WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional investigators say thousands of Medicaid health care service providers still got paid by the government even though they owed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal taxes.
A legal technicality is making it harder for the IRS to collect.
In a report out today, the Government Accountability Office says one dentist who received more than $100,000 from Medicaid while owing back income taxes was spending lavishly on fine dining, trips, spas, shopping and wine.
Medicaid payments to doctors, hospitals and other providers aren't technically considered federal funds, since they're funneled through state health care programs.
Because of that loophole, the IRS can't just shut off the payment spigot to collect tax debts. Investigators only looked at three states, so the true extent of the losses is greater.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Thousands of Medicaid providers still paid even though they owe thousand in back taxes. Surprised? Me either.
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
This week’s second most stupid story, with no point whatsoever.
July 30, 2012|By Tim Darragh, The Morning Call
Medicaid cuts mean less dental care for poor
Allentown endodontist is driven to retirement as Pennsylvania eliminates root canal coverage through Medicaid.
Jerome Grossinger has closed his endodontistry practice (root canals)… (BEN MORRISON, THE MORNING…)
The phone is still ringing off the hook in Dr. Jerome Grossinger's quarters in an office building in Allentown's West End.
But his office isn't taking appointments.
The 77-year-old endodontist, a dentist who specializes in root canals, has relieved his patients' excruciating pain for the past 42 years, focusing in recent years on low-income and disabled people covered by Medicaid.
He is 77 for heavens sake!!! The way this story is presented you would think he was in his prime and had a wife and 4 little ones at home – two still in diapers.
But instead of treating the 15-20 new patients he'd typically see every week, Grossinger recently sat alone in his office and scanned years of patient records in bags, furniture stacked in the waiting room and the odds and ends of four decades of health care being readied for the Dumpster.
Grossinger is reluctantly calling it quits.
"I cannot believe this is happening to me," he said, recently. "I'm really in a daze about this."
Seriously!!!?? Look, Dr. Grossinger is probably a great guy and has had a thriving business for many many years, but to make him the example of Medicaid cuts??!!
ADA Mass Email Today Promoting Private Equity Corporate Owned Dentistry.
Just in case you were unsure where the ADA stood on private equity and corporate owned illegal dental chains, you don’t need to be.
Folks at Benco Dental are up and at ‘em early..
Early this morning this website started getting loads of “hits” from Benco Dental. They finally decided to leave a comment - See below.
vanian1 <vanian.one@gmail.com>
I find it ironic that you would post this white paper from an ambulance chasing law firm who seeks to profit from trumped up claims in Texas. Can you see the irony in that, Ms Hagan?
What I personally find ironic is someone with the screen name vain1, was trying to hide their IP and visit anonymously!
Benco Dental News
Benco Dental Co. Wins $31,346,173 Federal Contract
Jun 7 12
Benco Dental Co. was awarded a $31,346,173 federal contract by the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, for distribution of general dental supplies for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.Somnomed Ltd. and Benco Dental Co. Form Strategic Partnership
Jun 4 12
Somnomed Ltd. announced the formation of a strategic partnership with Benco Dental Co. As part of this partnership, SomnoMed will work with Benco Dental and its representatives to keep customers up-to-date on the latest developments in dental sleep medicine through in-person and online seminars with the SomnoMed Academy. Benco Dental customers will have access to SomnoMed's extensive range of products and services including; SomnoDent(R) apnea therapy, SomnoMed Health Claim Support Line, SomnoMed MATRx(TM) and SomnoBrux(TM)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Unethical Private-Equity-Owned Dental Clinics Receive Well Deserved Attention
Unethical Private-Equity-Owned Dental Clinics Receive Well Deserved Attention
It’s been a bad few weeks in the limelight for private equity investors masquerading on the down-low as charity dentists when what they’re really after 
Download the pdf.
Cheapskate, dentist, Dr. Stephen Stein, has Patient Test Positive for Hepatitis C
DENVER - A 9News viewer, who wanted to remain anonymous, says her husband tested positive for hepatitis C this week after a major health warning from Colorado's Public Health Department.
The positive lab results for hepatitis C, shown to 9News, comes nearly two weeks after 8,000 people received letters from Colorado's Health Department about oral surgeon Dr. Stephen Stein.
Dr. Stein is accused of re-using needles and syringes for days at a time on his patients over the course of 12 years. He had two practices - one in Denver and one in Highlands Ranch.
