Medicaid Dental Center aka Smile Starters Pays $10 Million For Medicaid Fraud

by: Mark Boone

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The owners of a chain of dental clinics, with offices in Charlotte, will pay more than $10 million in response to a federal investigation into alleged Medicaid fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s office said Wednesday.

The owners of the company formerly known as Medicaid Dental Center did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, said attorney James Wyatt.

As first reported in a WCNC investigation, some parents complained they took their children to the Medicaid Dental Centers on Freedom Drive and N. Tryon Street for what they believed to be routine visits.

The Charlotte offices are now operating under the name ‘Smile Starters.’

Wyatt said the clinics are under new management.

Christy Dillbeck, a west Charlotte mother, said she was asked to wait in the lobby of a Medicaid Dental Center as a dentist placed her then-four-year-old son on a papoose board, a device used to restrain children.

The dentist then drilled into 16 of her son’s baby teeth and installed steel caps, without her knowledge, she said.

“That’s a lot, a lot of work,” Dillbeck said. “And to imagine all of the children that had to go through what my son went through, it breaks my heart to even think of it.”

At least six other families contacted WCNC with similar allegations.

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert said Medicaid Dental Center performed “baby root canals,” which were not medically necessary.

The procedures were performed between 2001 and 2003, Shappert said.

“The dentists subjected their child patients to invasive and sometimes painful procedures, often for the sake of obtaining money from the North Carolina Medicaid program,” said Jeffrey Bucholtz, an N.C. Assistant Attorney General.

Dentists Letitia Ballance and Michael DeRose are named in the government settlement as co-owners of the Medicaid Dental Center.

Wyatt, who has represented Ballance and DeRose in both federal and state inquiries, said they are no longer working as dentists in Charlotte and are in the process of selling their North Carolina dental practice.

Federal authorities said Medicaid Dental Center and its owners will reimburse the government at least $5 million for the allegedly false claims and another $5 million in fines.

A portion of the settlement amount will be distributed to the N.C. Education Fund.

None of the settlement money will go to the parents of the children who underwent the treatment, said attorney Darren Dawson, who represents five families which are considering a lawsuit against the company formerly known as Medicaid Dental Center.

Wyatt says the clinics are under "New Management".

This blogger wants to know exactly "who" or "what company" is doing all this new management?

An educated guess would say FORBA, but this blogger has not confirmed this at all. But it is clear that Dr. Michael DeRose sold (so he says) to FORBA, and it is clearly reported that Dr. William A. Mueller, Dr. DeRoses' cohort, is associated with FORBA Dental Management, more on this below.

This same type of practice by the DeRose's and Medicaid Dental Centers and the various other names that were used, was in play as far back as 2004 in Colorado. see here.

According to various reports the DeRose's sold their interest in the Colorado dental clinics to FORBA Dental Management in 2006. Either the DeRose's and Forba are in cahoots together or Dr. Micheal DeRose and his clan just moved to another state and opened the same type of Medicaid Scam dental clinics in North Carolina.

Dr. William A. Mueller, at least at one time was in with Dr. Michael DeRose and we know that Dr. William A. Mueller and FORBA are in bed together, see here.

It's clear there is a connection between all of these dental chains. As reported in this blog in a prior post, Dr. Michael DeRose owned and operated one clinic that went under the name, Smile High in Denver that was part of the entire dental clinic chained owned by Mueller and DeRose.

From documents at the Kansas Dental Board, Dr. Michael DeRose, DDS had been sanctioned in North Carolina in December 2005.

In Sept. 2006, the Kansas Dental Board took action to enforce the North Carolina Order and another hearing is set for December 2008 to see that all conditions of his probation are met. North Carolina ordered him to show and demonstrate the use of a papoose board prior to strapping any child in one.

We also know Dr. Mueller in prior years had been sanctioned by the Tennessee Dental Board, yet in the end we find him in bed with FORBA headquarted in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. William A. Mueller has also been sanctioned by Oklahoma's State Dental Board. See here.

This blogger also discovered that Dr. Tu Tran, is one of the founders of Kool Smiles as reported on Kool Smiles website. see here, was the lead dentist at.... are you ready..... Smile High Dental Clinic in Denver, co-owned by Dr. Michael DeRose and Dr. William A.Mueller.

