Member Articles

Amidst all the recent Supreme Court, OSHA, and CDC updates last week, the 2022 annual adjustments to OSHA civil penalties went into effect January 15th. It’s important to note that serious fines went from $13,653 per violation to $14,502 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations increased from $136,532 per violation to…

Filed under: Member Articles Guest Contributor, Jennifer Venturini, RDH, BASDH, CDSO, Graduate According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), Instructions for Use (IFU) are required written directions which detail how to prepare, use, handle, store, and dispose of a medical device. Basically, the goal of an IFU is to ensure that the operator has clear…

Happy patients contribute to a thriving practice by referring other patients. Yet, despite the best efforts to provide outstanding customer service and patient care, occasionally something goes awry: patients complain about fees, excessive wait times, unexpected changes in treatment or perceived staff rudeness.

How complaints are initially, and subsequently, handled is critical.

You’re having one of your most hectic days when someone who’s not on the schedule walks in. Rather than presenting an insurance card, you are presented with a government identification badge. Your office is about to undergo an unannounced OSHA inspection! What could you expect if OSHA showed up at your front desk? Here are…

Several years ago, the news of the Tulsa, Oklahoma oral surgeon treating patients under unsanitary and unsafe conditions struck horror into the hearts of dental practitioners and patients across the country.  Can you imagine having to send letters to 7,000 patients warning them of a health hazard that was discovered in your practice and advising them…

OSHA requires that certain covered employers maintain records of serious occupational injuries and illnesses using the OSHA Form 300 log. These logs permit employers and workers as well as OSHA to evaluate workplace safety, then implement protections to minimize and/or eliminate hazards.  OSHA partially exempts two classes of employers from routinely keeping injury and illness records:  First,…

Having a Manual Alone is Not Enough Members HomeStraight Talk VideosMember ArticlesClosed CasesToolsResourcesExpert InterviewsMembers ForumMy AccountLog Out When you think of regulatory compliance think of a comprehensive new patient exam. What’s the connection? A new patient exam includes a thorough assessment ranging from the medical/dental history to full mouth probing, oral cancer screening and more.…

Reduce Risk through the New Patient Experience Members HomeStraight Talk VideosMember ArticlesClosed CasesToolsResourcesExpert InterviewsMembers ForumMy AccountLog Out Guest: Penny Reed, author of Growing your Dental Business, experienced dental consultant and coach Members HomeStraight Talk VideosMember ArticlesClosed CasesToolsResourcesExpert InterviewsMembers ForumMy AccountLog Out Want to discuss? Do you have thoughts or questions about this topic? Visit the…

Medical Marijuana: Navigating Changing Laws Members HomeStraight Talk VideosMember ArticlesClosed CasesToolsResourcesExpert InterviewsMembers ForumMy AccountLog Out Across the country the debate rages over legalization of marijuana, striking many ethical, legal and emotional chords. As of November 2018, a total of 33 States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational and/or…

HIPAA Audits: What to Expect in 2019 Members HomeStraight Talk VideosMember ArticlesClosed CasesToolsResourcesExpert InterviewsMembers ForumMy AccountLog Out In February 2014 the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced its plans for the Phase II mandatory HIPAA compliance audits. But details surrounding the HIPAA audits, including the timeline, were moving targets—until 2016. You may recall the Phase…