North Carolina takes action against Dental One Partners: operating dental clinics illegally–unnecessary treatment– false diagnosis periodontal disease

Appears Dental One Partners has been doing a bit of “up selling”  or should it be put “up diagnosis”.  Court Pleadings at the end of article.

 

Published: 10:38 PM, Tue Mar 05, 2013

 

N.C. sues DentalWorks, alleges unnecessary treatments pushed, illegal ownership

By Paul Woolverton

Staff writer

State officials allege in a lawsuit that the DentalWorks dentistry chain pressured dentists and dental workers at its North Carolina locations to give patients expensive, unnecessary treatments.

The claim is part of a lawsuit the state Board of Dental Examiners filed in Wake County Superior Court on Feb. 18. It says DentalWorks illegally owns dental practices in this state - by law, only a dentist licensed in North Carolina may own a dental practice here - and therefore is illegally practicing dentistry.

A related lawsuit was filed Feb. 18 against DentalWorks by 14 dentists with DentalWorks offices, including two dentists from Cumberland County.

The allegations in both lawsuits paint a picture of patients being taken advantage of to boost profits.

They say DentalWorks used financial incentives, protocols, internal recommendations, warnings of malpractice lawsuits and other pressures to push dentists and hygienists to make diagnoses that patients had gum disease when they did not.

The patients were given unnecessary treatments, leading to excessive billing, the Dental Board says in its lawsuit and in other documents.

The dentists' lawsuit also accuses DentalWorks of pushing them to give patients unneeded veneers and ceramic crowns in order to boost revenues.

North Carolina–Crackdown on healthcare fraud laughable

Is this not ridiculous; in so many ways?!

WRAL

December 18, 2012

 

 

 

I suppose some could read this as message that they are very serious in NC when it comes to Medicaid fraud. HOWEVER, since one set of clinics in particular defrauds Medicaid more than this in an hour, it’s laughable.

Compromise Reach in North Carolina Dental Board of Examiners v Private Equity Dental Chains: NC residents lose

 

Detente reached in dental dustup

June 27, 2012 2:53 PM

Raleigh, N.C. — A high profile legislative battle -- complete with television ads and attention from federal bureaucrats -- between various groups of dentists has ended in compromise.

The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners and the state's Dental Society had been pushing a bill that would limit dentistry management arrangements. Under those agreements, dentists affiliate with companies that handle certain aspects of their business.

Some of those agreements ceded too much power to the corporations, members of the board and society said. They worried that corporate officials based in other states would make treatment and scheduling decisions for the dentists. 

But the dental management companies and dentists allied with them said the board was interfering in private businesses. They said DMAs give younger dentists trying to open a practice and older dentists winding down their work options that lone practitioners don't have.

"The DMA organizations are going to grow," Dr. Alec Parker, executive director of the dental society, said today. "We just want to make sure their growth includes patient protections."

The House Health and Human Services Committee approved a much shorter bill than the society had originally sought. Language in early versions of the bill that would have given the dental board sweeping policy powers -- such as being able to scrutinize business records -- were not included in the compromise bill.

Existing dental board rules will be allowed to stand, but both sides agreed to create a task force that would recommend changes that would accommodate new business arrangements. 

Representatives from both sides say they expect that task force and the dental board to hammer out a revised set of rules to the liking of all parties and avoid a return trip to the General Assembly.

Over the past several months, both the dental society and the Alliance for Access to Dental Care, a group funded by dental management executives, aired hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of television ads.

Advocates fighting for the bill painted the fight as one that pitted dentists in traditional practices against big corporations funded by private equity groups more concerned with making money than providing quality care. Dental management firms hit back that old-school dentists were trying to limit competition as thousands of North Carolina residents went without affordable dental care. 

Lobbying was intense and involved well known figures in the national Republican Party such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission weighed in, saying the bill first proposed by the Dental Society would have improperly cut down on competition and consumer choice.

"The tensions between both groups will be considerably less," said Tom Fetzer, the alliance's lead lobbyist in Raleigh.

Making the negotiations even touchier was the push and pull between members of the legislature who were dentists and the stated goal of most Republicans to cut back on regulations. 

"It is in the best interest of all parties that the law be clarified," said Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham, a dentist and one of the members tasked with helping both sides find consensus.

