Showing posts with label Dr. Adolph Padula. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. Adolph Padula. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

DeRose / Padula Family - FORBA files Objection to $39M Settlement

So today was the deadline to file Objections in the $39M Small Smiles Dental Center's settlement. I'm perplexed. How the hell did this thing even get filed?!?! At least 3 Objections were filed today! Old FORBA (The DeRose/Padula family) don't like it, the victims don't like it (neither do I) and one Insurance Company doesn't like it! So who the hell liked it enough to call it "Settled" Honestly! Who was it?!?!?! Could it be the a select group of attorney's wanting their money and run, or the Trust Administrator who will snatch up a quick million or two within days of it's approval? Could it be AIG, who has filed so many pleadings courts have had to reprogram their systems or maybe AIG ran out of "stalking" attorneys to follow jurors around.

Apparently they know children will be seeking compensation for their abuses for years to come and low and behold, old man Dr. Adolph Padula and others have figured out they are included in the count of 333 dentists who will lose their malpractice coverage for all their misdeeds. Yeah, I laughed pretty hard at this one.

Creepy ole Aldoph Padula says his retroactive coverage is to last until the end of time. No wonder he's scared! 

 "The Objectors believe that some or all of the Claimants will continue pursuing claims against the Objectors which claims are covered by the insurance policies that are the
subject of the Motion and Settlement and Release Agreement.Upon information and belief, the Supplemental Extended Reporting Period Endorsement provides for a period of “unlimited duration” during which “claims” arising from “dental incidents” that occurred after the retroactive date (i.e., February 1, 2001) and before the end of the policy period (i.e.,September 26, 2010) may be reported under the Entities Policy." 

 Be sure to hit page 6 and 7 for the long list of clinics!! And note that it says "among others"...that a boat load of clinics!! One thing is for certain, these old boys haven't been enjoying their retirement as much as I bet they thought they would.


Continental Casualty filed an Objection as well.

It must have been a real party at the court today, down there in Nashville. 

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Padula chosen citizen of year - The Pueblo Chieftain–more like snake of the century! GAG!

 

The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce will honor Center for American Values founder Adolph "Rudy" Padula with its annual Citizen of the Year award, the group announced Monday.

   The award presentation will take place at the chamber's annual dinner Thursday night at the Pueblo Convention Center. Tickets remain available for the event. For reservations, call 542-1704.

   Padula, a Pueblo dentist for nearly 40 years, launched the Center for American Values several years ago. He purchased and renovated The Waterford, a large, aged building on the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, into a new retail-office building that also is home to the center's meeting room and Medal of Honor portrait display.

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Padula chosen citizen of year - The Pueblo Chieftain: Local Business

Monday, April 19, 2010

Where Was The Colorado Dental Board?

It took the Colorado Dental Board until June 2009 to finally order Michael A. DeRose ‘retire’ his license to practice dentistry and tell  him he is never to apply for a new license anytime in the future.

In the Order from the board it cites the two disciplinary actions taken against DeRose in North Carolina.  In December 2005 his license was suspended for 180 days for doing more than 6 pulpotomies in one visit on children at his Medicaid Dental Centers, now called Smile Starters in North Carolina.

I’m thinking 6 is still outrageous!  Think you could have 6 teeth worked on in one session?  How about being tied down, and given 6 root canals??!!  The level of lidocaine alone to keep a patient pain free seems to me would be at a dangerous level.  But they don’t worry about that, since they could care less if they even have a supply of lidocaine on hand it appears.

Then in April 2007 settled with the government for $10 million with Dr. Tish Ballance, and still every state where he was licensed let him keep his licenses.

Michael’s dad, Dr. Eddie let his licenses just expire.

William Mueller, one of the original cast of characters was forced to ‘surrender’ his licenses, but not until 2009!

Over the years these three had ‘actions’ taken against them on a few occasions in more than one state, but only the latest is currently on file at DORA, Colorado’s records search.

Some of the documents mention referring problems to the state Attorney General’s office for further review.  But I can’t find one time any of them were ever seriously considered for prosecution.

The laws in Colorado were changed at least twice to curtail these guys from abusing children for profit, but the Dental Board never revoked their licenses as they should have.  They allowed Dr. Michael DeRose continue with this abuse from 1982 until 2009!  That’s 27 years!!!!!!

