Thursday, February 18, 2010
A New New York Reader
Corporate Dentistry Pitfall number 101–Floating dentist filling in where needed.
Hi,
I was working with a chain practice for a year right after I graduated. In this type of practice, the management asks of their employee to cover another office in another location, if the dentist at this location has a day off. I was asked to cover one such office. That means, I would be seeing new patients to determined treatment.
I saw this patient in May07. I inserted a PFM on #3 ( the tooth was endodontically treated. The crown prep was not done by me. I inserted the crown after I took a BW x-ray and checking for occlusion and contacts. (Unfortunately, I forgot to document in her chart)
Now I no longer work for the company. I received a letter from the board stating that this patient has a complaint against me. In march 08, this patient complained that #3 has been hurting. The treating dentist examined her and determined that nothing was wrong and adjusted the occlusion.
She still complained of pain.
She was told that it was her wisdom teeth that were the reason of her pain, so she got her wisdom teeth extracted. #3 was asymptomatic each time it was been examined, patient stating that pain was a "5 out of 10".
In the meantime, she saw another dentist who said that the crown was big. Again the dentist got #3 out of occlusion totally,. Patient still complained of pain..............
Now the case is with the board.
I have no clue what would happen. How should I proceed. I am very very scared as they could take any action.
There were different providers involved here.
The one who did the prep quit (management told me he was on vacation....but had actually quit).
Also the patient saw a different provider next time she came in to the center (after 10 months) who checked her crown and found nothing wrong). Then after she had her wisdom teeth out with an OS, she saw a different provider the next visit (this provider saw her at all her subsequent visits)
This provider recommended other options (re treat endo etc) but he told her nothing wrong with the crown.
She went to another local dentist, who told her that crown was not good. This is when she complained to board.
I got a letter last year and they asked me what had happened. I wrote the letter myself ...did not contact malpractice. I told them hat had happened during that brief half an hour appt. I did not hear from them until nearly after a year and now they tell me that case is with the board. I do not know what to expect.
Any advice would be helpful
Please help,
Scared out of mind new grad dentist
update:
How it ended -
After being advised to contact his malpractice insurance carrier and gathering all the information and documentation he could, which was NOT easy! His attorney fees in this were astronomical just trying to obtain the patients treatment documentation.
He ended up getting nailed by the dental board. A black mark on his record remains.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Missouri Hit With Disgraced Dental Chain; Small Smiles?
Here is her email:
I was absolutely shocked and mortified to read the Feb. 16th article on your site. I have been taking my children to this clinic since about that time and have always had great experiences. The staff is friendly and comforting with all of the children I've seen on each of our five visits to date.I would suggest whoever owns this clinic change its name ASAP. The name Small Smiles and Dental is only going to get worse.
I was appalled to see our dentist's name and practice dragged through the mud with no apparent investigation. After my own investigation, I have found that Small Smiles at West Edgewood Dental has absolutely NO affiliation with the Small Smiles/FORBA in other states. Small Smiles in Jefferson City, MO, is a private practice where Dr. Marchack treats each child and parent with the utmost respect. On each visit, we have been welcomed to accompany our children in the exam rooms and have been with them through the entire visit.
During a routine sealant visit, one of my children began telling the Doctor about his toothache, Dr. Marchack looked at it and scheduled him to come back at the end of the day to have the tooth filled and another capped. (We had already been through the antibiotic regiment as a precaution prior to the visit.) I was moved to tears that there our children's dentist would volunteer to stay late on a Friday afternoon just so my child wouldn't have a toothache for another three weeks, until his next scheduled appointment.
I have recommended this clinic to every parent I know, as I am sure you would if you ever went there with your children. I appreciate the magnitude of the allegations regarding the other Small Smiles/FORBA clinics, but some true investigation should be made before you publicly slander another clinic and doctors for merely having a similar name.
One thing for sure, FORBA is registered to do business in Missouri. The actual name of the clinic is West Edgewood Dental Small Smiles. It used to be named West Edgewood Dental Group.
West Edgewood Dental Small Smiles
Jefferson City, MO 65109-6877
(573) 638-3897
Get directions
.
Here is even another phone number (660) 638-3897 I found here. Both area codes are Missouri codes.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Park West Dental; Padula ring any bells?!
