Friday, July 11, 2008

Partial List of Small Smiles/FORBA Corporate Office Staff

updated 4-1-2009


Al Smith (President, COO), Adam Snell, Alicia Sandovel, Amanda Greenhood, Amanda Skelley, Anna Casarez, Arnie Carlsen, Bob Andrus-FIRED Fall 2008, Brad Gardner, Brad Williams, Brandon Dyson, Cha Jones, Chante Green, Chanthalay Onevathana, Chase Trivett, Chris Gallina, Chris Hatch, Chris Pershin, Christian Diehl, Christine Peasron, Daniel Dunn, Donnie Watson, Dorothy Vigil, Jacob Kochenberger, Jake West, Jeff Osterman, Jenna Kochenberger, Jody Kay McFarland, John Fujishiro, Juliana Johnson, Kallene West, Kathy Morales, Ken Knott-FIRED with Bob Andrus, Kevin Reilly, Kimberly England, Lara Lott, Linda Zoeller (she's the one who files all those many many state corporate filings), Lisa DeRose, Lisa Mullinix, Liz Tran-FIRED March 2009(wonder if she's related to the Tran who opened Kool Smiles), Lizz Lown Krummel, Lori Bland, Lorri Stelner, Mark Oreskovich, Marla Grossman, Marschelle Chatman, Melissa (Missy) Green, Michael Lindley, Michele Campbell, Mike McDulla, Phyllis Brown, Rodney Cawood, Shari Reed, Skye Lown, Stephanie Pena, Steve Nitchen, Suzy Selgenthaler, Tammy Green, Tim Richter, Todd Cruse, Trevor Blazer, Vince Benfatti, Vinny Branchael.

All these people are listed as employees of FORBA either at the Nashville Office or the Colorado Office that located within DDMarketing (Dan DeRose Marketing)

If you are on this list and no longer employed with Small Smiles, let me know and I will note it.

Small Smiles Old Consent Form v. New Consent Form

Small Smiles Old Consent Form that says there is no known danger in strapping a child down in a straightjacket/papoose board.

See Here

Small Smiles New Consent Form telling parents a dentist, not assistant or hygienist but a DENTIST must inform the parents how, when and why a straightjacket/papoose board needs to be used as well as informing them their child could die if they use one.

See Here

Changes Made In Maryland Due To Small Smiles Abuse of Children



Changes are being made for children needing dental care in Maryland, in part to ABC 7 I-Team's Small Smiles investigation.

The changes will affect tens of thousands of families who've had a tough time finding quality care. The overhaul will bring greater oversight and encourage more dentists to accept Medicaid families.

Most dentists won't treat children on Medicaid because it pays less than private insurance. The I-Team's investigation showed Small Smiles made up for low fees with high volume. Beginning the first week in July, Maryland Medicaid officials will begin pumping an additional $14 million dollars into the program to encourage more dentists to participate.

"The state is concerned overwhelmingly about two things: We want to make sure we have enough dentists who can provide services to the children, and we want to make sure that those services are of high quality," said John Folkemer with the Maryland Department of Health.

Before, Small Smiles would keep parents waiting in the lobby, and had no special training for dentists who routinely used restraining devices while treating young children.

"We have required them to do some corrective actions," said Folkemer, "and to change some of the policies."

Folkemer says parents must be allowed to stay with their children and dentists now receive training on how and when to use so-called papoose boards.

Also consent forms were changed which had falsely told parents that restraints posed "no known risks" to children. Small Smiles now warns parents of potential "serious consequences" of these restraints, including "physical or psychological harm even death."

"And we [also] will now have one organization that we can deal with to handle any such problems as have been raised as to the quality of care or access," said Folkemer.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Dan DeRose Takes the Stand in Ford Trial

by:Marc Perrusquia

NASHVILLE -- Only one or two top executives at a TennCare contracting firm knew details of then-state Sen. John Ford's secret consulting job for the firm, according to witness testimony and documents presented by prosecutors Tuesday.

The closely held secret of Ford's $190,000-a-year job for state contractor Doral Dental began leaking out in late 2004 after the Wisconsin-based firm was sold to its current New England owners.

