The end of one year and the start of another is when compliance gaps show up fast- and get expensive just as quickly.
In this episode, Kara Kelley and Amy Wood share their HR and HIPAA/cybersecurity checklists every dental and medical practice should be tackling before January (or early in the new year). From HR audits and payroll reviews to HIPAA risk assessments, access controls, passwords, and backups, this conversation focuses on the things practices think they have handled - until they don’t.
You’ll hear real-world examples of:
Outdated policies and onboarding paperwork
I-9 and payroll mistakes hiding in plain sight
Vendors, software changes, and cloud systems triggering HIPAA risk assessments
Temps, former employees, and forgotten system access
Password habits that create unnecessary risk
Backup systems that haven’t been tested (and may not work)
Training, benefits, and compliance calendars that only exist in someone’s head
If your practice is busy, short on time, or relying on “we’ve always done it this way,” this episode will help you reset, prioritize, and start the year compliant AF - without panic, guesswork, or dumpster fires.
Perfect for practice owners, office managers, and leadership teams who want fewer surprises and fewer frantic phone calls in the year ahead.
Have a Compliance Question?
Email compliantafpodcast@gmail.com
Meet the Hosts
Kara D. Kelley, SHRM-SCP, SPHRFounder & CEO of Clinical HR, Kara is a nationally recognized HR consultant, speaker, and advisor to dental leaders and healthcare executives. She specializes in HR compliance, workforce strategy, leadership development, and helping practices build systems that are both compliant and sustainable.
Amy WoodFounder of Copper Penny Consulting, Amy is a nationally respected HIPAA, cybersecurity, OSHA, and compliance expert serving dental and healthcare practices. Known for her no-nonsense approach to vendor risk, technology, and real-world compliance, Amy helps practices reduce risk without overcomplicating operations.
Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, tax, or medical advice. Listening to this episode does not create a client relationship with the hosts or their companies. Laws and regulations vary by state and situation; practices should consult with qualified legal, financial, HR, compliance, and cybersecurity professionals regarding their specific circumstances.
 

Employee embezzlement doesn’t start with a million-dollar theft. For most busy practice owners, it starts when clinical demands crowd out oversight, reports stop getting reviewed (if they were in the first place), and safeguards never get built.
In this episode, Kara Kelley and Amy Wood are joined by Susan Gunn, CFE, a fraud expert who’s seen a clear uptick in embezzlement in 2024–2025 as practices returned to “heads-down clinical mode.” Susan breaks down the practical prevention moves that matter most: treating cash like a real control point (not an afterthought), tightening access to systems and merchant services, and reviewing practice software reports monthly so anomalies don’t have years to hide.
🎧 Listen in to learn how to protect your practice by counting the cash, locking the access, and actually reading the reports.
Legal Disclaimer:This podcast and any related content are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute legal, financial, medical, tax, or regulatory advice. Clinical HR LLC and Copper Penny Consulting LLC are not law firms, and listening to this podcast does not create a client, consulting, or advisory relationship. Laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always consult qualified professional advisors regarding your specific situation.Featured Expert:Susan Gunn - susan@susangunnsolutions.com
www.susangunnsolutions.com
 
Podcast Hosts:
Amy Wood - CEO of Copper Penny Consulting LLC
www.copperpennnyconsulting.com
Kara Kelley - CEO of Clinical HR LLC
www.clinicalhr.com

AI is everywhere - your phone system, your vendors, your practice management stack, even your hiring process. But when the buzzwords collide with HIPAA, HR, and real-world operations in a dental or healthcare practice? That’s where things get messy.
 
In Part 2 of our Q4 Compliance Buzzword Extravaganza, Amy and Kara break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes with AI tools, VoIP systems, transcription services, call analytics, and the vendors who swear they’re “HIPAA compliant” (they’re not). We walk through what’s real, what’s hype, what’s dangerous, and what practice leaders must start doing now to protect PHI, their teams, and their credibility. This episode covers:
• How AI has been around for decades - and why today’s usage poses new risks
• Why “HIPAA compliant” is marketing language, not a legal designation
• Red flags in vendor contracts, BAAs, phone systems, and third-party integrations
• The zero-trust model: why HIPAA starts with “prove it”
• AI bias, hiring tools, and call-analysis systems that create HR and discrimination problems
• The growing legal issues with VoIP systems, recordings, and AI-powered call routing • SOC 2 certification, offshore access, and how to vet vendors without being a tech expert
• When to use AI safely in your practice - and when to run the other way If you’ve wondered how AI tools pull data, why your phone system might expose PHI, or whether your vendors are actually secure - or just saying the right words - this conversation will save you a world of hurt.
 