Now look where we are.

Had the Colorado Dental Board done their job, there would be no Small Smiles, Kool Smiles or Adventure Dental out there tying up children and drilling out perfectly good teeth, causing horrific trauma to small children, devastating the trust children have in their parents and adults and scamming Medicaid (you tax dollars) out of 100’s of millions of dollars.

Somehow through all of this the uncle, Dr. Adolph Ralph Padula came away unscathed.  His license is as pure as the white driven snow.

Dr. William Mueller (UPIN# 64458) was finally locked out of the medicaid program March 18, 2010.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Concerns About Small Smiles Raised By Nevada CUSP in 2006

Minutes
February 22, 2006 
Health Access Washoe County 
1055 S. Wells Avenue 
Reno, NV  89502

Small Smiles Dentistry of Reno: Mike Rodolico, Mike Roumph

At the last CUSP meeting, Mike Rodolico asked if anyone had any information about the new pediatric dental clinic in Reno, Small Smiles.  No one did.  Dr. Rodolico offered to go on the Internet to research the parent organization and report back at the next meeting.   Dr. Rodolico located several video news clips from a Colorado news station which he played for those present.  The primary concern raised in the video clip included injuries to children who had been restrained in papoose boards and the provision of excessive amounts of treatment during appointments.  

Mike Roumph, who was in attendance representing Small Smiles then made a PowerPoint Presentation about Small Smiles and played news clips from television stations in Oklahoma and Georgia.  The Small Smiles practice in Reno is owned by a Nevada licenses dentist, Dr. Adolph Padulla.  

( I wonder if Mike told them Dr. Padula also owned FORBA, was part of the problem, didn't live in Nevada and didn't practice dentistry.  Had they googled Dr. Padula they would have known he was also licensed in about 15 other states at the time.)

It is managed by Forba Management Company, LLC.  Forba is the largest provider of children’s dental services in the United States.  They manage 40 clinics in 13 states.  The clinics managed by Forba saw over 700,000 children last year.  

The Reno clinic had over 1,100 appointments scheduled when they opened their doors.  It has a staff of 25According to Mr. Roumph, papoose boards are only used on 6% of their cases.  (Bull Crap!)

He stated that dentists receive training in dental school on behavioral management.  (Really?) 

If those techniques are not adequate, then it is up to the provider to make the decision to refer the child for treatment under general anesthesia or to use the papoose board.  

Parents are counseled regarding the use of papoose boards and the parent, the dentist and a witness must all sign a consent form prior to a papoose board being utilized.  In terms of the amount of treatment provided at one appointment, that decision is left to the individual provider.   (Lying like a dog, but it sounds good!)

According to Mr. Roumph, their clinics have a policy (albeit unwritten) that no more than six teeth can be crowned at one appointment.  They are able to provide this amount of dentistry during each appointment because they practice six-handed dentistry (one dentist and two dental assistants).  

(Don't ya love it, Six Handed Dentistry.  One Dentist and two assistants, tying down a child, pinching his nose, scaring the living heck out of him, and doing 6 root canals and crowns, and somehow they thought this was doing something good and just)  

Chart audits are performed on a monthly basis.  Between 10 to 20 charts are randomly selected each month for the chart audits.  Clinic staff meet and review the findings of the chart audits. The findings are used to develop policies and procedures for all Forba managed clinics.  


(Randomly selected, huh?  By whom? and who did those audits?, the finding were used to develop policies alright, like how can we get more done in a shorter amount of time, and what kind of incentives can we use, Super Bowl Tickets anyone?)


Twice a year a physical audit is made of each clinic.  This includes a review of HIPAA and OSHA compliance, billing practices, personnel and additional chart audits.  
(CHOKE AND GAG)

A Forba regional manager, who is also a dentist who has been employed by Forba for five years, participates in the physical audits.  These audits are benchmarked against other Forba managed clinics. 

(Yes, they sure are.  And if one clinic is under producing, heads roll!)

The question was raised as to what Small Smiles is doing to comply with the community’s standard of care which is that children who need extensive dental treatment are hospitalized and the procedures are done under general anesthesia.  Mr. Roumph stated that Small Smiles is trying to get hospital privileges for at least one dentist in each of the clinics they manage.  