Ford, 66, is on trial in federal court here on six counts of corruption connected to payments he received from Doral and another state contractor.

Steven Pollock, Doral's current president, testified that he and others found out around the time of the sale that Ford was involved with two partners in Managed Care Services Group, a firm set up to help Doral win a contract with TennCare, Tennessee's expanded Medicaid program.

Doral started paying Managed Care $40,000 a month -- 40 percent of it going to Ford -- weeks after Doral won a lucrative TennCare contract in 2002.

Pollock said he began asking questions in November 2004 when Ford and his two partners traveled to Milwaukee in hopes of saving their Doral consulting deal, which had come under internal review.

"I asked (an employee) to check whether Sen. Ford was a sitting state senator,'' Pollock told jurors.

Asked why he did that, Pollock replied, "Obviously, as a government contractor, there's typically prohibitions (against) working directly with state officials.''

Pollock said Doral eventually terminated Managed Care's consulting contract, but not before the news media began reporting on Ford's connection. Doral severed the contract in February 2005, just a few days after The Commercial Appeal first reported that Ford was receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars through Managed Care -- income he didn't report to state regulators.

Although he was then Doral's general counsel and vice president of market development, Pollock said he didn't know what Managed Care did for the firm. A succession of Doral executives, including senior vice president Robert Lynn and former chief financial officer Lisa Sweeney, testified similarly over the past two days.

Pollock said that two top executives -- Doral founders Craig Kasten and Greg Borca -- had authority to enter consulting agreements. Neither has testified. Testimony on Monday indicated that Managed Care was formed after Ford and Kasten began discussing a potential TennCare contract.

On Tuesday, prosecutors introduced a 2005 spreadsheet listing Doral's consultants that characterized Managed Care as "a political organization, (with) public officials tied to this organization including Senator Ford. ... Greg (Borca) worked out the relationship.''

The spreadsheet went on to say that when a rival firm had threatened to sue Doral, "MCSG intervene(d) and no suit was filed. Well connected and influential.''

The passage appears to be a reference to FORBA, a Colorado-based manager of Medicaid-funded dental clinics for poor children. Two current and former FORBA officials have testified that they built and briefly opened a clinic in Memphis in 2003 but were forced to shut down after Doral would not let them into the TennCare dental network.

Dan DeRose, FORBA's former CEO, testified Tuesday that Ford had tried to discourage him from suing Doral. Echoing testimony from a lobbyist a day earlier, DeRose also said Ford tried to solicit payments from him for his legislative influence.

"He asked me if I knew what his nickname was. I said no. He said, 'They call me Mr. 15Percent,''' DeRose said. Prosecutors asked DeRose if he had asked Ford what he meant by Mr. 15Percent. DeRose responded that he had, saying, "His response was 'I can take care of your problems.'''

DeRose stood his ground when defense attorney Isaiah "Skip" Gant suggested he had made inconsistent statements regarding the Mr. 15Percent comments.

"I'll always remember it,'' DeRose said on redirect. "It was startling. ... I'd never been solicited for money like that.''



The very idea that Dan DeRose is on the witness stand trying to say his hands are clean in this just blows my mind!!!!





Tuesday, July 08, 2008

FORBA's Todd Cruse on Witness Stand In Tennessee Senator Trial: No Big Surprise Here

In my opinion Todd Cruse is no better than Senator Ford. I've been trying to tell my readers for months that FORBA, Todd Cruse, Michael DeRose, Doral Dental and the whole bunch associated with FORBA are crooks!

I'm looking forward to other senators to get nailed from doing dirty business with FORBA in the near future.

How many children did Small Smiles/FORBA and Doral Dental, who manages the management of FORBA, abuse to give Senator Ford his 1.7 million dollar cut. Let's see, at $220 per baby root canal that's close to 8,000 teeth just for one senator's payoff.

As you can clearly see, FORBA/Small Smiles just can't seem to keep their asses out of the spot light now can they?


