Relating to Patient Records, click here:

or click here for
Unprofessional Conduct Defined (Maintenance of records)

• Here's a great resource for information about the laws regarding HIV testing in your state:
  http://www.nccc.ucsf.edu/consultation_library/state_hiv_testing_laws/
   
• Here are two great articles about cost effective and easy methods of treating your waterlines, (please note that Listerine has also been found effective when used in the same manner as the Scope and peroxide mixtures described in these articles), view or print articles using Adobe Reader
  
  waterline 1
  
  waterline 2
  
  Here also, is a publication by the ADA about waterline issues; the article also lists products related to waterline testing and maintenance.
  https://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/waterlines/art_cleaning_waterlines.pdf
  
• For information on legislative and regulatory issues, go to:
  http://www.ada.org/members/govt/issues/index.html
  
• For information on legal issues:
  http://www.ada.org/members/prac/law/issues.html
   
• For information on ADA guidelines, information on ADA positions and ADA statements, go to the following link and click on any topic that interests you:
  http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/issues/statements/index.html
   

Disease, Health and Infection Control Info:

• For questions involving infection control, amalgam, blood borne pathogens, waterlines, etc. go to the following link, (“Oral health Topics A to Z”) and click on topics of interest. http://www.ada.org/public/topics/index.asp
   
• For information about “H1N1” flu in the dental office, check out the
  recommendations from the infection control gurus at OSAP:
  http://www.osap.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1216
   
• It's important for health care workers to receive vaccinations for the flu and for any childhood diseases for which they don't have immunity. Here's the CDC's vaccination schedule for health care workers: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2017.pdf
   
•  “For a great overview on MRSA in dentistry,
  check out this articleﾔ: (click here to view or print)
   
• For tuberculosis information, check out the following websites:
  http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/pubs/tboffices.htm
  (for state TB agencies) ;
  
  For Georgia TB info and forms, try the following web sites:
  
  http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/forms/3140.tbsuspectreferral.04.pdf and
  
  http://health.state.ga.us/programs/tb/publications.asp
   

General Info Related to Dentistry:
 

• For information about meth mouth, including pictures, please click here.
   

• For information on hazardous waste disposal, go to the following web sites:
  www.rbrc.org and www.earth911.org
   

• For information on tattoo safety, check out the following links:
  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/body_art/contamination.html
  (from the CDC and NIOSH);
  and
  http://www.safe-attoos.com/Basic%20Guidelines%20for%20Getting%20a%20Tattoo.html (from the Alliance of Professional Tattooists)
  
   

Stacey totally rocks her ‘dew rag’ and face shield!

Other Dental Information Links:

• American Dental Association:
  www.ada.org
   
• Center for Disease Control (CDC):
  www.cdc.gov
   
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):
  www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/  (US Dept. of Health and Human Services)
   
• For a great web site with information about the link between systemic disease and oral health, check out www.ZT4BG.com  (which stands for zero tolerance for bleeding gums).  There's a section for the public and one for professionals, and it's a great educational tool for patients who just don't get the fact that oral health can determine the state of your entire health.
   
• For information about latex allergies in dentistry,
  go to http://www.latexallergylinks.org/dental.html
   
• ADA commentary on  HIPAA regulations and how it affects dentistry. 
  A great "HIPAA Questions" link that you can print to answer a lot of questions that affect us specifically. (American Dental Association)
  http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/issues/topics/hipaa/index.html
   
• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report:
  www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ (CDC publication)
   
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):
  www.osha.gov
   
• For info on Hepatitis, call the Hepatitis Hot-line:  (888) 443-7232 or
  http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis
   

For the very best recipe in the world for sangria, click here!
(Okay, so it's not really infection control related, but come on,
how fun is sangria!)
 

“And how about margaritas?”
Click here for killer margaritas…
’cause if you’re going to be doing OSHA,
you may as well be drinkin’…”