Showing posts with label Kool Smiles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kool Smiles. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Texas tries to crack down on dental chains that put profits ahead of patients

 

CPIBy David Heathemail
January 8, 2013

A leading Republican in the Texas legislature, who says she’s outraged by allegations that corporate dental chains put profits ahead of patients, has introduced a bill that would allow the state to regulate chains and forbid them from forcing dentists to meet revenue quotas.

A joint investigation by the Center for Public Integrity and PBS Frontline last summer found that two of the largest dental chains owned by private-equity firms, Aspen Dental Management and Kool Smiles, put pressure on its dentists to meet production goals, prompting complaints of overbilling and unnecessary treatments.

Both companies deny this. And a coalition of dental chains in Texas contends that their dentists have total control over patient care. But the chief sponsor of the bill remains skeptical.

“Several reports, including the Frontline program, have uncovered outrageous activities involving the illegal enticement of patients, especially among our Medicaid providers and often involving dental service organizations,” said Republican Sen. Jane Nelson, who chairs the Senate’s Health & Human Services committee.

Nelson did not name a specific chain. Aspen Dental does not accept Medicaid and has no offices in Texas. But Kool Smiles has clinics throughout Texas, and public records show that the state Attorney General has been investigating Kool Smiles for Medicaid fraud.

Read the entire story at Center for Public Integrity

Sunday, December 09, 2012

NCDR - Kool Smiles changing it’s management structure Jan 2013.

It appears either

1. There is pressure on NCDR & Kool Smiles to ditch the traveling trainers.
2. Strapped for cash and need to increase the bottom line in hopes of a sale.
3. Planning to hang the clinical leaders out to dry.
4. All of the above


Friday December 7, 2012
Dear NCDR, Kool Smiles and Resolution Dental colleagues:

koolsmiles-smileonWe continue to make great progress toward our dream of creating a world of happy, healthy smiles through access to quality dental care.

In the middle of this year, we launched a cultural initiative, developed with your constructive input during 2011, to create balance within our offices. To that end, our Kool Smiles and NCDR employees worked together to create an action plan for their vision of their office, or department. As you have seen for the last year, we have made many big steps toward achieving that vision, which include:

  • The roll out of SmileOn, our new dream, mission and the Priority Pledge;
  • Improved office level decision tools and responsibility; and
  • Stronger focus on patient satisfaction and retention.

Today, we are announcing that NCDR is reorganizing its field leadership team to better support the evolving needs of the Kool Smiles and Resolution dental offices.

Effective January 14, 2013, the Kool Smiles and Resolution Dental clinical leaders will assume additional responsibilities over their respective offices. These changes will unify field leadership into a single structure in an effort to improve communication and local accountability for your offices.

Friday, November 09, 2012

Mom’s complaining Kool Smiles are still up to their same old tricks–Papoose Boards and False Cavities

babycenter

Posted November 6, 2012

-- MOM # 1  Ok so I made an appointment for my 3 yo at Kool Smiles for a cleaning a couple weeks ago I wanted to get it done before the new baby came so it would be one less thing I had to do.

Anyways my DH went back with my 3 yo because they were doing Xrays. I called my mother while I was waiting she said I meant to tell you not to take him to Kool Smiles.

She took my brother who was only 6 years old to the same Kool Smiles and they said he had 3 cavities...so she took him somewhere else and he had none!

Kool smiles was going to strap my 6 year old brother down to fill cavities that he didn't have... I thought wow that's crazy no one could possibly do that. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I put a child though all that pain for no reason but to get some money.

Then I thought maybe it will not be that way cause we do not have Medicaid we pay for insurance.  After they were done my DH informs me we need to make him another appointment to get work done. They said he had 3 cavities!!! (the same number they said my brother had)

They said my 3 year old had 3 cavities. I was soo upset I cried. I felt like the worst mom in the world! I'm 26 years old and only ever had one cavity and my little boy already had 3. He brushes his teeth and I brush behind him and he doesn't eat a lot of sweets.

I didn't make him another appointment. We just left. I'm taking him somewhere else. Has anyone had any problems like this? How do they get away with this sort of thing. It's terrible

--MOM # 2 Yes, it has happened to me. I had a gut feeling I didn't have a cavity (bc I never do) and I just didn't trust the guy. Went for a second opinion and I was right! Drs prob think that they "need" the $ and ins us paying for it anyways.