(OH DEAR GOD!  How did that work out!)

They also have a policy that appointments will not exceed one hour in length (no new procedures will be initiated after one hour).   

(One Hour!!!  Hell NO, they sure won't/didn't or shall exceed one hour, 20 minutes max, for those 6 root canals and caps, that's why the papoose board is needed, heck after shots it takes 10-15 for those to kick in doesn't it, by that time, 99% of those 6 teeth have been derooted and capped, the rest of the time is used to clean the puke and pee up.)

Parents are not encouraged to be in the treatment room; however if the parent wants to be present, the dentist and parent meet and the dentist can make a decision to allow the parent in the treatment room.  

(you guys just never did get your lies lined out on this one did you)

Mr. Nowak was asked if the DHCFP has thought of implementing policies/guidelines related to length of appointments, number of procedures done at each appointment, use of papoose boards and allowing parents in treatment rooms.  Mr. Nowak stated that Forba and the DHCFP have had discussions regarding these topics. 

(During these discussions I wonder if they talked about how to get FORBA to back the hell off, Colorado had to pass a law to get them to cooperate?)

The DHCFP has informed Forba that they will support them in the event that a parent wants more treatment performed at one appointment than a dentist in a clinic managed by Forba deems prudent.  

(Well, I'm sure that was never a problem, nor would I think it would be, but a nice try at spinning it anyway.)

Mr. Nowak also stated that the DHCFP will be utilizing an external quality review organization and their findings may provide additional guidance.     

(Where can a person get a little 'look-see' at those reviews and provided guidance?)                  

Mr. Roumph finished his presentation by issuing an invitation to CUSP members to come by the Small Smiles clinic in Reno to visit at any time. 

He also asked if Dr. Ashley Angaran, who is a Reno native, could be placed on the e-mail distribution list to receive agendas and minutes.  He would like Dr. Angaran to start attending CUSP meetings as a representative from Small Smiles.   

(How's that working out?)

Monday, February 01, 2010

Kool Smiles Dental As Bad As Small Smiles Dental According To Report

Medicaid dental clinic defends itself against critics
Dan Stockman
The Journal Gazette
Thumbnail
Laura J. Gardner | Journal Gazette

Kool Smiles Dental Clinic on Bluffton Road saw more than 6,000 Medicaid patients last year.


Deanna Vasquez – with 4-year-old twins, Jakob and Kylie, and Brianna, 7 – took her children to Kool Smiles in Fort Wayne, where workers persuaded her to restrain Jakob for a cleaning.
By the numbers
Kool Smiles has 84 dental clinics nationwide, including six in Indiana, and focuses on treating children on Medicaid. Here’s a look at its Medicaid work in Indiana in 2008:
Kool Smiles patients
Indianapolis 2…7,195
Indianapolis 1…6,949
Fort Wayne…6,013
Evansville…5,733
Highland…2,890
Terre Haute…2,055
Medicaid reimbursements
Indianapolis 2…$2.7 million
Indianapolis 1…$2.5 million
Fort Wayne…$2.4 million
Evansville…$1.7 million
Highland…$1.1 million
Terre Haute…$746,000
Indiana$11.1 million
Percentages
•Medicaid and CHIP patients treated by Kool Smiles: 7.8 percent
•Medicaid and CHIP claims filed by Kool Smiles: 6.6 percent
•Medicaid and CHIP reimbursements paid to Kool Smiles: 6.8 percent
Deanna Vasquez said she realized something was wrong when she found herself helping a dental assistant hold down her 4-year-old son’s arms and legs as he writhed and screamed.
“You’re basically brushing his teeth,” she said. “I thought, ‘I could do this at home without holding him down.’ ”
But it wasn’t just her son’s screams that left her queasy, she said. It was also the screams of other children – from behind the closed doors of other rooms at Kool Smiles dental clinic, 1852 Bluffton Road.
“Kids were screaming their heads off,” Vasquez said.

She saw one girl emerge. She was 8 or 9 years old, Vasquez said, and had obviously been sobbing. Her parent was in the lobby.

Five sets of parents told The Journal Gazette that Kool Smiles does not allow parents to be with their children during cleanings or procedures. Vasquez’s presence with her son was allowed, she said, only because she insisted she could help calm him down and that they would leave otherwise.