July 8, 2008
Contact Chris Echegaray at 664-2144 or cechegaray@tennessean.com

Former state Sen. John Ford and his business partners were paid roughly $1.7 million in consulting fees from a TennCare contractor, according to a key government witness who testified in federal court on Monday.
Ford, 66, is accused of receiving consulting fees from two TennCare contractors, Memphis-based OmniCare and Wisconsin-based Doral Dental, from 2002 to 2005 while he served as a state senator on the general welfare committee and the TennCare oversight committee.
Ronald Dobbins, a Pennsylvania businessman who was one of Ford's partners in the consulting firm Managed Care Services Group, testified that the Memphis Democrat received 40 percent of the consulting fees from Doral Dental and the other partners got 30 percent.
Dobbins initially worked for United American Health Care, the parent company of OmniCare.
He testified that after leaving the company he created the consulting firm, Managed Care Services Group, in 2001. He said the initial consulting partnership was between Ford and him.
Then he found out that Ford had invited Osbie Howard, the chief executive officer of OmniCare, to join them. Howard handled the money, Dobbins told the jury.
Dobbins testified that he collected around $300,000 from Doral Dental over three years for doing little to no work.
Dobbins testified he had no knowledge of what Ford was doing on Doral's behalf.

'Mr. 15 percent'

Todd Cruse, a lobbyist for Forba, which operates dental centers for low-income children, was trying to get work through TennCare in Tennessee through Doral. Cruse sought out legislators in the districts where the dental centers were being opened, he testified. He sought out members of the black caucus, including Ford.
Cruse testified that after a dinner at a PF Chang's in Memphis, he approached Ford about Forba having a shot to work in the state.
"He chuckled," Cruse said. "And he said, 'They call me Mr. 15 percent.' When a legislator says he's known as Mr. 15 percent, it sorta sticks with you."
In cross-examination, federal public defender Isaiah Gant attacked Cruse for not reporting the 15 percent comment to anyone.
Gant also noted that Dobbins was initially the subject of the investigation into wire fraud. Dobbins received immunity in exchange for his testimony and cooperation with the government.
Ford is charged with two counts of wire fraud and four counts of making false statements on official documents. The wire fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years. The maximum sentence for each of the four other charges is five years.


I would like to say that Todd Cruse may at one time been a Lobbyist for FORBA, I don't know where he crawled in from, but he's now listed as:

Senior Vice President of Development tcruse@forba.com 615-986-1709

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

New Small Smiles Papoose Board Consent


In FORBA/Small Smiles' Policy and Procedure Manual the consent for papoose use (stabilization) it said there was "no know risk to the immobilization procedure". It's evident FORBA/Small Smiles knows that is an out right lie since they are now using another consent form, I'll explain:

Recently another consent agreement says otherwise.

When you look at the form, at the lower right corner it says it was updated 1/31/2008, however it sure wasn't the consent form handed to me as part of the initial paperwork prior to treatment at Small Smiles just one month ago. (May 2008)

I asked myself why this particular form has now surfaced in at least two clinics that I'm aware of then it hit me. It's being used at those clinics who have been/are under the media microscope, but I'm wondering if it's being used in ALL clinics.

So, for all those employees who visit here regularly shoot me a line and let me know if this is the form you are using in your clinics. Email Me

Click here to see the Consent Form that has been updated. In this one, at the bottom, it will tell you that using it could cause death to your child among a host of other things that no parent would want to happen to their child.

To compare them, here is a link to see the consent I was handed in May 2008.


Monday, June 23, 2008

Small Smiles Denial Of Owning Clinics In Kansas Debunked

This is a repost from March 2008

The Wichita Eagle

March 15, 2008

  • Original The Wichita Eagle article:

A Wichita dental clinic that serves mostly low-income children is drawing criticism from some parents and other dentists, in part for using procedures that the critics say traumatize its young patients.

They say Small Smiles Dental Clinic of Wichita routinely restrains children during treatment, does not allow parents to accompany their children to treatment and does work that doesn't seem necessary.

In addition, the dentists are concerned that Small Smiles tries to give the impression it is staffed by dentists who are specialists in children's care. And, they say, it is corporate dentistry, a practice not allowed in Kansas.