In addition to creating a task force, the bill also redefines terms in dental regulations and clarifies how and when the dental board can exercise oversight powers over dentists entering into dental management contracts.  

The full House is expected to hear the bill Wednesday afternoon.

State of Connecticut vs. Corporate Dental clinics

Here is the complaint the CT Attorney General brought against a very long list of dentists and their illegal corporations. 

STANDING OVATION TO The State of Connecticut!!  North Carolina and 48 more states should watch, listen and learn.

State of Connecticut vs. Corporate Dental Clinics

U.S. Senate candidate, Tommy Thompson, is way too interested in North Carolina dental legislation to have clean hands. Just saying…

 

 

The front page of Tommy Thompson’s campaign website. Amazing, he and Jeb Bush both called North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis in regards to NC’s dental legislation – Senate Bill 655 – House Bill 698.

 

Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin Senate Candidate, Attacked For Involvement In North Carolina Health Care Bill

Democrats are criticizing Wisconsin U.S. Senate hopeful Tommy Thompson over published reports indicating his involvement with a bill pending in the North Carolina legislature.

[This Tommy Thompson, actually looks like a criminal in my opinion. There is a certain “creep” quality about him. ]

Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Thompson was one of four national GOP luminaries to contact North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Charlotte, picture right)  regarding a bill covering new regulations for dental-management companies. Thompson, a former U.S. health and human services secretary, along with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour contacted Tillis about the bill, which has been opposed by private equity companies, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported.

[Thom Tillis’ crooked smile may not be the only thing crooked about him. I believe he might have a problem with telling the truth as well, which of course is how we know he’s a perfect person to be a politician, right?]

Thompson is competing against former Rep. Mark Neumann, Jeff Fitzgerald, speaker of the state assembly, and businessman Eric Hovade for the Republican Senate nomination and the right to face Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin in the November election.

A former Wisconsin governor, Thompson is a partner in a New York private equity firm specializing in the health care sector and a former partner in a Washington law firm specializing in the health care industry. In recent weeks he has come under scrutiny for his acceptance of a board chairmanship at a Florida pharmaceutical company, a post he accepted after saying he was not taking on more corporate board seats. Thompson has served on more than 20 corporate boards since leaving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2005.

Thompson's spokesman told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he did not contact Tillis to lobby but rather to learn about the bill.

[Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!]

 

Bloomberg’s Private Equity in Dentistry Series Gives New Meaning to “Drill Baby Drill” for 2012 Republican Campaign

May 16, 2012
By Sydney P. Freedberg

Dental Abuse Seen Driven by Private Equity Investments

May 30, 2012
Republicans Target Dental Bill That Private Equity Hates
By Sydney P. Freedberg and Jason Kelly - May 30, 2012 11:01 PM CT

The likes of Jeb Bush, William Frist, Tommy Thompson and Haley Barbour aren’t typically heard from in the office of Thom Tillis, the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Yet the four Republican Party stalwarts, none of them a Carolina resident, have contacted Tillis’s office over a little- known bill to toughen state regulation of dental companies. They’ve been joined by Grover Norquist, the Tea Party favorite and anti-tax crusader who heads the Washington, D.C.-based Americans for Tax Reform.

“It’s not terribly common to have these types of names” intervening on a state bill, said Jordan Shaw, a spokesman for Tillis.

Their interest marks the Tar Heel State as the front line in a national struggle over dental management companies. Fueled by Wall Street money, at least six such firms are under scrutiny by two U.S. senators and authorities in five states over allegations that they soak taxpayers through excessive Medicaid billings, abuse patients via needless treatments and run afoul of laws that say only licensed dentists can practice dentistry.

READ the entire article on BLOOMBERG

Federal Trade Commission implies Private Equity Executives deciding dental treatment will give North Carolina citizens lower costs.

North Carolina Representative Stephen LaRoque called in the FTC when it looked like SB655/HB698 might pass. Is Representative Stephen LaRoque bought and paid for by Corporate CEO’s? Appears so.

Where has the Federal Trade Commission been all these years if this is such a huge issue? Nowhere to be seen, not until brought in by Private Equity and Representative LaRouque.

