Patti DiGangi, RDH Marks the First Anniversary of Launching the Dental Codeologist Community Member Program by Introducing Two New Books

 

During this year’s RDH Under One Roof Meeting (August 2-3) Patti DiGangi, RDH, BS, a prominent dental hygiene thought leader, will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of The Dental Codeologist Community Member Program, which she launched during last year’s RDH UOR.

According to DiGangi, “The Dental Codeologist Community is a brand extension of my DentalCodelogy™ book series that takes a “member’s only approach” to providing dental professionals with the latest news and tips credits regarding dental procedure coding. After just one year, we have hundreds of members with more coding-minded dental professionals joining us every day.”

What’s more, in addition to many other member benefits, the $99.00 annual dues provide a 40% discount on all titles in the Dentalcodeology book series, including these two new invaluable reference resources that that Patti will be debuting at RDH UOR:

• Teledentistry: Pathway to Prosperity - A Critical Decisions Workbook Co-authored by Cindy Purdy, RDH

Teledentistry is a rising trend and an expansion of the traditional dental practice.
Patients can have a virtual dental home in addition to a physical one. Teledentistry can increase quality of care and practice revenue streams by providing profitable
outreach to the community without adding more chairs. As this book title indicates, there are many critical decisions to create your pathway to teledentistry prosperity.

• CDT 2018 Shift: Metrics Driven - Including 2018 Perio Protocols® Flow Charts and CDT 2014-2015 Shift

The CDT Code changes every year for many reasons, including technology or materials that have led to new procedures, or the need to improve clarity and accuracy of already existing codes. In this book, Patti reviews the new, updated, and deleted code changes for 2018. This book contains:

• Substantive Changes CDT 2018
• CDT Shifts 2014-2017
• SOAP documentation
• Includes the just-released Classifications of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions 2017
• Writing Twitter-style Dental-Medical with samples

This book also includes 2018 Updated Protocols.  If you think you already know the right codes, you might not be coding the most effectively. This bonus resource keeps you the most up-to-date. 

Dental Codeologist Members who attend RDH UOR 2019 will also be able to attend an exclusive breakfast meet-up on Friday, August 3rd where Patti will also be signing her two new books.

Dental professionals interested in learning the finer points of accurate dental procedure coding for elevating the standard of patient care and improving practice profitability should join The Dental Codeologist Community Member Program by visiting www.DentalCodeology.com.

About Patti DiGangi:

Patti DiGangi, RDH, BS is an international speaker who is passionate about prevention and working with dental professionals to improve practice profitability. Patti is the author of the DentalCodeology book series for busy dental professionals.

Patti is also the “Chief Codeologist of the Dental Codeologist Community Member Program which provides ongoing education, value and interaction for those dedicated to accurate
dental coding for elevating the standard of patient care and improving practice profitability.

Patti holds publishing and speaking licenses with the American Dental Association for Current Dental Terminology and SNODENT Diagnostic Coding and recently authored a chapter in the American Dental Association’s CDT 2017 and CDT 2018 Companion entitled “D9000 – D9999 Adjunctive General Services.”

Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Data Breach

 

Last week I posted about a major data breach here in my hometown of Kansas City dealing with the locally & nationally known Children’s Mercy Hospital.  

 

Now the local news is reporting a class action lawsuit brought on by patients families that were affected by the aforementioned breach.

 

According to the Kansas City Star:

 

Children’s Mercy previously said that emails sent to employees gave the appearance they were from a trusted source and often contained links to a phony login page on a fake website. That gave hackers access to the employee accounts if they entered their user names and passwords.

The compromised data may have included patient names and information, medical record numbers, dates of hospital stays and procedures, diagnoses and conditions and other clinical information, according to a letter sent from Children's Mercy to those affected.

Obviously the security of patient protected data is a hugely important part of the digital patient record.  Everyone in practiceneeds to be as security conscious as possible.  Private practitioners are held to the same high standard as hospitals so it behooves those of us in small offices to be as vigilant as possible about security practices.  

One of the companies I’d recommend to my peers in dentistry is DDS Rescue.  The company, which I discussed in a recent article in DPR, is a cloud and local based backup and server replacement system.  One of the things they do for clients is a FREE security assessment.  Click on the link above and contact them.  You’ll be glad you did.

For the full story on the CMH lawsuit, you can follow this link to the story from the KC Star.  

What to Do If You Think You're a Victim of Identity Theft

 

With so many security breaches happening these days, many more folks are being affected by the possibility of having their personal data stolen.

 

What should you do if you even *think* it’s happened to you?  Fortunately, the FTC has set up a website that helps guide you through the things you need to be concerned about and the things you need to do if you are a victim.

