Category: Legal Issues

Since the introduction of federal privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), dental offices have focused their attention on the security and safeguarding of the health information they gather on patients in the course of treatment. Concerns about patient privacy have forced offices to exercise ... [continue reading]

Eric Richmond, the ODA's new director of legal and legislative services, with his wife, Katelyn, and their daughter, Layla. Hello "ODA Today" readers, my name is Eric Richmond and I am the new director of legal and legislative services for the ODA. I would like to take the time to introduce myself during this month’s legal brief. I promise ... [continue reading]

The ADA's Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (Code) require dentists to respect the patient's rights to self-determination and confidentiality. Section 1 – Principle: Patient Autonomy of the Code “expresses the concept that professionals have a duty to treat the patient according to the patient’s desires, within the bounds ... [continue reading]

All states including Ohio have some type of unclaimed property law that declares money, property or other assets to be abandoned after a period of inactivity. Abandoned or unclaimed property, although not considered a tax, has become a significant source of revenue for many states. Additionally in this information age, states have become much more ... [continue reading]

Today, many patients investigate your office prior to an initial appointment using Internet ratings sites such as Yelp, Healthgrades, Bestdentists, Angie's List, and RateaDentist. A majority of consumers report to trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, meaning a single negative review can harm your practice by turning away ... [continue reading]

Today's dental marketplace is increasingly competitive, driving dentists to seek out new ways to market their practices and attract new patients. However, there are several legal and regulatory restrictions on dental marketing that dentists must consider before engaging in a new advertising campaign. State regulations and the profession’s ... [continue reading]

Dentists are well respected professionals and are trusted members of any community. As such, state law and the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (Code) place obligations upon dentists to report abuse and neglect at certain times. It is important for dentists to be familiar with the legal and ethical requirements surrounding ... [continue reading]

Since the advent of federal privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), dental offices have focused their attention on the security and safeguarding of the health information they gather on patients in the course of treatment. Concerns about patient privacy have forced offices to exercise caution on ... [continue reading]

The hiring of a new employee, especially one with clinical responsibilities, is an important decision for a dental office. In addition to reviewing an applicant’s employment history and educational background, sometimes employer dentists want to review the candidate’s clinical skills and observe how they will interact with other ... [continue reading]

Patient records are an excellent treatment tool, can play an important role in the defense of a malpractice claim and can be a valuable asset when the time comes to sell a practice. There are, however, several key things dentists should remember about their patient records. Access and confidentiality Ohio law defines a medical record as ... [continue reading]