Medical Malpractice Insurance News

With the continued impact of COVID-19 around the United States, it is important that dentists stay up to date on the latest guidance from the CDC, OSHA and the ADA. Here are the updates you should know about to keep your dental practice safe and in compliance with health recommendations, as of February 2022.

Many aspects of providing dental care have become more challenging during COVID-19, and the practice of dental radiology is no exception. Thankfully, recommendations for infection control have improved over the past two years of the pandemic as experts researched the virus. Read this blog to learn the top strategies for limiting COVID-19 spread and improving safety while practicing dental radiology.

Amid another surge in COVID-19 cases, a New York State executive order requires hospitals or health systems with limited capacity to limit non-essential elective procedures.

We remain cognizant of the impact that COVID-19 has had on our insureds, their staff and their loved ones. We recognize the rising Delta variant and its impact upon communities with a high unvaccinated population and continue to battle vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.

COVID-19 has forced substantial shifts in how dentists, and many professionals, work every day. Over the past year, dentists have had a chance to reexamine the way they practice and determine if those habits still make sense in the face of a threat like COVID-19. In a recent article, Dr. Lauren Patton reflects on the teachings of 2020. Read about the lessons she learned during the pandemic.

A recent study published in the Journal of Dental Research marks the first COVID-19 testing survey of asymptomatic patients in a dental setting. The paper showed the potential for dental offices to be viable and powerful locations for public health surveillance. The authors of the study identified dental offices as a good location for research for several reasons.

The oral cavity is an important site for COVID-19 infection, a recent study in Nature Medicine found. The researchers set out to better understand the “involvement of the oral cavity” in COVID-19. What they found has implications for the growing understanding of COVID-19 and the continued global effort to reduce the transmission of the virus.

Vulnerabilities related to the pandemic are amplifying the threat of cyberattacks on health networks. Understanding key IoMT-associated risks can help mitigate risk and minimize the potential scope of damage.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for simultaneous administration of monoclonal antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab to treat COVID-19 patients who meet specific criteria.

Guidance published by Oregon Health & Science University scientists outlines a preoperative protocol for surgical care teams to evaluate the readiness of previously COVID-positive patients for elective procedures.