New Mexico Dental Board takes it easy on “Comfort Dental”- yet nails their employees. Same for Perfect Teeth and Birner Dental Management

New Mexico Dental Board takes it easy on “Comfort Dental”, yet nails their employees.

Note in each of these it mentions that the “Comfort Dental” clinic is “owned” by the dentist who is being sanctioned. We know that is pure crapola!  The New Mexico Dental board knows it’s crapola too, but does nothing to the corporation, nothing, nada, zip. 

The dentists are always going to take the fall until you guys get off your asses and speak up! Quit taking an oath to tell the truth and lie about your clinic ownership?  I do NOT understand this! I’m baffled every day by it.

What more can I say that will convince you are your screwing yourself, and your colleagues in the ground! Your chosen profession is going to hell, do something for God’s sake!  Do something for the public’s sake!

Comfort Dental Employee Sean S Phelan, DDS Stipulated Agreement with New Mexico Dental Board

Dr. Thomas Corcoran-Topeka Kansas Small Smiles Dental Clinic Owner-No longer with Small Smiles. Did he sell? Of course not, you can’t sell something you don’t own.

 

In November 2010 I wrote about the Kansas Dental Board sending a “prove-it” letter to Dr. Thomas Corcoran.  The Dental Board was questioning the true ownership of Topeka Dental Clinic, LLC and another CSHM dental clinic.

Dr. Corcoran forwarded the letter on to Church Street Health Management’s headquarters.

[If he owned the clinic I’m not sure why he would forward this on to a company who just provides billing, payroll, human recourses, and other mundane office related services, if that is truly all they do for their “associated” clinics.]

Church Street Health Management had him listed as being the owner of one of their Kansas clinics.

Bye Bye Birdie
CSHM must have cleared the issue off their to do list.  According to information received, Dr. Thomas Corcoran’s has not seen a patient since early October 2010.  Dr. Corcoran had been with Church Street Health Management since May 2004, almost 7 years. 

Over the next 5 years, beginning January 21, 2010 Kansas is to receive approximately $1.2 million of the $24 million dollar settlement Church Street Health Management agreed to pay so the DOJ would not look into their operation any further.

Evidently the Dental Board is involved in those payments.  I say this because in a letter to Dr. Corcoran, Dental Board Director, Betty Wright said, “ Since this amount is substantial and is being paid by a corporation and not by yourself, it is evident that although you have indicated  in the past that you are the owner of the Topeka Dental Clinic, LLC and previously Small Smiles of Wichita, that in fact the owner of the clinic in not yourself, but instead a corporation.”

Originally, Dr. Corcoran had 10 days to answer several questions that Ms. Wright brilliantly asked.   Any person who owned a business would be able to answer the questions with ease.  A sample of the questions she asked were:

1.  A copy of your purchase agreement or ownership documents of the clinic.
2.  An employee handbook
3.  A copy of advertisements published to hire dentists
4.  A list of member of your LLC with ownership interests.
5.  An Operating Agreement between yourself and FORBA
6.  Attach your personal and business FEDERAL income tax returns with attachments, including Schedule C with W-2’s or 1099’s.  If you are a PA or LLC include returns for you personally and for the business entity.
7.  Attach five payment reimbursement forms from Medicaid and five from insurance companies.
8.  Attach copies of promissory notes or loan agreements with amortization schedule used.
9.  Attach a copy of the latest bank account statements for the business.
10.  Do you own the fixtures and equipment?  ___ Yes  ___No  If “No” state from whom it is leased.

[Looks like that 10 day deadline from Kansas Dental board, turned into a 10 day notice for Dr. Corcoran.  I’m told Dr. Corcoran was not officially listed as “terminated” until January 31, 2011]

Can the new “owner” answer those questions presented by Ms. Wright, probably not. 

So what to so?  What to do? 

Oh, lets change the laws in Kansas!  Yes, that’s it!  So much easier!  Let’s use Comfort Dental as a front.  We know they want in the state.  Shoot, they won’t even realize they are being used.  Get franchise dental clinics allowed in the state and it will save our three clinics. 

Then we can say we are a “franchise” too.

Questions:

1. So who “owns” the clinic now? 
2. Sale agreement? (Dr. Corcoran selling to whoever)
3. Should there not be some tax related issues for Dr. Corcoran since he “sold” this business?
4. Is anyone checking? 
   
   Hello  IRS!
   We are loosing out on some tax dollars folks! 
   