-- MOM # 3 -Be careful they will keep calling you!!! I took my son last year for his first appt and hated it, I told them I would schedule his next one when I looked at my calendar (lie, I was trying to be nice).

For the last 6 months they call from 3 or 4 diff numbers as early as 7 am and as late as 8pm. I even told them they had the wrong number and they keep on. Told them to stop calling and they still keep on! Hate them!

--MOM # 1 So funny you said that cause they actually called me today to confirm an appointment that they set for my son without me or my husbands permission. I will never bring my children there again the is actually a pediatrician in my area that has a sign posted saying not to bring your children to Kool Smiles.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

You just can’t make sense out of nonsense.

Kool Smiles senior district manger tries to explain dental service organization to Texas lawmakers. Hope this wasn’t under oath. Ooops, it was. See Witness Affirmation Form

Pop the corn and watch a train wreck.

Diane Earle, DDS’s testimony October 15, 2012:

Here is the “raw” clip of Earle’s testimony

Didn’t the tones in their voices say, “Bless her hearts” ?

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Nothing out of DC, or anywhere else, on Organized Criminal Dentistry - Why? When?

It's October 2, 2012. Organized criminal dentistry continues with as much vigor today as in 2007. Still, only silence out of Washington.

On November 4 it will be 5 years since the public saw the first video of what these Medicaid dental mills were doing to children. It's been 5 years since I learned of this abuse and I'm still fighting mad over it. It shakes me to my core to think what would be happening if i weren't. As a select few of other Americans, I devote every day to squashing this, dead in its tracks. Does anyone, besides these few  give a shit care?

How many times in the last five years have we heard the cry of corporations at the feet of Congress pleading for more money, citing the death of one child over a tooth infection that migrated to his brain – Deamonte Driver? Too many! This poor child’s death is being used, by corporations and associations, as a tool to abuse other children and be paid by the taxpayer to do so.

How many times have we heard the cry of corporations at the feet of Congress over the abuse of Miguel, seen in the exclusive video? None! N.O.N.E! None! Has any company, or association for that matter, been to Congress pleading for someone to stop the practice of children being tied up in straight jackets, held by 3 or 4 misguided dental assistants only to receive what can only be called barbaric dental treatment? No!

It was 2003 - 9 YEARS ago - when a young reporter – Stuart Watson- in North Carolina first reported about the DeRose family's child abuse for tax dollars scheme. Most enduringly referred to as - "serving the underserved."

It's 2012. The abuse continues daily. The only real thing to change is one, the companies playing the game, more folks want in on the action. Two, the changed the terms used to describe the crimes. “Quota” was changed to “Goals”, the “Goals” changed to “Targets” and “Targets” to “Forecasts”. It’s hard to find new words for abuse a child for a dollar, though.

There are mounds of evidence detailing this criminal behavior which has landed on the desks (or trash cans) of Attorney Generals, Senators and Congressmen - both Federal and State levels. More than enough to make sweeping arrests and stop this child abuse and raping of every taxpayer this very day. Yet, another day will pass and no one stops it. No one closes the doors of the dungeons or arrests the dungeon masters.

You've seen what these children are subjected to - the videos, the testimony, the documents, the first hand accounts from employees, patients and parents!

You've seen testimony of a small child being "waterboarded" by Small Smiles corporate dentist - Megann Scott. Yet, only a "waterboarded" terrorist gets your attention!

You've been shown, just recently, that children are literally kidnapped at bus stops, taken thru the back doors of clinics, then coerced into forging their parents signature! Yet, you do nothing!

You've allowed the chop shops to set up in every poor neighborhood in the country. Even given them our tax dollars to do so.  If allowing these predators this much access to our babies and children was not enough, you've allowed them access to children in our public schools, via gypsy style mobile dental clinics. You have been shown the devastation children are enduring because of this practice - Isaac Gagnon.

You've seen the deaths of babies sedated for over-treatment of dental procedures, yet, you do nothing!

It is a disgrace, crime against humanity, and a black mark on the entire county, to continue to allow this to happen another day. In my opinion, a much bigger than the Fast and Furious debacle.

