Identify and purchase dental equipment and supplies. Consult with dental suppliers and architects/office designers. Shop TDSC powered by Henry Schein and visit the exhibit halls at CDA Presents. Identify medical gas supplier, if needed.

Identify and purchase safety equipment such as personal protective equipment, eyewash station and fire extinguisher.

Research, identify and purchase computer system, practice management and other software and peripheral devices such as a digital signature capture device. Implement data security safeguards and backup systems as required by HIPAA Security Rule. Identify and purchase phone system.

Consider a patient  communication system, if the practice management software doesn’t offer this service

Develop a system for checking inventory and ordering supplies.

Identify dental laboratories to use.

Purchase and install an amalgam separator, if applicable. Read “Amalgam Separator Requirement Q&A.”

Order prescription pads or implement e-prescribing. Secured prescription forms are required if prescribing controlled substances. E-prescribing is required for patients whose prescription benefits are paid by a government program. Find a list of state-approved vendors on the Department of Justice website. E-prescribing will be required for all prescriptions as of Jan. 1, 2022. Read “Controlled Substances: Prescribing and Dispensing” and “Medication Prescribing and Dispensing Q&A”.

If a general dentist, identify specialists for referral.

Consider participating in a mutual aid group. Read “Practice Interruption and Mutual Aid Group Guidelines”. Check with the local dental society.

Find service providers for dental waste recyclers, hazardous waste disposal, medical waste disposal, dosimeters, chemical air monitors and speech/sign language interpreters on cda.org/practicesupport.