Kool Smiles denies barring parents from its procedure rooms and says its staff acted appropriately.
The national chain of 84 clinics has been accused of overtreating its patients, of prohibiting parents from procedure rooms and of being too quick to restrain the children it treats. Kool Smiles denies any wrongdoing.
Vasquez worries she did the wrong thing in helping Kool Smiles restrain her son – something she now regrets.


Crystal Allen understands.
She had taken her children to the dentist every six months, she said, until financial problems made it impossible. A year after their last appointment, her daughter had a toothache, and Kool Smiles in Fort Wayne was the only practice she could find to see her immediately.
“They made me feel about this tall when they told me how badly I had neglected their teeth,” Allen said. “I left there thinking I didn’t deserve to have kids if I couldn’t take care of them.”
Then came the hard sell, she said.
Kool Smiles said her daughter, 10, needed stainless-steel caps put on four of her baby teeth, and her son, 5, needed six stainless-steel caps. Immediately.

“They were like, ‘This is so important, you need to get it done now. We can make time today; you don’t know when these other teeth are going to go,’ ” Allen said. “I was like, ‘You’re kidding.’ And he was like, ‘No, she’s here, she needs to get it done.’ ”

Then Allen looked around the waiting room.
“There were two kids there, and every tooth in their mouth was stainless-steel caps, including their front teeth,” she said. “Top, bottom, front and back.”
Dropped in home state Kool Smiles specializes in treating children on Medicaid, a federal health insurance program for the poor run by individual states.
That means taxpayers cover the cost of most of the care provided.
Kool Smiles, based in Atlanta, lost its authorization to do Medicaid work in its home state two years ago because of allegations it was overtreating its child patients and questions about its practice of strapping children down.

According to WellCare Health Plans, the company that handles Georgia’s Medicaid program, Kool Smiles dentists were performing 17 percent more procedures per patient than other dentists.
When compared with patients of other dentists, WellCare said, a child treated by Kool Smiles was:
•Five times more likely to receive crowns.
•Four times more likely to receive five or more crowns.
•Forty percent more likely to have their teeth pulled or extracted.
•Three times more likely to be physically restrained during dental procedures.

While Kool Smiles patients were about 5 percent of WellCare’s dental clients in Georgia, those patients accounted for about 20 percent of the Medicaid money spent on dental care in the state, WellCare claimed.

Dr. David Strange, chief dental officer for Kool Smiles and the company’s national spokesman, said the company has been cleared of all allegations. Doral Dental covers dental work for WellCare.
“We have letters from Doral, the third-party provider in Georgia, really, that we’re quite proud of, stating that they did not have any clinical issues with the charts that had been reviewed,” Strange said.

“We received numerous letters, numerous accounts from Doral stating that they don’t have issues and don’t have concerns with the care provided by Kool Smiles associate dentists.”

But the letters Kool Smiles provided as proof it had been cleared do not refer to the allegations made by WellCare. The letters, written in January, refer only to specific Kool Smiles locations and say they are in response to audits requested by WellCare in September and October 2008.

The allegations that led to Kool Smiles’ contract with WellCare being dropped were made more than a year before, and the audit was being conducted by the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Inspector General.

That audit, according to Georgia Department of Community Health officials, found Kool Smiles had performed a “large number” of tooth restorations on children without anesthesia; excessive treatments during the same visit without some type of sedation; large amounts of local anesthesia given to patients below the proper weight; and one treatment in a Kool Smiles clinic that should have been performed in a hospital. Kool Smiles settled the charges with the state in January 2008 for $193,508.

A follow-up statement from Kool Smiles says its contracts were dropped “without cause” and that the allegations made by WellCare were unfounded. Georgia officials said Kool Smiles as a group is still a Medicaid provider, but the 18 locations involved in the investigation are not.

Investment-firm owned Kool Smiles was started in 2002 by Dr. Tu Tran and Dr. Thien Pham. Today, the chain of clinics is run by NCDR, a limited-liability corporation formed in Delaware, headquartered in Atlanta and owned by the San Francisco investment firm Friedman Fleischer & Lowe, state records show.
Most states require dental offices to be owned by dentists. Tran and Pham own Kool Smiles – and incorporate a new Kool Smiles company in each state where clinics are located. The clinics are then run by NCDR or DPMS Inc., also owned by Friedman Fleischer & Lowe.