It's worse than disgraceful this is still happening, 5 years after first being alerted to these children being abused. I am saddened at what is becoming the biggest disgrace of all - the lack of action!

I'm embarrassed nothing is being done - other than a few token arrests of a dentist here and there. Only one, that I'm aware of from the criminal organizations themselves - dentist and inventor Robin Lockwood in Oklahoma.

The companies who have perfected this madness don't even try to defend their actions any longer. Kool Smiles - NCDR for example. The best they can do at this point combat their disgusting behavior is to hire someone that in essence said, "we can abuse and mangle more children for less" My GOD! Are we all insane?!

Are lawmakers and law enforcement hoping the pool of patients will just run dry if it's ignored long enough? I'm note sure. They wouldn't have to bite the hands that feed their campaign coffers, would they? These abused children are growing up, they have not and will not forget the horrors bestowed upon them by these brutal dentists. Nor, will they forget those who sat idly by and let, if not encouraged, it to happen. I doubt they will subject their own children to these abuses, though it may mean no dental care at all for future generations. (This could explain why there is always a crisis in dental health here in America.)

This very day – Tuesday, October 2, 2012- thousands more children will be abused in these clinics, it will happen again tomorrow. What will it take to stop this? Tell me, please. What do you need?

Millions of tax dollars dollars will be paid to companies today to physically abuse, mangle children faces and mouths and leave crippling emotional scars. One such child who suffered these horrors well over a year ago, just this past weekend, gained the courage to leave her mom and spend a few short hours with her grandparents! How is doing nothing about this, OK?

IMG_2820This week, I’m spending my time nurturing a grandchild or two or three. We will be decorating pumpkins, and doing anything else I can think of to give them loving memories. Hopefully they will carry these moments in their hearts and minds, long after I’m gone.

Prosecutors, Attorney Generals, everyone on Capitol Hill, this is to you:

Will you stop the barbaric child abuse and torture by greedy dentists today?

Will you please end this nightmarish treatment that is emotionally crippling our most vulnerable – our children, our grandchildren?

The millions of children who have been permanently scared by abusive dentistry can’t enjoy “Kodak moments”, as above. Their  minds, emotions, as well as their mouths are forever damaged. We as parents and grandparents can’t give them enough loving memories to erase these horrors from their minds.

Do something today?

Monday, September 03, 2012

Kool Smiles Complaint # 153359

scambook

  • Date Occurred:08/14/2012
  • Reported Damages:$1,300.00

Over a 3 week period of time i had gone into cool smiles for fillings. I was told they couldn't do it all at once and said it was going to take 6 visits. I told them every week for 6 weeks is unacceptable seeing as i have 3 small kids and am new in town and don't have a babysitter! we got it down to 3 weeks by doing top right and bottom left. next visit was top left bottom right, and last trip was the top and bottom front. I knew that we had some bad cavities but the dentist assured me they would do every thing they could to avoid a root canal! well the first dentist who worked on me wasn't the dentist i originally met and talked with. Threw the 3 weeks i was never told how or what they were going to do to my teeth. Never was told a name of my dentist or nurse ( which were different every time). The work was done shoddy so every time i went back i told them of my still growing pain and discomfort. They just kept filing down the fillings. after the 3rd weeks visits i told them i was still in bad pain. they then said without x-rays that m 2 back molars must have gotten fractured and all my insurance would cover was to extract them! No way! They would ultimately end up pulling 3 to 4 teeth if i let them do that. Then after the last visit when i got home i noticed when brushing my teeth something crunchy. It the "filling" they did. they just covered 2 teeth together so i couldn't brush or floss in between and that had fallen out after the 1st day of it being filled. It left a gap big enough to see a cavity that was not cleaned or filled properly at all. I have tried to call the locations manage but the nurse/receptionist that answered the phone kept changing the subject and wouldn't listen to me or help. I then called the call center (which hung up on me 3 times before actually taking my call) and made a formal complaint to the highest up section i could who then forwarded a copy of my complaint to headquarters and the store manager. Going on 8 days past now and still no call backs from any one!!!! I am in excruciating pain and cant eat even with antibiotics for the abscess this drama has causes and pain pills which barely help and make me sick to my stomach! I asked for my x-rays to go to another dentist and was refused them even though i paid for them. The nurse said "what do you need them for" and never would release them! I hate that we chose this place and i hate all the crap and suffering I'm having to go through and they cant even be human enough to call back or see if they can fix it or do any thing to help! We will NEVER go back there ever again!

