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  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 770-641-9592.
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 Important Information for Dentistry
- The FTC has decided that dentists fall under "RED FLAG IDENTITY THEFT RULES"
and our offices are supposed to be in compliance by May 1st, 2009.
ADA has put together a very quick guide and sample procedures/policies so you can implement the rules without a lot of fuss. Go to the following link and let the ADA help you get into compliance! http://www.ada.org/prof/index.asp#rule
GREAT NEWS! It looks like most of us in dentistry will eventually be exempted from the red flag identity theft rules. Until the final decision can be made, implementation of the rules have been delayed until June 1, 2010, so we don’t have to worry about this for a while. Check back here or at www.ada.org for any updates.
Please note that the ADA states the following: While this model Policy attempts to provide dentists with the tools needed to comply with the Red Flag Rules, it has not been approved by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”). It should not be treated or considered as legal advice or as applicable to each dental practice. Rather, each practice should adapt this model Policy in light of its own experience and the advice that it receives from its counsel. We will provide updates as new information becomes available.
- 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!):
http://www.osap.org/associations/4930/files/ICIP.March2009.pdf
- 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
- To find a location to receive the “H1N1” vaccine, please check here:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/statecontacts.htm
- 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 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, defibrillators and other resuscitative equipment.)
- 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 information on how often to update a medical history form, check this out:
- 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
- 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.
- 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 ) :
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 a link to the ADA’s website that explains the procedures that need to be followed:
https://www.ada.org/members/hipaa/hipaa_breach_guidance.pdf
- 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 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) click here:
- 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
- Here are some frequently asked questions about tamper-resistant prescription pads
(as required by Medicaid):
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DeficitReductionAct/Downloads/MIPTRPFAQs9122007.pdf
- For information about meth mouth, including pictures, please click here.
- 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
- 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.
- For information on hazardous waste disposal, go to the following web sites:
www.rbrc.org and www.earth911.org
- 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 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
- For free sample forms to evaluate safer sharps devices,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/infection_control/forms.htm
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 Hotline: (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’…”
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