Grab a coffee, take a breath, and join us as we break down what “responsible innovation” actually looks like in a practice trying to stay compliant AF.
 
*Disclaimer: This isn’t legal advice. We are not your lawyers. The content in this podcast and any associated clips is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, tax, or regulatory advice. Clinical HR LLC and Copper Penny Consulting LLC are not law firms, and listening to this podcast does not create a client relationship. Always consult a qualified professional advisor for guidance specific to your situation.*
 
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The Compliant AF Podcast is the brainchild of Clinical HR LLC and Copper Penny Consulting LLC. Hosted by Kara D. Kelley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (Fractional HR Business Partner for dental and healthcare practices) and Amy Wood (cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance expert), the show helps dental leaders and healthcare executives turn compliance into a true competitive advantage. We break down HR, OSHA, HIPAA, cybersecurity, and practice operations in plain language - with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and just enough snark to keep it interesting.

OSHA and infection control aren’t “nice to haves” – they’re literally the difference between safe care and “we just made the news.” In this episode, Kara and Amy sit down with OSHA and infection control badass Deanna Otts-Whitfield, RDH, MS, CIC, CDIPC, to talk about all the dirty things happening in real dental practices – and what it actually takes to keep patients and teams safe.
Deanna breaks down the real difference between OSHA vs. CDC guidelines, why scrubs are not PPE, and how “we’ve always done it this way” is getting offices in trouble. From dental unit waterline testing and documentation to hand hygiene, nails, PPE, sharps containers, sterilization, and laundry, this is a practical, non-sugar-coated guide to bringing your infection control program out of 2003 and into reality.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your office is truly compliant or just “hoping for the best,” this is the episode to listen to before your next OSHA inspection, patient complaint, or viral Facebook post.
About Our Expert
Deanna Otts-Whitfield, RDH, MS, CIC, CDIPC is a practicing dental hygienist with 16+ years of chairside experience, a master’s degree in healthcare quality and safety, and dual certifications in infection control and dental infection prevention & control through the Association for Dental Safety. She temps, trains, and consults with dental practices nationwide to help them modernize OSHA and infection control, close dangerous gaps, and build systems that actually work in the real world.
Connect with Deanna:
Website: www.CopperPennyConsulting.com
Instagram: @deannardh 
Email: compliance@copperpennyconsulting.com 
Legal Disclaimer
The content in this episode (and any related clips, posts, or show notes) is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, tax, or regulatory advice. Kara D. Kelley, Clinical HR LLC, Amy Wood, and Copper Penny Consulting LLC are not law firms and are not your attorneys. Listening to this podcast does not create a client or attorney-client relationship. Always consult qualified professional advisors licensed in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
 
 
The Compliant AF Podcast
The Compliant AF Podcast is the brainchild of Clinical HR LLC and Copper Penny Consulting LLC. Hosted by Kara D. Kelley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (Fractional HR Business Partner for dental and healthcare practices) and Amy Wood (cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance expert), the show helps dental leaders and healthcare executives turn compliance into a true competitive advantage. We break down HR, OSHA, HIPAA, cybersecurity, and practice operations in plain language - with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and just enough snark to keep it interesting.
 