http://www.scambook.com/report/view/153359/kool-smiles-Complaint-153359-for-$1,300.00

(as taken from website, with typos corrected)

Sunday, August 19, 2012

NCDR, LLC–Kool Smiles looking to infect adult dental care in Texas-Under the name Resolution Dental

Kool Smiles and NCDR, LLC are venturing over into adult care in Odessa, Texas – buyer beware! Operating under the name Resolution Dental, they are seeking applicants and offering a $25k sign on bonus. Here is the job posting.
While the brakes were put on to the grand openings of their newest Medicaid mills in Texas, its full steam ahead for at least one Resolution Dental office.
They don’t want applicants to know who they are really going to be employed by as Paul has set up an innocuous email address -resolutiondentalhr@gmail.com
Most of the job have you contact Paul Court at 925-407-5383. Paul is a dentist recruiter for NCDR, LLC
Ncdr, L.L.C.
1575 Northside Drive Building 400
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
United States
www.ncdrllc.com
According to Zoom Info, Paul’s past employment consists of:
Employment History



  • Financial Services Manager Robert Half International Inc
  • Branch Manager Accountemps
  • Manager, Dental Staffing Kool Smiles P.C
  • General Manager U.S. Department of Education
  • Friday, August 17, 2012

    Kool Smiles–NCDR, LLC cuts this week–No more “recruiting” efforts

    Kool Smiles cutting spending. Besides a halt to all new clinic openings/construction in Texas, this week, now more cuts – see below.
    Dear NCDR and Kool Smiles colleagues:
    Our CRS program (which includes CRS’s, CSM’s and CE’s) has played a very important role in building Kool Smiles over the years, and is an important part of our culture. Our CRS colleagues have helped create a dental home for thousands of patients. Unlike many of our competitors, our CRS's have played by the rules, and we appreciate it. 
    However, regulations and other scrutiny of CRS programs are increasing rapidly: CRS programs are now prohibited or severely restricted in states with nearly half our offices. CRS programs are also under rapidly increasing pressure from muckraking journalists, as well as trial attorneys making bogus claims against us. We expect this scrutiny of CRS programs to expand to other states, as well, and it helps make Kool Smiles an easy target for very damaging attacks on the company, as we've seen in Texas, even though we are "the good guys" in the industry.
    So, unfortunately, we've had to make the difficult decision to eliminate the CRS program, effective September 14, with the exception of the four CSM’s in Texas, where we have important ongoing government relations initiatives. CRS's, CSM’s and CE’s will receive a severance package based on years of service, and will have 30 days of transition time.
    During the next 30 days, CRS's will transfer their most important local relationships to local OMs. We will generate leads with increased use of efficient traditional and new media. We will also continue to educate our patients through media, social media and local public relations programs, and we are establishing a small local community relations fund for each office. We will provide more details on this over the next couple of weeks.
    The CRS program, and the contributions our CRS's have made to the company, are integral parts of our culture, and this is a painful decision, but one that we need to make to help ensure the health and continued growth of the company going forward.  I know this is difficult for everyone involved, but I ask you to help make the transition happen professionally, and to remain focused on providing great care to our patients, every day.
    Thank you,
    Jeff Lane
    President
    NCDR LLC







     
    CRS = Community Relations Specialist. They drum up new business, basically. They are not anywhere near as aggressive as the 'recruiters' for some other corporate dental chains and they certainly aren't kidnapping kids, but they do go to schools, daycares, etc.
    CE = Community Educator. Similar role, but they do more education-oriented stuff like teaching kids about proper dental care...with the motive of getting them to come in to a KS office.
    CSM = Community Smile Maker - Basically a CRS by another name.
    I think this could be happening, in part, because of the “recruiting-kidnapping” that a few notable dental clinics in Texas are partaking in these days.



