Pew Center Gives Louisiana an "F"
(2/27/10)

Click here to see entire report

Click here for state-specific fact sheets

Fight the Flu!

(1/27/10)

Even though the 2009 H1N1 virus has shown signs of slowing in the past month, it is still important that you take precautions to protect yourself and those around you. As health care providers, you and your staff likely come in contact with a high volume of patients, increasing your chances of exposure to the virus—and your chances of spreading it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) recommend you take a few simple actions to fight the flu, and keep you and your staff healthy and in the office—where you can continue to keep your patients healthy, too.

• Get your flu shot: by getting both your seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine, you can stop yourself from  getting sick and avoid spreading the disease to others.

• Take everyday precautions: wash your hands often, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or  sneeze, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and steer clear of sick people. If you feel sick, STAY HOME. Require any ill staff members to remain out of the office until he/she is fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

• Heed public health guidance: as the situation regarding influenza can change rapidly, keep an eye out for new guidance regarding vaccination, prevention, treatment. It is vital that you stay informed to protect yourself, and so that you can share this information with your staff and patients.

For more information regarding H1N1 or the seasonal flu, and to access resources for your practice, visit www.FightTheFlu.com.
 

(6/8/2009)

In his June 5 weekly update, the American Dental Association (ADA) President, Dr. John Findley, addressed the controversy surrounding the Red Flag issue and further discussed the actions that ADA has taken thus far, as well as its future intentions. Below is a brief summary of the letter's contents. To view Dr.Findley's update in its entirety, click here.  

Last week, The Federal Trade Commission responded to concerns expressed by Rep. Nydia Velasquez, chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, over the effect the agency's enforcement of the "Red Flags Rule" will have on small businesses, particularly health care providers. In its letter, the FTC responds to Chairwoman Velasquez's contends that the Rule's burden on small businesses would be "minimal" although the ADA's cost analysis of the issue was quite different.

Since the FTC is unwilling to change its position, the ADA is actively supporting H.B. 2345, which would exempt health care practices having fewer than 20 employers from the Rule. H.B. 2345 was introduced on May 12th during the Washington Leadership Conference by Congressman John Adler (D-NJ.). Currently there are 11 cosponsors (5 Democrats and 6 Republicans). Additionally, the ADA's staff is drafting a letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, requesting that he sponsor a companion bill to Rep. Peter DeFazio's (D-Ore.) bill that would repeal the part of the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust law that provides an exemption to insurance companies.

The ADA is holding a Constituent Counsel Workshop at the ADA Headquarters Building on Monday, July 20, and the Red Flag issue is a topic that will be discussed. Those interested in participating can find more information and register at the ADA's Web site,  ADA.org. Online registration ends July 13, 2009.

Prescription Monitoring Program

Some LDA members may have received letters from the State Board of Pharmacy’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) stating that they are required to report in detail every time they dispense medication to a patient.  These letters were actually sent in error.

Under the three-year old law that created the PMP, all dispensers of prescription medications are required to report to the program.  However, the law defines a dispenser as:

…a person authorized by the state of Louisiana to dispense or distribute to the ultimate user any controlled substance or drug monitored by the program, but shall not include any of the following;

A.   [not relevant]

B. A practitioner who dispenses no more than a 48-hour supply of a controlled substance.

Consequently, only a dentist who dispenses more than a 48-hour supply of a controlled substance would have to report to the program. Obviously, this means that virtually all dentists do NOT have to report, in spite of what the letter from the PMP might suggest.

This information is actually included in the PMP contractor’s “Dispenser’s Implementation Guide for Dispensing Dentists.” This guide is available on the PMP pages of the Board of Pharmacy’s Web site; to access the PMP pages, click here. It can also be requested from the LDA by calling (800) 388-6642 or by e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In accordance with a resolution of the LDA Board of Directors, beginning August 1, 2009, card users will be assessed a separate, non-refundable convenience fee of $15 at the time of each credit or debit card payment made to the Louisiana Dental Association (LDA). The non-refundable convenience fee will be included with your total payment amount on your credit card statement.

Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments, better known as automatic withdrawals for dues, from checking and savings accounts will continue to be accepted by the LDA via the ACH Network without a convenience fee. The LDA will also continue to accept check payments via mail without a convenience fee. 

The LDA accepts Visa and MasterCard. 

Prevention of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) in the Dental Healthcare Setting

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides important and up-to-date information to the public and healthcare providers on the recent outbreak of swine influenza in humans. Interim CDC Guidance for Clinicians & Public Health Professionals regarding case identification, Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting, mask and respirator use, and other topics pertinent to dental healthcare providers can be found by going to the main CDC swine flu Web site, or by clicking here. This information will be updated regularly and may change on a daily basis; check the Web site frequently.

