We just moved to Everett and I was looking for a dentist for my children. I wanted to let them have a great experience so I looked for a pediatric dentist only. When I found Kool Smiles I was happy-that has completely changed.
It first started when I received a phone call to confirm our appointment. I called back and confirmed. After that initial confirmation, I received FIVE more confirmation calls.
We arrived five minutes before our appointment time I was given forms to fill out that looked like they were done on a copier from 1985. One of the forms stated that I should not accompany my children and that if necessary they would restrain my child, I did not sign that consent form. When I returned the forms to the desk I had to ask to come back with my children (ages four and two)!
After TWO, yes 2 hours of waiting we were finally taken back. The hygienist informed me that they would do a lap exam and paint with fluoride. When I asked why they were not going to get a cleaning, she was surprised. She stated that they usually don't do cleanings for children that young.
After the cleaning the dentist spent about one minute looking at my children teeth and did not even address me. I was informed by the receptionist about my daughters cavity and that she would have to be sedated for a filling and then asked when I would like to make the next appointment- that is a big NO!
The staff seemed stressed out and over worked, they kept making mistakes, forgetting about patients etc.Terrible we will definitely not be returning. The only good thing was how well behaved my children were.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kool Smiles Everett Washington Complaint
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Former Small Smiles Dental Center executive now with Doctors Express in Colorado and Wyoming
Steve Nitchen, 491 W. Winterhaven Drive, Pueblo, CO 81007 is listed as owner of Doctors Express Development Group, Inc. of Pueblo, Colorado. Formed May 18, 2009. Same for Doctors Express Services Group, Inc. of Pueblo, Colorado.
Doctors Express is the trade name of MLD Operations, Inc. (20091091034)formed February 11, 2009. Registered Agent is Caplan and Earnest, LLC 1800 Broadway Street, Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302.
I know, your first thought is another Michael DeRose medical ripoff business. Nope, it appears the MD is Mark Damschroder.
Doctors Express is a franchise urgent care center. November 2010 Villager report Dr. Chris Prior and Steve Nitchen opened the first one in Centennial Colorado. Wonder who “financed” this venture?
From the story:
Nitchen stays focused on the business side of things including finance, marketing and human resources.
“The secret to our success and what our patients are enjoying is the synergy created when combining business minds and medical minds together. The physicians and medical staff focus 100 percent of their time and attention to quality patient care and customer service while I pay attention to the business stuff,” Nitchen said.
“We plan to expand Doctors Express throughout Colorado and are looking for partners who want their own business in the recession resistant field of health care,” Nitchen said. “So far, Doctors Express franchise owners typically come from corporate America, with a medical background not necessary, but certainly helpful. We find people with good management and business skills can efficiently run a medical center because they’re used to managing people in high paced business environment. The medical industry definitely needs this.”
I wouldn’t worry so much about the quality of Doctors Express in Colorado if not for the fact Nitchen is still friends with Melissa (Missy Green) and Brad Williams of Church Street Health Management- Small Smiles Dental Centers and way too close to the DeRose thieves.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Sobering Reminder To Crown Happy Medicaid Dentist and Medicaid Dental Corporations
I sure hope Jacobi's dental procedure was necessary and not one of the all too common, let's over treat for medicaid dollars incidents. In the picture, it appears he has the brightest smiles and good dental habits.
Jacobi Hill, age 6, died Tuesday May 11, 2010 during a dental procedure at Virginia Commonwealth University Dental Faculty Practice.
Crystal Lewis, Jacobi's mother said he was at the facility to have crowns put on several of his teeth.
The most common cause of death in dental offices under anesthesia is related to an airway condition. In the upper airway, the most common problem is the vocal cords have spasms and close down.
The second most common is the lower airway passage can close as in an asthma attack. Crystal Lewis, Jacobi's mother said he suffered from asthma.
Medicaid officials are investigating.
The mother is demanding answers and getting none. An Autopsy was performed but it may be weeks before all tests are completed.