The 9News viewer's husband went to Dr. Stein for several procedures. His last procedure, done September of 2009, Dr. Stein pulled her husband's wisdom teeth, she said.
She received a letter from the state, much like many of Dr. Stein's other patients, saying her husband should be tested, she said.
The positive results for hepatitis C came from her husband's doctor's office this week, and they have ordered further testing.
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation.
"Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have no symptoms," according to the Mayo Clinic's website. "In fact, most people don't know they have the hepatitis C infection until liver damage shows up, decades later, during routine medical tests."
The 9News viewer said tests for HIV and hepatitis B came back negative for her husband.
A nurse at her husband's doctor's office said there was no definitive way to link the positive hepatitis C results to Dr. Stein's practice, she said.
A letter from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warned patients that testing could not determine how or where patients would become infected.
To date, the health department has not released numbers of patients that might be infected after the warnings went out.
Colorado Department of Public Health Spokesman Mark Salley said they are surveying patients and will release numbers of people infected, if there are numbers to be released, next Wednesday.
Small Smiles Job posting full of crapola
REGISTERED NURSE
Small Smiles Dental Centers of South Washington D.C.
REGISTERED NURSE (PART-TIME)
SMALL SMILES DENTAL CENTERS OF SOUTH WASHINGTON DC
SEND RESUME TO: [Click Here to Email Your Resumé]
Are you looking for a fun and fast paced environment (there is that “fast paced” term again. Aren’t they in enough trouble for being so “fast paced”) where you can make a difference in the lives of others? Then join our team at Small Smiles Dental Centers where we fulfill a very special undertaking-providing superior dental care to underserved children and young adults between the ages of 2 and 20. Our company mission speaks for itself - "We give America's kids the smiles they deserve". (they actually trademarked this term)
Small Smiles Dental Centers, the nation's most experienced dental provider (it’s also the nations most bankrupt and most federally investigated) to children who qualify for government insurance and has been named one of Fast Company Magazine’s 2007 (5 years ago!!!)Fast 50 Companies doing good in the world [LMAO!!!]. We have over 60 dental centers (looks like they are down 12 clinics, that’s not “fast growing”, that’s fast dropping!!) in the United States operating as individual practices (they may be operating as, but they are not individual practices, I can’t believe they are still trying to sell this horseshit!) where each team member takes our mission seriously. In order to accomplish that assignment we must hire great people! And we have an excellent opportunity for an ambitious REGISTERED NURSE to grow our state-of-the-art dental center.
Due to our continued growth, (these folks are delusional!, they have lost 12 clinics in as many months! That is NOT growth! I believe these people actually believe their own hype!) are currently seeking a REGISTERED NURSE. This state-of-the-art dental office provides quality dental care to children and young adults. We offer benefits and bonus opportunity! Spanish bilingual preferred.
Responsible for preparing post anesthesia areas for patients, monitoring patients’ vital signs, administering medications, coordinating planned nursing care with other health care team members, assisting in proper preparation of supplies, medications, and equipment, Patient Management, and Treatment Room Management.
(Scary thought of these people putting out the budget numbers, quotas for the number of sedations required each week. For instance Colorado Springs is “budgeted” $600 per day or an average of $12k a month. DC is “budgeted” $550 per day or an average of $11,500k a month, while Pueblo is "budgeted” $23k a month. However, Charleston SC is where they sedate the most, with a target of $53k a month. So when the clinics don’t make these numbers, what do you think happens? )
Requirements
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of nursing theory and practice.
• Thorough knowledge of and ability to implement principles of aseptic technique.
- Knowledge of surgical procedures, techniques and consequent nursing interventions.
- Knowledge of the policies, procedures, philosophies, goals and objectives of ambulatory surgery
- Minimum of two years post anesthesia experience desired.
• Ability to approach his/her responsibilities with a rational, reasoned approach.
• Must be able to organize and prioritize assignments, duties and responsibilities.
- Must be able to identify, analyze and implement effective problem-solving techniques.
- Display initiative, flexibility and adaptability in his/her career approach.
- Ability to maintain a cheerful, poised, professional manner in the face of adversity.
- Graduate of an accredited school of nursing, licensed as a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse in practicing state, BCLS certified, ACLS certified REQUIRED
We reward, value [they certainly do] and invest greatly in our team members. All full-time team members are eligible for medical insurance, long and short-term disability insurance, dental, vision, and life insurance after 90 days employment. Additionally, we offer paid time off and 8 paid holidays, retirement plan, direct deposit, and promotional opportunity.