By the way, Dr. William A. Mueller it is reported here that:

Dr. Mueller was charged with gross malpractice for over-using papoose boards on children in his clinic in Memphis Tennessee.


But the Tennessee Dental Board dropped those charges against him.


However, the board voted to reprimand Mueller for false and misleading advertising in his clinic there.

When googling Dr. William A. Meuller, DMD or DDS you will find several listed, but the two that stood out to me was "Chief Of Dentistry" at the Children's Hospital in Denver, and another address at St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis. There is also a review of some children toothbrushes called Kindertools, where a one Dr. William A. Mueller, DDS reviewed the product and listed himself as being: Chief of Dentistry, University Of Colorado Health Science Center. see here.

There is a clear connection between all of these Dental Clinic's.


Dr. Michael DeRose, Dr. William A. Mueller, Dr. Tu Tran - Smile High Dental Clinic


Dr. Tu Tran goes to - Kool Smiles
Dr. William Mueller - FORBA - Small Smiles
Dr. Michael DeRose - Medicaid Dental Center

One would think that Drs. DeRose and Mueller would have learned their lesson about abusing children and the medicaid system since they actually were named in connection with the death of 4 year old Jonathan Barrera in Arizona at one of their co-owned dental clinics.

The Dental Clinics and Dr. Michael DeRose were being investigated as to their practices in treating children and all the vast amount of money they were raking in as far back and 2003. see here.

Here is what Medicaid Dental Center had to say in 2003.

All of this is right on the heals of FORBA Small Smiles questionable practices in Kansas.

Dr. Michael DeRose and Letitia Ballance also have clinics under the name of Carolina Dental Center.

Very Graphic Interview -Children Leave Dentist Office With Extreme Bruising

WARNING:

This video is extremely graphic and may be very disturbing!

Click Here To See Video 
Sorry, the video has been removed.

These Clinics were owned/are by Dr. Michael DeRose and Dr. William Mueller.

A child died being treated by Dr. Matthew C. Nolen, trained at clinic owned by Dr. William Mueller.

Dr. Ed DeRose owned the one clinic named "Smile High Dentistry"

According to public records, Dr. Tu Tran from "Smile High Dentistry" in Colorado moved on to become Chief Dentist for Kool Smiles.

Small Smiles Clinic Investigation Report, Methods Crticized-Wichita, KS

In Kansas, Corporate Dentistry is Illegal and that is exactly what Small Smiles, Operated by Forba Management is doing. Other dentists wants these people gone and have filed complaints of Corporate ownership against Small Smiles Clinics in Kansas.

Forba is saying someone else owns the clinic in question, and they just "manage it" but the Kansas Dental Board is looking into this as we speak.

At the Forba website they do not list the clinics locations in Wichita, Topeka or Kansas City, However, job opening for these locations are listed at Forba. Obviously, Forba Small Smiles is trying to operate under the radar of Kansas Law.

Want to take a guess as to what shined the light on these crooks, Using Papoose Boards on Children!

They better be looking into Ocean Dental, as they have clinics in Kansas as well!

Read the FULL and eye opening story below.

What have I been trying to tell everyone!

Dental Clinic's Methods Criticized
The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.)
2008-03-16

