When offering refunds to dental patients, it is essential to have clear policies and procedures in place. Refund policies should be communicated clearly to patients, so they understand under what circumstances refunds will be offered and what documentation may be required.
Several CDA members have contacted CDA in the last week to report receiving calls from a scammer who is posing as a Dental Board of California official for the purpose of fraudulently collecting sensitive personal information and payment.
Important new and ongoing services for Medi-Cal Dental patients include language translation and free transportation to and from their appointments. Learn about all the services available, as well as assistance and training to help dentists establish and provide care for Medi-Cal Dental patients.
The recording of conversations between dentists and patients can pose significant risks to dental professionals, including potential HIPAA violations, loss of control over the use of the recording and legal issues related to consent. Dentists should take steps to protect patient privacy.
In a live virtual meeting on May 10, members learned about CDA’s litigation against Delta Dental of California and key legislation to improve dental plan transparency and coverage. The presenters also highlighted tools and resources available to CDA members to help ease dental plan frustrations and challenges.
A new safety needle is on the market and is now the fifth safety needle, or safety sharp, available to California dentists. Dental practices that do not use safety sharps should evaluate the NopoGuard as part of the Cal/OSHA-required documentation.
Local dental societies and dentists have successfully launched dental assistant training programs to provide effective, accelerated training to the labor force in their areas. Some of these utilize CDA’s Dental Assistant Training curriculum. Learn more about these local programs and CDA’s upcoming Smile Crew CA Dental Assistant Training Bootcamp.
The CDA Foundation is pleased to report that the Ukraine Relief Fund raised $41,000 through the generous support of CDA members and other donators. CDA and TDIC also contributed to the fund.
For the first time since 2019, California dental students were able to meet in person with legislative staff and have a meet-and-greet with Assemblymember Jim Wood, DDS, at the state Capitol as part of CDA’s Grassroots Advocacy Days.
The state of California is reviewing Medi-Cal eligibility. Dentists can share outreach materials with their Medi-Cal patients to help ensure they receive important information and updates about their coverage.
A breakdown in communication is often the underlying factor in negative online reviews, lawsuits or complaints. TDIC’s Risk Management analysts explain how a confirming communication climate in the dental office reduces risk and share ways to create one.
The age-1 dental visit is a critical first opportunity for dentists to identify disease early and manage caries using conservative, nonsurgical techniques, as well as to educate the parent or caregiver about good pediatric oral health habits.
