News Articles

Becoming a California-licensed RDA

CDA Practice Support developed and published in April two new resources for practice owners who wish to help put their staff on the proper path to become a California-registered dental assistant. Both resources are in a one-page format that is easy to follow.

“Steps to Becoming a California-Registered Dental Assistant” outlines the required hours of work experience or formal training and dental board-approved courses that must be completed prior to taking the written RDA licensure examination. Final steps for completing and mailing the application are included.

May 23, 2019 |News Articles, Practice Management, Staffing & Training

Depression screening: Not a legal obligation, but an ethical one

In a perfect world, all patients would receive the care they need to improve their health. But too often patients hesitate to seek the care they need, especially when it comes to mental health. It is an unfortunate reality that there is still a stigma associated with mental illness, and those in need of treatment don’t always ask for help.

May 22, 2019 |News Articles, Risk Management/TDIC

California-contracted dentists should prepare for a quality assessment review, says Delta Dental

Delta Dental of California notified California dentists in its FYI newsletter that dentists should be prepared for a quality assessment review. CDA members are encouraged to review the on-site QA review checklist provided in the April 9 newsletter to ensure compliance.

May 14, 2019 |Delta Dental, Dental Benefit Plans, News Articles

After wildfires, California dentists make progress, recall generosity

Five months after the catastrophic Camp and Woolsey wildfires tore through more than 250,000 acres in Northern and Southern California, life and work are far from routine for dentists who lost their practices or homes — or both — in the fires. But many are beginning to find some semblance of daily structure and make long-term plans with the help of their colleagues and the dental community.

May 6, 2019 |CDA Foundation, News Articles

Compliance essentials: Hiring and paying temporary employees

Commonly, a dental practice will hire a temporary dental assistant, hygienist or front-office staff to fill in briefly for employee sick days, when the practice’s needs have increased or for an employee’s long-term leave of absence. CDA Practice Support finds that many employers are still puzzled about the requirements when hiring, classifying and properly paying these short-term employees.

April 9, 2019 |Employment Practices, Hiring, Firing & Performance, Laws & Regulations, News Articles

New infection control standard for procedures that expose dental pulp

When performing procedures on exposed dental pulp, water or other methods used for irrigation must be “sterile or contain recognized disinfecting or antibacterial properties,” according to a new requirement that all licensed dentists in California must follow beginning Jan. 1, 2019.

November 27, 2018 |Advocacy, Infection Control, Legislation, News Articles, Patient Care, Regulatory Compliance

New opioid laws will affect dentistry in 2019 and beyond

Many bills were introduced over the past year to combat the opioid epidemic in California, as CDA previously reported. Here is an overview of CDA-supported legislation in the areas of e-prescribing, informed consent, interstate data sharing and prescription-pad requirements, that Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in September and how these bills will affect the practice of dentistry.

October 31, 2018 |Advocacy, CURES (Controlled Substance), Legislation, News Articles, Patient Care, Regulatory Compliance

Mandatory CURES consultation in effect

Beginning Oct. 2, all licensees authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish or dispense controlled substances in California must, with some exceptions, check a patient’s prescription history in CURES 2.0 before prescribing a Schedule II-IV substance, as CDA first reported in April. One notable exemption to mandatory CURES consultation that applies to dental care and that CDA helped secure is summarized here.

September 19, 2018 |CURES (Controlled Substance), News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

Employment separation in the dental practice: How to prepare

Every employee’s employment life cycle ends eventually, whether due to resignation, retirement, termination or other reason. In the dental office, any employee who separates should do so in a structured and professional manner with minimum disruption to the patients, staff and practice. Still, depending on what triggers an employee’s departure, separation can be an awkward situation for employers to navigate. Such discomfort can be lessened if clear policies and practices are in place.

August 9, 2018 |Employment Practices, Hiring, Firing & Performance, News Articles, Office Policies & Manuals

Proposition 65 notice requirement in effect

No later than Aug. 30, 2018, dental practices that employ 10 or more employees must post at the entrance of the office the new Proposition 65 warning notice, unless the practice chooses instead to provide a warning with an informed consent form. The form must be signed by the patient prior to exposure to the chemicals regulated by Proposition 65.

August 8, 2018 |Environment & Radiation, News Articles, Regulatory Compliance

Dentists receive unprecedented $30M for student loan repayment in state budget

The 2018-19 state budget signed by Gov. Jerry Brown dedicates $210 million from the Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax revenue to Denti-Cal providers, a $70 million increase from last year’s amount. This effort is the result of years of activity to improve the Medi-Cal dental program and increase access to oral health care for the state’s 13.5 million Medi-Cal enrollees.

June 27, 2018 |Access to Care, Advocacy, Dental Benefit Plans, Medi-Cal/Denti-Cal, News Articles

Top 8 questions asked about the Delta Dental settlement

What started the legal action that led to this settlement? CDA filed the legal action in August 2013 after learning…

June 12, 2018 |Advocacy, Delta Dental, Dental Benefit Plans, News Articles
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