By Karen Shideler, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.
Mar. 16--A Wichita dental clinic that serves mostly low-income children is drawing criticism from some parents and other dentists, in part for using procedures that the critics say traumatize its young patients.
They say Small Smiles Dental Clinic of Wichita routinely restrains children during treatment, does not allow parents to accompany their children to treatment and does work that doesn't seem necessary.
In addition, the dentists are concerned that Small Smiles tries to give the impression it is staffed by dentists who are specialists in children's care. And, they say, it is corporate dentistry, a practice not allowed in Kansas.
Small Smiles dentist Reza Akbar, in an e-mailed statement, said, "We are proud of the high-quality, compassionate care we provide.... Last year, we served more than 11,000 children, and the feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive. I am unaware of any concerns raised by parents."
Akbar is the owner of the clinic, according to a Small Smiles spokesman.
Small Smiles, which opened in 2005, turned down requests for interviews or visits. An out-of-state spokesman for Small Smiles, who asked not to be named, said by e-mail, "This is a concerted effort by the company to focus on patient care in the midst of recent scrutiny."
In November, ABC News and an affiliate ran stories about Small Smiles offices in the Washington, D.C., area. The stories told of frightened children, the use of restraints and the prohibition of parents in the treatment area -- the same concerns echoed by parents and dentists in Wichita in interviews with The Eagle.
Many Medicaid clients
Small Smiles' advertising notes that it serves Medicaid and HealthWave children. The Small Smiles spokesman said 98 percent of Small Smiles' Wichita patients have Medicaid or HealthWave, programs that provide medical and dental coverage for low-income children and some others who meet income guidelines.
Many dentists do not accept Medicaid patients or accept only a few because the reimbursement for their care is less than what is paid by private insurance. But Crystal Walker, a pediatric dentist, said four of the five pediatric dental practices in Wichita do accept Medicaid patients. Some general dentists also take those patients, and dental care is offered to Medicaid patients at GraceMed and some other clinics.
In 2007, Small Smiles got more than $4.5 million in Medicaid and HealthWave dental payments from the state, according to the Kansas Health Policy Authority. The clinic declined to say how many dentists it employs.
The clinic uses what amounts to assembly-line dentistry, some say.
"They go in, they do the cleaning, they do the diagnostic, they get everything done that they can in one day," said pediatric dentist David Brown.
"It was like an assembly line," said Shelbi Meisch, whose daughter was a Small Smiles patient. "There was just nothing about the experience that felt like you were getting good care."
Restraining patients
Though parents said they were not allowed to accompany their children into the treatment area, the Small Smiles spokesman said that's not policy: "Parents decide in consultation with their dentist whether or not to be present during their child's care," his e-mail said.
Jeff Davis said he and his wife were asked to sign a consent form giving Small Smiles permission "to do everything from yell at the child to physically restrain them to tie them down."
Meisch, as well as Delicia Akbar, whose children also were Small Smiles patients, said uncooperative children -- including theirs -- are immobilized in a "papoose board." Akbar isn't related to the Small Smiles dentist.
The Small Smiles spokesman provided a copy of a consent form used at Small Smiles in Rochester, N.Y., and said the one in Wichita is similar.
It asks parents to agree to "protective stabilization," described this way: "The child is wrapped in the device and placed in a reclined dental chair." Pictures on the form show a child with what looks like a blanket and a shaped back piece.
Medical suppliers describe a "papoose board" as a rigid board with wide fabric straps that have Velcro fasteners. Separate straps hold limbs inside the wrap, providing a snug-fitting restraint that immobilizes the patient.
The Small Smiles spokesman said, "Our records indicate that protective restraint was used in fewer than 3 percent of all patient visits in Wichita last year."
Akbar took her three children to Small Smiles. She read and signed the consent form "but my understanding of the restraint was not something.. to strap them down." She said the papoose board was used on her 9-year-old.
"I didn't even think anything negative until the kids came out and told me what happened," she said.
Papoose boards have a limited place in dentistry, three Wichita pediatric dentists said, and may be appropriate for special-needs children, for example. But there are other ways to get children to cooperate, they said. They don't use papoose boards.
Walker said she uses a "tell, show, do" approach to familiarize a patient with treatment. But she said that nearly every former Small Smiles patient "will not even lay in the chair" at her office because they're so frightened. Many need sedation for routine care because of their fear, she said.
Concerns about care
Another pediatric dentist, David Brown, said his main concern is "the patients that leave there absolutely terrified." In addition, he voiced concerns about the care provided. He said he has had parents who were told at Small Smiles that their child had seven cavities, "and I personally have not been able to find seven cavities."
Meisch said Small Smiles dentists wanted to put crowns on several of her daughter's teeth, including two front baby teeth that were loose. She said she asked that those two teeth be pulled -- and the dentists pulled others as well, including a molar that has necessitated a dental spacer. "They didn't listen very well," she said.
The Small Smiles spokesman said the clinic provides care according to the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "The appropriate treatment plan is determined by dentists and is based on the dentists' professional judgment," he said in the e-mailed statement.
Small Smiles' advertising says it provides care to "children from their 1st tooth through age 20."
Only dentists who have had extra training may call themselves pediatric dentists.
"They do seem to market to children," said Betty Wright, executive director of the Kansas Dental Board. But by noting at the bottom of its ad that its dentists are general dentists, Small Smiles complies with Kansas law, she said.
Corporate connection
Nationwide, Forba, a dental management company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns Small Smiles. Its Web site does not list the clinic in Wichita -- or the ones in Topeka or Kansas City -- among its locations. But job openings for all three sites are posted on the Web site.
The Small Smiles spokesman said Akbar owns the Wichita clinic.
"The clinic receives assistance regarding marketing, human resources, policy, information technology, collections, and other administrative functions under a management services agreement with Forba," his statement said.
Kansas law prohibits corporate dentistry, in which a practice is owned by someone who doesn't practice there.
Wichita orthodontist Kendall Dillehay said he had filed a corporate ownership complaint about Small Smiles. He was told his complaint would be investigated and that he'd be informed of the results.
Dental complaints are investigated by the Kansas Dental Board. For action to be taken, Wright said that she would need to see evidence that Small Smiles is not owned by Akbar.
Wright said no disciplinary action has been taken against Small Smiles or its dentists, nor were there any pending disciplinary orders.
Investigations are confidential, she said, so she would not say whether any were or weren't under way.
Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com.

