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Patient safety remains a top priority for practice owners and dental teams; however, the dental office can often be a fast-paced working environment with distractions that can impede best safety practices. To better prevent mishaps, the Joint Commission requires accredited dental practices to implement a timeout before all surgical procedures.

CDA Practice Support has developed the California State Reopening Guide for Dental Practices to help dentists and dental teams understand their responsibilities to maintain a safe environment and communicate with patients about continued COVID-19 safety precautions in the dental office.

Some dentists are unclear about whether to maintain face covering and social distancing requirements in the dental office following the CDC's updated mask guidance for fully vaccinated people. Cal/OSHA has not yet updated its COVID-19 prevention guidance for dental offices. Protocols for masks and social distancing are still required. 

New federal and state paid sick leave laws related to COVID-19 that were recently passed affect small businesses, including some dental practices. Here’s what practice owners need to know about national and statewide paid sick leave laws and how they apply to their dental office.

With many people working to overcome financial setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, more employers have been focusing their efforts on helping employees improve their financial wellness and save for the future.

Watch Dr. Tippett-Whyte as she discusses financial relief opportunities for practice owners. She's providing details about the PPP second draw loan, CalHealthCares' extended application deadline and a new initiative aimed at securing financial relief from dental plans for dental practices during future emergencies. 

After a slight decrease in patient volume in November and December, a recent survey by the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute reveals a recovery for dental practices in the new year.

A new law that expands the list of individuals who are required to report suspected child abuse and neglect could apply to certain dental practice employees. 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last December issued guidance indicating that employers may encourage or possibly require COVID-19 vaccinations, but policies must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.