 

FTC Staff: Proposed North Carolina Dental Services Law Would Likely Reduce the Benefits of Competition for Consumers

Federal Trade Commission Documents and Publications
May 29, 2012

FTC Staff: Proposed North Carolina Dental Services Law Would Likely Reduce the Benefits of Competition for Consumers

Federal Trade Commission staff, in response to a request from North Carolina Representative Stephen LaRoque, stated that a bill proposed in the North Carolina legislature (http://www.ftc.gov/os/2012/05/1205ncdental.pdf) would likely deny consumers seeking dental services in North Carolina the benefits of competition, including the potential for lower prices, expanded access to dental services, and greater choice.

North Carolina House Bill 698 would give the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners significant new regulatory and oversight authority over Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), which contract with dentists to perform non-clinical, business management functions, allowing dentists to focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks. According to the FTC staff letter, the Bill would prohibit currently-used DSO management agreement provisions and give the Board exclusive authority to review and approve all DSO management agreements in North Carolina. The Board could apply these new restrictions and oversight powers to prevent DSOs from entering the state, and to dismantle DSOs now operating in the state by refusing to approve management agreements when they come up for renewal.

"Given that the Board already oversees health and safety issues as part of the licensure regime that governs all dentists in the state, and given that DSOs focus solely on non-clinical aspects of dental practice, it does not appear that the Bill would enhance the Board's ability to ensure patient safety," the FTC staff comment stated, noting that underserved communities, including 78 of the state's 100 counties, may be particularly affected if DSO efficiencies cannot be realized. "Therefore, we urge you to consider whether the Bill's restrictions and grants of regulatory power to the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners are necessary to protect consumers" or whether they risk "merely protecting those dentists who do not choose to use DSOs against competition from those who do."

"In the absence of DSO-specific safety concerns," FTC staff urged the North Carolina legislature to consider the potential anticompetitive effects of H.B. 698 and reject the Bill.

The comment is part of the FTC's ongoing efforts to promote competition in the health care sector, which benefits consumers through lower costs, better care, and more innovation.

The Commission vote approving the staff comment was 5-0. It was sent to North Carolina Representative Stephen LaRoque on May 28, 2012. A copy of the letter can be found on the FTC's website and as a link to this press release. (FTC File No. V120007; the staff contact is Patricia Schultheiss, Office of Policy Planning, 202-326-2877.)

The FTC's Bureau of Competition works with the Bureau of Economics to investigate alleged anticompetitive business practices and, when appropriate, recommends that the Commission take law enforcement action. To inform the Bureau about particular business practices, call 202-326-3300, send an e-mail to antitrust@ftc.gov, or write to the Office of Policy and Coordination, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission, 601 New Jersey Ave., Room 7117, Washington, DC 20580. To learn more about the Bureau of Competition, read Competition Counts (http://www.ftc.gov/competitioncounts).

MEDIA CONTACT:

Office of Public Affairs

202-326-2180

Copyright 2012 Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc.

Federal Trade Commission Documents and Publications

Texas State Board of Dental Examiners General Counsel Admitted–“If you own a clinic you are practicing dentistry in the state”

There is such a HUGE GI-NORMOUS difference in the way North Carolina’s Dental Board understands the responsibilities given to them and the way the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners understand theirs. It’s truly mind blogging, yes I mean “blogging”.

North Carolina’s dental board hopped all over one dentist trying to skirt the laws and has now taken it to the legislature to make sure the laws against corporations coming between the dentist and the patient are clear.

After 5 years of work and 3 years of jumping through hoops, some Texas citizens finally got a hearing with the state legislature. Three years, now! Three years! Expect at least another 3 or more to clean up the damn mess down there. One good thing, Sherri Meeks, the former Executive Director, resigned just days “We do regulate dentistry. If you own a clinic you are practicing dentistry in the state."- Joy Sparks, TSBDE General Counsel before the hearing, and on more than one occasion it was highly suggested to the board that they now have the opportunity to hire someone who can and will do the job they are paid to do. I guess Texans will just have to wait and see.

At the hearing held on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 by the Texas Legislature Public Health Committee I heard some of the most outrageous statements I think I have ever heard come from members of any governing body, well, other than Nancy Pelosi saying they would have to pass a the Affordable Healthcare Act to see what was in it. That was huge.