-----




Here are just a few comments from parents who have been to the Small Smiles Dental Assembly Line Clinic:

1. I worked at Small Smiles when they first opened in Wichita. It was no less than hell on earth for children. They do everything and more to the kids that is mentioned in the article. I quit within 2 weeks because it broke my heart to work there. I would never recommend anyone to take there child to this office.
2. This sounds like child abuse to me. They should be thoroughly investigated like Tiller was. Where is the justice in supporting unborn babies? Why don't they support those whom are already born? Nola Foulsten needs to look into this business. Whether parental consent was given or not. Kudos to the previous poster for quitting. When my daughter got braces she told me she had friends who had went there and that the people there were extremely mean. I'm glad I took my kids both to Dr. John Hullings he's the greatest orthodontist in town. Front office staff isn't so nice, but the ones working on your teeth can't be beat. I've never been not allowed to view any and all treatment my kids' received.
3. Reza Akbar??? It sounds like third world dentistry to me, where abuse and a lack of civil rights are a way of life. And if, as they say, "And, they say, it is corporate dentistry, a practice not allowed in Kansas", why is it being allowed. This place of torture needs to be shut down. The trauma the children are being subjected to will follow them the rest of their life. I am 65 and still don't like to go the a dentist because of bad dental experiences as a child. WAKE UP WICHITA!!!!
4. So Small Smiles takes medicaid, a govt. program. It looks like the govt. and medicine are great together. It will be wonderful when the government takes over health care via Obama or Clinton.

There are many other Small Smiles complaints at the Wichita Eagle, you can read them here.

Dr. Mohammad Akbar, Peublo, CO. in the name of Small Smiles of Wichita Health Care contributed to State Representative Candidate Bob Bethell 2006 Campaign. See Here

Think maybe Mohammad Akbar and Reza Akbar are related or one and the same person?

Ocean Dental Corporate Jet Hanger Under Construction

And so many dentists tell us the government doesn't reimburse them enough to take on children on medicaid.

These guys, like Small Smiles and Kool Smiles have made it the primary business, and business is looking pretty darn good!

Are they strapping down the children to do the work is what I want to know!!

Thanks for the "heads up" anonymous!

photo by: Gary Johnson

I knew something was going to break about these people soon. They visited this site several times a day when this blog first went up. I had never heard of Ocean Dental until I started posting about a local dentist using a papoose board. Then all these medicaid stealing dental clinic started showing up on my blog stats, which in turn got me to looking into why they were so worried I was ticked off about a papoose board!

Reg flags were flew up like a covey of quails!

FORBA - Small Smiles Closing Dentist Office

Newburgh, NY

Six months after a dental office opened in Newburgh to treat the region's most vulnerable, it will close. Small Smiles Dentistry of Newburgh had barely gotten started. The practice treated patients in a blank-faced office complex southwest of Delano-Hitch Park and specialized in treating Medicaid patients 20 years old and younger.

Employees learned the center would close when one of their corporate bosses showed up last week to deliver the news. Staffers knew too few patients had come through the doors, but they had hoped for more time.

