Boo-tiful Smiles Promo

Small Smiles has been on a media blitz this week.  Using Halloween to patient shop.  Every Lead Dental from Coast to Desert has been on local morning programs selling the snake oil and promoting it as a  "post halloween" "free dental screening" called ...

Boo-tiful Smiles Day Free Dental Screenings for Children

Dear God,
Please help the children that were seen today.  Please protect them from these child abusing thieves.  Amen.

NY OIG Gives Three Week Notice of Two Day Inspection

I simply do not understand the OIG in NY giving 3 weeks notice to the clinic prior to inspection.  Giving doctors, office managers, credentialing and Allison Luke to clean up any messes prior to the visit. 

I simply do not understand FORBA's in house "audits" either.

Nashville sends a list of patients name and requests files on those patients-eight or ten.  They are all "cleaned  up" at the clinics and sent via FedEx to Nashville for inspection by  Allison and crew.  I suppose that is another one of those "safe guards" I have been told about.

What kind of safeguards are these?  I was recently told and reassured there were layer upon layer of safe guards to ensure children were not over treated and put in a straitjacket too often..  Its bull now and I  knew it was bullshit then.  Layer upon layer of oversight to ensure the children only received the best treatment. 

NO, there is layer up on layer of monitoring to ensure no one finds out what Gypsies, tramps and thieves are crawling about the FORBA offices, Nashville and Pueblo! 

(so many of the employees think Pueblo is no longer involved, they would be wrong.  Check your dentists NPI numbers, all the money is sent to Pueblo!)

Allison, you better get those files cleaned up!

Tenet Healthcare (NME) Corporate Integrity Agreements Look Much the Same.

Tenet Healthcare Corporation, formerly National Medical Enterprises (NME) accused of committing fraud by admitting thousands of psychiatric patients who did not need it. Over a period of 3 years had it’s offices raided, settled lawsuits in the amount of $2.5 million, paid $380 million and plead guilty of 8 criminal counts by two of its facilities. This company too, agreed to a 5 year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) on September 27, 1996. Tenet also owned the Redding Medical Center, in California that delivered unnecessary heart surgeries to over 600 patients. They paid the federal and state government $54 million in fines and admitted no wrong doing.

In 2004 Tenet paid another $395 million to 769 patients to settle the lawsuits that followed. You can read about each of the scandals in the books Coronary – A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry, by Stephen Klaidman and Money-Driven Medicine by author Maggie Mahar.  Mentioned in both books, is James Robert Moriarty, of Moriarty-Leyndecker, who is leading up the civil suits against Church Street Health Management and it’s string of illegal Medicaid dental clinics.

2006 Tenet paid total of $900 million in fees to resolve more claims of defrauding Medicare. Tenet was also the owner of the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans where a doctor and two nurses were arrested on charges of second-degree murder in the deaths of four patients after Hurricane Katrina.

Tenet Healthcare's 1996 CIA compared to the 2010 Church Street Health Management’s CIA, look much the same. Very little of the boilerplate form has changed since 1996.

FORBA Small Smiles Ads For High Turnover Dental Clinics: October 2010

Below are the latest Ads for Employees from Small Smiles FORBA.   I see they are not telling applicants exactly on whom they will be performing dental treatment. 

FORBA Small Smiles are now seeing adults as well as children. 

# 1- Fort Wayne, IN. - HIGH EARNING POTENTIAL! Hiring Lead and Associate Dentists for our office in Fort Wayne and Muncie, IN. call Jacob at 719-562-4460 or email jdkochenberger@forba.com or visit www.forba.com

Key words and phrases:

"Potential"  - wait until you find out what you have to do to get to the "High" part of the "Potential".

*******************

#2- Forba Dental Network is currently searching for skilled and compassionate Dentists to join our stable and successful practices in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Muncie, IN.  

General Dentists, Residents, Pediatric Dentists, and Oral Surgeons are encouraged to apply.

For years, the primary mission of our offices has been to meet the dental needs of underserved children and young adults.  Dentists on staff enjoy a rewarding work environment without the administrative burdens of operating a practice.  You will have the opportunity to focus on quality care, while we handle the administration responsibilities.  You'll find a rewarding career with purpose, pride and passion when you join the team!Please call Jenna direct at 719-562-4462

Key words and phrases:

"Stable and Successful"  - As I have said before, if they have to say it, chances are good it is questionable or being questioned.