To learn more about Small Smiles Dental Centers, please be sure to visit our website at http://smallsmiles.com.
Remember to ask about our Employee Referral Program.
Energy Edge Technologies Corporation to Acquire 100% of Dutchess' Equity in Union Dental Holdings, Inc.
Energy Edge Technologies Corporation to Acquire 100% of Dutchess' Equity in Union Dental Holdings, Inc.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., July 31, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Union Dental Holdings, Inc. (Pink Sheets:UDHI) www.uniondental.com/ir -- a provider of multi-state dental services for union members, announced today it was informed by Energy Edge Technologies Corporation (OTC:EEDG) they had entered into a definitive agreement with Dutchess Private Equities Fund, LTD to purchase all of the Dutchess shares of equity, including all warrants in UDHI.
In 2005 UDHI completed and filed a registration statement with the Securities & Exchange Commission for a convertible Debenture and a Senior Note which was all converted into equity via shares of stock and a warrant at a later date. This initial financing was considered by many in the financial industry as "toxic financing" or "Death Spiral Financing" for micro cap stock companies who were trying to build their business models but could not obtain financing in any other manner for their company to go forward other than through the P.I.P.E. (Private Investment in Public Entity) type of financing.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Texas Stakeholder’s meeting cover a lot, offered no solutions.
In case anyone missed the Stakeholder’s webinar yesterday. Here is a link to it: July 27, 2012 Texas Dental Stakeholder’s Meeting
They talked about patient recruiting. They talked about the criminal behavior and the $10k fines for each of the people who recruit each time they approach a person in one of their vans. But I didn’t hear anything about who was going to start stopping these vans and handing out those $10K “patient recruiting tickets”. They also mentioned how illegal it was to “hire” a company to recruit and it was illegal to work as a recruiter.
They talked about the horrors and trauma small children are experiencing at the massive number of low quality dental centers, like Kool Smiles, Small Smiles, All Smiles, The Smile Center. They even mentioned babies being tied down and traumatized by hundreds of Texas dentists who are committing Medicaid fraud. Needless to say they skimmed over that subject as fast as possible. Mentioned a couple of words about standards and tabled it for later discussion, as they have for the past 10 years! Hey guys, it’s still on the table, don’t you see it!
The attorney for the Texas Dental Board admitted they have the power to make the rules, but didn’t say a word about if they planned on enforcing the rules they already have in place or any news ones they might create.
They talked about the $63 thousand dollars the government is handing out to Medicaid providers, and stressed the dentists are in the category. Then they told how to apply, what criteria must be met and I believe someone gave a count of 461 dentists who have already signed up for their piece of the pie. I’m not sure but I thought I heard applause.
by BYRON HARRIS
Bio | Email
WFAAPosted on July 27, 2012 at 7:42 PM
Updated yesterday at 7:42 PM
DALLAS - As Texas cracks down on questionable Medicaid dental payments, dentists' offices are going dark all over the state.
From 28th Street in Fort Worth, to Eureka Circle in Wichita Falls, to Amarillo, dentists who've already collected money from the state to treat Medicaid patients are now turning away those patients, because the dentists' Medicaid claims are being rejected. There are more than 4,300 Medicaid dentists in the state.
Tens of thousands of patients are affected. In 2010, Medicaid paid for braces on about 80,000 kids in Texas. Treatment commonly takes two years.
Since March, the Medicaid dental is managed by three Managed Care Organizations (MCO's) which have stiffened standards. One MCO said 91 percent of new claims are being rejected.
Moms whose kids already have braces on their teeth are being told children's braces must come off halfway through treatment, that they must go to another clinic far from home, or that there will be no more treatment whatsoever.
Friday, Dr. John Roberts chaired his first stakeholder meeting as Texas HHS dental director. The old director left after News 8 discovered hundreds of millions of dollars of questionable payments under Medicaid orthodontics.
Dentists learned the three MCO's have different payment rates and differing standards. But the overall impression was that moving forward, the children with braces already on their teeth would receive treatment somehow.
"There are plans in place to continue treatment on patients, to re-evaluate patients, and to complete every patient's braces," said Dr. Robert Morgan of Children's Medical Center in Dallas, who attended the meeting.
The meeting was also broadcast over the web for reporters and interested parties.
It was not clear how the process would exactly work.
If the state reassigns patients to new dentists, regardless of their original need for braces, it will cost millions for treatment which may have been unnecessary in the first place.