Of the 70 Small Smiles offices across the country, Newburgh's will be the first to shut down.

Hopefully they will start to fall like Dominoes! There is always hope!

Michael A. DeRose- Health Care Reform Act Elector

New York State Department of Health

What is it?

This is what is says at the site:

Below is an alphabetical list and Excel Worksheets of organizations that have voluntarily elected to make public goods payments directly to the Department of Healths Pool Administrator. To be included on the list, an organization must have elected in conformance with HCRA provisions and Department requirements. The current list is tentative, conditional upon review and acceptance of the information submitted by the payors on their election applications. This list will be updated monthly.

Effective April 1, 2008

Here is the link to see where he is listed click

I'm not sure what this is, but using the words "conformance" and "Michael A. DeRose" in the same sentence raises my suspicions, what about yours?

The info at the link says:

Effective date (for mikie) is July 2007

Michael A DeRose, DDS, PA

Charlotte, NC

Contact Info is: Ryan Root at (704)395-6000

Congressman Dennis Kucinich Call Small Smiles a Dental Mill

Congressman Dennis Kucinich said Small Smiles?FORBA had found way to make money off poor children by creating dental mills to make a buck while blasting Medicaid for not doing more to improve dental care for children on mediciad.

"Medicaid Officials in Congress [02/14/08]"
-----------------------------------------
Small Smiles - Congress

A year after 12-year -old Deamonte Driver died of tooth decay, Medicaid officials were called before congress in February to explain what they've done to improve access to care for poor children.

Four out of five dentists refuse to treat Medicaid patients because reimbursement rates are so low. The congressman heading up the hearing blasted Medicaid for doing little to improve rates.

He pointed to the I-Team's reports on Small Smiles Dental clinics as an example of what can result.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich said "Small Smiles conceived of another away to make a profit: a
predatory mill where multiple, sometimes unnecessary procedures are imposed assembly line style on children for little regard for their welfare or proper dental practice."

Medicaid officials told congress today they are trying to make more dentists available for poor children, but conceded they have a long way to go.

FORBA hires another PR Firm

It appears FORBA, LLC Dental Management aka Forba Holding, is scrambling to do as much damage control as possible in light of the disturbing allegations with it's Small Smiles Dental Clinics.

They have hired yet another public relations firm, in Nashville, TN. McNeely, Pigott & Fox.

Wonder if they fired Rubin, Meyer or they feel they need as many public relations firms as they can hire.

After Donald Meyer was the person who sent the response to WJLA TV when the I-Team Investigation report came out exposing how Small Smiles Dental Clinics were abusing our children and our medicaid program. You can download that statement here by clicking on Froba Dental Mngt. Statement.

Kiely's Dental Abuse Update 4

Bullhead City Lawyers!

March 4, 2008

What a joke!

I called so many of them and ALL of them TURNED ME DOWN! They either didn’t do anything with kids or they wouldn’t help us because she has “No permanent physical damage.” I even had one guy tell me that “we are a busy and big law firm and since it was just restraints with no physical damage besides the petechiae then we can’t help you and no other law office is going to.” What a dick he was! ugh.

I can’t believe there isn’t ONE lawyer in this area that will help CHILDREN that have been TORTURED and ABUSED!!!!!!! It’s ridiculous! Someone needs to stand up for kids.

Small Smiles-FORBA-DeRose Update From Roberta Baskin, WJLA TV

More Damning Evidence Keep Pouring In to I-Team Investigation.

Don't forget, even though this local investigation mentions Small Smiles, they go under the Name Smile Starters Smile High, Medicaid Dental Centers, FORBA, DeRose Children's Dental Center, Small Smiles Center/Clinic of Pueblo, and others. And if you read below in my previous post, more of these Dental Offices catering to children are jumping on this same bandwagon! Beware!

February 28, 2008

Roberta Baskin, of WJLA TV, broke and continues to follow the Small Smiles Dental Abuse and Fraud Investigation. Here is the transcript of Roberta’s latest installment.

