Kansas Dental Board Asking Dr. Thomas Corcoran to “Prove It”

November 4, 2010

Kansas Dental Board
Case Number 10-20
Re: Dr. Thomas Corcoran's ownership of Topeka Dental clinic in question.

At the end of September 2010 the Kansas Dental Board finally got around to investigating who owns Topeka Dental Clinic by requesting information from Dr. Thomas Corcoran, DDS.

Wonder where the Kansas Dental Board has been for the last several years, in a coma?  Well, at least they are now awake and asking questions, I hope it is not some sort of dog and pony show.

Since the FORBA (Church Street Health Management) settlement with the government in January 2010 Kansas Dental Board has noticed something odd: Kansas received $1,190, 345 as its part of the fraud reimbursement and instead of Dr. Thomas Corcoran making those payments, a company by the name of FORBA (Church Street Health Management) is making the payments on behalf of the 3 FORBA clinics in Kansas.  

In their letter, sent September 27, 2010 the dental board states “ Since this amount is substantial and is being paid by a corporation and not by yourself, it is evident that although you have indicated  in the past that you are the owner of the Topeka Dental Clinic, LLC and previously Small Smiles of Wichita, that in fact the owner of the clinic in not yourself, but instead a corporation.”
[saying Dr. Corcoran lied like a dog would be a terrible insult to the canine species]

The board points out to Dr. Thomas Corcoran that “Kansas dentists can NOT be employed by a non-dentist or a corporation unless the corporation or LLC is owned by a Kansas licensed dentist or dentists.  Each owner must also be in the practice at least a majority of the time the office is in operation.”

The Dental Board requested Dr. Thomas Corcoran provide a written response explaining how his association with this corporation is not creating a violation of the dental practices act.

Yes, Kansas Dental Board, I have been asking this exact question since 2007!

As part of the investigation they requested Dr. Thomas Corcoran provide:

1.  A copy of your purchase agreement or ownership documents of the clinic.

2.  An employee handbook

3.  A copy of advertisements published to hire dentists

4.  A list of member of your LLC with ownership interests.

5.  An Operating Agreement between yourself and FORBA

6.  Attach your personal and business FEDERAL income tax returns with attachments, including Schedule C with W-2’s or 1099’s.  If you are a PA or LLC include returns for you personally and for the business entity.

7.  Attach five payment reimbursement forms from Medicaid and five from insurance companies.

8.  Attach copies of promissory notes or loan agreements with amortization schedule used.

9.  Attach a copy of the latest bank account statements for the business.

10.  Do you own the fixtures and equipment?  ___ Yes  ___No

        If “No” state from whom it is leased: 

        Business Name:________________________

        Contact Person: ________________________

        Address:_______________________________

        Telephone:_____________________________

11.  List dates of employment, names and contact information of all dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants employed by the clinic.

Provide the above information within ten(10) days from the receipt of this letter.

Then the Board went on to sooth Dr. Thomas Corcoran by informing him this was merely an investigation and neither the board or the Investigative Member had reached any conclusions.

Signed Sincerely, Mellissa Graham, Administrative Officer.

I hope the board ask the exact same questions of:

Dr. Frank Blacknall

Dr. Mohommad Akbar (these questions were raised many times in the past by the press)

Update:

I contacted the Kansas Dental Board for more information and comment, here was the reply:

Our investigations are confidential. Unless there is a discipline, the information is not public.

Betty Wright

Executive Director

Kansas Dental Board

900 SW Jackson, Ste. 564S

Topeka, KS 66612

785-296-4690

betty.wright@dental.ks.gov

Kool Smiles Sale, All But A Done Deal

Kool Smiles sale nearing completion:

http://www.ftc.gov/bc/earlyterm/2010/10/et101029.pdf

Then again, maybe not, there might be a fly in the ointment so to speak.

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.