Talking with the Toothcop

In this episode of Talking with the Toothcop, Duane Tinker discusses the seven essential elements of a compliance program that you can't ignore to protect your dental practice. Learn how to comply with federal guidelines and avoid severe penalties under the False Claims Act.

Connect with Duane Tinker on LinkedIn and explore Dental Compliance Specialists, your trusted partners in navigating the complexities of dental regulations and compliance. Schedule your consultation today by calling (817) 755-0035. Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Healthcare Fraud
• The False Claims Act
• Office of the Inspector General Website
• Corporate Integrity Agreements
• OIG Compliance for Individual and Small Group Physician Practices
• HEAT Provider Compliance Training Videos
• Measuring Compliance Program Effectiveness: A Resource Guide

Thanks for listenting to Talking with the Toothcop! Don't forget to follow and turn on notifications for future episodes.

*** Disclaimer: Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. The information in this podcast should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice in any way. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

This episode was edited and produced by http://parkerkane.co/

In this episode of Talking with the Toothcop, Duane Tinker chats with Elijah Desmond, also known as DJ Smiles. Elijah is a dynamic entrepreneur and motivational speaker in the world of dentistry. His journey from dental hygiene to creating innovative and engaging dental events is truly inspiring.

Elijah shares his path to success, the inspiration behind his many ventures, and his philosophy of blending fun with education in dentistry, making a positive impact on countless lives.

Connect with Duane Tinker on LinkedIn and explore Dental Compliance Specialists, your trusted partners in navigating the complexities of dental regulations and compliance. Schedule your consultation today by calling (817) 755-0035. Learn more:

Dental Compliance Specialists: https://dentalcompliance.com/ Duane Tinker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanetinker/ Resources mentioned in this episode:

Elijah's Website: https://elijahdesmond.com/ Elijah Desmond on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahdesmond/

Thanks for listenting to Talking with the Toothcop! Don't forget to follow and turn on notifications for future episodes.

*** Disclaimer: Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. The information in this podcast should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice in any way. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

This episode was edited and produced by http://parkerkane.co/

In this episode of "Talking with the Toothcop," Duane talks with Dr. Matthew Norton, founder of People Plus Purpose, to discuss the transformative power of understanding and leveraging your team's strengths.

Dr. Norton shares his tips on team coaching and leadership, including his "core 4" assessments that help boost team productivity and success. Don't miss this deep dive into building a purpose-driven, strengths-based workplace!

Connect with Duane Tinker on LinkedIn and explore Dental Compliance Specialists, your trusted partners in navigating the complexities of dental regulations and compliance. Schedule your consultation today by calling (817) 755-0035. Learn more:

Dental Compliance Specialists: https://dentalcompliance.com/ Duane Tinker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanetinker/ Resources mentioned in this episode:

People + Purpose: https://peoplepluspurpose.com/ Duane on The Truth Behind Dentistry Podcast: https://youtu.be/SKznnqX39vM?feature=shared

Thanks for listenting to Talking with the Toothcop! Don't forget to follow and turn on notifications for future episodes.

*** Disclaimer: Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. The information in this podcast should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice in any way. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

This episode was edited and produced by http://parkerkane.co/

What happens when you find the right person for your dental practice, but they don't have dental experience? Effective dental assistant training can help new hires get up to speed while strengthening the entire team.

In this episode of Talking with the Toothcop, Duane Tinker talks with Dr. Heather Dawn Lawson Myers, a practicing dentist in Jamaica and founder of Dental Assisting Made Easy (DAME), about improving dental assistant education, onboarding, and team development.

You'll learn:

• How to train dental assistants with little or no experience
• Why effective onboarding protects your investment in new hires
• How communication and team dynamics impact your practice
• Why a well-trained dental team supports better patient care

Learn more:

Dental Compliance Specialists: https://dentalcompliance.com/ Duane Tinker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanetinker/ Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dental Assisting Made Easy: https://www.dentalassistingmadeeasy.com/ Train Your Dental Assistant: https://trainyourdentalassistant.com/

Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

What happens to the dental leads you've already paid for? Before spending more on marketing, there may be significant opportunities sitting inside your practice waiting for the right follow-up.