Dr. Tammy Gough, the presiding officer of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, told the committee they were researching corporate dentistry laws and wanted to “act as advisors to stakeholders and elected officials on the topic because we feel it will probably be addressed in the future with legislation.”
Joy Sparks, general counsel, said this was a “relatively new” issue. And all they do with people who are suspected of the corporate practice of dentistry is turn them over to the local or state prosecutors. She also, indicated they don’t even follow-up on that useless action.

I bet if someone asked the local and state prosecutors how many cases the dental board has ever turned over to them, I could count them on one hand. If I remember, someone on the committee did ask that question. The dental board was also asked they had ever asked for guidance as to what they laws said hat their duties were. Want to guess what that answer was?

Glenn Parker, acting Executive Director, who has been Director of Administration and Licensing since September 1, 2011 said: “I think everybody knows The Board of Dental Examiners is the agency that regulates the practice of dentistry in Texas.”

“We do that by regulating individual practitioners. We have no authority to regulate clinics or clinic owners.”
“We strictly license individual people”

“We report fraud to the HHSC, OIG the AG and recently we’ve been reporting it to the FBI.
When Glenn Parker was asked about why there was a big jump in Medicaid Fraud, Joy Sparks answered for him by saying, “My guess, Representative is that the reimbursement rates increased by Medicaid.”
Representative Carol Alvarado asked if the clinics committing most of the fraud were Corporate owned clinics , franchises or clinics owned by individual dentists or independent.

Joy Sparks stammered, “Representative, I’m not comfortable saying that. We are seeing both. We are seeing individual and we are seeing individual practitioners who are, we have dealt with and we are seeing…uh uh….clinics, who have done it also. I’m not sure what the % would be.”

Rep. Charles Schwertner asked Lisa Jones – TSBDE Director of Enforcement-if there were the same safeguard against the corporate practice of dentistry as there were corporate practice medicine.

Her answered, “Honestly, I don’t know if I can answer that question, we don’t regulate the clinics in any way. We have no jurisdiction over them whatsoever. We don’t keep statistics on how many clinics there are in Texas or how they operate.”

She stumbled and stammered several times trying to not say “corporate” and just use the word, “clinic”. That part was fun.

Glenn Parker then added, “The Dental Practice Act requires the dentist to make all the decisions regarding the treatment of a patient. The dentist who is in charge of…stutter…according to the law …stutter…stutter… of the dentistry decisions”

He then tells what the dental board has “heard” about what is happening. He says they have heard some corporations are requiring their dentists to bill $1000 if the child in 10 or younger, if they are 10 or older, or bill them $1,500 worth of work.

Could possibly the dental board have “heard” these in a Complaint!!!!!???
He then went on to say, “To the degree on which that happens we don’t really Representative Carol Alvarado – “If you guys have been concerned about this, what have you all done?”know.”
To the amazement of the legislative committee he added, “Can we prove that yet, no, we can’t. But I think that is what’s happening to a degree. We do not know how many clinics there are in Texas, dental clinics. We don’t know where they are. We don’t know who the legal own of them is, cause none of that is in the Dental Practice Act to require it.”

Dr. Tammy Gough, the presiding officer followed with, ”we regulate the licensed dentist who is performing the care in these clinics” .Their not running “willy nilly” as far as the actual patient care.” The license dentist is held responsible for maintaining records..and there can be no patient abandonment…”
Representative Carol Alvarado asked, “If you guys have been concerned about this, what have you all done?”  

Pure silence!

Of course there was a lot of testimony on horror stories that would curl your toes. After all the hearing did last for 4 hours, 21 minutes and 21 seconds.

The big admission on the part of the dental board came with Joy Sparks, their general counsel admitted, “We do regulate dentistry.” “If you own a clinic you are practicing dentistry in the state. The problem is ..our remedy is we sanction a license. So if someone is practicing dentistry under a corporate clinic or private equity they are not licensed so we refer those cases, if we think, their … ya know what I’m saying.. we refer those cases to the Attorney General’s office…cause we don’t regulate…….when we asked if they own the clinic they say “I do”.

Then there was this, “They are practicing dentistry without a license. We don’t do anything with people who are practicing dentistry without a license.”
Well, there ya go.

