Would your water testing hold up in court?
Free online Dental CE Credit
Protect the health of your patients, dental office staff, and limit your legal liability in court. This free course explores the hidden risks in your waterlines.
Sponsored By:
Earn a free dental continuing education credit
Recent court cases like those filed against Children’s Dental Group which may result in a 100 million-dollar settlement are raising the risk-factor awareness around waterline testing for dental practices. Today, only an estimated 20% of dentists test their waterlines at least once per year. Even worse, the most commonly used tests are not approved by the EPA, creating significant health and litigation exposure for most of those who are testing their waterlines.
- Would your water testing results hold up in a civil litigation case?
- How would OSHA or an investigator from your state dental board rate your dental unit waterline (DUWL) safety?
- What should you prioritize in your water testing protocols and documentation?
The experts in this webinar recording will help you understand your exposure risks and options to mitigate them.
About the Experts
DentiSafe is grateful to our veteran panel of experts who have all distinguished themselves in different areas of the dental field. They bring a remarkable array of experience and insight to this free dental continuing education credit opportunity.
Olivia Wann
OSHA compliance expert, attorney, dental consultant, and nationally recognized speaker
Carrie Meigs
Healthcare litigator and advisor to dental professionals and practices
Sean Kurdys
Former lead investigator, NC State Board of Dental Examiners
Education Evangelist &
Founder of Front Office Rocks
Laura Nelson is the visionary behind Front Office Rocks, a platform dedicated to training and empowering dental office teams. With over 20 years of experience in the dental industry, Laura is committed to helping front office staff excel in areas like patient communication, engagement, and efficient practice management. Through Front Office Rocks, Laura has supported thousands of practices in creating stronger, more effective front office operations that enhance patient experiences and support practice success.
Front Office Rocks partners with dental practices to enhance front office operations through accessible, expert-led training. With a focus on patient communication, customer service, and practice management, Front Office Rocks empowers office teams to streamline workflows, elevate patient satisfaction, and foster a positive work culture. As a trusted resource in dental education, Front Office Rocks is dedicated to supporting teams in delivering exceptional care and operational excellence.
What would OSHA say about your water testing?
Olivia Wann, Moderator
Olivia has extensive knowledge of workplace safety. She maintains a busy law firm in Dover, TN where she represents and defends dentists in all aspects of OSHA compliance to include investigations, inspections, citations and settlement negotiations. A dynamic, nationally recognized speaker for more than 20 years, her unique dual background (legal and dental) means she has deep insights into exactly what regulatory bodies are looking for regarding compliance.
In 2000, Olivia founded Modern Practice Solutions. She consults with practices nationwide on managing risk in a complex regulatory environment. She focuses on OSHA, infection control, HIPAA, and human resource management. She’s been a featured speaker at the Hinman Dental Meeting, the American Dental Association meeting, numerous state association meetings, and local district dental meetings.
Carrie Meigs, Litigator and Dental Professionals Advisor
Carrie is a seasoned healthcare attorney who regularly advises both established companies and healthcare innovators in regulatory compliance, credentialing, and reimbursement disputes. She acts as a strategic advisor to her clients and often serves as outside general counsel. Carrie draws on her extensive litigation experience when acting as an advisor to her healthcare and other clients and maintains an active litigation practice including appearances before state and federal courts and before regulatory agencies.
Carrie has significant experience defending individual healthcare providers as well as institutions in medical malpractice litigation, in administrative proceedings including licensing board actions and in reimbursement actions. Her clients include practitioners such as physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, dentists, and oral surgeons; providers including hospitals and clinics; and insurers.
Carrie’s robust litigation practice also extends to litigation and licensing matters for other professionals. She represents lawyers, accountants, real estate brokers, and other licensed professionals in courtroom litigation and in matters before their respective licensing boards. Carrie has represented municipalities, government entities, and public officers in complex cases involving constitutional claims and issues of immunity. Her expertise as a trial lawyer has been recognized by her admission to the American Board of Trial Advocates.
What would a healthcare litigator say about your waterline testing in a civil lawsuit?
What would an investigator from your State Board of Dental Examiners find in your office?
Sean Kurdys, (former) Lead Investigator
Sean Kurdys worked with the NC State Board of Dental Examiners for 22 years as an investigator. In the last 14 years of his tenure there, he served as the lead investigator. He lectured extensively about Board Compliance topics throughout his role as an investigator and he routinely performed sterilization and infection control inspections of dental practices.
Kurdys also provided statistical consultation with CITA (Council of Interstate Testing Agencies) regarding test construction methodologies and grader reliability. He was a member of the NC Dental Board/CITA advisory panel for the construction of the ADEX dental exam.
In the eleven years since departing the Board, Kurdys has served as Director of Operations in the private dental practice setting. He has concurrently operated a dental consulting company to assist dental offices with their dental board compliance needs. This includes guidance in sterilization and infection control, with a particular emphasis on DUWL safety.
Kurdys is a nationally recognized AGD PACE continuing education provider whose personal expertise makes him a sought-after lecturer on topics that include Ethics, Board Compliance & Risk Management, Record Keeping, Billing, and Opioid Prescribing.
Why Dental Waterline Testing Matters
This video vividly illustrates the likely potential of aerosols coming from dental water unit lines to cause infection to a patient and dental care provider.
About DentiSafe
DentiSafe is a North Carolina-owned, full-service water testing company with a mission to educate those serving in the dental field. DentiSafe was founded by Dr. J. Michael Puckett, DDS, a practicing dentist in Jamestown, N.C., in response to increased outbreaks of infections in dental clinics across the country. DentiSafe is focused on education and resources that highlight the importance of regular dental unit waterline testing using EPA-certified methods and third-party water analysis. Learn more …
About UptimeHealth
UptimeHealth is committed to elevating the equipment ownership experience for healthcare practices. By providing preventive maintenance and compliance solutions, UptimeHealth empowers practices to understand and manage what they own, ensuring that equipment remains functional, compliant, and reliable. Their innovative approach minimizes downtime and maximizes operational efficiency, allowing providers to focus on delivering high-quality patient care with confidence. Learn more …