A Department of Labor final rule announced on May 18, 2016 increases the minimum salary level for exempt employees from $23,660 to $47,476 with automatic updates to the salary threshold every three years. This change will go into effect Dec. 1, 2016. What does this new rule mean for employers? Those with employees who currently… Continue Reading New Department of Labor overtime rules
Every 18 minutes, someone in our country dies from a prescription drug or heroin overdose. Clinicians play a unique role in addressing this crisis. With improved prescribing practices, clinicians can reduce the supply of misused opioids while still treating pain safely and effectively. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has launched a national campaign called Turn the Tide… Continue Reading Turn the tide
Looking to post the Wisconsin Dental Association Own Your Smile TV spots on your website and help spread the message of this oral health literacy and public awareness campaign? All WDA YouTube videos can be embedded on members’ dental practice websites or shared on practices’ social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). Simply visit the WDA… Continue Reading Embed and share WDA videos
Whether your company has 5 or 500 employees, it’s important to conduct a regular review of your human resources and benefits-related notices, records and procedures to ensure compliance with the law and prevent potential liabilities and employee lawsuits. The checklist below features key steps for evaluating your management practices to help keep your company HR… Continue Reading 5 Part HR Compliance Quick-Check: PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Just as dentists are encouraged to conduct risk management analyses of their practices, it also makes sense to conduct educational assessments to identify: Communication gaps Policies that should be revamped or reinforced Opportunities for education about new topics or issues, as well as re-education about subjects that have already been addressed in new employee training or… Continue Reading Staff education is a wise investment
Recently, some dental offices have run into a problem with prescriptions, because some pharmacies have stopped filling prescriptions that don’t include the doctor’s Drug Enforcement Administration number. Listing the DEA number on prescriptions is a relatively new requirement and has many dental offices wondering what they need to do for their patients. Previously, DEA numbers… Continue Reading Did you know prescribing requirements changed?
Navigating the third-party payer world can be difficult not only for patients, but for staff and dentists as well. The ADA has created a new web page on www.ada.org to help members with various dental benefits issues. Find information on topics ranging from third-party advocacy to dental plan education to trends to member support on… Continue Reading American Dental Association adds dental benefits content to ADA.org
Americans receive hundreds of emails per day. As a dedicated member of organized dentistry, you want to be informed. Implement these strategies to ensure you’re receiving all WDA emails. Add [email protected] to your address book or other wda.org emails such as [email protected], [email protected] or your component’s personalized email address from the list below to ensure… Continue Reading 4 ways to guarantee you receive WDA emails
Effective communication skills are essential for all dental professionals. Below are some strategies for improving communications and patient care in your dental practice. Provide each new patient with a written introduction to the practice. Implement a written confidentiality policy. Implement dentist-approved telephone triage, patient advice and urgent care guidelines. Routinely review and update these procedures. Establish appropriate timeframes… Continue Reading 12 strategies for improving communications, patient care in dental practices
Dental practices are busier than ever! There is less time to take care of things like information technology problems and maintenance during regular business hours. Many offices have addressed this by having a staff member or dentist take on the role of IT support. While having dedicated team members oversee IT support can be great,… Continue Reading Choosing the right IT partner