One example is All Smiles Dental Centers, which is being sued by the state for fraud. All Smiles told The Dallas Morning News it is eliminating orthodontic treatment at 13 clinics. One witness in the state's case against All Smiles said 95 percent of the dental chain's claims in a 300-patient sample were fraudulent.
All Smiles did not respond to News 8 efforts for clarification.Related:
- Texas taxpayers pay big for straight teeth
- Questions surround lucrative Medicaid dental business
- Texas Medicaid problems may apply nationwide
- Crooked Teeth: Medicaid Millions
- Texas, feds take action on orthodontic fraud
- Outrage on Capitol Hill follows News 8 Medicaid probe
- Texas AG lawsuits spurred by WFAA dental investigation
- More stories about WFAA's Texas Medicaid orthodontics investigation
Friday, July 27, 2012
New Mexico Dental Board takes it easy on “Comfort Dental”- yet nails their employees. Same for Perfect Teeth and Birner Dental Management
New Mexico Dental Board takes it easy on “Comfort Dental”, yet nails their employees.
Note in each of these it mentions that the “Comfort Dental” clinic is “owned” by the dentist who is being sanctioned. We know that is pure crapola! The New Mexico Dental board knows it’s crapola too, but does nothing to the corporation, nothing, nada, zip.
The dentists are always going to take the fall until you guys get off your asses and speak up! Quit taking an oath to tell the truth and lie about your clinic ownership? I do NOT understand this! I’m baffled every day by it.
What more can I say that will convince you are your screwing yourself, and your colleagues in the ground! Your chosen profession is going to hell, do something for God’s sake! Do something for the public’s sake!
Comfort Dental Employee Sean S Phelan, DDS Stipulated Agreement with New Mexico Dental Board
Texas Stakeholders meeting today at 1PM Central time: Orthodontics on the menu.
Click reserve my seat, fill out the form and they will send you a link to the meeting.
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/meetings/past/2012/072712-Dental-Stakeholders-Meeting.shtml
Medicaid Dental System an Ongoing Challenge
While Texas works to fix a system that allowed dental clinics to charge the state millions of dollars in questionable Medicaid bills, dental providers say impoverished Texas children do not have adequate access to care and that the state’s rocky transition to Medicaid managed care is compounding the problem.
Concerns over the system will be addressed Friday, when the state’s Health and Human Services Commission holds a "dental stakeholders" meeting in Austin. John Roberts, an official with HHSC, said the dental directors of managed care health plans, members of state government and other state officials will address 14 questions previously submitted by dental providers across the state. One topic on the agenda: "Discussion on orthodontic continuation of care for abandoned patients."
Shannon Ash of Lewisville says her three teenagers haven’t been able to get their braces checked by an orthodontist for two months and are using wax to hold off the pain from wires cutting into their cheeks. After the dental clinic that had gotten state approval to put braces on her children shut down, the children’s new orthodontist told Ash that the Medicaid managed care dental plan assigned to her children by the state didn’t think her children’s braces were medically necessary. Therefore, it wouldn’t reimburse the orthodontist for treatments.
“I don’t have money to take care of the issue, or else I would have had it done myself,” Ash said. “If I had known this [would happen], I would have just let my kids’ teeth be crooked.”
After news broke last fall that Texas was paying millions to dental clinics for fraudulent or unnecessary Medicaid activities, such as putting cosmetic braces on low-income children, the state cracked down. The Health and Human Services Department's Office of Inspector General has put 23 orthodontic clinics on payment holds since October while it investigates fraud allegations. And managed care organizations that began administering Medicaid dental plans in March are placing stricter requirements on dental providers to prevent fraud.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Gentle Dental dentist has had his license suspended by Iowa dental board; gross malpractice; patients in immediate danger
The Iowa Dental Board has suspended the license of a local dentist after he allegedly gave a patient too much anesthetic and failed to use proper equipment during a procedure.
Order says Safabakhsh gave patient too much anesthetic, failed to use proper equipment
Masih Safabakhsh — whose listed address matches that of Gentle Dental, 1515 Blairs Ferry Road NE – was charged by the board in December 2011 for “failure to maintain a satisfactory standard of competency, and gross malpractice in the practice of dentistry.”
According to a board order dated July 13, Safabakhsh administered an amount of anesthetic to a patient that “far exceeds the maximum dosage.” The patient was later taken to the hospital for a “medical emergency.” Safabakhsh said he regularly used that amount of anesthetic and said he was unaware of current guidelines for dosage. Safabakhsh also allegedly told staff to change a patient’s record to show he used less anesthetic.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Dental coalition pressures HHS for a report on sugar-sweetened beverages and it’s affects on oral health.
