PHDHPs
In September 2017, the SBOD voted 6-4 to proceed with regulations
expanding Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner (PHDHP) practice
site locations to include childcare settings, physician offices, and
residences of homebound and hospice patients.
PDA’s lobbyist and staff met with staff for the House Professional
Licensure Committee (HPLC) to discuss concerns about expanding
practice locations for PHDHPs, stressing the need for dentists to exam
and diagnose patients and to strengthen the referral process between
dentists and PHDHPs. The HPLC, along with the Governor’s Policy Office
and Independent Review Commission (IRRC), are tasked with reviewing
licensing boards’ regulations, and they play an instrumental role before
regulations are finalized and enacted. PDA will continue to work with
HPLC members and staff, as well as the SBOD, Governor’s Policy Office
and IRRC as the regulations move through the regulatory process.
It may take two or more years before regulations are enacted, so PDA
will use every opportunity to amend the draft, with particular attention
paid to the referral process, scope of practice in these settings, the
role of physicians and liability. PDA is also assessing the adequacy of
current educational and training requirements for PHDHPs to determine
whether additional requirements are needed to ensure patient safety
and appropriate standards of care.
Resources
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE RESOURCES
It can be difficult navigating all of the laws and regulations your dental
office needs to be compliant with, but PDA is here to help! We offer a
number of different resources in order to assist members in assuring
their offices are meeting all regulatory obligations. Here is a listing of
some of the resources offered.
WEBINARS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
In addition to the live courses PDA offers, there are several online
webinars and continuing education courses available that can help you
complete required continuing education hours, or simply provide you
with information you need to keep your practices in compliance. PDA’s
online offerings include:
HIPAA- 2013 UPDATE WEBINAR – This webinar provides an
overview of general HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and how they
impact dental practices. This course is worth 1 CE credit.
RADIOLOGY PROTECTION UPDATE – This online CE
course provides a general overview of basic radiology principles and
addresses radiation safety, biological effects, quality assurance and
quality control. This course is worth 2 CE credits and will satisfy the
Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) CE requirement for
x-ray equipment operators.
INFECTION CONTROL – This webinar highlights the most
important aspects of the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Infection
Control Guidelines and can help you to identify potential problem
spots in your office, and help establish a protocol for inspection and
recordkeeping. This webinar can also serve as a training tool for use in
your office. This course is worth 1 CE credit.
HIRING AND FIRING IN PA - This two-part series can help you
navigate compliance with both federal and state laws and regulations
that affect you as an employer, and also provide you with information
that can help protect and enhance your everyday practice environment.
NEW DENTIST WEBINAR SERIES – This webinar series
focuses on topics relevant to dentists in the beginning stage of their
careers, however, these topics can benefit dentists in all stages of their
careers. Topics include: legal aspects of practice transition; eMarketing;
and practice management.
2013 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WEBINAR – This webinar
addresses aspects of the ACA, and how it impacts not only health care
professionals, but small business owners and consumers.
All online webinars and continuing education courses
are available complementary to our members as a
PDA member benefit.
QUICK TIPS FOR THE DENTAL OFFICE
These handouts were designed to provide essential information in order
to comply with regulations related to a specific topic. “Quick Tips” are
available in a range of topics including:
• Radiology
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Waste Management
• Dental Hygienists Supervision and Scope of Practice
• Unprofessional Conduct
• Maintaining and Retaining Patient Records
• Regulations for Anesthesia Permit Holders
For more information about obtaining these quick tips, please contact
the government relations staff at (800) 223- 0016.
WASTE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Do you know how to properly dispose of all the waste generated in
your office? The practice of dentistry involves the generation of several
different types of waste, and knowing how to properly dispose of it
all can be confusing. PDA recently updated our Waste Management
Guidelines, which are available on PDA’s w ebsite at www. padental.org.
Our guidelines can help you determine what types of waste may be
present in your office, how to properly dispose of it and any regulations
you need to be aware of concerning the particular type of waste. If you
do not currently have a company that you use for your waste disposal,
we also provide you with some companies that may be able to assist
you with your disposal needs. Our guidelines also include listing of
potentially hazardous chemicals that may be found in the dental office,
as well as their potential sources.
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