Indianapolis Clinic – they are looking for someone there because another of many dentists have put in their resignation because of poor quality of care, employees doing jobs beyond their scope, i.e. dental assistants or hygienist doing jobs only the dentist is licensed to do, and the dentist feels procedures are being done that are not necessary.  I do not believe the Muncie clinic is open yet. 

"while we handle the administration responsibilities"  -This could lead to lawsuits, falsified documents, false billing, forging your signature, falsely notarizing your signature, filing hospital and insurance credentials with traced or photocopies of your signature, I have seen heard of claims filed for Medicaid reimbursement under the NPI number of dentists who have not worked there for years.  Heck you might not even need to actually take CE's.  They will do that for you too!

 

Riddle:

Jacob and Jenna Kochenberger are husband and wife.  Kirk Kochenberger married Paula DeRose.  Dr. Eddie DeRose and Mike DeRose are father and son.   Nick Kochenberger's mother is Paula.  Dan and Mike are brothers.  Paula is Dr. Eddie's daughter.  Nick and Jacob are brothers.  Nick is CEO of Cardiology Now.  Is Jacob Dr. Eddie's grandson? Where is FORBA?  Where is Small Smiles? 

Another FORBA Insurance Company Does Not Want To Pay Up - No Big Surprise Here

FORBA Holding and its parent company, Small Smiles Holding seem to be having a magnitude of problems getting their insurance companies to pay up and/or continue coverage.  I am just taking a wild guess here but I think that might get much worse in the future.

Imagine the liability and increase in risk when clinic fully implement the sedation of children, either at a local hospital, surgery center, and in some cases, in house!!!!!!!!!!  Please see Meet The Dead Children On the Right.

Today FORBA filed a lawsuit against Zurich:  See It Here

On January 15, 2010, FORBA signed a settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice and OIG-HHS whereby FORBA agreed to make a structured settlement payment of $14,285,644.75 (plus interest) to the United States, in exchange for a release of claims against it, its current officers and directors, its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and the Small Smiles Dental Centers arising from the alleged wrongful conduct. 

FORBA also agreed to pay attorneys’ fees in the aggregate amount of $182,183.52 to three relators that filed qui tam actions alleging wrongful acts on the part of FORBA, as well as other defendants.

Pursuant to settlement agreements with each of the states and the District of Columbia, FORBA agreed to pay the aggregate amount of $9,714,355.25 (plus interest) to Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia in exchange for a release of claims against it, its current officers and directors, its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and the Small Smiles Dental Centers arising from the alleged wrongful conduct.

Payment of $24 million is chump change to protect its current officers and directors, keep them out of jail.  In addition to keeping their families all nice and cozy in their elabrate homes and jet setting lifestyles. 

Since the agreement was signed and the token pledge of the Corporate Integrity Agreement, FORBA has managed to bill medicaid over $131 million in the last 10 months. 

FORBA states in the lawsuit they informed Zurich in November 2007, while the policy was in force, about the investigation and costs involved in defending themselves.  Zurch says too bad, you did not get a draft settlement until August 2009, so you are on your own.

I'm no genius, but does there seem to be a pattern emerging here?  No insurance company wants to cover FORBA,  Small Smiles Clinics, Small Smiles dentists and other employees for all their misdeeds. The ones that have hung on,  are doing so "eyes wide open" and most likely "rates sky high".

I am concerned FORBA and Small Smiles Holding have failed to inform their insurance companies of the hundreds of lawsuits in the works against, the clinics, the dentists, the staff, the directors, the officers down to the cleaning lady.  Ok, that was a lie, I'm not concerned one bit!

To you those dentists who have been fool enough to lend your name to FORBA so they can use you as an "owner", you may be in the worst shape of all.  You would be wise to storm the FORBA offices and demand your rubber stamps back and your names removed from all legal filings, and do so before the shredder gets fired up. 

 Do any of you have any idea all the documents they file a year with your name stamped all over it?

