A recent survey of practicing dentists in California shows that 94% of surveyed dentists are vaccinated against COVID-19, due in part to trustworthy COVID-19 vaccine resources published by CDA. The survey indicates that confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines is much higher among practicing dentists than it is among adults nationwide.
The California Legislature approved a state budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year that upholds the will of the voters when they passed the Proposition 56 tobacco tax in 2016. The budget makes significant investments in Medi-Cal Dental improvements, workforce development and coronavirus relief.
CDA Practice Support continues to hear from member dentists impacted by Delta Dental of California’s contractual change under Participating Dentist Rule 2, Basis of Fees that took effect September 15, 2018. Dental practices can take action annually to avoid negative impacts.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, dentists and other prescribers in California must issue electronic-data prescriptions for both controlled and noncontrolled substances with very few exceptions. Paper prescriptions will no longer be allowed by state law. All pharmacies in California must be capable of accepting those prescriptions.
How does your practice navigate unpredictable times? Beyond the challenges of the past year, dentists often face incidents they can’t anticipate or prevent. But they can be prepared and choose how they respond. Reporting every incident, accommodating modified duties and reducing return-to-work risks are important steps.
Cindy Hartwell, dental benefits analyst at CDA Practice Support, reviews how a dental practice can bill properly by registering all treating dentists in the practice with the dental plan or plans.
Dental professionals face a number of challenges in securing consent for oral care, but there are specific consent and documentation considerations when caring for older adults.
The October 2020 issue of the CDA Journal, which explores COVID-19 connections in oral health care and dentistry, has been awarded a Maggie Award in the category of Best Digital Edition or ePublication/Consumer, Trade, Association.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on April 16 signed a bill that requires employers in certain industries statewide to rehire employees who were laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dental practice owners who hire and employ an individual janitorial staff member to clean their dental office are considered covered employers and must comply with the new obligations.
Health care organizations are receiving postcards disguised as official communications from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, according to an alert the OCR issued yesterday.
Dentists registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration should be aware that the DEA is no longer sending renewal notices by U.S. Postal Service as of last June. Instead, registrants will receive several renewal notifications by email.
“There are people in my community who will tell you that the Well-Being Program is probably the most important benefit they’ve received as a CDA member,” said Matthew Korn, DDS, chair of the CDA Well-Being Committee. The program assists dental community members who suffer from alcohol or chemical dependency or both.