    Friday, July 06, 2012

    Kool Smiles Frick and Frack together again…

    Appears they have reunited! Unlike Martin and Lewis who never reunited Frick (Tu Tran, DDS) and Frack (Thien Pham, DDS) have found their way back into each others arm.

    Tran and Pham broke away from Small Smiles in Colorado back in 2002 and started Kool Smiles. A few years ago, Pham broke away and went off on his own. I heard he was “bought out”.

    molarmagiclogoThein Pham went on to open a couple of clinics in Arizona called Molar Magic. I hear he scouting out locations in New Mexico to open some clinics.  Frack

     

     

     

    tutran

    Tu Tran, DDS stayed in the Atlanta area and slapped his name on the door of every Kool Smiles in the nation. I’m guessing he must spend his time taking CE’s and renewing his dental license since he has one in nearly every state.

     

     

     

    Now, Tran and Pham are reunited and I have proof! I have proof they had “split the sheet” in 2010 and in 2012 they are sharing the sleeping bag so to speak. Maybe sharing a cell.

    KS2010-2012Compare

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    You have to admire the copy paper taped to the door these days. It says:

    “Kool Smiles Doctors Available to Care for Your Dental Needs Today Are…

    Dr. Tu Tran, Dr. Mayfield, Dr. Nkashama, Dr. Jackson,Dr. Duckswork, Dr. Khan, Dr. Ogundipe, Dr. Twardy, Dr. Kalra.

    They emphasized “Today”…  but I know dang well all these dentists are NOT available to see to anyone’s dental needs..not today, not tomorrow and not yesterday!

    I don’t know what all this means, but you can bet they are up to no good.

    Wednesday, July 04, 2012

    No one has stopped the “Child Abuse for Medicaid Fraud” scheme; not yet anyway.

    1997 – Drs. Michael and Eddie DeRose along with Dan “put coke machines in schools” DeRose started opening dental centers to abuse children so they could defraud Medicaid, then build a football stadium in their own honor.

    2001 – Dr. Tu M. Tran and Dr. Thien Chi Pham were dentists working at Smile High Dentistry in Colorado. Smiles High Dentistry is part of the Small Smiles Dental chain.

    2002 – Tran and Pham were convinced to move to Atlanta and open up Kool Smiles, starting with 2 centers.

    2004 – Friedman, Fleishcher and Lowe bought the centers and established NCDR, LLC to be the dental management division of FFL.

    2006 – First Islamic Bank (aka Arcaptia aka Crescent Capital) gave the DeRoses $435-million for the dental centers.

    2007 – In Georgia two companies who over saw Georgia's Medicaid benefits kicked Kool Smiles out of their network of dental providers for it’s Medicaid patients. Kool Smiles said it was because Wellcare wanted to cut it’s own costs! Wellcare said it was because children being abused for profit and fraud. Georgia agreed with Wellcare, and found over 6% of all Kool Smiles patients files didn’t need the care they received and over 3% of the treatment was substandard.

    2012 - We are still where we were in 2007 with Kool Smiles – children abused, substandard treatment, fraud.

    With Small Smiles nothing much has moved either. Pretty close to the same as in 2003 when reports of its child abuse first surfaced – 11 very long years have passed and we are zooming toward year number 12.

    Kool Smiles continued to grow to over 120 dental centers today Small Smiles topped out at 72 or 73. Hundreds of dentists, who likely worked for one of these mills, broke off and opened their own smaller versions of this business mode- Abuse and Defraud for Profit. Adventure Dental and Vision is just one example. Their “owner” also worked for a Small Smiles Dental Center.

    Small Smiles alone, treats 1-million children a year.

    There have been numerous news reports on Kool Smiles Dental Centers since it’s beginning. There have been at least 72 73 news reports on Small Smiles Dental Centers since 2003.

    Each report, from coast to coast, contained the exact same allegations:

    • Children being restrained and physically assaulted.
    • Unnecessary overtreatment.
    • Parents filing complaints and nothing being done.
    • A State or Federal Agency is Investigating.

    There have been a few letters mailed out scolding the business practices, a tiny weeny fine or two – (that has not been paid yet) and a couple of Corporate Integrity Agreements that the executives wiped their asses on. (well, it’s true!) An a few “official” reports. Personally I’m not sure what a “report” actually accomplishes.

