February 2023 Human Trafficking and OSHA/HIPAA course

Human trafficking is a rapidly increasing public health and safety issue in the United States. It is the fastest rising commerce in the world with over 200,000 minors at risk in the United States. People are forced into labor or sexual exploitation with deception and intimidation. It is reported that up to 80% of victims are seen by a healthcare provider while captive. Often, victims will not identify themselves as such due to the fear of being further abused by their captor. Dental care providers are perfectly positioned to identify the signs and report suspected human trafficking. By educating dental clinicians, victims of trafficking may be more likely to be rescued and receive the appropriate resources recovery. This course will define types of trafficking, differentiate between sex trafficking and sex work, identify at-risk populations, describe how to identify and report trafficked patients, and discuss trauma-informed care. All Texas dental professionals are required to take a human trafficking training prior to each license renewal. This course is approved by Texas HHS and TSBDE.

OSHA updates will be presented along with bloodborne pathogens, infection control and a close look at Covid- 19 policies in dental practices. This course fulfills the annual requirement for Infection Control training and OSHA updates to comply with Federal and State laws. We will clarify any confusion between the state and federal mandates along with the proposed CDC guidelines.

HIPAA requirements will also be covered to maintain office compliance with patient’s private health information and disclosures.