Small Smiles dentist Reza Akbar, in an e-mailed statement, said, 'We are proud of the high-quality, compassionate care we provide.... Last year, we served more than 11,000 children, and the feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive. I am unaware of any concerns raised by parents.'

Akbar is the owner of the clinic, according to a Small Smiles spokesman.

Small Smiles, which opened in 2005, turned down requests for interviews or visits. An out-of-state spokesman for Small Smiles, who asked not to be named, said by e-mail, 'This is a concerted effort by the company to focus on patient care in the midst of recent scrutiny.'

In November, ABC News and an affiliate ran stories about Small Smiles offices in the Washington, D.C., area. The stories told of frightened children, the use of restraints and the prohibition of parents in the treatment area -- the same concerns echoed by parents and dentists in Wichita in interviews with The Eagle.

Many Medicaid clients

Small Smiles' advertising notes that it serves Medicaid and HealthWave children. The Small Smiles spokesman said 98 percent of Small Smiles' Wichita patients have Medicaid or HealthWave, programs that provide medical and dental coverage for low-income children and some others who meet income guidelines.

Many dentists do not accept Medicaid patients or accept only a few because the reimbursement for their care is less than what is paid by private insurance. But Crystal Walker, a pediatric dentist, said four of the five pediatric dental practices in Wichita do accept Medicaid patients. Some general dentists also take those patients, and dental care is offered to Medicaid patients at GraceMed and some other clinics.

In 2007, Small Smiles got more than $4.5 million in Medicaid and HealthWave dental payments from the state, according to the Kansas Health Policy Authority. The clinic declined to say how many dentists it employs.

The clinic uses what amounts to assembly-line dentistry, some say.

'They go in, they do the cleaning, they do the diagnostic, they get everything done that they can in one day,' said pediatric dentist David Brown.

'It was like an assembly line,' said Shelbi Meisch, whose daughter was a Small Smiles patient. 'There was just nothing about the experience that felt like you were getting good care.'

Restraining patients

Though parents said they were not allowed to accompany their children into the treatment area, the Small Smiles spokesman said that's not policy: 'Parents decide in consultation with their dentist whether or not to be present during their child's care,' his e-mail said.

Jeff Davis said he and his wife were asked to sign a consent form giving Small Smiles permission 'to do everything from yell at the child to physically restrain them to tie them down.'

Meisch, as well as Delicia Akbar, whose children also were Small Smiles patients, said uncooperative children -- including theirs -- are immobilized in a 'papoose board.' Akbar isn't related to the Small Smiles dentist.

The Small Smiles spokesman provided a copy of a consent form used at Small Smiles in Rochester, N.Y., and said the one in Wichita is similar.

It asks parents to agree to 'protective stabilization,' described this way: 'The child is wrapped in the device and placed in a reclined dental chair.' Pictures on the form show a child with what looks like a blanket and a shaped back piece.

Medical suppliers describe a 'papoose board' as a rigid board with wide fabric straps that have Velcro fasteners. Separate straps hold limbs inside the wrap, providing a snug-fitting restraint that immobilizes the patient.

The Small Smiles spokesman said, 'Our records indicate that protective restraint was used in fewer than 3 percent of all patient visits in Wichita last year.'

Akbar took her three children to Small Smiles. She read and signed the consent form 'but my understanding of the restraint was not something.. to strap them down.' She said the papoose board was used on her 9-year-old.

'I didn't even think anything negative until the kids came out

Copyright © 2008 The Wichita Eagle, All Rights Reserved.

____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to a heads up from one of my readers, here is an article where Mike DeRose admits they own and operate clinics in Kansas:

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), May 9, 2004 by CARY LEIDER VOGRIN THE GAZETTE

Dr. Michael DeRose describes himself as "just a simple little Pueblo kid that wanted to help poor kids."

DeRose, 47, is a third-generation dentist, following in his grandfather's and father's footsteps.

Bruno DeRose graduated from dental school in 1928; Edward DeRose started practicing in 1961. Michael DeRose went to dental school at his father's alma mater, Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., returning to his hometown to practice in 1982.

Michael DeRose said his dad had the heart to treat low-income children, explaining how the family got into the Medicaid business.

"He opened his doors for every patient," he said.