You can continue reading or stop here.

North Carolina HB 655–The story of the campaign ads and commentary

 Yes, this is a repost but last time I didn’t have time to comment, today I made time. The people of North Carolina need our support to pass HB 655, this is my part.

Dentists take battle over regulations to the public WRAL -TV

Posted: April 12
Updated: April 13
One commercial warns that "out-of-state special interests" are going to put your local dentist out of business. Another 30-second spot says viewers should be concerned about "powerful lobbyists" pushing a bill that will close your local dental practice.
Given the similar style and claims, viewers might think the same group is behind both ads. But the 30-second spots actually come from different groups of dentists battling over how North Carolina regulates their profession. A legislative proposal likely to be heard this May would restrict contacts dentists can forge with dental service organizations. 

The legislature of North Carolina has the opportunity to cure this cancer before it metastasizes and before they end up in the exact situation Texas has now found it’s self-which is run over by corporate dental clinics. Many of which are stealing every penny they can from the not only the taxpayers of Texas, but yours as well.  I’m talking about the Medicaid system – 1/2 paid for from state funds and 1/2 paid for by federal funds. You want a good look at North Carolina's future, see the Recent Hearings in Texas dated April 11, 2012. Or read this from the hearing: Texas Dental Board Accused of Ineptitude

"The North Carolina Dental Board has denied my patients what I feel is the best dental care," said Dr. Gary Cameron, an Asheboro dentist who faced state sanctions after affiliating with an Illinois company. His case helped spark the push for the new law. 

Dr. Gary Cameron is either stupid, brainwashed, or being paid very handsomely by Private Equity firms for him to say such things, in my opinion. They only thing being denied is poor care, dental care based on corporate bottom lines not treatment needed, and his personal bank account. Ask yourself why Dr. Cameron was sanctioned. It was because he and Heartland Dental tried to skirt the laws already on the books in North Carolina. The laws are clear! Check them here.

North Carolina Senate Bill 655–HB 698–Dentistry Management Agreements

 

Let’s break with tradition and “Read the Bill”. 

You can read the proposed bill putting much needed limits on dental management companies in North Carolina by clicking here.

Primary Sponsors - Louis Pate;  Austin M. Allran; 

Co-Sponsors -Tom Apodaca;  Doug Berger;  Andrew C. Brock;  Ed Jones;  William R. Purcell;  Richard Stevens; 

Click here to keep up with the Bill.  See where it has been, and where it’s headed.

Wonder if this was designed to cut the head off the Michael DeRose head.  It is my whole heartedly belief he still profits from the Medicaid Dental Centers k/n/a Smile Starters.

Within weeks of the $10 million dollar fine/settlement he and Dr. Tish Balance signed all the clinics were amazingly sold to one of their Lead Dentists, Dr. Raf Rivera.  However, the management company remained-Root Dental Management.

In 2010 Michael DeRose was put on the no fly list, i.e. List of Excluded Individuals, where he is not to profit directly or indirectly from collecting Medicaid for services.  Well, I consider the sham in North Carolina, Dr. Michael DeRose profiting indirectly

Wonder if Roger Walters is also still involved down there?

Related:

Root Dental Management-FORBA Smell the Same April 21,2008

North Carolina is finally getting it when it comes to these fake practice management companies, who are really corporations, that own and operate clinics. Essentially practicing dentistry without a license!

However, Catherine Hughes from the Wealthy Dentist does not!

 

 

From the Wealthy Dentist

Catherine Hughes – June 21, 2011
Dentists Beware: The Government May Want To Tell You How To Manage Your Practice
The North Carolina Senate recently upheld Senate Bill 655, which would require the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners to examine all business contracts entered into by dental practices in their state.

No other state in the union has implemented such restrictions on dental practice management, or sought such inclusive authority over how dentists manage their business.

Talk about the far-reaching arm of the government!

I am amused at Ms. Hughes last state, about the far-reaching arm of the government!  I could blow her friggin mind about the far reaches of the Hedge Funds arms stealing tax payer dollars, causing health care costs to skyrocket!  All so the “wealthy dentist” can live like this:

Value: $14 Million Dollars!

Of course that is only his “first” home.