    Here is reporter, Sydney Freedberg's report for Bloomberg, published just last week!

    Today is July 4, 2012 and hundreds of these little houses of horrors will open their doors tomorrow.

    So far Small Smiles has seen:

    • $24-million dollar fine they have not paid
    • A 66 page Corporate Integrity Agreement they have not followed
    • A few scolding letters with no bite
    • A $230,00 fine – they have not paid. (the actual fines for all the violations amounted to millions, but they got a discount)
    • One measly dental center in Manassas, Virginia they swear they do not own had to be transferred to a new owner
    • The Oxon Hill dental center closed for two days of training! I’m NOT kidding!!
    • Checks from the Medicaid fund still arriving in their bank accounts daily.

    Hell, no wonder everyone wants in on the action.

    CSHM Breach of Corporate Integrity Agreement March13 2012 <p>&nbsp;</p>

    On March 7, 2012, just days after filing bankruptcy, their independent monitor did a check of the Oxon Hill Small Smiles and turned up all kinds of problems. On May 15, 2012 HHS once again sent out another letter, telling them to shut Oxon Hill down for a two day training session.

    The letter stress HHS’s concern that just days prior to the March 7, 2012 monitor visits, that the Chief Compliance Officer – Lorri Steiner,- the Chief Dental Officer, Steven Adair or Gus Ghassen or both – the SVP of Operations, Kevin Reilly,- the Executive Director of Operations,Lisa Mullinix or Scott Nearing maybe- the Compliance Attorney, Sheila Sawyer, and the Regional Director, Dr. Marlene Navedo had been to Oxon Hill Small Smiles and couldn’t find a thing wrong. NOT ONE THING! How can that be???

    Are they incompetent or criminals, it has to be one or the other. Are the same folks still running the show down there? Yes indeed…several of them are still there.

    Something big happened that was quite serious, I don’t know what, by the Oral Surgeon at the Oxon Hill Small Smiles on February 20,2012. I don’t know if I want to know either.

    CSHM Agreement with Office of Inspector General May 15 2012

    Next Wednesday, July 11, 2012 is the dead line for CSHM to have reviewed and report past overtreatment at the Manassas clinic. As Bloomberg Businessweek reported, with 42% of all the root canals checked, (104 unnecessary root canals out of 244) deemed unnecessary I’m guessing that report will not look good for the dentists working there, or the company.

    This company has been under the watchful eye of government regulators since 2007, when the investigation first began. Can you get your head around the fact they have not changed their ways in 5 years!!!! 

    Arrests next week?

    Sunday, July 01, 2012

    Bill Brigham – Chief Operating Officer for Kool Smiles Dental Centers is said to have “resigned”.

    brainbinghamComing two days after scathing exposé by FRONTLINE and the Center for Public Integrity of the fraud, child abuse and corruption at Kool Smiles Dental Centers and NCDR, LLC.

    Of course I’m not 100% sure, but I’m “pretty dang sure”, he’s gone.

    Bill has been with Kool Smiles since 2007, so his hands are plenty dirty one would suspect. Where was he before Kool Smiles Dental? He was with Kohls, Home Depot, Macy’s and Belk’s department stores.
    (me shaking head)

    I don’t think there would have been much fan fair as he slithered out the back door, do you?

    Should we be on bankruptcy watch? Maybe so.

    Bill Brigham - Former COO of Kool Smiles Dental Centers

    Academy of General Dentistry and American Dental Association Responces to “Dollars and Dentists” Program on PBS

    Considering the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the American Dental Association (ADA) are in the same building in downtown Chicago, my mouth actually fell open when I read this statement from the AGD.

    Academy of General Dentistry Responds to “Dollars and Dentists” Program on PBS

    AGDChicago (June 27, 2012)—On Tuesday, June 26, the PBS “Frontline” documentary series aired “Dollars and Dentists,” a special program that investigated what it referred to as the “broken nature of the dental care system” in the U.S. According to the PBS piece, more than 100 million Americans currently do not have dental insurance and cannot afford treatment. “Dollars and Dentists” attributed this lack of patient care to the Medicaid system, stating that it did not provide enough of a profit margin to dentists treating children at Medicaid rates. The segment implied that there are very few solutions available to solve this access to care problem. However, extensive analysis conducted by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and other dental organizations has found that this is not the case.