 

Here is the link to the website:  When Information Is Lost or Exposed  

 

Also, here is a pdf that the FTC provides to help which you can download from the link below:

 

Data Breach worksheet  

VIP registration selling out for Dentsply Sirona World 2018

 

Register now to secure your spot as a VIP at the largest educational festival in dentistry before tickets are gone

Dentsply Sirona World is heading back to the Sunshine state and it will be the HOTTEST event yet! And for those seeking the full red-carpet experience, VIP registration is still available, but tickets are extremely limited.

VIP registration to this year’s educational festival is an additional $500 and offers more benefits than ever before, including:

 

• Expedited onsite registration 
• Upgraded dining options and exclusive seating 
• Special VIP section for all General Sessions and Entertainment events
• Preferred seating in Breakout Sessions*
• Exclusive entrance and VIP section at Saturday’s Oktoberfest closing party 
• And more!

Additionally, registration includes access to all General Sessions and Breakout Sessions within 12 different educational tracks, unlimited access to the tradeshow hall showcasing the industry’s leading products and services, and admission to all entertainment and health and wellness fitness activities.

Dentsply Sirona World, hosted at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida, from Sept. 13-15, offers an experience like no other in dentistry! Combining quality educational and clinical content with spectacular entertainment, this event is widely recognized as one of the largest, most comprehensive events in dentistry.

There are multiple registration types† and VIP can be added to any type. Plus, Dentsply Sirona is offering a very limited special team bundle in which one doctor and two staff members can attend the Ultimate Dental Meeting for $2,995- a savings of more than $1,000! Visit www.dentsplysironaworld.com for a full list of registration options and pricing.

Ultradent Announces Warranty Extensions for VALO® Curing Lights

 

Fantastic news from the good folks at Ultradent.  They’ve extended the warranty on their very powerful and “tough as nails” Valo curing light!

 

Here is the info:

 

Thanks to the VALO curing light’s time-tested and proven track record of durability, quality, and dependability Ultradent Products, Inc., is pleased to announce the extension of all current VALO curing light warranties to three years. This extension will add one year to all current two-year warranties on VALO curing lights, making all current warranties valid for a total of three years.

“The VALO curing light brand has exhibited such a wonderful track record with our customers that we’ve decided to extend the warranty on every VALO curing light to three years. This includes the VALO Corded, VALO Cordless, VALO Ortho and the VALO Grand curing lights. The decision to extend the warranty of our award-winning curing lights was an easy one, as we stand by the quality and longevity of the VALO curing light. We hope this small gesture will stand as a token of our sincere appreciation to our loyal customers and give them added peace of mind in their investment,” says Mike Simmons, Ultradent’s equipment brand manager.

About VALO Curing Lights

Ultradent’s VALO curing light uses a custom, multiwavelength light-emitting diode (LED) to produce high intensity light at 385-515nm, capable of polymerizing all light-cured dental materials. This intensity can also penetrate porcelain and is capable of curing underlying resin cements similar to a quality halogen light. The VALO curing light’s optimally collimated beam delivers a complete, uniform cure to entire restoration. All VALO curing lights feature three curing modes—Standard Power, High Power, and Xtra Power, offering clinicians convenience, efficiency, and flexibility.

Every VALO curing light starts as a solid bar of tempered, high-grade aerospace aluminum, which is then CNC precision milled at Ultradent’s facility in South Jordan, Utah. The VALO light’s unique, unibody construction ensures maximum durability and provides unsurpassed heat dissipation. The elegant, ergonomic, and streamlined designed enables the VALO curing light to easily reach all curing site without sacrificing patient comfort. The VALO Cordless, and VALO Grand lights all run on two lithium iron phosphate batteries that deliver the consistent power the VALO curing light requires. These batteries are also inexpensive, rechargeable, and widely available should they need to be replaced.

The VALO Grand curing light features all the benefits of the multiple-award winning VALO Curing light, but with a larger head size and 50% bigger lens—measuring 12mm! The new VALO Grand curing light also comes with a handy back activation button for ease of use.

To learn more, to purchase a VALO curing light, or for any addition warranty questions please visit ultradent.com or call us at 800.552.5512.

***

About Ultradent Products, Inc.

Ultradent Products, Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments worldwide. Ultradent’s vision is to improve oral health globally. Ultradent also works to improve the quality of life and health of individuals through financial and charitable programs. For more information about Ultradent, call 800.552.5512 or visit ultradent.com.

MouthWatch Launches “Teledentistry Innovation Awards” to Recognize Innovators and Pioneers of Connected and Collaborative Dental Care

 

MouthWatch, LLC a leader in innovative teledentistry solutions, digital case presentation tools and intraoral imaging devices, is launching the Teledentistry Innovation Awards. The purpose of the “Tellie” Awards is twofold:

• Highlight the many ways that teledentistry is being implemented across a broad spectrum of dental care including public health and private practice settings.

• Recognize individual, forward-thinking dental providers who are realizing the full potential for connected dental care technology and reshaping the practice of dentistry and the state of oral health globally.