He and his father practiced together and became known to kids around Pueblo as "Spaghetti Eddie and Meatball Mike" because of their Italian heritage, DeRose said. Business grew when they opened a second clinic in Colorado Springs in 1995.

The DeRoses have built something of a dental dynasty, having a financial stake in clinics in eight states: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Kansas.

"It's really a family-owned business with Dr. (William) Mueller," he said, referring to a Denver dentist who has a financial interest in some clinics.

DeRose said his brother, Dan, provides marketing and management services, and an uncle, Adolph Padula, has a financial interest in some clinics. Neither responded to a request for an interview. Mueller did not respond to a registered letter sent by The Gazette.

The clinics have done well. Michael DeRose bought a home last year in Pueblo West overlooking Lake Pueblo for $3.4 million -- a record price in Pueblo County for what the Assessor's Office terms "a nonagricultural based residence."

The family has a stake in 21 clinics across the nation staffed by about 70 dentists, according to Michael DeRose. Dental offices most recently were opened in Kansas City, Kan., and Florence, S.C., he said.

Plans are under way for expansion.

"We think that there's more places in Georgia that could really use our help," DeRose said. "We've looked at Oklahoma as a consideration. They have a lot of need in the Oklahoma City area, maybe Tulsa."

The clinics are "well-received" because they fill a need, DeRose said.

Small Smiles in Colorado Springs, for example, is in an area where 26 percent of people age 17 and younger live in poverty, according to census statistics.

"There is an epidemic in the United States, and it's hard to believe we can put a man on the moon and yet there are thousands and thousands of poor children that cannot find dental treatment," DeRose said.

It's common at his clinics, he said, to see children with severe decay.

During an interview at the Pueblo clinic, DeRose offered a tour. Treatment rooms are painted with kids in mind: There's a blue- andorange "Broncos" room and another with an "Austin Powers" theme. For younger children, rooms are decked out with "Scooby Doo" and "Blue's Clues."

The dentists go by kid-friendly names, wearing shirts that read "Dr. Mike" and "Dr. Nate."

Edward DeRose is retired from practice but still has a large office at the Pueblo clinic.

Michael DeRose said business has "grown beyond our dreams," but money isn't the motivator.

"Sure, business, if you can make money at it, that's great," he said. "But when it's dual purpose and you can make money yet help people -- that's the best thing you can do."

DeRose said he's had no problems finding dentists for his clinics.

"There's a lot of dentists that have the heart to treat poor children. A lot of doctors really would like to do this but they just feel like they can't make money at it," he said. "We can provide them an opportunity to do something that's their dream. It's the best of both worlds.

"There really is something to be said about sleeping good at night." (I bet he's not sleeping so well at night right now.)

Copyright 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

____________________________________________________________________________

I have already posted on this blog the campaign contributions that Dr. Mohammad Reza Akbar, of Pueblo, CO had made to a Kansas politician in the name of Small Smiles.

Plus if you guys could see an in-house company directory you would see the Small Smiles in Kansas listed as part of the company.

So Kansas, is corporate dentistry like this now legal or are they going to be shut down. It's not like Small Smiles accidentally opened up these clinics. They blatantly broke your laws with intent to defraud your medicaid system.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Small Smiles in Chapel Hill, NC

This add came from UNC Dental Alumni Associations Website. Click Here

Name: Small Smiles Dentistry
Owner: Private
Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Job Description:
Small Smiles Dentistry SEEKING DENTISTS to join our great staff. Rewarding work environment with state-of-the-art equipment. We are the nation's largest and most experienced provider to underserved children and young adults with 70 locations.

Contact:
Jenna Kochenberger
415 N Grand Ave
Pueblo, CO 81003
Phone: 7195624462
Fax: 7195847696
Email: jlkochenberger@smallsmiles.com

WOW, now this is an interesting ad.

First: (to get this out of the way) Wasn't the last contact person Jacob D. Kochenberger in the ads at aftercollege.com. I just can't say it enough when I say FORBA (Michael DeRose) sure keeps it all in the family, I wonder if Jenna and Jacob (sounds like brother and sister doesn't it) are more cousins like Brad Padula.

