Four CDA Practice Support experts who develop member resources and answer dentists’ calls and emails Monday-Friday will bring their 60 years’ collective experience to CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry Sept. 9-11 in San Francisco.
Together, they’ll present four one-hour lectures covering dental benefits, HIPAA and regulatory compliance and patient payments and collections.
All lectures offer 1 unit of C.E. and will take place at The Spot, an open educational theater at booth 1212 inside the Moscone Center. When you enter the exhibit hall, head right and look for the large overhead signage.
Seating will be set up to accommodate social distancing as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols, which means space is limited. Advance registration is required for all courses at CDA Presents, including lectures at The Spot.
Here’s a preview of the lectures by CDA’s Practice Support experts.
Ask the Expert: Dental Benefits
Presenter: Lisa Greer
Thursday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m.
1 unit core C.E.
Lisa Greer, CDA Practice Support analyst, will review the top dental benefit questions she and her colleagues hear from dentists and their staff.
“One question I’ll cover is dental plan audits and whether plans can legally conduct them,” said Greer, who has more than 20 years of dental industry experience, including as a regional collections specialist for a dental support organization. “I will discuss how to respond to audits for both in-network and out-of-network dentists, the reasoning behind audits and the silver lining in them.”
Specifically, course attendees will:
- Learn about the current dental benefit marketplace and trends impacting dentists and their teams.
- Learn where on the CDA website to find dental benefit resources for member dentists and their teams.
- Learn tips on efficient claims submission.
Ask the Expert: HIPAA Compliance Essentials
Presenter: Teresa Pichay, CHPC
Thursday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m.
1 unit core C.E.
More than 20 years after HIPAA became law, dental practices continue to struggle with understanding what is necessary to be compliant.
Teresa Pichay, CHPC, senior regulatory compliance analyst at CDA Practice Support, will review the essential elements for compliance.
“I’ll cover patient rights, uses and disclosures of information requiring patient authorization, required and addressable safeguards, how to conduct a risk analysis, written policies and procedures, as well as employee training and discipline,” said Pichay, who for over 20 years has assisted CDA members not only with HIIPAA compliance but with the California Dental Practice Act, environmental safety and health and more.
Attendees will leave with a checklist to guide their efforts and the following abilities:
- Learn how to manage common dental practice situations to reduce the risk of noncompliance.
- Determine whether your risk analysis has considered all risks and all locations of patient health information.
- Know where to look for compliance assistance.
Ask the Expert: Regulatory Compliance
Presenter: Teresa Pichay, CHPC
Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m.
1 unit core C.E.
Teresa Pichay will return to The Spot for a second lecture on Saturday.
She’ll review the questions member dentists and their staff ask most frequently in the areas of prescriptions, Cal/OSHA, HIPAA, radiation safety and infection control.
“One topic I get a lot of questions on is COVID-19 rules, especially when an employee tests positive for or has symptoms of disease,” Pichay said.
Pichay urges attendees to come with additional questions. “I’ll answer as many of them as I can,” she said.
Specific learning outcomes for attendees include:
- Get up-to-date information on regulatory compliance matters.
- Understand the broad scope of regulations applicable in dentistry.
Overcoming Patient Payment and Collections Disputes
Presenters: Katie Fornelli and Lisa Greer
Saturday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m.
1 unit C.E.
Lisa Greer will return on Saturday to co-present a lecture with Katie Fornelli, CDA Practice Support senior practice management analyst.
“Together, we’ll give you advice and proven methods to improve your patient payments, increase collections and decrease your accounts-receivable balances,” said Fornelli, who for more than 18 years has worked with dentists and their teams in scheduling, collections, front-office systems, case presentation and other areas.
Specifically, dentists and dental staff who attend the lecture will:
- Learn how to manage patient financial expectations from the beginning.
- Learn how to overcome the most common patient payment disputes.
- Learn tips to manage collections and reduce outstanding accounts-receivable balances.
Register for CDA Presents and register in advance for these and any other courses through the registration platform. Learn more about the convention and see the FAQ about COVID-19 safety protocols and more.
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