ANCHOR:

RESTRAINING CHILDREN, PERFORMING UNNECESSARY TREATMENTS, HIRING UNLICENSED XRAY TECHNICIANS... THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF THE SUB-STANDARD DENTAL CARE OUR I-TEAM FOUND AT THE SMALL SMILES CLINICS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU HOW THE CHAIN OF CLINICS PLACES PROFIT OVER COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR MEDICAID CHILDREN. NOW ROBERTA BASKIN AND THE I-TEAM HAVE UNCOVERED MORE.... ROBERTA?

ROBERTA BASKIN:

SOME OF YOU WHO SAW OUR EARLIER REPORTS HAVE COME FORWARD WITH NEW EVIDENCE OF THE SMALL SMILES SCHEME TO BILL THE TAXPAYER-SUPPORTED MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR WORK THAT WASN'T NEEDED - OR WASN'T EVEN DONE.

STORY: Six year old Kayla Mason brushes her teeth day and night.



She's never had any cavities. That's why her mother, LaTasha Mason, was dismayed when dentists at Small Smiles in Oxon Hills said they found THREE.

LaTasha Mason-"I was like, oh my goodness, I was surprised, I really was. And they were like, well, the lady that called me back, she was like, well that's nothing compared to what we usually see."

She then had Kayla examined by a different dentist.

Mason-" And she gets up to leave and I'm like , well, what about the cavities?"

Turns out, there weren't any.

Mason-"I was really astonished, to say the least."

Mason is upset Small Smiles planned to drill into her daughter's teeth for no other reason than to profit from it.

Mason- "It's, it's just sickening." "(that's) the only thing I can think of, why they would want to drill in these baby's mouths, is for money."

Particularly upsetting is her feeling that Small Smiles lied to her.

Mason- "One maybe, that could have been an honest mistake. But three? Absolutely not. Three is not a mistake, I'm sorry."

And when this family went to Small Smiles for a check-up, dentists saw four girls - and apparently 24 cavities.

Cheryl -" I felt like a bad mother." Cheryl assumed her children hadn't been brushing.

Roberta -"Were you in trouble?"

Rachelle -"Yes"

Cheryl -"I told them all of their teeth were going to fall out if they don't listen to me and brush their teeth. I called them "yuck mouths."

Roberta -"Yuck mouths?

Cheryl-"Yuck mouths."
Most of the work was completed, except on Rachel, who was told to come back for several more fillings. In the meantime, Rachel's mom heard about our Small Smiles investigation, and switched to Dr. Robert Camps.

Dr. Robert Camps - "I'm glad it wasn't done, because it shouldn't have been done. Roberta -"Four fillings that she would have gotten on teeth that are perfectly fine."

Dr. Camps -"Correct."

And that's not all. When Dr. Camps examined Rachel and her sister Rebecca, he realized - Small Smiles didn't DO all the work they charged for.

Rebecca's chart shows 8 cavities filled…but that's not what she remembered. "I didn't see any drill or hear any drill.

Roberta -Did they numb you?

Rebecca -"I didn't feel a numbing (or anything)."

And Dr. Robert Camps didn't see the work either. "these are not fillings." "I feel like they did more like a sealant, (where they didn't really drill into the tooth)." To be sure, Dr. Camp took x-rays.

Plea from I-Team, asking the public to keep the stories coming I, please help I-Team help the children. You are the eyes and ears! click here

ABC 7, WJLA TV is in the Washington, DC area, so all of our law makers watch this news.

Report by phone at 703-236-9559

Update 2 and 3 Kiely and Dr. Mike Kort-Kids Little Smiles

February 29, 2008 (Update 3)

We called the police last night and filed a report. The officer said to get a lawyer and go to the dental board because they can do more damage then he could. I already had the papers to file a formal complaint with the dental association board. I’ll be filling that out today. I will keep my blog updated with any and all progress!