There's a new DeRose related dental office opening in Pueblo, and yes, they take Medicaid. Awe, hell you follow the links and check it out, I've got a headache! Don't forget the Secretary of State site to search for the corporation papers, and check out the property and who owns it. And note in all your looking around, you'll see N. Grand Street, Pueblo, Colorado! Let me save you a bit of trouble. Click here, and as we are so accustom to finding, Dan DeRose's name it's associated with 409 N. Grand Pueblo, Colorado!! No big surprise there! Oh, there is another company on the horizon...I'll talk about it later. I have come to loath these people, every last one of them.
Park West Dental
John Millea D.D.S, Juliann Padula Millea D.D.S.Pueblo, CO 81003
(719) 543-4022
Here, they will introduce themselves.
Just how damn many generations of DeRose and Padula's are citizens going to have to suffer through. Will one of you PLEASE get fixed and stop procreating!!!
Have any of you thought about a new line of work, honestly you're wearing this dentist thing out! Have you ever thought about Park Ranger or something???
Ear, Nose and Throat; But Not Your Eyes or Teeth
I understand the need for specialist in those areas of the body, but I consider the care and treatment delivered to the teeth and the eyes to be no more or less important than to a person's finger, knee or ear.
Speaking of ear, many times it is difficult to determine an earache from a toothache. I'm sure this has happened to many here. At what point in medical history did this separation take place, and why?
Find Dentists Who Accept Medicaid In Your State At Insure Kids Now Website
It's called Insure Kids Now (insurkidsnow.gov). Wonderfully designed to find SCHIP health or dental providers for children. You can find providers, again, be it health or dental, in all states. It's searchable by your address, by your plan, provider and more.
It's super easy to navigate and extremely user friendly.
If you happen to be searching for a dental provider for instance NOT associated with FORBA's Small Smiles Clinics, then search for a provider and check the name of the dentist against the address of any of these places in your area; Small Smiles, Children's Medicaid Dental, Oklahoma Smiles, Indian Springs Dental, or Wild Smiles
You can also check the address of Kool Smiles, Ocean Dental or Adventure Dental and Vision.
I think parents will find there are several dental providers in their area who will accept Medicaid without resorting to taking your child to a so called 'dental mill'.
Heartland Dental Invades Nevada and Kansas
Here is the latest breaking news Heartland has put out. Take it as a warning.
From HealthNewsDigest.com
Dental
Heartland Dental Care, Inc. Continued Its Growth in 2009 Adding 32 Dental Practices
By
Jan 14, 2010 - 5:59:38 PM
(HealthNewsDigest.com) - EFFINGHAM, Ill., -- Heartland Dental Care, Inc. brought its total number of practices to 253 in 2009 with the acquisition of 27 established practices and the creation of five de novos.
Several of these practices expanded Heartland's presence into two new states -- Nevada and Kansas - increasing the Company's footprint to 14 states.
"We are glad to welcome these practices and team members into the Heartland Dental Care family," said Rick Workman, DMD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Heartland Dental Care, Inc. "These acquisitions and new practices strengthen our commitment to provide quality dental care in hometowns all across the United States."
"At the beginning of 2009 we set out to add 25 practices, and that's just what we've done," Workman said. "Plus these practices have brought substantial value to our company especially through the innovative ideas of their team members."
Besides a healthy and managed growth in 2009, the Company also experienced several other major accomplishments:
-- Increase in Same Store Sales over 2008
-- Addition of 96 dentists and an overall reduction in team turnover
-- Expansion of education and clinical training programs into regional
settings
-- Integration of digital x-ray technology and other cutting edge tools
and techniques
-- Substantial cost savings on supplies and laboratory fees
-- Implementation of Patient Satisfaction Surveys
"Everything we do works toward our goal to be a world class company and the leader in dentistry," said Patrick C. Bauer, President and Chief Operations Officer of Heartland Dental Care, Inc. "We will continue to work toward this goal in 2010. We will further this vision by helping our doctors and practices be the best they can be. Whether it's through advanced clinical education or simple communication skills - it's all about giving our patients personal attention and professional excellence."
