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.

Patient Financial Policy

A well-defined patient financial policy helps set expectations, reduce misunderstandings and support a more efficient practice workflow. This resource offers step-by-step guidance for developing or refining a patient financial policy with confidence.

Dental Plan Credentialing

Dental credentialing is the first step in is the process of a dentist entering into a contract with a dental benefit / insurance carrier. Learn more about it in this section of the resource.

Dental Practice Marketing and Advertising 101

Marketing and advertising are critical for a dental practice to establish itself successfully and to maintain practice goals. This article describes different methods of marketing and advertising, summarizes how the Dental Practice Act, CDA Code of Ethics, HIPAA and federal communication laws impact a dental practice’s marketing and advertising efforts and includes a Q&A.

Established Systems Crucial to Dental Practice Success

How strong are your practice systems? Answer three questions to find out.  A dental practice requires clinical expertise and strong…

Evaluating a Merchant Credit Card Processor — Checklist

Comparing processors to their competitors can be a daunting task. There is no easy way to do an apples-to-apples comparison, but we will provide you with some of the secrets of the trade, including the types of fee and pricing schedules in the marketplace

Financial Agreement and Consent Form

Tool to utilize during the patient financial discussion to document financial options presented, patient obligation and financial consent.

Forming a Group or Multi-Owner Dental Practice

CDA is hearing from more members who have questions about the financial, legal and operational structure of a single-unit dental practice with multiple partners. If you are considering a group practice, use the information compiled here to help you evaluate prospective partners.

Health History Form: Confidential (English & Spanish)

This form should be completed by each new patient or a new patient’s legal guardian. Additionally, this form should be reviewed at each patient appointment with changes noted and signed for. Used with permissions from TDIC.

Health History Form: Dental

Form designed for a provider who wishes to collect more in-depth dental health history that is not covered on the Confidential Health History Form, as well as assess the patient’s oral health and/or cosmetic concerns.

How to Conduct a Team Chart Audit

Use this resource to audit charts to ensure financial integrity is being maintained by all people involved.

Immigrant Patients and ICE Enforcement

Resources to support patient rights regarding immigration enforcement.

Immigration process

As an international dental student (IDS) at an accredited IDS program, it is best to research and understand the process to obtain work visas in the United States at least 12 months before graduation. This section covers the various types of work visas applicable to international dentists who have completed an IDS accredited program in the United States. 

Informed Consent Forms

Sample informed consent forms to aid in the face-to-face informed consent discussion between the dentist and patient. Available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Informed Refusal Form

Informed Refusal of Treatment to be signed by patient, provider and witness to document the discussion between the patient and provider on risks of declining recommended treatment.

Know Before They Go: Keeping Your Practice Protected and Productive During Employee Leave

Gauge your understanding of leave management and learn the potential risks of getting it wrong.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Appendix A - Laws and Regulations Impacting Dentistry in California

Lists and summarizes the laws and regulations applicable to California dental practices.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Appendix B - Sample Associate Agreement

Developed to assist dentists in understanding the contents of a typical agreement. Many common contract terms and conditions are included in this sample with considerations provided for those areas that may be ambiguous. 

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 1 - Introduction

An overview of how to use the complete guide, what laws apply to dentistry and how they work, and what CDA's attorneys can do for you.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 5 - Patient Considerations

Answers to questions on a dentist’s obligation to patients with regard to examination, diagnosis and treatment; communication; access to records; their unique concerns and more.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 7 - Regulatory Compliance

Answers to questions about complying with Cal/OSHA regulations, HIPAA, regulated waste management and radiation safety.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Appendix C - Formation of a Group Practice Checklist

Checklist of the items that should be addressed or considered when forming a group dental practice.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Appendix D - Dental Provider Contracts Terms

Term and termination; liability; referrals; utilization review; grievance system

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 2 - Practice Considerations

This Chapter addresses Practice Considerations including but not limited to: Business Structures, Licences & Permits, Contracts, Antitrust, Malpractice, Tax Issues, Office Design and Marketing.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 3 - Dental Practice Act

Contains answers to frequently asked questions about the CDPA and compliance.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 4 - Employment Law

Provides answers to a series of questions related to employment laws or requirements. Employers are obligated to understand and comply with these laws.

Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists: Chapter 6 - Collections and Dental Benefit Plans

Answers to frequently asked questions on patient payments, collections and dental benefit plans.

LGBTQIA+

Creating a welcoming and safe place for LGBTQ+ patients begins with education and training. Here are some reputable resources to help you learn more about LGBTQIA+ oral health and better serve your LGBTQIA+ patients.  

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