    “Dollars and Dentists” showcased the plusses and minuses of high-production dental franchises, which many claim will help to decrease the cost of care for Medicaid rates. The AGD shares the concerns voiced by “Frontline” that, as a business model, dental franchises that focus on quantity before quality may not be in the public’s best interest.

    “I am concerned by business models that emphasize production quotas and do not individualize treatment for every patient,” says AGD President Jeffrey M. Cole, DDS, MBA, FAGD. “The focus becomes the company’s revenue rather than personalized care. Each patient deserves the type of time and attention provided by the traditional dental team business model, which promotes better oral health.”

    In the “Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Barriers and Solutions to Accessing Care” white paper, the AGD renews its call for proven dental care solutions and quality care, which were originally outlined in its 2008 “White Paper on Increasing Access to and Utilization of Oral Health Services.” The AGD calls for an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, greater efforts to improve oral health literacy and education, expansion of water fluoridation, and the creation of loan forgiveness programs for dentists working in underserved areas, among numerous other solutions that preserve the focus of providing quality care to each individual patient.

    Saturday, June 30, 2012

    Polly “Wanna Crack Her” Buckey Remix

    You can't hide your lyin eyes
    And your smile is a thin disguise
    I thought by now you'd realize
    There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
    There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
    Honey, you can't hide your lyin' eyes – The Eagles

    All joking aside, there is no way you can miss when she’s lying. The corner of her mouth pulls to the left, she looks to the right, and her voice is deep and raspy. (shaky)… and she gets that whacked out look on her face.

    What I’m wondering is why Dr. David M. Strange has stopped putting his family at risk by going on TV and lying. Maybe it’s because, even though she sucks at it, she is the one willing to risk it all to do it.

    There is a lot of hoopla over the FRONTLINE and Center of Public Integrity investigation, which is well deserved. But all the allegations are not new. These same allegation have been hitting regional and local news stations for years.!

    Reports have landed in the local press and on local news stations since at least 2008. It is 2012, right?  Is anyone listening to these parents; to these employees?

    Here are some of the reports:

    Tuesday, June 26, 2012

    PR pushback supposedly “after” FRONTLINE aired

    Twenty five minutes after FRONTLINE’s “Dollars and Dentists” aired at 10PM Eastern Time, a link to a “rebuttal” landed in my inbox. Amazingly, June Thomas, it’s author, doesn’t know night from day. She watched the FRONTLINE “Dollars and Dentists” tonight, at 12:32PM.  Just saying… 

    stupididiots

    Hurricane of reports - Private Equity Dentistry in the news– Week of June 25, 2012


    Not a good week for criminal dentistry.
    drbiscupidlogo Texas dental Medicaid scandal far from overMonday June 25, 2012

    bloomberglogo

    Dental Abuse of U.S. Poor Dodges Ejection from MedicaidTuesday June 26, 2012

    March 13, 2012 – Letter from OIG to Sheila Sawyer and Lorri Steiner of Small Smiles Dental
    May 15, 2012 – Agreement with OIG Re: Manassas Clinic to Sheila Sawyer and Lorri Steinerof Small Smiles Dental
                                                                   Collection of Documents

    frontline[6]Dollars and Dentists – FRONTLINE Tuesday June 26, 2012
    Check your local listing for air time
    Live Chat Wednesday June 27, 2012 @ 2:30 Eastern Time with Miles O'Brien, and Center for Public Integrity reporter David Heath. You can submit questions right now by visiting here.
    http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/06/26/9224/live-chat-dollars-and-dentists

                                                                      Collection of Documents
     

    iwatchnewsPatients, Pressure and Profits at Aspen DentalTuesday June 26, 2012

    Truth is a far cry from the reported wonderful benefits of working at Aspen printed last Friday on Dr. Bicuspid, quoting Dr. John Notarianni, DDS 

    Complaints About Kids Care Follow Kool SmilesTuesday June 26, 2012

    Kool Smiles Response fails to address concerns.

    wfaa

    Attorney General files lawsuits related to WFAA dental investigations - Tuesday June 26, 2012

    Texas AG lawsuits spurred by WFAA dental investigationJune 26, 2012



    dentistryIQ
    Corporate dental chains see profitable market treating poor kids and adults Tuesday June 26, 2012


    nightlinelogoAnesthesia deathsNightline Wednesday June 27, 2012Check your local listing for time
             CANCELED (again)

    Wednesday, February 29, 2012

    Parents complaining about Kool Smiles Dental and have been for years I might add–socks over their hands, tied down and blindfolded.