A coalition of associations and groups have joined together to ask Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius to commission a report to evaluate the scientific community’s literature and research on sugar-sweetened beverage consumptions affects on oral health. Story posted at the ADA website.
Why? Do they think someone is lying about sugar being bad for your teeth?
If you google “evaluation of oral effect of sugar-sweetened beverages” I believe you will find this study has been done numerous times! One as late as 2009, heck it’s only 2012. Has sugar changed that much?
Maybe there is a legitimate reason for this request, I’m no expert, nor do I pretend to be. Sound a bit stupid to me, don’t we all know sugar is bad for oral health? Or are we not teaching this anymore? Maybe this is just something to keep HHS and Kathleen Sebelius’ busy so HHS is not digging into the massive fraud and abuse happening in dentistry today?
Naw, I’m probably wrong, as usual.
No doubt, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is concerned about our children’s oral health, after all they are in front of Congress on a “regularly scheduled basis” with their hand out, telling lawmaker more taxpayer dollars are needed to give children “access to care” so these cavities can be treated as soon as possible. We all know children’s, teeth are highly susceptible to rot over sweets, right?
Heck Bernie Sander’s recently introduced yet another bill to appropriate more money to treat children who they say go to bed at night with “sippy cups” full of Coke.
The issue is so terrible says the AAPD and the Pew Institute that thousands upon thousands of private equity owned corporate dental clinics have spread across the US faster than a Colorado wildfire. All paid for by the taxpayer and all to combat the cavity crisis this country has had since the beginning of time.
Some states such as Texas have doubled their reimbursement for procedures needed to treat these specific problems.
In an effort to end this crisis, the AAPD has turned a blind eye to highly questionable treatment of children’s cavities by dentists, and in many cases have endorsed such treatment – papoose boards, risky sedation etc.
Organizations pleading for the study are:
- American Dental Association (ADA)
- Academy of General Dentistry, (AGD)
- American Academy of Periodontology,
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Will Dr. Stein’s patients be compensated? Remember that “tort reform” everyone was so hyped about…?
Guess who picks up the tab if any of Dr. Stein’s patients are infected and any settlement money they might happen to get runs out?
Dentist’s 8,000 patients may never see any compensation from possible lawsuits
Posted on: 6:56 pm, July 16, 2012, by Heidi Hemmat
Dr. Stein is accused of reusing dirty needles and syringes over and over again. Doctors say the unsanitary practice could spread blood born diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
But one question the health department’s call center can’t answer is a legal one: can Dr. Stein’s patients sue him for damages?
Anderson, Hemmat and Levine Attorney, Ethan McQuinn told us, “Yes, they can file a lawsuit.”
McQuinn said all 8,000 of Stein’s patients could sue for emotional distress, and you test positive for HIV or hepatitis B or C, you should be entitled to other damages.
But he said, “most likely it’s not going to be enough money to compensate the amount of people who’ve been affected.”
McQuinn said Colorado has caps on how much money you can get from a malpractice case. And because there are potentially thousands of defendants, the money would have to be split up.
McQuinn also told us in order to win a lawsuit, patients would have to prove they were infected in Stein’s office, “that could be something very difficult to prove,” he said.
And if Stein had fallen on hard economic times, like his run down Denver home seems to suggest, it’s possible he didn’t have malpractice insurance, especially since he hadn’t been practicing dentistry since June of 2011, “if the dentist let his insurance coverage lapse, then while claims can be brought against the dentist personally he may not have money to actually pay.”
Indiana AG files complaint against Muncie dentist nearly two years after drug charges in KY.
Eric Scott Browning Indiana Complaint
MUNCIE — A Muncie dentist’s license to practice is in jeopardy after his conviction on drug charges in Kentucky.
Eric Scott Browning, 610 S. Tillotson Ave., who also maintained a dental practice in Lexington, Ky., was indicted on Aug. 4, 2011, in Kentucky federal court on drug charges.
The charges were filed after Browning documented in patients’ charts that he administered 10 mg of Versed, which induces sedation and amnesia before medical procedures, when in fact he administered only 5 mg and administered the other 5 mg to himself during five months in 2010.
This past December, Browning pleaded guilty to the charges, for which he was sentenced to five years of probation and fined $10,000. The terms of probation require him to participate in a substance abuse treatment program and to submit to periodic drug testing.
