Q: What OSHA courses do I need to renew my license?

A: The courses needed to renew your license made mandatory by the Dental Board are the Dental Practice Act (2 hours) and the Dental Board Infection Control Regulations (2 hours) which neither are OSHA.

Q: What is Universal Waste and does it concern dental offices?

A: Universal Waste refers to items like batteries, fluorescent light tubes, neon bulbs, electronic devices, devices containing mercury, and non-empty aerosol cans containing hazardous materials to name a few. The California Universal Waste Rule makes it mandatory for businesses which includes dental offices to collect Universal Waste and dispose of it properly meaning either having your waste management service remove it or deposit the items at a collection center. Many cities are adding specific items to the list so it is best to check with the city which your dental office is located to find out what additional items are regulated. By regulations you cannot throw Universal Waste in the trash.

Q: I updated my compliance manual last year; do I need to update it this year?

A: YES – if your compliance manual is written correctly and contains policies & procedures based upon all regulations and not just OSHA, then all you need to do is revise it as new requirements are released or working conditions change, at the minimum your compliance manual along with employee training is updated once a year.. With all due respect doctor, I evaluate about 55 dental offices each month and haven’t found one office with a correct compliance manual, what I have found was a lot of time and hard work put into a binder with incorrect results. Why would anyone attempt to take on a project that even experts find intimidating at times? If you think you are saving money I suggest you think again.

Q: What governmental agencies are most likely to inspect our office?

A: Although there are about seven agencies that are responsible for regulating dental offices, the top three and most active are,

1. OSHA
2. Consumer Affairs (Dental Board)
3. Department of Health Services

Q:  Do I need a Medical Waste Generator Permit even if I have an EPA number?

A:  YES – based upon the Medical Waste Management Act, most if not all counties in California require healthcare businesses that generate medical waste, i.e., sharps, biohazard wastes, etc., be registered with the Dept. of Health Services division of Environmental Health in the county which the practice is located.  A “Medical Waste Generator Permit” which has nothing to do with the EPA permit, will be issued once the registration process is completed.  Determine if a permit has been issued, if not, contact the Dept. of Health Services division of Environmental Health in your county (government pages of telephone book) and request an application packet.

Q: Should my hygienists attend your seminar, they feel it is unnecessary since they get OSHA training at their other office they work at.

A: I wonder what your hygienists tell the employer at the other office they work at???

There is a lot more to dental compliance than OSHA, in my seminar OSHA is only 5% of the material I present.. I am amazed why dentist leave out key employees in meetings, trainings or seminars then think their office is compliant and everyone is on the same page as a “team”. I am also amazed why dentists allow their hygienists to refuse to follow policies & procedures or do things their way – are they not EMPLOYEES and are you not the EMPLOYER, get it?

Hygienists, why do you feel that you are above everyone else in the office and that there is nothing new to learn because you have infinite intelligence? How do you expect to contribute to the standard of the office and be a team player when you are not even close to being on the right page?

Now before I start getting a ton of hate email let me clear something up, my comments ARE NOT directed to ALL hygienists, I have worked with some of the greatest hygienists in the profession, these people in my mind are TRUE healthcare professionals of the highest caliber, they know who they are and they make-up only 2% of the hygienists population.

Bottom line, in order to be a Patient Compliant office that provides “Excellence in Patient Safety and Infection Control” every member of the team MUST be pulling in the same direction. Every member must add value to what they do, be able to teach others by example and themselves be teachable.

Q. Recently my office was inspected by OSHA as a result I received several fines; two were regarding my compliance manual.  The OSHA inspector said my manual was missing several written plans, was outdated and too general. I had purchased the manual a month ago from the company who picks up my hazardous waste.  I contacted the company and told them what the inspector had said, their reply was they did not have manuals specifically for a dental office.  Can we purchase the right compliance manual from your company?

A. YES – I only write compliance manuals for dental offices, email me and I will provide you with the details – tom@tomterryseminars.com

Q: Why would the Dental Board want to inspect my office and if I am not there is my staff required to let the inspector conduct their inspection?

A: In most cases when an inspector from the Dental Board visits an office they are following-up on a compliant filled by a patient or staff member. There are other reasons why a dental office is inspected by the Dental Board like licensing issues, random compliance inspection, field audits, etc. The Dental Board inspectors have the authority given to them by regulations to inspect your office anytime during business hours.  The regulations do not specify that owners, managers, partners, etc. must be present during the inspection. By the way, based on the make-up of regulations the Dental Board has more regulations requirements for dental offices than OSHA!

Q:  I am thinking of having a member of my staff write our compliance manual, what are your feelings on this?

A:  A compliance manual is a complex project requiring research and specialized expertise.  When written properly it reflects the policies & procedures of your office based upon the guidelines and regulations from nine regulatory agencies.  Also it must be kept current as new regulations are published.  The fact is both time and money will be spent on writing your compliance manual no matter who does the work, the difference will be how long, how much, and the end results. To answer your question, I do not recommend writing your own compliance manual and I also do not recommend patients do their own dental work, instead seek the service of an expert.

Q: Are dental professionals required to have Healthcare Provider level CPR training for license renewal?

A: Although I highly recommend that all dental professionals, from front office to back get the Healthcare Provider level CPR training, the answer to your question currently is No.  Referring to the Dental Practice Act, Article 4, Chapter 1, Section 1016, mandatory courses required by the board for license renewal is the Dental Practice Act, Dental Board Infection Control Regulations 1005, and a course in Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR approved by American Red Cross or American Heart Association.

When it comes to patient safety the best training and the best skills is paramount – for onsite CPR Training in the Greater Bay Area, I recommend contacting Roland Guy at Critical Care Solutions, 916.226.6053, visit their website: www.criticalcaresolutions.com