Read more here along with comments:

February 28, 2008 (Update 2)

So my dad and I went to the dentist office at 11 to talk to Dr. Kort. He said that Kiely was really worked up so they had to restrain her by having 2 nurses hold her down but otherwise she did really well. So we talked about the petechia a bit and he said it’s from her “fussing” during the procedure. Then we asked about the “blue jacket” [Kie’s words] and told him that she has brought it up 3-4 times now and she’s sticking to her story. So he fessed up that they had to use restraints on her [called a popuse]. I told him that I never gave consent to restrain her. He said that the nurse wrote it down that it was ok so he did. I told him again that it was NEVER mentioned to me and that I would NEVER consent to anyone restraining my kid! My mom was with me yday when I asked them what was going to happen and not ONCE did she mention restraints of any kind. He said that it could’ve been mentioned about wrapping them or something and I again told him NO, nothing like that was mentioned to me! My mom verifies it was not mentioned. He told me that they use the popuse to protect the kids while he works since he has needles and drills going he doesn’t want them to get hurt. I feel that there is a better way then restraining a child w/o the parents consent! At least let the parents try to calm the child. Then I told him that I did not appreciate his staff writing me off and ignoring my concerns. Telling me that the petechia was a latex allergy and then taking her in the back and coming back saying that he told her it was just a latex allergy. And then to ignore my concerns when it got worse an hour later. He told me that he was sorry that I felt that I was written off and that we had such a bad experience and I was free to take her somewhere else. He also said that he knew it wasn’t a latex allergy because it was only around her eyes.
I feel that he has no idea what he’s talking about. His staff lied to both of us or at least me. And it’s just wrong.

Kids Little Smiles, Bullhead Arizona Another Dental Torture Chamber

Here is a story of Kiely. A child who visited Kids Little Smiles Dentistry For Children, Bullhead, AZ.

I don't know if Kids Little Smiles is another one of FORBA/Araptica Bank's torture chambers but if it walks like a duck, it could be one. However, it could be just another dental chop shop for children that has found a way to actually make money torturing children.


Kiely's Trauma Story at the hands of the dentist, Dr. Mike Kort pictured above:

On 02/27/08 Kiely had a dentist appt with Dr. Michael Kort with Kool Lil Smiles Dentistry for kids on Miracle mile.
When the nurse came to get Kiely and take her back Kiely wanted me to go but the nurse said that she had to try and go w/o me and told her “I will come and get mom in a minute if you still want her.” Well she never came back to get me.

When Kiely came out from her procedure she was dripping sweat, her eyes were swollen and she had these small red dots all over them. The nurse said “She had a little bit of a hard time.” She also said “we gave her the nitros but she didn’t like it so we gave her some oxygen to flush it out of her system.” I asked what was wrong w/her eyes and the nurse told me she will take her back and call me in to talk to the dentist in a minute, well she only took Kiely back and came back a second later and said that the Dr said it’s a Latex allergy but they think it might be from the nitros mask. I told them “She doesn’t have a latex allergy.” The dentist wouldn’t come talk to me.
They told me to watch it and if it gets worse to let them know. So I called them about an hour later b/c her right eye was turning blue and bruising and the dots traveled to behind her ear and her eyes were still swollen. The same nurse then told me “It’s just a latex allergy and it’ll go away.” I asked if I could speak or come and see the Dr and she told me “He already left for the day but if it is still there in the morning to bring her in and we will treat her as an emergency.” I asked if I should be giving her some benadryl since it’s an allergy and she said “I can’t give you that kind of advice but if you feel you need to.”

So I hung up and I did NOT give her any medication except the tylenol w/codeine for her pain. So I took her to BHCFD [since my dad is a captain there and he was on duty]. I had 4 paramedics tell me it’s petichiae from someone putting too much pressure on her face [they see this in the ER when a child had been suffocated w/a pillow]. So then we are eating dinner and she starts telling us that they were ignoring her when she told them it hurt [when they were drilling] and that when she asked them to get me they ignored her again! Then she told us that they didn’t put a mask on her but they put a white jacket that held her arms down. And that it hurt her and she was scared.

The nurse did NOT tell me nor did they ask me if they could use this type of treatment on my child. Even after the fact they didn’t tell me. So this morning [2/28/08] after She woke up I took her straight to her pediatrician [Dr. Nalia Tariq].
She confirmed that it was petechia from too much pressure. But she thinks it’s from the jacket b/c Kiely was trying to get out of it and freaking out. So I went to the dentist office and got copies of all her medical records and consent forms. They are useless and don’t say a thing. So I asked if I could talk to the dentist and they said he isn’t in yet and won’t be until 1030 but I could come back at 11 and he should have a few minutes to talk to me. So i will be leaving in a few minutes.

Ca Ching!