Browning’s license was suspended by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry in December of 2010 after it determined he had used the restricted drug for personal use, and after he was witnessed practicing or trying to practice dentistry on Nov. 23 of that year in an “intoxicated state and while under the influence of one or more mind altering substances.”
In November 2010, Browning surrendered his U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency registration.
His license to practice remains suspended in Kentucky, where Browning’s actions were deemed to constitute an immediate danger to his patients.
The Indiana attorney general recently filed a complaint seeking sanctions against Browning’s Indiana license, citing the events in Kentucky.
The attorney general alleges Browning’s illegal use of Versed has a direct bearing on his ability to practice competently in Indiana.
Browning did not return a phone call from The Star Press. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, meaning he has achieved the highest level of education in his field. He provides periodontal and dental implant care to patients in East Central Indiana. He earned a degree from dental school and also completed a residency in periodontics.
Contact news reporter Seth Slabaugh at 213-5834.
Written by
Seth Slabaugh
November 2010 – Browning surrendered his DEA license.
December 2010 – KY Board of Dentistry suspended his license.
August 2011 – Indicted on Federal drug charges.
September 2011 – Pled guilty to charges in US District Court – Kentucky Eastern Division. Signed a 5 year contract the the Kentucky Professionals Recovery Network.
December 2011 – Sentenced to 5 years probation and $10k fine. He is subject to random drug screening and not allowed to even have a beer if he so chose.
May 2012- Deputy Indiana Attorney General Darren Covington files a complaint with the Indiana Dental Board.
I was always under the impression that the dental boards took up these issues when dentists has problems in other states and if they found criminal behavior they were the ones who turned it over the to the state Attorney General. This situation seems to be bassakwards.
Kentucky is not quick to pull someone’s dental license so this much have been a pretty darn bad situation.
Here we are nearly August 2012, and Eric Scott Browning, DDS is still licensed and is still able to practice dentistry in IN.
KY Dental license lists address as
Premier Periodontics , 3285 Blazer Pkwy Ste 210, Lexington, KY 40509 (859) 264-1854. Operated as Vance and Browning, DMD, PSC, in 2008. Changed it name to Vance and Shepherd DMDs, MS, PSC in March 2011, with Gregory Shawn Vance and Anna Dean Vance as officers. Armstrong Vance Center is also associated with this address.
His KY license number is 8594, and is listed as “suspended”. However when looking for disciplinary action documents it says, “There are no disciplinary documents for this dentist “
Why not?
In Muncie, Indiana 188 miles from Lexington, KY Browning operates Browning Periodontics.
From the website:
In November 2007, Dr. Browning achieved Board Certification in Periodontics, becoming a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. This is the highest, most exclusive level of certification in periodontology and is achieved by roughly half of the practicing periodontists in the United States. His Master's Degree thesis focused on the use of a particular bone graft to treat periodontal disease. Dr. Browning is also a published author with publications in the Journal of Dental Research and International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. His articles involve a laboratory study detailing the effect of inflammation on periodontal bone loss and a surgical study employing the use of a bone graft material (Puros) in the treatment of periodontal bone defects around teeth.
When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Browning is enjoying life with his family- ( and a lot of other things!!) wife, Kimberly; daughter, Reagan; and son, Ethan. Dr. Browning is also a competitive rugby player and can be found playing the sport on most Saturdays in the Fall and Spring. He also enjoys reading, studying history, and traveling.
Dr. Browning is a member of numerous organizations including the American Dental Association, American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and International Association of Dental Research.
ARTICLES PUBLISHED:
Evaluation of a mineralized cancellous bone allograft for the treatment of periodontal osseous defects: 6 month surgical reentry. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2009 Feb; 29(1): 41-7.
Omega 3 fatty acid effect on alveolar bone loss in rats. J Dent Res 2006 Jul; 85(7): 648-52.
Tip leads to Long Island man being arrested for practicing dentistry without a license.
A Long Island man is accused of running a dental practice out of his home despite having no formal medical or dental training. Nassau County police arrested Manuel Carranza, 46, of New Cassel on Wednesday afternoon. Police say they got a phone tip saying he was practicing dentistry out of his house. They say Carranza's home office was equipped with dental equipment and there were also various prescription medications in the home. They also found two electronic stun guns in the office. Police say that Carranza also tried to give them a forged New York State Identification card. Carranza is charged with unauthorized practice, having a forged document, weapons possession, and prescription violations. He was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Hempstead. Police had scheduled a Thursday afternoon news conference to release more information about the case.
Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/17790434/2012/04/26/police-fake-dentist-arrested#ixzz21YPaEZgd
Friday, July 20, 2012
Dallas Mayor, Mike Rawlings, Allows Dental Clinic Under Federal Investigation Patient Shop at Back-to-School Event
I’m not sure what concerns me the most, that All Smiles is allowed to patient shop, or that the Mayor or his staff didn’t have a clue!
Updated July 20, 2012 at 5:24 AM
Back-to-school event includes clinic involved in News 8 investigations
WFAA-TV
by BYRON HARRIS
Bio | EmailPosted on July 19, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Updated today at 5:24 AM
DALLAS - Tens of thousands of Dallas schoolkids and their parents turn out for the Mayor's Back to School Fair at the end of every summer, for a chance to get everything from immunizations, to haircuts, to school supplies -- all for free.
It's all donated by dozens of companies for the public good. But one of the sponsors this year, All Smiles Dental clinics, is charged with doing the public immense harm.
The company's been charged by the attorney general with Medicaid fraud, for allegedly billing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars for unneeded dental care under Medicaid.
All Smiles declared bankruptcy earlier this year, and settled a fraudulent billing case with the federal government for $1.2 million.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings' office was unaware of the actions until notified by News 8. Rawlings' spokeswoman, Paula Blackmon, said All Smiles has participated in the fair for years.
"Those booth operators and vendors are offered a chance to come back year after year," Blackmon said. "A letter goes out and we allow those individual to participate if they wish."
Vendors pay $2,500 to participate, but the city does not makemoney on the fair. The city does not do background checks on the vendors, Blackmon said.
So where does the $2,500 per vender end up?
She said All Smiles will be a participant at the fair on August 4, if it chooses.
"They've not been indicted or tried or found guilty," Blackmon said. "We've allowed them to either participate or not."
The Back to School Fair is a substantial generator of new patients for health clinics. State records show that in the case of All Smiles, for years, most of its patients have been on Medicaid.
E-mail bharris@wfaa.com
She said All Smiles will be a participant at the fair on August 4, if it chooses.Related:
- LINK: Dallas Mayor's Back to School Fair
- Dentist in Medicaid suit adding a water park to his mansion
- Texas Medicaid dental program pays millions for crowns, fillings
- Medicaid recruiters scramble for Texas dental patients
Several states have passed legislation requiring children to get a dental checkup before they enter school – wonder who had that idea. Anyway, it is that time of year, so parents BE AWARE!
I’m not to sure how legal these new regulations are, since it doesn’t make much sense to me to stop a child from an education because they didn’t get a dental check up.
I know folks think I’m some idiot mad woman, and they may be right. But honestly I don’t think I missed anything in school that a dental checkup would have prevented.
And if they – whoever “they” are – have done some study on this, I ask why they study this and not the number of children who have died from anesthesia mistakes and carelessness.
I’m not saying children should see the dentist or get regular checkups, just so we are clear.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Las Vegas Dentist Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud
8 NEWS NOW
Posted: Jul 19, 2012 6:42 PM CDT
Updated: Jul 19, 2012 10:55 PM CDT
By Steve Kanigher, I-Team Reporter - email
Las Vegas Dentist Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud
LAS VEGAS – A dentist and his office manager pleaded guilty this morning to felony health care fraud for submitting false claims to a labor union's insurance administrator for dental work that was not performed, Nevada's U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said.
Mauricio Vargas, 50, and Enoc Adrian Renteria, 33, both of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. They face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 17 by U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro.
According to the plea agreements, Vargas as a licensed dentist who operated AV Dental in Las Vegas, and Renteria as his office and marketing manager, conspired with an employee of Laborers Union Local 872 to submit false billing claims to the union. Local 872 is self-insured and contracted with a third-party administrator to adjudicate and pay claims on behalf of union members.
Dr. John G. "Jack" Vondrak’s Sun Orthodontix abandon possible 4,000 patients.
EL PASO, Texas – KVIA TV Part 2
Parents of former patients, an attorney and Health and Human Services are claiming a chain of orthodontics clinics are committing patient abandonment.
After Texas Medicaid cut off reimbursement to Sun Orthodonix, amid a fraud investigation by the Texas Office of Inspector General, the chain of clinics in turn cut off treatment to its Medicaid patients still in the midst of orthodontic treatment.The move has left hundreds of teens and adolescents with braces on their teeth but no doctors treating them.