In this episode of Talking with the Toothcop, Duane Tinker talks with Michael Gonzalez about dental lead conversion, case acceptance, and turning existing leads and pending treatment into scheduled appointments and production.

You'll learn:

• Why generating leads is only the beginning
• How consistent follow-up can improve dental lead conversion
• Why pending treatment can represent untapped opportunity
• How patient education and communication influence case acceptance

Michael Gonzalez specializes in dental lead management, appointment setting, treatment coordination, and case acceptance.

Learn more:

Dental Compliance Specialists: https://dentalcompliance.com/ Duane Tinker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanetinker/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Michael Gonzalez on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/allon4appointmentsetters/

Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

What does it take to build a stronger dental practice? Beyond clinical skills and compliance, successful practices require strong leadership, communication, and the right mindset.

In this episode of Talking with the Toothcop, Duane Tinker talks with life coach and author Leah Roling about dental practice growth, patient communication, discipline, and the personal growth required to create lasting change.

You'll learn:

• How leadership mindset impacts dental practice growth
• Why communication strengthens relationships with patients and teams
• The difference between the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule
• How discipline and consistency create meaningful progress

Leah Roling is the author of Shift and No One's Coming to Save You and works with dental professionals on leadership, mindset, and personal growth.

Learn more:

Dental Compliance Specialists: https://dentalcompliance.com/ Duane Tinker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanetinker/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Leah Roling Coaching: https://www.leahrolingcoaching.com/

Duane Tinker is not an attorney and does not offer binding legal advice concerning regulatory compliance. Consult your attorney for legal advice concerning compliance matters as they pertain to your dental practice.

Clinical Recordkeeping for Dental Assistants for Nifty Thrifty Dentists Group

🦷 The importance of proper documentation and compliance in dental practices: Learn from Dwayne Tinker, former police officer for the Texas Dental Board, as he shares insights on #DentalCompliance and record-keeping.

Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Proper notations for medications and doctor's instructions are crucial.

2️⃣ #HIPAA compliance is a must, especially for patient record access.

3️⃣ Respect patient privacy and obtain consent during conversations.

4️⃣ Ensure accuracy and reliability through thorough documentation.

5️⃣ Fix problems in advance to maintain credibility and avoid audits.

6️⃣ Comprehensive clinical notes are essential, including medical history, x-ray findings, and perio charts.

Join us to stay informed about the legal implications of dental records! 📋🔒

#DentalDocumentation #ComplianceMatters #PatientPrivacy #DentalRecords #HealthcareCompliance

Connect With Duane

• https://www.dentalcompliance.com/
• toothcop(at)dentalcompliance.com
• On Facebook
• On LinkedIn

Amanda Hill RDH, BSDH has been a dental hygienist for over 26 years. When she took her annual infection control training in 2017, the speaker covered waterlines. She never knew that she had to do more than flush her waterlines. No one else in her dental office knew that they were supposed to do more.

Her practice failed their first water test, badly. So Amanda dug in and got them to pass their water testing. Then she started offering to help other dental offices. In this episode, Amanda shares her expertise and we have a deep discussion about waterline testing.

Outline of This Episode

• [1:56] Learn more about Amanda Hill AKA the "Waterline Warrior"
• [6:24] Open line versus closed waterline systems
• [11:10] What is a biofilm and how do you kill it?
• [16:08] Amanda's favorite germicide delivery system
• [19:39] Reasons you need to do waterline testing
• [26:25] Why you want to be consistent with treatments
• [28:40] How frequently you should test your waterlines
• [33:24] Addressing the flushing your waterlines debate
• [38:33] Waterline testing must include documentation

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email: [email protected]
• Friend on Facebook
• Follow on Instagram
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Check out Amanda's Website
• Deanna Otts-Whitfield, RDH, BSDH, MSHQS
• BluTube Dental Unit Water Purification Cartridge
• Dental procedures during pandemic are no riskier than a drink of water
• Preventing Airborne Diseases in Dentistry with Michelle Strange
• CDC warns of bacteria in dental waterlines after children are infected

Connect With Duane

• https://www.dentalcompliance.com/
• toothcop(at)dentalcompliance.com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Youtube

Without question, the Covid pandemic had a large impact on the healthcare field. It highlighted monstrous changes that needed to occur in the infection control space. MCS put its resources into investigating standards of care in infection control.