Dr. Jodi Kuhn

Dr. Olivia Croom

Dr. Helen K. Petersen

Dr. William Nash

Dr. Monica Switzer

Dr. Mark Toncini

Dr. Victoria Fletcher-Barnes

Dr. Medrina Gilliam

Dr. Gloria King

Dr. Latanya Gallon

Dr. Kevin Kingry

Dr. Karen Chu-Gongora

Dr. Randy Ellis 

Dr. Bonnie Mora

Dr. Toni Adderly

Dr. Daniel Spears

Dr. Todd Bjur

Dr. Zane Plamer

Dr. Ken Knott

Dr. Robert Andrus

American Securities - It's All In The Kool Smiles

Here is one you just have to love.  This person is on Twitter.

Says he works at Kool Smiles.  Says he currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky.  See here

Why am I afraid it's the one in the middle who will put his hands in a child's mouth tomorrow!

This is what American Securities wants to give $700 million to own.

 Update:
June 30,2011

American Securities appears to have backed out of this purchase of NCDR, LLC and it's string of Kool Smiles dental centers.

Kool Smiles Vancouver, Washington Complaint

Why on earth Private Equity Firm- American Securities-would even consider contaminating themselves by purchases these shit hole clinics is beyond me.  They must be sadistic bastards is all I can think of, and enjoy torturing America’s low income children.   I would call the review below "glowing” and the child lucky.  After all they didn’t leave with bruises and permanent emotional trauma as most children.  Friedman Fleischer & Lowe are trying to unload these before they go down like ENRON. 

I was just told this week, they had cut staff to the bare minimum to increase the profits getting ready for the big “sale”.   In my opinion, until the staff is cut to zero there are too many employed.

Here is a review from today!

October 25, 2010

I was very excited to take my son to this dental office. The website makes it look so fun and kid centered. From the moment I walked in I did not have a good feeling about it. This was confirmed once we were taken to the dental work room. It was a room with 8 dental chairs all together. The Dr came out to talk with us. He didn't shake my hand or introduce himself to my son or even ask my name. I don't even think he smiled. The other dentists/hygienists were talking badly about one of the other dentist/hygienists every time she would leave the room. There were two other young boys laying back in the chairs and no one was paying any attention to them or talking to them at all. For a business that markets themselves as kid friendly, they really failed at being friendly at all! We sat around for 20 minutes being ignored after the doctor did his exam, just waiting for the fluoride. We're all in the same room and they just ignored us. No one treated my son as a patient or gave him any attention. Then....the only prizes they had for my 5 year old was a rubber lizard or a broken pair of sun glasses. Oh fun. Made my other son an appt elsewhere. We will not be returning.

Unacceptable? You decide

Unacceptable Dental Practices in 2010

1. 1 Dentist seeing an average of 32 patients a day – That is an average of 4 minutes per child.  Same dentist strapped down 100 children and put on 1000 Stainless Steal Crowns.  I bet this dentist did a fine job!  Why is this person not in jail?
2. 1 Clinic (of three dentists) strapping down over 700 children in 88 days – That is almost 7 children papoosed a day in one clinic.  A clinic papoosing 540 is 88 days is not any better, nor is a clinic who papooses 450 in those same 88 days.
3. 1 Dentist tying almost 300 hundred children in 88 days is also unacceptable - That's an average of three a day for 1 dentist.  If I tied up 1 child in 88 days I would be in jail.
4. 17 Dentists all tying up children more than 100 times in 88 days.
5. 1 Child receiving  13 Stainless Steel Crowns, 11 Pulpotomies and 2 fillings in one OR visit.
6. 1 Clinic of 3 dentist clinic strapping down 160 children in 20 days.
7. Approximately 210 dentists doing 7 or more pulpotomies and putting on 7 or more stainless steal crowns on 400 children in 88 days.
8. 200 dentists pulling over 6 teeth at one visit on 100 children in 88 days.
9. One clinic of three dentists seeing 900 patients in one 5 day work week.  - That is 900 patients in 120 hours.  That is an average of 7 minutes per child.
10. No wonder 1000 treatments had to be redone in 88 days, putting children through hell double time.

