Regulatory Compliance for the Dental Practice

Why is assessing compliance so vital?

Assessing your dental practice is the only way to know if you are providing a safe environment for your patients and staff. The Assessment:

1. Verifies if you have effective work practices in place
2. Confirms you are properly following the CDC Infection Control Guidelines, all OSHA Standards including the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, EPA requirements, and HIPAA privacy requirements
3. Discloses your risk position and prevention needs

Each year most businesses inspected by OSHA fail to meet the required standards. Dental practices can be reported by an employee to OSHA or by a patient to the dental licensing board. Even the best policies and procedures (protocols) need to be assessed annually to ensure your practice is compliant.

How often do I need to train my staff?

Training requirements vary according to federal and state regulations. For instance, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires the dental practice to train staff immediately upon hire, when new hazards are introduced, and in some cases annually on health & safety.

What training is required for my staff?

• OSHA – Bloodborne Pathogens/Exposure Control, Chemical Safety/Hazard Communication, Personal Protective Equipment requirements, Radiation safety, Anesthetic, Medical Gases, Emergency Planning, Workplace Violence, Equipment and Electrical safety
• CDC – Infection Control Practices, Sterilization & Waterline Procedures
• EPA – Hazardous Waste Containment / Disposal
• HIPAA – Security of patient information

Take our online course, Bloodborne Pathogens – Re-examining your Exposure Control (including Infection Control) for the Dental Environment , to get education in OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard (BPS). This course will examine the components of the Exposure Control Plan which must be established to eliminate or minimize employee exposure. Details of work practices, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment will be discussed to help employers re-examine the effectiveness of their Exposure Control Plan. The CDC guidelines for dental settings are also discussed. This video can be used not only as instruction on the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard but also as a part of your safety training on exposure control/infection control.

Get a customized Health & Safety Manual for your business including CDC infection control practices.

SafeLink Consulting assists dental practices all over the U.S. with regulatory compliance. Attempting to setup and maintain a customized safety program on your own can cost your business a lot of valuable time and money. Eliminate unnecessary costs, headaches and frustration by contracting SafeLink to assist you with establishing and managing a compliance program. Gain peace of mind knowing you have a reliable, customized safety plan in place that not only helps you protect your patients and workers, but also meets the federal and/or state OSHA safety regulations for written documentation and compliance training.

How do you know if your business has a proper infectious disease plan?

Does your health & safety program meet OSHA requirements & CDC guidelines and is it communicated properly to your staff?

How SafeLink Consulting can assist your dental practice with OSHA compliance:

• Onsite or Virtual Staff Compliance Training – SafeLink’s safety consultants train your team in a manner that ensures knowledge retention, brings positive results, and creates better acceptance by employees. Training is customized to your dental practice’s policies and procedures. Continuing education credit may also be provided.

• Onsite Practice Assessment – This assessment is proven to be the most effective method of determining your risk position regarding patient and staff safety. An expert knowledgeable about the dental environment conducts a thorough onsite assessment of your facility and work practices providing a detailed written report of your prevention needs.

• Health & Safety Manual – This manual is customized for your dental practice to meet OSHA’s federal and/or state written requirements and is available in multiple formats: Secure Cloud-based, Electronic, or Hard Copy.

• HIPAA Assessment – An assessment is an effective way for the dental practice to ensure that patients’ information is kept private and only released to those who have a need-to-know. In this assessment SafeLink’s consultant will review your current Privacy and Security Practices including documentation.

• Safety Consulting – SafeLink’s consultant can help in developing your safety program, training employees or to give an objective outsider’s viewpoint of your existing program.

• Online Training Courses – Dental-specific educational courses can be utilized for new hires and current staff to gain safety knowledge. An optional quiz and certificate of completion with CE credit can be provided.

• Safety Connection– This subscription assists with your existing health & safety program, an OSHA inspection/response if needed, and consulting when needed, plus online educational training courses.

• SDS Management – This service allows your business to receive 24/7 retrieval of Safety Data Sheet information in the event of an emergency. It also provides convenient access from your mobile device for remote workers. Safety Data Sheet information assists your business in meeting OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standards and keeping in line with the Globally Harmonized System. SafeLink’s electronic access option eliminates the need for paper copies of Safety Data Sheets.

• Due Diligence Consulting – Get a third-party evaluation of legal requirements regarding OSHA and other applicable state, federal and international requirements being met for a business you may be purchasing or selling.

Contact us to learn more about compliance solutions and safety consulting.