Manning Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Staff there said services are scheduled for Monday May 17, 2010 at 1 p.m. at the chapel, 700 N. 25th St.
Prayers go out to Jacobi's family.
Senator David Jordan of Mississippi Needs Wake Up Call In Regards to Kool Smiles!
During the outlandish ceremony for Kool Smiles donating some toothbrushes to citizens of Yazoo City one very uninformed state Senator said this:
"It would be like a band of angels coming into the Delta," Jordan said during a visit and tour of the North Jackson office.
Senator David Jordan has approached the organization for expansion into the Mississippi Delta.
Am I the only one that thinks this is something much more than giving some toothbrushes to the devastated area of Yazoo City, MS?
Kool Smiles Chief Dental Offender, David M. Strange flew in from his cozy home in Colorado, local and state legislators show up, they take a tour of the Kool Smiles in North Jackson....something stinks.
This is much more than handing out toothbrushes.....sounds more like a snow job to me.
You can reach Sen. Jordan here: djordan@senate.ms.gov
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Yazoo City getting toothbrushes from Kool Smiles...??
Really! Legislators on hand to receive toothbrushes and toothpaste... you've got to be kidding me!
I guess we all need to be putting out press releases every time we go potty...
Hey, Small Smiles....you're missing out on a PR opportunity here...
I guess we all need to be putting out press releases every time we go potty...
Hey, Small Smiles....you're missing out on a PR opportunity here...
Evansville Indiana Kool Smiles Accused of Mistreating Children; Oh My!
Evansville, Indiana Kool Smiles accused of mistreating children. Great report by WTVW Fox 7's Julie Dolan. Julie did a fantastic job!
Evansville Dentist Office Accused of Abuse WTVWSide story here is they have known this was coming out, amazingly there was a major press release yesterday about some dude who works on their computer system. This happens all the time, where they try to drown out the bad press with anything they can find.
The retired grandmother of five couldn't believe what she saw: kids screaming and crying for help at a Small Smiles Dentist Office near Washington...
Just a couple of weeks ago, Small Smiles sent out two days of press releases telling the world they were going to donate a measly 1,000 toothbrushes to Haiti. Two days!! Geez...that's sad.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
NCDR and DMPS - (Kool Smiles 1 and Kool Smiles 2 to merge)
Friedman Fleischer & Lowe is merging the two holding companies that own Kool Smiles PC. Never really understood the point of having two divisions in the first place. Doesn't matter what they do, until they stop abusing children to defraud medicaid they are still scum.
Here is a comment that came in just last night:
Thank goodness this is coming to light! I am a dental hygienist that was offered a job and turned it down after one 'working interview' due to the things I saw there. A cleaning on a child should never involve having to restrain them. For first visits, it should be a 'go with the flow' to set up a good relationship with the youngster for future visits. I was disgusted to see a 2 year old held down, forced to open his mouth in a 'quiet' room with his mother not allowed to be present. "No tears are allowed upon leaving" was what I was told, and they were smoothed over with a toy. Terrible terrible place. There is no amount of money that I could be paid to be a part of that. Worse yet- the schedule is set up to take 7 kids in a 15 min time period for 2 hygienists...as they stated "If they show" due to patients being unreliable. That is not enough time to PROPERLY clean and educate one child ("child" includes teenagers there). I hope they get shut down.