 
 

Leading a dental or healthcare practice during the holidays means PTO questions, bonus decisions, holiday logistics, and a long-avoided Windows 11 upgrade all hitting at once - because of course they do. In this Compliant AF episode, Kara Kelley (Clinical HR) and Amy Wood (Copper Penny Consulting) break down the end-of-year issues that send practice leaders into a spiral - holiday pay, employee furloughs, bonus compliance, handbook updates, overtime premium rules, and why the Windows 11 ‘emergency’ is really just procrastination masquerading as a crisis.
We dig into:
Holiday pay policies and closures
The thing no one knows about bonuses (until they get a letter from DOL)
The Windows 11 panic - what’s real, what’s nonsense, and what’s a terrible idea
Cybersecurity slip-ups every practice makes during Q4
Whether you’re navigating end-of-year HR chaos or trying not to burn your practice down with outdated computers, this episode gives you the clarity (and snark) you need.
Hosted by:• Kara D. Kelley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP – CEO, Clinical HR LLC• Amy Wood – CEO, Copper Penny Consulting LLC
Stay tuned for Part 2, all about the AI "buzzword." Subscribe for more no-nonsense, compliant-AF episodes that keep your practice out of trouble - and out of audits.
 
Legal Disclaimer: This isn’t legal advice. We are not your lawyers. The content in this podcast and any associated clips is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, tax, or regulatory advice. Clinical HR LLC and Copper Penny Consulting LLC are not law firms, and listening to this podcast does not create a client relationship. Always consult a qualified professional advisor for guidance specific to your situation.Ly4kEQ4OYdMc6NWMTCGc

Dental documentation isn’t just “paperwork.” It’s your clinical defense, your reimbursement justification, and the only voice you’ll have when no one remembers what actually happened five years from now.
In this episode, Kara Kelley and Amy Wood sit down with Dilaine Gloege, CDA, CPC — one of dentistry’s leading authorities on documentation, coding, billing, payer audits, and cross-coding — to talk about what happens when chart notes are vague, templated, AI-generated, copy/pasted, or written like no one will ever read them.
We discuss:
- Why specificity in clinical notes matters more than ever
- CDT, CPT, and ICD-10 — what they actually do (hint: it’s not just getting paid)
- Where documentation breaks down between front desk → clinical → billing
- Why the narrative is the chart note (not a separate paragraph you recycle forever)
- How AI can help - and how it can immediately get you in trouble
- The real-world consequences of sloppy notes: recoupments, board complaints, audits, and yes… sometimes worse
If you’ve ever said, “We’re just dentistry,” this is your wake-up call. You are a healthcare provider - and the record you create is a legal healthcare record. If it’s not accurate, complete, and specific, everything downstream (coding, claims, reimbursement, liability, clinical continuity) starts to wobble.
This is the episode that will make your documentation habits suddenly feel… very seen.
About our Featured Expert:
Dilaine Gloege, CDA, CPC - Dental coding & reimbursement educator, former Practice Booster co-author, and compliance analyst supporting dentists during payer audits.
Website: www.tidewaterdentalconsulting.com
Who Should Watch: Dental leaders and healthcare executives, practice owners, office managers, billers/coders, hygienists, assistants, and anyone who wants accurate reimbursement without audit heartburn.
Top Takeaway: Specificity isn’t bureaucracy. It’s patient care. It’s accuracy. It’s protection.
If your chart notes aren’t specific, you can bet the audit will be.
 
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only; it should not be considered legal, medical, or coding advice. Consult qualified counsel and credentialed coding professionals for your specific situation.

In this premiere episode of the Compliant AF Podcast, hosts Amy Wood and Kara Kelley finally hit record on the conversations they’ve been having for years - about healthcare compliance, the dumpster fires they’ve helped put out, and why "check-the-box" compliance just isn’t cutting it anymore.
Get to know your hosts as they share the origin stories behind their weirdly specific careers in HIPAA/cybersecurity and HR  - Amy, as the CEO of Copper Penny Consulting LLC, and Kara Kelley, as the CEO of Clinical HR LLC - and why they're on a mission to help dental and healthcare practice leaders lead with compliance, not fear.
They discuss:
Why most practices don’t take compliance seriously - until it’s too late
The difference between being compliant on paper vs. in practice
The actual costs of being reactive vs. proactive
What to expect from future episodes (spoiler: a lot of experts, acronyms, and snark)
And how to build a culture that is truly Compliant AF
Whether you're a practice owner, manager, or part of a healthcare team, this episode lays the foundation for what’s coming - and why this podcast doesn’t sound like your average compliance training.
 
🛑 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or regulatory advice. Kara Kelley and Amy Wood are not attorneys, and listening to this podcast does not create a client relationship with Clinical HR LLC or Copper Penny Consulting LLC. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.