Is this not ridiculous; in so many ways?!
December 18, 2012
I suppose some could read this as message that they are very serious in NC when it comes to Medicaid fraud. HOWEVER, since one set of clinics in particular defrauds Medicaid more than this in an hour, it’s laughable.
Anyone find it funny Heartland Dental even needed to publish this propaganda piece.
Fall 2012 – Smiling Magazine – A Heartland Dental Care Publication
December 5, 2012 – The ADA published this article - "Dentists rank high in Gallup poll" —5th to be exact — this taken from a Gallup survey published December 3, 2012.
Thinking what dentists could come in at 5th place, I started a list. Not revealing what actually made my list — as not to anger some of my friend dentists —I’ll just say that “ethics” was not in the top 50!
It’s said the Gallup survey asked 1,015 adults from 50 states to rate — on a five point scale ranging from “very high” to “very low” — how they perceived honesty and ethics of 21 professions. The survey concluded the American public believes dentists are 62% honest. The survey also concluded Congress and cars salespeople are perceived as the least ethical.
If Gallup Poll is correct, then maybe the statements each year by the '”Pew Institute” is more spot on that thought; at least their mantra — “There is a Dental Crisis in America”. There is now little doubt public health is in danger. Either abandoning educational programs in classrooms on dental hygiene — brushing and flossing — completely or at least enhancing the programs with additional instruction more like:
I can only conclude the 1,015 people who were asked must have been:
A. grandparents of freshman dental students; who also happen to be picking up the tab for their grandchild’s education.
B. the surveyed all have a family member named in a current lawsuit for dental malpractice
C. none have seen a dentist since at least 2006, and don’t have a clue.
These are just 3 of 30 or more operated by a very close knit group of criminals with DDS after their name in Texas. I’m sure we will be hearing more on this cartel.
Hey, Ms. Lisa Re, is this one ok with you as well? I assume it must be, it’s the same story we hear about Small Smiles of which you are such a big fan!!
Here is Byron Harris’ latest report:
by BYRON HARRIS
NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES
The State of Texas is now cracking down on those practices through enforcement and new systems for reimbursing dentists. But that’s only increased the competition for new, young Medicaid patients and the income they can bring to a dental office. In their worst forms, might be described as tempt and torture.
The Switch Bonus
In the parking lots of Dallas DART stations, crude flyers are being tucked under commuters’ windshield wipers.
“Get paid to take ur [sic] kids to the dentist. The dentist is giving $20.00-$35.00 per kid,” the flyer reads.
December 11, 2012
On Tuesday, December 11, 2012, The Today Show aired an investigative report about the on going troubles at the Small Smiles Dental Centers. Interviews included one with Health and Human Services (HHS) officials in charge of overseeing the compliance of the notoriously troubled clinics.
If you’ve not seen the report, please take time to do that here.
The segment included an interview with a HHS-OIG Branch spokesperson. However, if not for the HHS-OIG seal displayed one would presume it came out of the the PR department at CSHM headquarters.
NBS News Senior Investigative Correspondent, Lisa Myers asks HHS-OIG spokesperson, “They’ve had 4 bites at the apple, when is enough, enough?”
HHS-OIG responded with this check list:
1. “Dentists have been fired” – Well, dentists are fired there every day!! They are fired every day because they don’t meet the production numbers set by the corporate office. Their turn over had been setting at 48% since the beginning!
What about the Chief Dental Officer – Steven Adair, DDS? He actually got a promotion. Dr. Adair is the author of the news letter for CSHM in which he suggests instead of the papoose board, try the “superman cape” method.
What is the Superman Cape Technique? Here, read this!
Compliance officers? – Yes, a few. They have burned through 3 in 2.5 years. CSHM will not hesitate to been throw one under the bus, blaming them for falsified reports to the OIG.
2. “Clinics have been closed” – Yes, they have filed bankruptcy! The started closing clinics in early 2011! HHS only forced 1 clinic in actually close – Manassas Virginia.
3. “This is not the same company” – True, it simply filed for bankruptcy, reorganized with some of the same investors in the background, and changed it’s name, replaced the CEO and President. But that was in 2011!
