News Articles

Nearly one year has passed since California dentists and other health care providers began electronically prescribing all medications in compliance with state law. Hopefully, processes have been much more efficient for you and your patients, but don’t wait to evaluate your options.
 

“Sad or Mad: Fear and Loss of Control in the Pandemic,” an editorial by Kerry K. Carney, DDS, CDE, that appeared in the April 2021 Journal of the California Dental Association, is the first-place recipient of the 2021 William J. Gies Editorial Award.
 

California law will soon bar most employers from penalizing or discriminating against applicants or workers who use cannabis off the clock and away from the workplace. Employers should update their drug test policies before law takes effect.

In dentistry, optimal patient safety exists when all members of the dental team actively work together to ensure the well-being of each patient. When a crisis does arise, a prepared team is an effective team.

Update 11/9/22: The CDA-endorsed ballot measure in Massachusetts – Question 2 – passed in Tuesday's election and will require dental insurance companies to spend at least 83% of premium dollars collected on dental services as opposed to using the money for administrative costs and executive compensation.

Bruce O. Lensch, DDS, CDA past president, died August 31, 2022. He was a respected leader who served as a delegate to CDA’s House of Delegates, treasurer, secretary and vice president before becoming president of the association in 1983.

Enforcement actions against providers by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights to uphold patient rights to access their health information are increasingly common. CDA members benefit from an array of resources to support compliance efforts.

The California Department of Public Health on Sept. 17 ended the COVID-19 testing mandate for unvaccinated health care workers and other individuals in high-risk settings, which include dental offices.

A proposed rule from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services would cover medically necessary dental services as part of the existing medical services benefit in Medicare. CDA last week submitted specific recommendations on coverage of services.
 

CDA announces new COVID-19 prevention and vaccine-confidence resources for use in the dental office, including infographics, flyers, vaccination scheduling language and discussion points. 

Reports from CDA members during the last week on contract change notification letters sent by Delta Dental of California raise additional concerns for CDA about the proposed changes. 

Guidelines for behavior should exist when practice team members interact with one another outside of the office. TDIC’s Risk Management analysts encourage dentists to promote high standards of behavior inside and outside of the office by clearly defining professional boundaries.