    This is the crap you get when you get Private Equity firms, or as I call them, “Lenders for Criminals” are involved in medical care. It’s about the bottom line, not whether treatment is needed, nor is it delivered in professionally acceptable standards!! It’s illegal on so many levels and so far, we’ve not seen an Attorney General with the balls to stop it!

    Hey, all you AG’s out there, I’ve got a back up set I’ll loan you! Give me a call! 
    Pro8News



    Parents Complain About Kool Smiles
    By KGNS News

    Story Created: Feb 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM CST
    Story Updated: Feb 29, 2012
    A dental office with a local branch could be in a lot of trouble.
    Parents complained about what they call ‘unprofessional treatment’ their children received at Kool Smiles.

    They described their kids having their hands covered with socks and tied up while a dental procedure was being done.
    [I suppose this is somehow deemed better than Dr. Steven Adair’s Superman Cape idea!]
    Some even complained of having procedures done without the proper sedatives.
    [I’ve been told over the years, when giving nitrous, they only turn on the oxygen to give the appearance of giving nitrous to parents, bill for nitrous but save on nitrous.  I’d like an audit of amount of Nitrous billed and the amount of Nitrous purchased at each clinic!]
    Now a San Antonio law firm says all Kool Smiles locations in south Texas are being investigated.

    Friday, February 17, 2012

    Kool Smiles facing alleged claims of mistreatment, excessive... | www.kfoxtv.com

     

    By Kandolite Flores

    EL PASO, Texas —

    Kool Smiles Dentistry for Kids is the target of  San Antonio attorneys who are soliciting claims against the dental offices for allegedly using force on children or providing unnecessary treatment.
    KFOX14 took a look into the claims.
    TV ads sponsored by the attorneys are dark and allude to dental nightmares for children.

    They are attention-grabbing and prompted KFOX14 to ask parents via Facebook about their own Kool Smiles experiences.
    We received nearly two dozen positive responses, including Penelope Alba, who has been taking her two children, Greg Diaz and Ada Alba, to Kool Smiles for years. She said her kids love Kool Smiles.

    Sunday, January 22, 2012

    Four Winds Health, Midwest Dental, Kool Smiles Dental and Friedman Fleischer & Lowe (FFL)

    logo_nwh
    From FFL website:
    Four Winds Health, LLC was formed to build and manage a chain of high-end urgent care centers that offer walk-in, extended-hour access for non-life-threatening acute injuries and illnesses. Through its centers, Four Winds is focused on creating a superior patient experience through the delivery of convenient, comfortable, high-quality medical care.
    Four Winds is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. The company was formed by the same management team which previously founded Kool Smiles, another FFL investment. FFL provided founding capital to Four Winds in 2011

    logo_midwest_dental
    Midwest Dental is a leading dental practice management company with over 75 clinics in six states. Midwest Dental clinics are typically located in suburban and rural areas, and the company has demonstrated an impressive track record of growth through acquisitions of independent dental clinics. The company provides the clinics with a full range of management, administrative and financial services, allowing clinical staff to allocate more of their time to patient care.
    Midwest Dental is located in Mondovi, WI. FFL acquired the company in 2011 and plans to provide additional capital to support future acquisitions.
     
    ncdr
    NCDR, LLC provides various non-clinical services to dental group practices, including providing dental facilities, support staff, and other business services. NCDR's principal [ONLY] client is Kool Smiles, a nationally-branded provider of dental care focused primarily on children enrolled in Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs. The limited access to care for children on Medicaid/SCHIP plans provides an attractive growth opportunity for Kool Smiles as it continues to expand offices with a mission to provide quality care to this underserved population.

    The company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. FFL invested in NCDR in 2004 to provide growth capital and liquidity to founders.