(770) 312-6257

 
Dental Information

 

We have provided helpful “links” to resource information which can answer most of your questions.  If you find your question is not answered here or can suggest other links, please e-mail: or call Laney at 770-312-6257.



Important Information for Dentistry

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 click here.
 

New Stuff and Alerts:

  • The new HIPAA Omnibus Rules have finally been released and there are significant changes we have to make in our practices.  Keep checking back on this page under the “HIPAA Info, Forms and checklists” section for new information, and my classes this year will contain updated information, so see you then!
  • 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. Here's relevant info: “Prescription Pad Paper”.

    For approved security paper vendors (     click here )
     
  • Here is a sample risk assessment and a breach risk assessment to use for your office.  The risk assessment should be used periodically, or whenever changes are made in your office, to evaluate your procedures related to patients’ private health information.  If a suspected breach occurs, the breach risk assessment can be used to determine whether a reportable breach has occurred:  ( click here for risk assessment document )
     
  • 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
     
  • There has been an overhaul of the Hazard Communication Standard, and there is a new chemical classification system that will be implemented over the next few years. Manufacturers have to use a standard MSDS form (FINALLY!), standard labeling, and standard hazard classification. Training on the new system will be required by December 1, 2013; I will be providing the required training on-line and on-site as part of annual OSHA training. 
    Go to the     Dental Guidelines page and check out the 5th bullet point for specific information and check back for updated information!

    Also, here's an article that explains the new requirements.  Hope you find it helpful!
    (    click here for hazard communication article)
     
  • Click here for a great new website designed to help offices with HIPAA compliance.  It's got some really great information and explanations, plus it's adding state information, as well, so it should be a really great resource! http://www.healthinfolaw.org/home
     

OSHA Compliance Checklists and Info:

  • For new OSHA and HIPAA manuals, call the ADA catalog people at (800) 947-4746
    (make sure you provide your ADA number; the prices listed are much higher for non-members).  For OSHA, you want the “Regulatory Compliance Manual”, which includes the update service and a CD ROM that allows you to customize forms (item #S696, member price $180).    The HIPAA compliance kit has the privacy and security information in one manual, plus an update service, and the customizable CD ROM.  The item # is J594 and the price for members is $225. They also have a package that includes the OSHA and HIPAA manuals, but it also includes a bunch of extra stuff, and the member price on that is $575.
     
  • 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!!! I often can't be reached within 24 hours and you need to react quickly.  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 click here for web site.
     
  • 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:

HIPAA Info, Forms and Checklists:

  • Here are some miscellaneous forms, including an Authorization Personal Health Information Release Form, Disclaimer for fax transmissions, HIPAA training agenda, Release for Photographs: HIPAA Video Authorization Fax Forms - click here

    If a patient asks you for an excuse for work, and his employer may call or write to ask you to verify the information, you need him to sign an authorization to allow you to disclose information to his employer.  Here's an authorization form you may find useful: 
    (    HIPAA Medical Excuse)

    Here is a HIPAA risk assessment and a HIPAA Breach risk assessment.  The HIPAA risk assessment will allow you to analyze your office for possible vulnerabilities and document the results, which should be done regularly to maintain your program.  The HIPAA Breach risk assessment allows you to analyze a potential breach to determine if a breach has actually occurred: 

    (    click here to view or print assessment document)

     
  • 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 )
     
  • Click here for a great new website designed to help offices with HIPAA compliance.  It’s got some really great information and explanations, plus it's adding state information, as well, so it should be a really great resource! http://www.healthinfolaw.org/home
     
  • 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
     
  • Here's free HIPAA Privacy training from the HIPAA folks at the
    Dept. of Health and Human Services:
    http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/training/index.html
     
  • Here's information about how to perform and document a risk assessment in your office (they need to be done regularly to ensure compliance with the Security Rule): 
    Risk Assessment Document - click here
     
  • Here are various HIPAA forms you may find helpful from various sources. 
    (Please note these are sample forms for general informational purposes only;
    they should be changed as necessary to suit your specific office's needs):
     
  • 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 new OSHA and HIPAA manuals, call the ADA catalog people at (800) 947-4746
    (make sure you provide your ADA number; the prices listed are much higher for non-members).  For OSHA, you want the “Regulatory Compliance Manual”, which includes the update service and a CD ROM that allows you to customize forms (item #S696, member price $180).    The HIPAA compliance kit has the privacy and security information in one manual, plus an update service, and the customizable CD ROM.  The item # is J594 and the price for members is $225. They also have a package that includes the OSHA and HIPAA manuals, but it also includes a bunch of extra stuff, and the member price on that is $575.
     
  • 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.
     
  • HIPAA Security Standard Information:
     
  • Here's information  from the HIPAA folks about what's required to comply with encryption.  Here is a short summary from HHS (the HIPAA folks):  click here
     
  • Here is some other info for more specifics about what's required (the actual encryption requirements can be obtained from this page so you can give it to your computer guy):   click here
     
  • Also, here is the Security FAQ section, directly from HIPAA: click here
     
  • Here is a summary of the security requirements from HHS:  click here
     
  • And here's a general page about security:  click here
     
  • 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
     
  • Avoiding a breach: If your patients’ information is compromised (your computers are stolen, you lose a backup drive, someone hacks into your system) you have to report this breach unless your information is properly secured.   Click here for information about the importance of securing your information and the importance of encrypting your hard drive:  (HIPPA Encryption Guidence)
     
  • 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:

Dental X-rays and Radiation Safety

  • 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

    They also have great information about infection control procedures and preventing cross contamination while developing xrays:  (q a xray infection control)
     
  • 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 - Radiation Recommendationw ADA 2012
     
  • 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.
     

Disease, Health and Infection Control Info:

General Info Related to Dentistry:
 

nurseSheild

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

 

Other Dental Information Links:About Us

  • 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
     

 


SANGRIA RECIPE

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’…”

 

 

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