Practice Management

Leadership, practice ownership, patient management, practice systems and transition

You have your own vision of what makes an ideal practice. Detail and document your vision with our sample business plans. Use step-by-step checklists for opening, transferring ownership of or closing a practice. Get tips on marketing your practice, patient education tools and more.

Dental Software Transition Checklists

Developed by a long-time information technology veteran and electronic health records expert, these checklists will help you start the transition to a new software.

Access to Patient Records

This training guides staff through the state and HIPAA requirements for providing access. Instructions on staff presentation are included.

Alternative Workweek Schedules & Onboarding: Key Considerations for Employers

Is your alternative workweek schedule compliant with California Law? Under California law, alternative workweek schedules permit workplaces to adopt different schedules longer than eight hours (up to 10 hours) without accruing overtime, but the process is not as simple as the employer unilaterally deciding to have an alternative workweek schedule.

Associate Career Options and Dental Practice Types

This section of the toolkit helps you understand and evaluate your employment choices as an associate, explains the types of dental practices in which associates in California work, and provides information on alternate career options to consider.

Associate Dentist 101 - Finding Your Career Path

What is the next step after you’ve graduated from dental schools? These resources have been designed to help you through the next steps in finding your career path.

Associate Insurance Needs

This section of the toolkit is provided by The Dentists Insurance Company, a subsidiary of the California Dental Association.

It’s important to protect your personal and professional security at every stage of your career, and having the proper amount of insurance coverage as an associate is no exception. This chapter helps you understand insurance limits and coverage types as well as when and why each is necessary as an associate.

Associate Legal Relationships

As an associate, there are several ways to structure the relationship between you and the employer. In this resource, we review different options.

Authorization for a Caretaker to Accompany a Minor Patient

Form to be completed by legal guardian to authorize a caretaker (non legal guardian) to accompany a minor to his/her dental appointment. 

Authorization for Agent to Consent to Dental Treatment of a Minor

This form allows for a non-legal guardian to consent to a minor patient’s treatment. It must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Becoming a Great Associate: Advice From Your Peers

The advice below was gathered from multiple interviews conducted by CDA staff with CDA dentists who are, or recently were, associates. The members selected for the interviews represent a variety of associateship experiences and backgrounds.

Billing Resources to Help Improve Your Practice’s Financial Health 

Just like you need to make sure your heating system is maintained and ready for the season ahead, examining your dental benefit billing habits on a regular basis is sound management.

Buyer Due Diligence: Equipment Audit

Inspecting the office’s equipment is an essential part of the due diligence process before buying a dental practice. Use this list to conduct a thorough equipment inspection.

Buyer Due Diligence: Financial Audit

Inspecting a dental practice’s financials is an essential part of the due diligence process before making a purchase decision. Use this guide to conduct a thorough financial audit.

Buyer Due Diligence: Patient Chart Audit

When buying a dental practice, the patient chart audit is a critical part of both the due diligence process and your potential for long-term success. The audit allows you to visually validate the reports presented by the seller and should be conducted in collaboration with a dental CPA, dental attorney or consultant. This resource provides a list of essential elements to review when auditing patient charts.

Cal/OSHA Documentation: Find Out if You’re in Compliance

Do you have a written illness and injury prevention plan? Cal/OSHA frequently issues citations with financial penalties to dental practices that do not have this plan.

California Dental Licensure Options

A summary of the pathways to obtain a California dental license, the first of many licenses, permits, certificates and registrations necessary to practice dentistry, as well as to own and operate a dental practice, in the state.

California State Mandated Reporting

California law designates certain individuals as "mandated reporters” for known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder and dependent adult and incidents of violence. Dentists, and many members of the dental team, are required to acknowledge their responsibility and make reports as well as consider training for their teams.

Call Evaluation Form

This Call Evaluation form can be used to evaluate and coach team members on effective scheduling and a positive patient experience

Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit

A minor patient who does not have a parent in their life may be under the care of a family member who is not a legal guardian. Use the affidavit when the family member seeks dental treatment for the minor.

 

Collections Agency FAQ

Answering frequent questions about third party collection agencies. Things to know to stay in compliance with HIPAA and CMIA while working to collect past due patient balances.

Communicating Radiation Safety to Your Patients

Are you confident your patients understand the necessity of diagnostic X-rays? Here are some of the questions you may get from patients and guidance on how to best respond.

Communication Protocols: Improve Patient Experience and Increase Case Acceptance

Our experts recommend the following patient communication protocols to help you create consistency in your dental practice and a trusting environment for patients. Please note that these protocols are suggestions only; please adapt the protocol as needed to your own unique practice needs, dental team staffing and patient demographics.

Conducting a Self-Audit

Info on practice management audits: practice strategic plan, production goals and revisions to schedule, chart audit, financial audit, billing, and how to update management policies and procedures.

Conflict Management

Resources that support the prevention and management of patient and team conflict.

Consent Form for Use or Disclosure of Patient Health Information

Sample form to obtain patient consent for use or disclosure of patient information as required by HIPAA and state law.

Copyright and Trademark Infringement

Brief compliance guidelines to consider for your practice website and promoting your practice online.

Creating Your Practice Vision Statement

Creating a vision statement can be a complex activity but a necessary one considering the many decisions you have to make as a business owner. Use this resource in tandem with our Writing Your Mission Statement resource. Then use the vision statement to guide your decision-making now and in the future.

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