   

Related:
KWCH Investigation into Small Smiles and Church Street Health Management ( known then as, FORBA Holdings)
Kansas Dental Board Asking Dr. Thomas Corcoran To “Prove It”
Kansas House Bill To Allow Expanded Functions for Hygienists Appears Dead
Look Out Kansas – Say it ain’t so
Gates of Hell opening For Kansas citizens; Corporate Dentistry

Patients Loose Thousands Due To Allcare Dental Sudden Closing

Tens of thousands of patients are extremely upset tonight as they have lost hundreds of thousands by the sudden, unexpected closing of Allcare Dental.

Patients showed up at Allcare dental centers across the country this week only to find the doors locked.  A phone call to the company returned nothing but a busy signal.

Patients are furious and have been told that unless Allcare were to file bankruptcy it is unlikely they will recover their money.

Allcare Dental and Dentures' Better Business Bureau rating had dropped to a D- in the last few months. 

Heck, that's nothing, FORBA Holding and it's Small Smiles Dental Centers rate F. 

This is why you never pay for services until rendered and another example on why these drive thru dental and denture clinics must NOT be allowed.  State dental boards must get off their tuchus and enforce the laws on the books.  The laws are there for a reason, and this is one of them.

Kansas Dental Board Asking Dr. Thomas Corcoran to “Prove It”

November 4, 2010

Kansas Dental Board
Case Number 10-20
Re: Dr. Thomas Corcoran's ownership of Topeka Dental clinic in question.

At the end of September 2010 the Kansas Dental Board finally got around to investigating who owns Topeka Dental Clinic by requesting information from Dr. Thomas Corcoran, DDS.

Wonder where the Kansas Dental Board has been for the last several years, in a coma?  Well, at least they are now awake and asking questions, I hope it is not some sort of dog and pony show.

Since the FORBA (Church Street Health Management) settlement with the government in January 2010 Kansas Dental Board has noticed something odd: Kansas received $1,190, 345 as its part of the fraud reimbursement and instead of Dr. Thomas Corcoran making those payments, a company by the name of FORBA (Church Street Health Management) is making the payments on behalf of the 3 FORBA clinics in Kansas.  

In their letter, sent September 27, 2010 the dental board states “ Since this amount is substantial and is being paid by a corporation and not by yourself, it is evident that although you have indicated  in the past that you are the owner of the Topeka Dental Clinic, LLC and previously Small Smiles of Wichita, that in fact the owner of the clinic in not yourself, but instead a corporation.”
[saying Dr. Corcoran lied like a dog would be a terrible insult to the canine species]

The board points out to Dr. Thomas Corcoran that “Kansas dentists can NOT be employed by a non-dentist or a corporation unless the corporation or LLC is owned by a Kansas licensed dentist or dentists.  Each owner must also be in the practice at least a majority of the time the office is in operation.”

The Dental Board requested Dr. Thomas Corcoran provide a written response explaining how his association with this corporation is not creating a violation of the dental practices act.

Yes, Kansas Dental Board, I have been asking this exact question since 2007!

As part of the investigation they requested Dr. Thomas Corcoran provide:

1.  A copy of your purchase agreement or ownership documents of the clinic.

2.  An employee handbook

3.  A copy of advertisements published to hire dentists

4.  A list of member of your LLC with ownership interests.

5.  An Operating Agreement between yourself and FORBA

6.  Attach your personal and business FEDERAL income tax returns with attachments, including Schedule C with W-2’s or 1099’s.  If you are a PA or LLC include returns for you personally and for the business entity.

7.  Attach five payment reimbursement forms from Medicaid and five from insurance companies.

8.  Attach copies of promissory notes or loan agreements with amortization schedule used.

9.  Attach a copy of the latest bank account statements for the business.

10.  Do you own the fixtures and equipment?  ___ Yes  ___No

        If “No” state from whom it is leased: 

        Business Name:________________________

        Contact Person: ________________________

        Address:_______________________________

        Telephone:_____________________________

11.  List dates of employment, names and contact information of all dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants employed by the clinic.

Provide the above information within ten(10) days from the receipt of this letter.

Then the Board went on to sooth Dr. Thomas Corcoran by informing him this was merely an investigation and neither the board or the Investigative Member had reached any conclusions.

Signed Sincerely, Mellissa Graham, Administrative Officer.

I hope the board ask the exact same questions of:

Dr. Frank Blacknall

Dr. Mohommad Akbar (these questions were raised many times in the past by the press)

Update:

I contacted the Kansas Dental Board for more information and comment, here was the reply:

Our investigations are confidential. Unless there is a discipline, the information is not public.

Betty Wright

Executive Director

Kansas Dental Board

900 SW Jackson, Ste. 564S

Topeka, KS 66612

785-296-4690

betty.wright@dental.ks.gov