We urge dental health care providers to view the main CDC swine flu Web site on a regular basis for the latest updates. Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions from dental providers. The CDC Web site answers these questions and many others.  

1. What should I do if a patient presents for routine treatment and has acute respiratory symptoms with or without fever?

2. What should I do if a patient with acute respiratory symptoms requires urgent dental care?

3. What should I do if staff report to work with acute respiratory symptoms?

Overview

Prevention of Disease Transmission in the Dental Healthcare Setting

Patients with an acute respiratory illness may present for dental treatment at outpatient dental settings. The primary infection control goal is to prevent transmission of disease. Early detection of a suspected or confirmed case of swine influenza and prompt isolation from susceptible persons will reduce the risk of transmission. To prevent the transmission of respiratory infections in healthcare settings, including influenza, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette infection control measures should be implemented at the first point of contact with a potentially infected person. For information on this technique, click here.

Infection control issues during patient assessment:

Patients with an acute respiratory illness should be identified at check-in and placed in a single-patient room with the door kept closed.

Offer a disposable surgical mask to persons who are coughing, or provide tissues and no-touch receptacles for used tissue disposal.

The ill person should wear a surgical mask when outside the patient room.

Dental healthcare personnel assessing a patient with influenza-like illness should wear disposable surgical facemask*, non-sterile gloves, gown, and eye protection (e.g., goggles) to prevent direct skin and conjunctival exposure. These recommendations may change as additional information becomes available. Check the CDC Web site for updates regarding the swine flu.

Patient and dental healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene (e.g., hand washing with non-antimicrobial soap and water, alcohol-based hand rub, or antiseptic handwash) after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects/materials.

Routine cleaning and disinfection strategies used during influenza seasons can be applied to the environmental management of swine influenza. More information can be found at here.

*Until additional specific information is available regarding the behavior of swine influenza A (H1N1), the guidance provided in the October 2006 “Interim Guidance on Planning for the Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Settings during an Influenza Pandemic” is being recommended at this time, and is reflected in the above recommendations. These interim recommendations will be updated as additional information becomes available. For more information on the October 2006 “Interim Guidance on Planning for the Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Settings during an Influenza Pandemic,” click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What to do if a patient presents for routine treatment and has acute respiratory symptoms with or without fever?

If the dentist suspects the illness could be due to swine influenza (symptoms include fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea), elective dental treatment should be deferred and the patient should be advised to contact their general health care provider. The health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. Refer to this site for case definition and other information.

2) What to do if a patient with acute respiratory symptoms requires urgent dental care?

If urgent dental care is required and swine influenza A (H1N1) has either been confirmed or is suspected, the care should be provided in a facility (e.g., hospital with dental care capabilities) that provides airborne infection isolation (i.e., airborne infection isolation room with negative pressure air handling with 6 to 12 air changes per hour).

For aerosol-generating procedures, use a procedure room with negative pressure air handling.Web site . Personnel providing direct patient care for suspected or confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) cases should wear a fit-tested disposable N95 respirator when entering the patient room and when performing dental procedures. Respirator use should be in the context of a complete respiratory protection program in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Information on respiratory protection programs and fit test procedures can be accessed on OSHA's

3) What to do if staff report to work with acute respiratory symptoms?

Summary

FTC Red Flags Rule Suspended

On April 30, 2009, the American Dental Association's (ADA) President, Dr. John Findley, announced that Congress suspended the Red Flag bill for an additional 90 days. This exciting advancement is the result of ADA, Congressman Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), House Small Business Chair Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and nine other dentist and physician House members, who penned a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); ADA dentists also played a major part by e-mailing their congressman more than 11,000 times in regards to this issue.

The FTC created the Red Flag rule in an effort to reduce the opportunity for “identify theft” via the credit card processing activities, which take place in businesses daily. The rule, which mandates that all financial institutions and creditors develop written plans to prevent and detect identity theft, was accepted and set to take effect on May 1, 2009. However, we concur with the ADA in their opinion that dentists do not fit the definition of “creditors,” and therefore should not be required to comply with the Red Flag rule.

These efforts are admirable and we are pleased to inform you about this recent development, but it is imperative that you remember we have not succeeded yet. Please continue to visit our Web site as we will be posting pertinent updates. You can also visit the ADA’s Web site, www.ada.org, for additional information about this issue and ways you can make a difference.

To view Dr. Findley’s letter in its entirety, please click here.