According to MouthWatch CEO and Founder, Brant Herman, “Teledentistry is rapidly expanding in virtually every dental environment; rural settings. urban areas, private practices, and public health programs. It is being utilized by dentists, hygienists, specialists and medical care providers. Our goal is to shine a light on those teledentistry innovators and pioneers who are leading the way and proving by example that teledentistry technology can enhance dentistry, reach more patients, and improve oral health and overall health.” 

The Teledentistry Innovation Awards will be presented to winners in three main categories:

• Dentists / Specialists
• Dental Hygienists
• Oral Health Programs

Nominations are currently being accepted online at http://teledentistryinnovationawards.com/ and self-nominations are welcome. Winners of the hygiene category will be announced on August 2, 2018 at the RDH Under One Roof Meeting and the Dentist/Specialist and Oral Health Program categories will be announced during the upcoming Greater New York Dental Meeting.

About MouthWatch, LLC:
Headquartered in Metuchen, New Jersey, MouthWatch, LLC is a leader in leader in innovative teledentistry solutions, digital case presentation tools and intraoral imaging devices. The company is dedicated to finding new ways to constantly improve the dental health experience for both patient and provider.

The founders and management team of MouthWatch have relevant backgrounds and successful track records in dentistry, consumer products and communications. Since 2012, this team has pioneered the integration of digital imagery and communications technology in the field of dentistry. Their cumulative experience makes it possible for the company to take the lead in introducing the benefits of telemedicine to the world of dentistry.

Children's Mercy Hospital Exposes Patient Data from Phishing Scam

 

Here in my hometown of Kansas City, is one of the best children’s hospital systems in the U.S.  The Children’s Mercy Hospital system is an incredible healthcare system that deals with all kinds of problems and diseases for children.

 

Unfortunately, CMH was recently hit with a phishing scam that resulted in the exposure of over 60,000 individuals personal data.  

 

According to the Kansas City Star "The emails sent to employees gave the appearance they were from a trusted source and often contained links to a phony login page on a fake website, the hospital said. That gave hackers access to the employee accounts if they entered their usernames and passwords.”  For the story from the KC Star, follow this link.

 

Here is the breach notification from CMH:

 

Children’s Mercy is notifying families who may have been affected by a recent “phishing” incident. "Phishing" emails appear to be from a trusted source and often contain links to a phony login page on a fake website, frequently fabricating an urgent reason to motivate the recipient of the email to enter a username and password.
On Dec. 2, 2017, the Children's Mercy Information Security team detected unauthorized account access to two employee email accounts associated with a phishing email. These two accounts were reset by Children's Mercy's Information Security team the same day in order to stop any unauthorized access. 

Two additional employee email accounts were accessed by unauthorized persons on Dec. 15 and 16 of 2017. These accounts were reset by Children's Mercy's Information Security team on Dec. 18, 2017 to stop any unauthorized access. 

Unauthorized access to an additional employee email account occurred on the night of Jan. 3, 2018. The following morning, the Children’s Mercy’s Information Security team reset the account to stop any unauthorized access. 

With the assistance of outside security experts, Children's Mercy investigated the incidents to determine what, if any, information was accessed. On Jan. 19, 2018, Children’s Mercy determined that the mailbox accounts for four of the five affected employees were downloaded by unauthorized individuals. Additional remediation is in process, and Children’s Mercy is continuing its investigation into the incident, taking steps to mitigate any impact to individuals, and to protect against any further incidents.

Although Children’s Mercy is not aware of any misuse of patient information, the hospital is notifying affected individuals. The categories of information vary for individuals, but may have included first and last name, medical record number, gender, date of birth, age, height, weight, body mass index, admission date, discharge date, procedure date, diagnostic and procedure codes, clinical information, demographic information, diagnosis, conditions, other treatment information and identifying or contact information.

Children’s Mercy has established a call center (1-855-354-4116) and an informational webpage (childrensmercy.org/February2018) to provide answers to families who may have been affected. Additionally, Children’s Mercy is offering free identity theft protection to those families.

The hospital sincerely apologizes for this situation.

Addendum: As noted above, the hospital is taking steps to protect against any further incidents. These steps have included the implementation of the additional technical control of multi-factor authentication.

About Children’s Mercy Kansas City 
Founded in 1897, Children’s Mercy is one of the nation’s top pediatric medical centers with more than 500,000 patient encounters each year. With not-for-profit hospitals in Missouri and Kansas, and numerous specialty clinics in both states, Children’s Mercy provides the highest level of care for children from birth through the age of 21. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Children’s Mercy as one of “America's Best Children's Hospitals.” For the fourth time in a row, Children’s Mercy has achieved Magnet nursing designation, awarded to fewer than seven percent of all hospitals nationally, for excellence in quality care. Its faculty of more than 700 pediatric subspecialists and researchers across more than 40 subspecialties are actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research, and educating the next generation of pediatric subspecialists. Thanks to generous philanthropic and volunteer support, Children’s Mercy provides medical care to every child who passes through its doors, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.