About Heartland Dental Care
Heartland Dental Care, Inc. is one of the leading dental practice management groups in the United States with more than 250 dental practices located within 14 states. Based in Effingham, Ill., Heartland provides its dentists and team members with continuing professional education and leadership training along with a variety of management services which include staffing, human relations, purchasing, administration, financial, marketing and information technology support. For more information, visit www.HeartlandDentalCare.com.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
From Hartford, CT to Sante Fe, NM-FORBA looking for dentists to work in their Small Smiles clinics
Jenna and Jacob Kochenberger from Pueblo, CO are hubby and wife. Wonder if they get paid by the 'head'? Wonder what kind of Dentist's their looking for, 'lead' dentists, 'associate' dentists, or dentists who will lend them their licenses and so FORBA can call them 'owner' dentists. Like Dr. Jodi Kuhn. I think her name is on the individual clinic LLC state filings in Ohio and Kentucky. Problem is Kentucky statues say a dentist can only 'own' three clinics and I do believe they have to actually practice in those clinics. Wonder how Jodi does that?
Here's the current ad:
SEEKING DENTISTS in our rewarding work environment nationwide.
Positions currently available in:
Hartford, CT
Syracuse, NY
Worcester, MA
Manchester, NH
Cincinnati, OH
Youngstown, OH
Florence, SC
Dothan, AL
Montgomery, AL
Beaumont, TX
Oklahoma City, OK
Omaha, NE
Greeley, CO
Santa Fe, NM
Offering an excellent guaranteed base salary, promotion opportunities and benefits (including monthly bonus potential, 401(k) retirement with company match, paid vacation & holidays and 100% coverage for health insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, continuing education, dues and fees). Relocation reimbursement offered and licensing assistance provided.
Join our team of professionals providing quality dental care. General Dentists, Pediatric Dentists and new grads are encouraged to apply.
Please call Jenna direct at 719-562-4462 or fax 719-584-7696
or email jlkochenberger@forba.com
or visit www.forba.comDDS or DMD
EOE
Saturday, February 13, 2010
FORBA Looking for Dentists in the Dothan and Montgomery Alabama Clinics
| Dr. Michelle Nicole Dandridge |
| Dr. Sabrina Lynn Hinton |
| Dr. Khaleda Imroz |
| Dr. Kevin Frank Kingry |
| Dr. Amber Tennile Bishop |
| Dr. Katherine Wood Merrill |
| Dr. Nzingha Harris Stovall |
| Dr. Keri P Turk |
| Dr. Adra Gibson Washington |
Maybe they have moved on. I'm sure if they aren't with FORBA's Small Smiles clinics any longer, I'll hear from them.
All the above have current licenses in Alabama except Dr. Khaleda Imroz. I guess that's because Dr. Imroz is in Colorado, at 415 N. Grand Street. See Links below. I've checked dental licenses for Dr. Khaleda Imroz in Alabama and Colorado and they are none existent. I always worry when I see the same dentist name in several states. For example, Dr. Randall Ellis, DDS, he has current licenses in more states than I've got fingers.
Link showing Dr. Khaleda Imroz in Alabama
Link showing Dr. Khaleda Imroz in Colorado
They're offering you a sign up bonus and relocation reimbursement. Another big YIKES!! Besides signing your right to breath away when signing their normal contract, my guess is they may want your first and second born child. I know they take your gonads.
They are advertising as far away as Tallahassee City, Florida as you can seen by clicking here.
This ad says it was posted on February 13, 2010. Contact info is our buddy, Jacob Kochenberger. I see the number is the Colorado office number: 719-562-4460
Here is the ad:
Offering a $10,000 Signing Bonus & Licensing and Relocation Reimbursement
Offered!
SEEKING ASSOCIATE DENTISTS in our rewarding work environment! We are
currently searching for skilled and compassionate Dentists for our
state-of-the-art dental centers in:Montgomery, AL
Dothan, ALAs the nation’s largest and most experienced provider to underserved children
and young adults we offer an excellent guaranteed base salary, promotion
opportunities and benefits (including monthly bonus potential, 401(k) retirement
with company match, paid vacation & holidays and 100% coverage for health
insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, continuing education,
dues and fees). Relocation reimbursement offered and licensing assistance
provided.Join our team of professionals providing quality dental care. General Dentists,
Pediatric Dentists and new graduates are encouraged to apply.www.forba.com
DDS or DMD
EOE
HOW TO APPLY:
Please contact Jacob at:
Direct Phone: 719-562-4460
Email: jdkochenberger@forba.com
Fax: 719-584-7697
ATTN: Angie's List Article
Contact Michael if you have a story to share.
He's on a tight deadline, this week and next so not
must time.
CONTACT:
Michael Schroeder | STAFF WRITER
Angie’s List Health magazine
1030 E. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-396-3942
Email: michaelsc@angieslist.com