MCS came out with some new technologies that will transform the world of infection control. Paul Saueressig outlines the solutions they've created and how they can benefit your dental practice in this episode of Talking with the Toothcop. Do NOT miss this one!

Outline of This Episode

• [2:12] Learn more about MCS Infection Control Solutions
• [8:01] Solution #1: Protective Coating Solutions
• [15:03] Solution #2: Rapid Testing Solutions
• [26:08] Two options for healthcare facilities
• [35:53] The problem with Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
• [39:56] Providing long-term proactive solutions for the healthcare space
• [41:09] How to get more information about MCS infection control solutions

Resources & People Mentioned

• MCS
• Paul Saueressig
• Hygiena

Connect With Duane

• https://www.dentalcompliance.com/
• toothcop(at)dentalcompliance.com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Youtube

Have you heard of the federally implemented "No Surprises Act?" Were you aware that it applies to dentists? The No Surprises Act protects uninsured and self-pay patients from receiving surprise medical bills. So what does that mean for your practice? Find out in this episode of Talking with the Toothcop!

How the "No Surprises Act" applies to dentists

As of 1/1/2022, you need to provide patients an estimate of anticipated charges for dental services, i.e. "Good Faith Estimates" or GFEs. They must be provided upon request or upon scheduling an appointment—well in advance of the treatment plans and financial estimates you may be currently providing.

Because you're already providing financial estimates in advance of service, does that mean you're exempt? NOPE. Sorry to tell you, that's not the case. At this time, it applies to uninsured and self-pay patients. It may apply to insured patients in the future.

What do you have to do?

Here are the basics:

• You have to provide notice to your patients of their right to receive a GFE
• You must post a notice on your website
• You must post a notice in your practice where scheduling and service costs may be discussed (so a check-in desk).

You need to implement a good faith form in your practice. You have to issue this to current and new uninsured and self-pay patients before you provide—or continue providing—services. This applies to anyone who even contacts your office. If they ask what you charge for a dental cleaning, you have to provide them with that estimate.

What else do you need to know?

• Even if you provide a GFE verbally, it must also be provided in writing (mail, fax, or encrypted email). Before you give out this information verbally, it's wise to tell a potential patient that you must follow up with this information in written form and ask for their name and address (and assure them this is federal law).
• It must be provided within a specific time frame (1–3 business days after an appointment is scheduled or 3 days after an inquiry)
• GFEs must be mailed to current patients before you continue with treatment
• You have to maintain the estimates that you provide in a patient's charting and document in their progress notes that you've talked about the GFE
• They have to be maintained for six years (even GFEs for patients who never scheduled)
• A GFE is the cost of services that you anticipate providing for a patient over a year. If those costs change, you must issue a new GFE.

None of this is difficult. But it is just one more thing you have to implement. That's why we've created a toolkit for you to help you implement this in your practice.

Why does any of this matter?

If there is a difference of more than $400 between your GFE and billed charges, the patient can initiate a billing dispute that the HHS can investigate. Those decisions are reviewed by a third-party contractor. If the decision doesn't go in your favor, you can lose out on legitimately earned fees. Secondly, this may become like HIPAA. A complaint may lead to your practice being audited and civil monitoring down the road.

Outline of This Episode

• [1:23] The Federal No Surprises Act
• [3:35] What you have to do
• [7:03] When did this become effective?
• [8:04] Why does any of this matter?
• [9:52] Where this falls in order of operations
• [11:00] Q&A session with Laura
• [17:49] How to connect with Laura
• [19:46] Important compliance reminders

OUR SPONSORS:

ProEdge Dental Water Labs: https://ProEdgeDental.com/Toothcop

Protective Dental: https://DentalCompliance.com/DrugKit

Resources & People Mentioned

• The No Surprises Act implementation guide and toolkit
• Connect with Laura by email: ldiamond(at)dsedlaw.com

Connect With Duane

• https://www.dentalcompliance.com/
• toothcop(at)dentalcompliance.com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Youtube