Smiles Starters Dental Centers Under Fire AGAIN!

Smile Starters, formerly known as Medicaid Dental Centers, first made the news in North Carolina in 2003.  10 years later, little that has changed, other than its name and signage.

Reporter, Diane Wilson, with the ABC affiliate in Raleigh-Durham, NC reports on continued fraudulent diagnosing practices Smile Starters Dental Centers in North Carolina.  You can contact ABC’s “Troubleshooters” at troubleshooter@abc11mail.com

Listen for the usual Medicaid dental mill “buzz” words and phrases, such as: “Corporate”,“Chief Dental Officer”, “Do Not Allow Parents Back with the Child” and “Lead Dentist”.

 

End of EyeWittness ABC Channel 11 Report

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However unlikely it is for the North Carolina Dental Board to take action, it is still extremely important a complaint is filed and on record, so to speak. To file a complaint with the North Carolina Dental Board click here.

What they couldn’t tell you in the report:

Smile Starters and the dentists who work there, are very much familiar with the North Carolina Dental Board and visa-versa.  With the new regulations in North Carolina on how dentists and management companies operate, maybe the dental board could take a look at Smile Starters and Root Dental Management and expose the truth behind the true ownership of Smile Starters Dental Centers.

Smile Starters Dental Centers have operated under Medicaid Dental Centers (MDC), North Carolina Dental Centers and Smile Starters.  As reported above, Dr. Ralph Rivera was Smile Starters Chief Dental Officer under the prior ownership of Dr. Michael A. DeRose and Dr.  Letitia L. (Tish) Ballance.  Although it would be hard to prove outside a legal setting — where documents would have to be produced — I whole heartedly believe Michael A. DeRose sill owns and controls these dental clinics. Being that Michael A. DeRose has had his license revoked and is also listed on the governments LEIE (List of Excluded Individuals and Entities) list, it would be highly illegal for him to own a dental clinic or received monies from Medicaid or Medicare, directly or indirectly.  If he maintains any ownership, it would have to be masked by a few layers of corporations, and the DeRose’s are good at that game, or at least think they are.

Smile Starters Still Abusing Children and Keeping Parents From Going Back With Their Child; After The First Two Visits Of Course.

Here is the story of a child who went to Smile Starters in North Carolina.  Her name is Kathy and she's 3 years old.  This is a sad story.  They make the mother feel as though she's a bad parent, they use the usual scare tactics and they've even blamed the child for not behaving properly.
Smiles Starters is part of the DeRose family of clinics, with Dr. Raf Rivera listed as being the owner.  Dr. Raf was a long time employee of Dr. DeRose and Dr. Ballance. 
When they got into trouble in North Carolina, Dr. Raf came to the rescue, offered up his name and they never missed a beat.  Wonder if DeRose and Ballance have paid the $10 million settlement yet?  If you have a child you has suffered at the hands of these ruthless creatures disguised as a dentist, contact Moriarty-Leyendecker.

The place I take my DD (dear daughter)is called smile starters and they pulled my DD's top 4 out . Caps on all but 1 tooth which was sealed and the bottom 4 has porcelain crowns in the back of them. And now her bottom 4 is going bad . And I cut out almost all sugar brush 3 times or more a day and she only has water or milk nothing else.
This place is the only one that takes Medicaid. And this next appointment I was told I can't go back with her that only 2 appointments the parents are allowed. They had to use a papoose each time cause she kicks.
But now I dread the appointment that is coming up this Friday (July 30, 2010) because they talk very stern to me the other times acted as if I was the worst parent in the world.
If I could find another place I would but there isn't a place that will accept Medicaid And I know they would want to put her through another oral surgery to pull those 4 bottom teeth and she had her first surgery last Dec.
I know her teeth are bad from genetics and they looked rough and I am caught in a hard spot cause I don't want them to report me for neglect and it states that they can if I miss a certain amount of appointments and I already rescheduled it .
And the health departments dental clinic is not equipped to  handle my DD's tantrums she has ( she kicks , scratches, cries, and pukes). She even has these when I brush her teeth.
I wish they was more equipped because they are nice to me about everything and didn't talk harsh to me . As soon as she grows out of these tantrums she has she is going to them.

Before

After

After

Now what is it they say about needing to put crowns on teeth to hold the place for the permanent teeth?

I've also seen reports lately where parents are being asked to sign a waiver to let their child go back alone!

Michael DeRose and the Root Dental Management-Rafael Rivera, DDS, PLLC Connection

Root Dental Management is part of the so called "new owner's/new management of Smile Starters" in North Carolina. There are current ads throughout the internet for dentists, assistants and other office personnel wanted for Smile Starters that is under this laughable "new owner's/new management" concept they (being the DeRose's) are trying to sell to the good citizens of North Carolina.

Here is the contact info for applying for a job with Smile Starters:

Roger Walters
SmileStarters
2211 - E Executive Street
Charlotte, NC 28208
704-395-6000
walters.rdm@gmail.com

Same physical Address as Root Dental Management and note the email address: rdm-Root Dental Management. I bet Roger Walters could tell some stories don't you guys?

Root Dental Management is owned by Ryan Root of Pueblo, Colorado. At the North Carolina Secretary of State's website if you search for Root Dental Management this is what you get:

Registered in North Carolina: 3/21/07
Formed in Delaware: 2/20/2007
President: Ryan P. Root
Agent is: Ryan P. Root
Registered Address is: 2211-E Executive St
Charlotte NC 28208

Principal Office is: 2211-E Executive St
Charlotte NC 28208

Principal Mailing Address is: PO Box 816
Pueblo CO 81002

For those of you who don't remember, Ryan Root and the exact same address is the contact for Michael A. DeRose, DDS, PA on the Health Care Reform Act List of Electors in New York State.

See Here

Rice Root Accounting in Pueblo is the old accounting firm for the DeRose's until they got big enough to need an in-house accountant. That's when Ryan slithered on over to work solely on DeRose stuff.

One person sticking up for Rafael Rivera, Jr. who is supposed to be the new "owner" of Smile Starters (whom I think was closely related to Raf, said on this very blog, Raf had worked for SmileStarters as far back as 2002 or there about.

If someone could get their hands on a copy of that "sale contract" with Dr. Rafael Rivera, Jr., Dr. Michael A. DeRose, and Tish Ballance (which would be the sale between Ballance DeRose, DDS, PA and Rafael Rivera, Jr. DDS, PLLC-formed 2/18/2008) you are going to find that Michael DeRose is a "consultant" of sorts and will be getting a hefty fee for his laughable and knowledgeable input!

And next year on Michael A DeRose's many tax returns there should be a fee listed from Rafael Rivera, Jr. DDS, PLLC dba Smile Starters or there is some very creative bookkeeping going on!

Of course it will probably be listed as pass thru income (yeah, passing through umpteen million) LLC, Corporations and PA before it lands on his and his wife's person tax return. But I guarantee it will be on there somewhere, just like a few other corporate dental organizations "consulting fees".

Here's another thought:
It's customary when there is a sale of a company like this between two professionals (sorry...peed my pants laughing...when I typed the word professional) for there to be a "non compete" clause. Yet, here we have Tish Ballance already (even prior to the official signing of the documents) opening up Access West, another medicaid dental practice not far from Dr. Rivera's Smile Starters.

You know, when something stinks it stinks no matter how you twist and turn it, flip or flop it or try to hide it doesn't it?