According to Indiana Secretary of State records, NCDR should not be operating in the Hoosier State: It has not paid its annual business license fee in two years, and in February, the secretary of state revoked the company’s authorization to do business here. State law provides for a $10,000 fine for operating without authorization.

Strange said he was unaware NCDR cannot legally do business in the state and would look into the situation. The company later said it appeared to be a paperwork problem that would be resolved.

The corporate structure means Tran is listed as the lead dentist on each of the dozens of Kool Smiles clinics across the country, though he does not practice at any location. Pham is in the process of retiring from the corporation, Strange said.

Kool Smiles’ 84 clinics span the nation, and so do the allegations against the company, especially from parents who say their children were given – at taxpayer expense – dental work they didn’t need (See related story).
Crowns are ‘routine’ Strange said allegations of over-treatment by Kool Smiles are unwarranted, and he says its patients are often children who are not receiving regular dental care and have severe tooth decay.
“I get asked all the time, does my child really need a crown? And the answer to that is very, very often a resounding yes,” Strange said. “A stainless-steel crown that’s placed on a tooth that’s severely decayed, that has inter-proximal caries (cavities between teeth), on a child that’s at high risk for additional dental (cavities), a stainless-steel crown is oftentimes the most effective, most reliable and most well-suited dental treatment that can be provided.”

Dr. Bradley R. Smith, a Colorado dentist and a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, said it is difficult if not impossible to make blanket statements about placing crowns as opposed to fillings on teeth, even on baby teeth that will fall out within a few years.

“If the patient has never been to a dentist and I have very little confidence I’m ever going to see that patient again, I’m much more likely to do a crown because I know it’s more resistant to decay in the future,” Smith said. “That’s a reasonable decision the doctor has to make for each individual patient.”
Smith said it comes down to informed consent: Do the parents understand all the options and the implications of each one?

If not, “then that’s not a good thing,” Smith said.  Strange said the patients Kool Smiles sees might never have been to a dentist and might never return, so it makes sense they would do more crowns.
“We’re seeing children for the first time at age 4, 5 and 6. They have extensive needs without a dental home.

… We’re seeing children where the effects are really quite devastating throughout the entire oral cavity,” Strange said. “Crowns are very much a part of routine children’s pediatric dental care.”
‘He passed out’
Noah Fedele-Woodley, 4, went to the procedure room alone at Kool Smiles’ location in Newport News, Va., because his mother and grandmother were not allowed to accompany him, said his grandmother, Carol Fedele.

“They brought him out screaming. He was soaking wet,” Fedele said. “He was literally saturated from head to toe from crying and sweating. … Once his mother was holding him, he collapsed. He passed out in her arms.”
Burst blood vessels were found on Noah’s face and neck, known as petechial hemorrhaging clusters, which can be caused by trauma to the skin or stresses such as intense vomiting.

“(The dentist) said it happens all the time; they get it from crying,” Fedele said. “He said, ‘They all do that; they just showed up on him because he’s light-skinned.’ ”

Noah’s Kool Smiles records from that visit show the boy was restrained for 25 minutes. Noah’s mother had signed a consent form six months before, in July 2008, but had no idea she was giving permission for Noah to be strapped down, she said. The form is labeled “Pediatric Dental Patient Guidance Techniques.”

Noah also had bruises on his cheeks, Carol Fedele said, as if his mouth had been squeezed open.
Kool Smiles employees reviewed Noah’s records “and continue to believe we provided medically necessary dental treatment,” the organization said in a written response. “Kool Smiles adheres to the treatment policies and guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.”

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists’ guidelines say restraints should be used only as a last resort and are meant only for medically necessary treatment. “The use of protective stabilization has the potential to produce serious consequences, such as physical or psychological harm, loss of dignity, and violation of a patient’s rights,” the guidelines warn.

Strange did not deny that Kool Smiles patients are three times more likely to be restrained but said it was “an apples-to-oranges comparison” because Kool Smiles sees only children. “We see a patient population that is, generally speaking, younger than the other dentists’ in the community,” Strange said. “It’s kind of like saying a preschool compared to grade school uses more crayons and that using more crayons is somehow inappropriate.”