Here is a comment that came in just last night:
Thank goodness this is coming to light! I am a dental hygienist that was offered a job and turned it down after one 'working interview' due to the things I saw there. A cleaning on a child should never involve having to restrain them. For first visits, it should be a 'go with the flow' to set up a good relationship with the youngster for future visits. I was disgusted to see a 2 year old held down, forced to open his mouth in a 'quiet' room with his mother not allowed to be present. "No tears are allowed upon leaving" was what I was told, and they were smoothed over with a toy. Terrible terrible place. There is no amount of money that I could be paid to be a part of that. Worse yet- the schedule is set up to take 7 kids in a 15 min time period for 2 hygienists...as they stated "If they show" due to patients being unreliable. That is not enough time to PROPERLY clean and educate one child ("child" includes teenagers there). I hope they get shut down.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Parents sue over death of their son - San Antonio Express-News
Parents sue over death of their son
Eva Ruth Moravec, Express-News
By Eva Ruth Moravec - Express-News
Published 12:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 4, 2010Parents of a toddler who died in December after a dental procedure are suing the boy's anesthesiologist and a surgical center, claiming they gave him too much morphine in doses administered too closely together.
After Maddoux Cordova's teeth were capped at the Village Specialty Surgical Center on Dec. 11, Dr. Brian Seastrunk approved giving the 22-month-old two 0.5-milligram doses of morphine intravenously within 10 minutes — a time span that didn't permit medical staff to evaluate how the drug was affecting the patient, the medical malpractice lawsuit claims.
Maddoux stopped breathing at his grandmother's home after the procedure, became brain-dead, and spent two weeks at Wilford Hall Medical Center before he was taken off a ventilator.
“The total 1 milligram dose of morphine administered for pain relief was larger than the conventional recommended pediatric drug dosage range of 0.26 milligrams — 0.65 milligrams for this 13-kilogram patient,” said Dr. Sean Boynes, director of anesthesia research at the University of Pittsburgh, who provided an expert opinion as part of the lawsuit.
The suit was brought on behalf of the parents, Monica Meza and Adam Cordova. Alleged damages include monetary loss, loss of companionship and mental anguish.
Monetary damages are sought for medical and funeral expenses, pain, suffering and mental anguish, the lawsuit states. No dollar amount for damages is specified, in accordance with laws that govern medical malpractice cases.
James Veal, who represents Seastrunk, could not be reached for comment.
The center's spokeswoman, Misty Walton, said the facility has not been served.
“We are not aware of a lawsuit at this time,” Walton wrote in an e-mail. “Everyone associated with our surgery center was deeply saddened by the death of this child, and we continue to keep the family in our thoughts and prayers.”
The Texas Medical Board doesn't track medical malpractice cases but does discipline doctors of patients who died from overdoses or reactions to anesthesia or pain medication.
Parents sue over death of their son - San Antonio Express-News
Friday, April 30, 2010
Meet Dr. David M. Strange, Jr. Faux Chief Dental Officer For Kool Smiles
Oh look, it's Dr. David M. Strange, wife and children. They can be found here, in Colorado.
Wonder what his children are going to think when they grow up a bit more and know what he did to children for a $.Oh Look, once again Dr. Strange appears here too! Liar Liar, pants on fire.
So, Dr. Strange has moved back to Colorado, Dr. Pham wanted to move to El Paso, they didn't want him to, so they bought him out and NOW Dr. Tu Tran's dental licenses is under review in Georgia and Indiana, among other states....and we have idiots in Kentucky -Legislators and Medicaid Officials - gather at Kool Smiles for a pep rally.
I'm not worried though, I'm sure Dr. Polly will keep everything under control....but if I worked at a Kool Smiles, I might be looking for another job. But while you're at it, tell what you know, file a Qui Tam lawsuit and reap the rewards. First come, first served!
Dear God, help me find a way to remove the blinders.
So, Dr. Strange has moved back to Colorado, Dr. Pham wanted to move to El Paso, they didn't want him to, so they bought him out and NOW Dr. Tu Tran's dental licenses is under review in Georgia and Indiana, among other states....and we have idiots in Kentucky -Legislators and Medicaid Officials - gather at Kool Smiles for a pep rally.
I'm not worried though, I'm sure Dr. Polly will keep everything under control....but if I worked at a Kool Smiles, I might be looking for another job. But while you're at it, tell what you know, file a Qui Tam lawsuit and reap the rewards. First come, first served!
Dear God, help me find a way to remove the blinders.