3. “The Independent Monitor is telling us that Quality of Care is consistently improving” – The same independent monitor in place for 3 years! The one CSHM pays. The one whose head dental investigator is buddies with the company’s Chief Dental Officer. So exactly when did that “improvement” begin? June of 2012? Certainly not in April 2012? The new people in charge actually stepped in October 2011. It just wasn’t on paper with the bankruptcy court until June 2012.
The company has been in the news, how many times since 2007?
Countless!!!
| Rank | DSO | Jobs Created in 2012 | Total Employees | Revenue | Location |
| 4th | Pacific Dental | 1451 | 3422 | $250-$500 million | Irvine, CA |
| 6th | Heartland Dental Care | 1150 | 3201 | $250-$500 million | Effingham, IL |
| 25th | Great Expressions | 660 | 1770 | $100-$250 million | Bloomfield Hills, MI |
| 31st. | Smiles Brands | 551 | 4483 | $250-$500 million | Irvine, CA |
Each of the above company claim they are Dental Service Organization or Dental Management Companies and are merely hired by dentists who hate mundane office work. Each claim they simply provide much needed day to day operational support, such as bookkeeping, payroll, human resources, software, records keeping, etc. Ya know, the office crap everyone hates. The duties normally an office manager and one assistant could probably handle.
Let’s see how that adds up.
Pacific Dental – Ranked at #4 in new jobs in 2012. It’s hard to nail down a number but it’s around 300 offices, they claim to simply support/manage. Let’s just say it’s 275. That means for each and every office they provide support takes 12.44 “support” employees. WOW!
Heartland Dental – Heartland Dental, ranked # 6, claims they do not own any dental clinics, but simply manager 370 across the US. According to “Inc.” they employ 3201 people. That means they have 8.6 employees to do the bookkeeping, filing, banking, and scheduling, for each and every clinic, that is supposedly owned and operated by self employed dentist who hates office work. Does this sound logical?
Great Expressions – Great Expressions says it “manages” 170 dental centers and it takes 1770 people to manage them. That is 10.4 employees per clinic to “manage” the day to day office duties.
Smiles Brands – Smiles Brands includes, Monarch, BrightNow!, Castle Dental and Newport Dental. Like the others, Smile Brand’s say they simply “support” about 400 clinics that has 1300 dentists and hygienists, in 18 states. Does this mean it takes 11 Smile Brands employees to manage each clinic, already staffed with dentists and hygienist? If this is the case, then their employees really suck at “supporting”.
Does it add up? Make any sense whatsoever?
No! Not unless these companies in truth illegally own and operate the clinics and all these employees include licensed dental professionals who are actually employees of each of these companies.
Dental clinic Small Smiles criticized for performing poor, unnecessary proceduresDecember 12, 2012 - The national children’s dental clinic Small Smiles is under fire after an investigative report revealed allegations that the chain’s clinics have been performing substandard work and unnecessary dental procedures – responsible for increasing taxpayer cost. The accusations come from numerous parents, former employees of the company and government investigators, who are concerned about the exploitation of children’s health.
According to an NBC News investigation of 63 Small Smiles clinics over the past three years, the alleged practices are in direct violation of a settlement the chain made with the Department of Justice in early 2010. The settlement was in response to previous allegations accusing the company of performing unnecessary and substandard dental procedures on low-income children.
Here is the letter the company’s new CEO sent in response to inquiry by NBC during their investigation. Note, David Wilson, the new CEO’s name is blurred out. Mr. Wilson also declined interview. Makes me wonder if Mr. Wilson has gone into hiding or something.
After the story aired December 11, 2012, the company put out a response statement; again, names of any person associated with the company omitted. However, they sure want the public to believe they have the ‘stamp of approval’ from HHS-OIG. Read statement..
BTW, the 50 new dentists HHS-OIG spokesperson Lisa Re and CSHM bragged about hiring – they employ between 200-250, (maybe more) dentists in the 66 clinics. Their turnover rate is approximately 48% for dentists. They hire 50 news dentists every month dang near it! The last week of every month is “new hire training week” in Nashville and you will find between 15-20 or more at any of those training sessions.