So younger patients are going to require more restraints?
“Younger patients require different types of treatment. Protective stabilization happens to be that type of treatment,” Strange said.

Strange said that with parental consent, it can be appropriate to restrain a child for any treatment, even an exam. “This needs to get back to the focus, and the focus is really on the children, and if you can’t do an exam, then you’re not focusing on the child,” Strange said. “From my perspective, from a clinician’s perspective, that’s key.”

An assembly line?
For years, advocates for the poor have complained it is difficult to get dental care because so few dentists are willing to accept Medicaid patients, at least in part because of low reimbursement rates.
But Kool Smiles has found a business model specializing in Medicaid patients. The corporate information Web site Hoovers.com estimates NCDR has 500 employees at its Atlanta headquarters and did $20.1 million in sales nationally in 2008.

In 2008, the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration, which administers Medicaid, reimbursed $2.4 million to Kool Smiles in Fort Wayne. Statewide, the six Kool Smiles locations were paid $11.1 million in Medicaid reimbursement last year.

Unlike the statistics in Georgia, Indiana FSSA figures show reimbursements to Kool Smiles in line with their number of patients.

Still, the Kool Smiles business model thrives on volume. FSSA said the Fort Wayne clinic had more than 6,000 separate patients in 2008.  Dr. Todd Parco, a dentist in New Mexico, even placed a help-wanted ad for dentists tired of the fast pace at Kool Smiles.

“If you are wanting to get out of the dental mill scene like Kool Smiles … and want to find something infinitely better, give us a call,” the ad said. The Fort Wayne Kool Smiles hygiene bay contains six dental chairs, so six cleanings can be performed at a time.

Kool Smiles rewards its dentists for working fast – they can earn bonuses of more than $10 an hour for production, according to a help-wanted ad the company placed in a trade publication. “In any profession, the more productive you are, the higher your compensation,” Strange said.

“The point that really needs to be made is at Kool Smiles, we are very, very particular and very committed to ensuring that all of the dentistry that’s provided is quality dentistry.”  Strange also disputes claims the company keeps parents out of Kool Smiles treatment rooms.

“The company doesn’t have a policy where parents are excluded from participating in treatment with their children,” Strange told The Journal Gazette. “The company does have a philosophy that most children do well without the presence of the parent. However, we do have an open door when it comes to treating children, and our parents are actively encouraged to participate in the Kool Smiles dental experience.”

But parents from five different families contacted by The Journal Gazette said they were told it was company policy they could not accompany their children and that children whose parents insisted on staying with them would not be treated.

A sign in the waiting room of the Fort Wayne Kool Smiles on July 21 stated: “Parents MUST remain in the waiting room while your child is being treated or they will NOT receive treatment.”

Strange said the sign meant only that if parents choose not to accompany their child during treatment, they cannot leave the premises. That sign has since been removed.

“I was not allowed to go back” to the treatment room, Crystal Allen said of her children’s visits to Fort Wayne Kool Smiles. “I was unable to see anything.”

Christina Bergbower took her children to the Terre Haute Kool Smiles and was told it was company policy that she could not accompany her children. “I said, they’re a minor, and by law I can be there with them, and they told me it was their policy – it was on the wall that it was their policy,” Bergbower said. “They make it very clear to you that parents are not allowed in the back.”

Strange said that is not true at any Kool Smiles location.

“The short answer is absolutely no, we do not have a policy that precludes parents from being in the back or in the operating treatment facilities with their children,” he said.
BBB grade changed A dentist at the Terre Haute Kool Smiles told Bergbower that her 6-year-old son Cody’s tooth was so decayed he had to have a stainless-steel cap put on it.

When she took him to another dentist, however, the cavity was found to be so small they were able to fill it without using Novocaine.  Bergbower’s 16-year-old daughter, Shauna, was told by Kool Smiles she needed fillings for four cavities. Another dentist could not find any.
“I showed them the paper from Kool Smiles,” Bergbower said. “She said if she would have had those teeth filled, it would have caused pain and discomfort and set her bite off.”

Strange said Kool Smiles has a vigorous internal-review process that investigates any complaints made, but it gets few – just one-half of 1 percent of their patients complain, he said.  The Better Business Bureau in Fort Wayne gave the Fort Wayne Kool Smiles a grade of F because a customer had filed a complaint and the BBB never got a response from the company.

