News — Designated agent

Ask yourself the following questions. Does anyone other than the dentist ever: Prepare prescriptions for controlled substances for the dentist’s signature? Call or fax prescriptions to a pharmacy? Handle controlled substances for ordering, inventorying, shipping/receiving, and/or preparing for the dentist’s administration to a patient? Look up patient/caregiver drug histories in the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)? Look up the dentist’s prescribing history in the PMP? Transport controlled substances to a satellite office? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, your office should officially authorize the staff members who perform these functions to be in compliance with federal regulations regarding...

Let's face it, the day to day operations of working in a dental practice can get crazy! As the dentist, you can be pulled in three (or more) different directions, and your team members try their best to keep you on track! There are times when a patient needs a prescription and you need one of your staff members to help facilitate the process.  Do your employees have delegated duties, such as: 1.   Preparing, for your signature, written prescriptions for controlled substances in those instances where you have expressly directed the employee to do so and where you have specified...