It should be no surprise many office staff do not know the difference between "filling" and "feeling".
I know I am missing many other outrageous dental practices that have taken place in 2010 but these are on my mind at the present time.

In My Opinion These Are The Top 15 Small Smiles Clinics A Child Is Most Likely To Be Strapped In A Papoose Board

Just an educated guess based on several factors, including parent complaints:

1. Dothan, Alabama
2. South Bend, Indiana
3. Macon, Georgia
4. Savannah, Georgia
5. Youngstown, Ohio
6. Atlanta, Georgia
7. Akron, Ohio
8. Roanoke, Virginia
9. Florence, South Carolina
10. Beaumont, Texas
11. Worchester, Massachusetts
12. Albuquerque, New Mexico
13. Kansas City, Kansas
14. Montgomery, Alabama
15. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

In 2010, I think Albany, New York (shocker) and Louisville, Kentucky are the clinics your child is the least likely to be tied up in that straight jacket type device.  Not that I recommend ANY of these dental mills! 

Assistant Attorney General Tony West Mentions Small Smiles Fraud and Patient Abuse In Yet Another Speech

October 20, 2010

Assistant AG Tony West delivered the Keynote Address to the Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress and Best Practices Forum today at the Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC.

Read his full statement here

Excerpts:

Since January 2009, we’ve commenced more health care fraud investigations, secured larger fines and judgments, and recovered more taxpayer dollars lost to health care fraud than in any other two-year period.  During that period, our civil fraud attorneys in the Civil Division have used the False Claims Act – a powerful tool that provides for treble damages – to recover about $4.2 billion lost to fraud against government health care programs…

 

…strongly encouraged Civil Division and United States Attorneys throughout the country to be appropriately aggressive in their use of the wide array of affirmative civil enforcement tools at their disposal.  Tools like Civil Investigative Demands, or “CIDs,” which allow law enforcement to speed up civil investigations by obtaining documents and testimony quickly and under oath.  The authority to issue CIDs once rested only with the Attorney General, but amendments to the False Claims Act last year allowed the Attorney General to delegate that authority to me as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.  I, in turn, have re-delegated much of that authority to U.S. Attorneys around the country so that they will be able to use this powerful investigative tool properly and effectively…

…And then there are those cases we pursue because they cut to the core of protecting both patient safety and the integrity of our public health care programs.  Cases like Small Smiles.  You may have heard about this case.  It involved a nationwide network of dental clinics that provided unnecessary dental services to needy children on Medicaid in order to maximize the company’s Medicaid reimbursements…

…And the stories we learned about during the course of our investigation were horrific:  unnecessary tooth extractions performed on children where healthy teeth were pulled; unnecessary dental surgery such as needless crowns; and excessive baby root canals – one child had 16 root canals in a one sitting…

In that case we not only obtained a $24 million settlement, but more importantly, important reforms to Small Smiles’ practices under new management, as well as the company’s cooperation in our ongoing investigation into individual dentists..

That last point—working cooperatively with companies—is an important one.   To be clear, no company is required to cooperate in the context of a civil or criminal case.  Yet when a company acts responsibly by timely and voluntarily disclosing unlawful conduct, it is the case that the Department may consider such cooperation in deciding whether or how to charge a corporation or to resolve a case, and indeed, it has been my practice to encourage that in appropriate cases.  In addition, when a company cooperates fully with an investigation, the Civil Division typically informs the HHS Inspector General’s office about the assistance the company provided…

It almost sounds like FORBA's Small Smiles clinics are getting a big pat on the back doesn't it.  Since they are "working cooperatively" and all.  They are still using the BIOB (Blame It On Bush) excuse saying all these terrible things happened with the DeRose family owned the clinics.  Never mentioning that one of their top VP's was with the company while under DeRose rule since 2003! 

I bet if they really took a look at the practices of the company just in 2010 they would find 'shocking' things still happening.

As recently as October 5th (yes, 15 days ago) one child received 12 stainless steel crowns 3 fillings and 11 pulopotomies all in one session.  Mom outraged.

On the same day another child received 3 fillings, 3 pulpotomies, 1 seal, 1 extraction and 5 stainless steel crowns. 

The very next day on parent was told their child needed 8 stainless steel crowns and wanted to do them asap.