“An unanswered complaint is a big deal in the BBB system,” said Michael Coil, president of the BBB of Northern Indiana. “All you have to do is respond. We’re not saying they’re wrong or right. All we’re trying to do is get their side of the story.”

Kool Smiles says it did respond, but the BBB somehow never received it. It refiled its response after being asked about it by The Journal Gazette, and the grade was changed to a B-. It was later changed to a B+ when the company responded to a BBB survey asking for basic company information.

Strange said the situation appeared to be an oversight.

“That’s certainly uncharacteristic that we wouldn’t have responded,” Strange said. “We really, truly are people interested in doing the right thing.”


One thing not noted and probably not known by the reporter is Dr. Todd Parco is related to Dr. Adolph Padula, one of the founders of Small Smiles.  Currently Dr. Parco operates a clinic in Las Curses, NM with another [former?] Small Smiles executive, Dr. Ken Knott. 

Monday, May 26, 2008

DeRose's Keep It "All In The Family"


Meet Brad Padula. Does the last name ring any bells with my regular readers. It should.

Brad is associated with DD Marketing (ddmktg.com), Dan DeRose's company that hooks up schools with vendor to put junk food machines in your schools. (fatten up the kids and help rot the teeth...sorry, I was thinking to myself)

Brad is Dan DeRose's cousin, via Brad's dad, Dr. Adolph Padula. Remember Adolph, he's the dentist of record with FORBA/Small Smiles in New York, Ohio and a few other states.

Brad is also the director, executive producer and writer of the documentary Beyond The Metal of Honor. Here is the cast of characters involved in the making of the film:

  • Brad Padula - Director Executive Producer Writer
  • Peter C. Lemon - Co-Producer and Executive Producer
  • Rudy Padula - Co-Producer and Executive Producer
  • Dan DeRose - Public Relations and Executive Producer
  • Frank Provenza - Co-Producer Writer Narrator
  • John Schymos - Director of Photography


Adolph Padula, Michael DeRose, Ed DeRose, William Mueller and Dan DeRose have their names all over documents at the Colorado Secretary of State's office in regards to various dental clinics including Small Smiles, Smile High, DeRose Children's Dental Center and 6th Street of Denver Dental Center.

I will say they sure keep it "All In The Family"

(if you checked out the website, you'll see it's the same address as DD Marketing and this same address shows up on some of those documents I mentioned above.)

Anyone know a thing about Nicole Padula, Pueblo, CO?

Wonder what this is exactly, what are they maintaining? I found it an an announcement in the Colorado Tribune January 2008.

R & R Maintenance, LLC (DLLC, 01/07/08,
Perpetual) Adolph R Padula, 409 N. Grand
Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81003

It's North Grand Street where DD Marketing is located? Hmmm.....

I found it here click

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Small Smiles In MassHealth Lists DeRose's Uncle-Adolph Padula

Here is a form listing all the dentist that accept Medicaid in the MassHealth (Massachusetts). You can enter "Small Smiles" or "Padula" where it says "Find" and keep searching through the documents using the down arrow beside the "Find" box.

Check out the names of all the dentist associated with Small Smiles in the different cities in the state!

See a pattern here, I sure do!

And guess what, Michael DeRose's uncle, Adolph Padula is on the list in at least one of the Small Smiles offices and this list is current 4-22-08! And DeRose says he "sold" Small Smiles... yeah, whatever!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Another Smoking Gun! - You just can't deny that the DeRose Family of Dental Clinics, Smile Starters and Small Smiles Are All Related!

Adolph Padula is in with Michael DeRose (Meaball Mike), Edward DeRose,(Spaghetti Eddie) and William Mueller and is listed on the Articles of Incorporation of 6th Street of Denver Dental Clinic.

Adolph Padula is listed at least in one state, probably more as a dentist accepting medicaid patients in the MassHealth program.

Dr. Padula is also licensed in Colorado, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Ohio and others.

Now look, we've got Dr. Tran and Dr. Pham coming out of Pueblo, for Kool Smiles

We've got Dr. Padula, (who is an uncle) to Dan and Michael DeRose, in various states with Small Smiles, how much more clear can it be!

Here's the story on the "connection" saying Dr. Padula is Dan and Michael DeRose's uncle.