One El Paso orthodontist estimates up to 4,000 El Paso kids could be affected from the response from Sun Orthodontix and other local clinics which may be doing the same to their Medicaid patients.
Not having a doctor is a hard fact to swallow for two Northeast El Paso teens well into their orthodontic treatment they had be undertaking with Sun Orthodontix.
The pair has fought through the discomfort of braces, the pain of tooth extractions and even the stretching of their mouths by orthodontic devices.
"He ran a fever he was in pain, he didn't eat," the boys' mother Emma Diaz said about her 14-year-old, Issac. "And now it's like we go through all of that and what now?"Diaz says her sons showed up to their routine orthodontics appointment at Sun's Northeast El Paso location in June, where they were handed letters giving the boys two options: have the braces removed by Sun, or leave the braces on and find another orthodontist.
"It would be considered patient abandonment," Health and Human Services Commission spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman said. "And it's true for dentists, orthodontists, doctors, it's fairly standard across the medical profession."
A patient contract obtained by ABC-7 from when a teenager first got her braces at a Sun Orthodontix clinic in El Paso reads:
"Good news! Once the braces have been placed, your treatment is fully covered. Even if you happen to lose your insurance, by keeping your monthly appointments, you are guaranteeing that your insurance will continue to pay for services rendered."But even though the patient kept her appointments, as soon as Medicaid cut its payments to Sun Orthodontix, a subsidiary of National Orthodontix Mgmt, treatment was cut as well.
Sun Orthodontix's attorney, Frank Sheeder, would not address this "guarantee," but he did say the clinics are following the process for terminating and transferring care.
Sheeder says the state pre-approved the treatments, then without warning, put a hold on Medicaid reimbursement five months ago.
In an email, Sheeder writes:
"An orthodontic practice can't reasonably be expected to continue to provide services for free for such a long time."In the letters to patients, Sun states that it has been forced to lay off more than a hundred employees and four orthodontists.
Still, Goodman says lack of payment should not translate into lack of treatment.
She says doctors have a professional obligation to finish what they started or they could face consequences."In those cases where we have an orthodontist, who is accepting Medicaid, put braces on a child or did any treatment, in most cases braces, and now says that because the payment's not there, 'I'm not going to continue the treatment'? We will be referring those to the dental board, who we're working very closely with," Goodman said. "And they've assured us they will move on those cases."
That assurance is not of much comfort to 16-year-old Andy Diaz.
He has had four teeth extracted as per his course of treatment prescribed by his orthodontist at Sun Orthodontix.He has been left with the braces on his teeth and big gaps where his teeth used to lie.
"If they can at least just close the bottom ones, I'd be happy," Andy Diaz said. "You can't leave a kid with gapped teeth."
They already have, but for how much longer is the real question.
ABC-7's Matt Dougherty spoke with the owner and founder of Sun Orthodontix, Dr. John G. "Jack" Vondrak, when he was in El Paso recently.
Vondrak refused to comment on the record.
From Sun Orthodontix Website:
Dr. John Vondrak is the founder of Sun Orthodontix. His experience as a practicing orthodontist, that spans over three decades, and his commitment to provide families of all income levels with affordable, quality care have been instrumental to Sun's growth and success. Dr. Vondrak continues to treat patients and oversee the training of new orthodontists in Sun's specialized method of treatment.
Dr. Vondrak earned his orthodontic degree from Howard University School of Dentistry in Washington D.C. and completed his internship in oral surgery at Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans. Dr. Vondrak received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and served in the U.S. Air Force as a dental officer before entering private practice.
Dr. Vondrak is a past president of the New Mexico Orthodontic Society and a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists (SSO), the American Dental Association (ADA), and local and regional dental societies in both New Mexico and Texas.
Dr. Vondrak's wife, Barbara, is herself an accomplished dental professional, who plays an active role at Sun. She holds a Masters Degree in Dental Hygiene Education, has worked as an Accreditation Consultant for the ADA, and has served as chairwoman of the American Dental Hygienist Association's Dental Education Committee.
The Vondraks have two daughters and a son, all of whom live in Texas. Their daughters, Cameron and Clarian, are following in their father's footsteps and are currently enrolled in dental programs. Their son, Greg, is the Project Coordinator for Sun, and their son-in-law, Craig, is the Director of Operations. The Vondraks are the proud grandparents of seven beautiful grandchildren.