The Compliance Guru of New England - Dr. Lisa Kane

Talking with the Toothcop

Dr. Lisa Kane is to New England what I am to Texas. She is THE compliance guru. She practiced dentistry for 20 years before switching to consulting. After years of dealing with migraines from leaning over patients, she made the move—which she’s done for the last four years. She’s always loved the business side of dentistry and it was the perfect fit.

Outline of This Episode

• [0:21] Dr. Lisa Kane joins the Toothcop
• [3:50] Compliance, education, PHI, & civil rights
• [7:58] What people misunderstand about consultants
• [9:44] What Dr. Lisa Kane offers with consulting
• [12:43] Are peers receptive to her feedback?

Compliance, education, PHI, & civil rights

Dr. Kane spends her time opening people’s eyes to regulations they need to follow. Before the COVID pandemic, no one took infection control and OSHA guidelines seriously. In Massachusetts, whatever the CDC says you must follow. In Texas, the state board requires the use of N95 respirators. It’s been hard educating people on the science behind these regulations and that it is actually for their health.

At the same time, there’s an intersection between protecting one’s health and protecting their civil rights. I worked with a hygienist who is hearing impaired and reads lips. When a patient is wearing a mask, she can’t communicate. Where is the line between protecting oneself and overcoming civil rights issues? Where is the intersection between conflicting regulations? Sometimes, there’s no good answer.

What people misunderstand about consultants

People don’t always understand that Dr. Kane is there to help. She doesn’t go into a dental office and bark orders like a drill sergeant. She’s sure to point out that the process is a conversation. She is sharing the regulations and what you need to do and it’s up to the dentist to make decisions for their office. She’s giving them protocols and walking them through the things that are daunting.

If someone comes into your office, you have to keep them safe. You don’t want to say “I didn’t have time” when faced with consequences for not keeping a patient safe.

What Dr. Lisa Kane does

Dr. Kane typically starts by running an infection control or OSHA class for a practice. Then she walks through the dental office and recommends board regulations (OSHA and CDC) to implement. She does a lot of explaining with staff (i.e. why they need to wear gloves) and helps them brainstorm how to do things safely.

She can also help implement monthly protocols, run safety meetings, keep OSHA handbooks up-to-date, and more. She does a lot of fit testing for masks as well. She has partners that offer CPR and HIPAA training.

Are peers receptive to her feedback? Dr. Kane can say that she has been in their shoes and knows what it’s like to have to juggle this stuff. Whereas I was a cop, and was the enforcer of rules. Dr. Kane finds that people are appreciative of her experience and that she can form a connection with practice owners. They know that she knows what she’s talking about.

Want to learn more about Dr. Lisa Kane and what she offers? She just launched a newsletter that will highlight protocols and why you need them. Check it out! And be sure to sign up for our email list to stay up to date on the latest regulations.

Resources & People Mentioned

• Connect with Dr. Kane on LinkedIn
• Dental Office Compliance of New England
• Sign up for Dr. Kane’s Newsletter

Connect With Duane

• https://www.dentalcompliance.com/
• toothcop(at)dentalcompliance.com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Youtube