I also notice that the address is DD Marketing's address in Pueblo. Oh, that infamous 415 N. Grand Ave, that crops up as the address for all sorts of DeRose businesses.

Second: Let's get this out of the way, I sure wish they would stop using the word underserved as one word. I know I make a lot of typo, leave of a lot of 'ing's and 'ed's etc but dog gone it, I just wish they would say they serve "under served" and not 'underserved'.

Third: FORBA (Michael DeRose) has gone to great lengths saying he's basically out of the state of North Carolina. (ran out on a rail pretty much). He says he sold SmileStarters to Raf Rivera and it's under new management. (Yeah, Right! Managed by Root Dental Management, who is DeRose's accountant! Plus who loaned Raf Rivera that kind of money to purchase clinics who were just fined 10 million dollars and headed down the tubes, well one Michael DeRose would be my guess.

But look, North Carolina, he's baaaaack! Him and FORBA are right back dipping their lilies right back into Medicaid pot of gold. Who manages your dental medicaid service anyway? Dumb and Dumber?

Sounds just like Tish Ballance sticking her grubby little fingers back in with her Access West Clinic is Asheville doesn't it. (I guess she's still opening that clinic, I've not heard otherwise)

What's it going to take to shut these criminals out of North Carolina anyway?

What are you going to do this time! Monitor them some more! A lot of good that does!

Conflict of Interest at Department of Medical Assistance Services-Virginia

I just find it totally amazing that Dr. David Strange of Kool Smiles is on the Dental Advisory Committee of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. He may have a licenses there but I bet you he's never touched a patients mouth in Virginia, yet he wants to be an adviser!! What is he planning to give advise them about.

It's that like the fox watching the hen house. He is in business with Dr. Tu M. Tran and Dr. Theim Pham who originally trained and worked with Drs. Michael and Ed DeRose at Smile High Clinic which morphed into Small Smiles. Want to take a guess where Tran, Pham, and Strange are from, Colorado!

Not only this, but Dr. Harry M. Joseph is an employee of both Small Smiles and Kool Smiles according to Doral's May 2008 Handbook, so what gives with that.

I think there is a clear conflict of interest here!

Dental Advisory Committee Members (updated) 2008

Dr. David Strange (from the Kool Smiles website)

Dr. David M. Strange, Chief Dental Officer
Dr. David M Strange is a board certified pediatric dentist. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center along with his certificate of Pediatric Dentistry from the Children's Medical Center in Dallas, TX and his MS from the Baylor College of Dentistry. Dr Strange was formerly an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and also served as the President of the Colorado Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. He previously served on the Constitution and By-Laws Committee of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and is currently serving on the Council for Dental Benefits of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr Strange is also a member in good standing with the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Colorado Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Georgia Dental Association and the Southwestern Society of Pediatric Dentistry. His three children and wife live in Atlanta after relocating from Denver, Colorado.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

United Health Care Removed Dental Search from Website

On 6-17-2008 I was able to go to United Health site and visit this page

https://www.myuhcdental.com/presence/release/MemberDentistList.asp

or here and choose a state plan and search for a dentist who accepts medicaid. They would tell me the clinic name, Small Smiles for example as well as the name of the dentist at that clinic.

By the next day I could still go there but each and every search for a dentist under any plan and any search criteria would end up with zero results. The first time I did it, heck I could even get the list emailed to me. Now you can't find a recommended dentist from United Health to save your soul.

So I have to ask why that is.

1. They don't want the public to know they are recommending it's members to visit Small Smiles.
2. They are protecting themselves from lawsuits because they continue to recommend it's members take their children to Small Smiles even though Doral Dental has suspended them, in several places anyway, or
3. The dentists they listed as being employees of Small Smiles threw a fit because they are so embarrassed of being associated with Small Smiles. (let me say here I know this to be true from the emails I received...)

Anyway I'm glad I had my lists emailed to me and they came from the following email address:
dentalproviderlist@yourdentalplan.com

The subject was: Custom Dental Provider Directory List

I don't know who's cheatin' who here, but there are some really embarrassed people out there because of their association with Small Smiles, including major HMOs.