I would suspect since Dr. Charles Lucero and Dr. Nate Urquhart work there they would be guilty of this type of treatment as well or they wouldn't be working there.


My heart goes out to Kiely and her family and I'm so sorry she had to suffer like this at the hands of a dentist. I hope that Kiely's parents file formal complaints with the following and join in the movement to put an end to this:

The Arizona Attorney General
The Better Business Bureau In Arizona
The Dental Association of Arizona
And File a Police Report!

I also hope that Dr. Nalia Tariq, who examined Kiely after this event files a complaint.

Here is the contact information for Kids Little Smiles
Kids Little Smiles
2401 S Miracle Mile
Bullhead City, AZ 86442
(928) 704-5573
kidslittlesmiles_bullhead@frontiernet.net

Before You Take You Child To The Dentist, Read This Site

Parents trust medical personnel way too easily. We are somehow assume they must know more than us because they've spent so much time in school, and that is one of the largest mistakes we make. Of course put anyone in a white coat or any kind of uniform and the general public naturally look to those people as being someone in authority, that's why they wear the uniform in the first place. But just because they have a white coats on or any uniform does not mean they know what is best for you, your family or your child!

We have to have a mindset that we are a consumer of their goods. It's imperative!


My son's further explanation sums up what you said about us trusting the professionals.

Here is what he said:

"If they don't tell you there are any other options for the procedure , you go with what the people that are supposed to know what they are doing make the recommendations"

I'm sorry, that still doesn't wash with me. Maybe I'm just too hard, all I know is I would NEVER agree to this so I say:

1.Why don't you ask?
2.Surely anyone with any common sense whatsoever would NOT allow their child to be traumatized.
3.Get your brain out of your pocket and use it!

Of course after they still could not complete the crowns on the baby teeth cause my grandson was fighting for his life, thrashing about and screaming for dear life, they weren't able to do it and then and only then did the dentist suggest putting him under a light sedation and doing it at another time.

So just how bad did this need to be done then? Evidently not that bad, and it most certainly wasn't an emergency situation.

I can't tell you the tears I've cried picturing this trauma happening to my grandson. It was out of this rage and heartbreak I've taken up this cause I will see as much information is out there as possible to save as many children from this as I can.

Spreading the word and bringing this to the forefront on every parent who has a child is the only way this is going to end.

In Europe this is outlawed in many countries and I can't believe it's happening right here in the US to the most innocent of our citizens.

Children depend on us, the parents and grandparent to protect them, it's out JOB. Imagine how any child who has suffered this trauma feels now, and what scars will each of these children carry with them into the future.

You can help by doing exactly what I'm doing. Writing about it, contacting Federal and State Legislators, and exposing dentists who use these papoose boards.

My next step is to call dentists my area of the country, asking what kind of behavior control they use to treat our children, and if they mention a papoose board, pediwrap, or any other kind of restraint, their name, address and phone number will be appearing on my site and other sites on the internet where you can write reviews, and there are a bunch of those!

This has been every time consuming since I'm pretty much at this alone, but I feel it's worth every second of my time and your help is more appreciated that you will ever know.

There are laws out there that protect our elderly from unnecessary and abusive restraining but nothing protecting our children. So far, Colorado is the only state who has stepped up and given the dental community there very "strict" guidelines. However, if the parents of Colorado don't know about this, and don't question their dentists, I feel the dentists will continue to strap children down to speed up the "chair time".

During my research of the use of Papoose Boards is when I found all the information of these "dental mills" that are setting up in low income areas and bilking our medicaid systems for millions and millions of dollars, at the expense of the mental health of our nations children. They decorate the offices to be "kid friendly" which in my opinion misrepresents the clinics as employing "Pediatric Dentists" when in fact few have spent the two extra years training to treat the little ones.

They get away with it by stating under their kid friendly signage "General Dentistry For Kids". The key word being "General Dentistry".
In my opinion this is misleading to parents.

Another way dentist get away with strapping children down in the "blanket" treatment consent form. Parents need to read those forms over very carefully. You may very well be consenting to torture of your children by the "Professionals".

Consumers must be aware at all times! I also worry about these dental buses that come to schools to treat children who are on public assistance. We know the parents are not present when this happens, and surely a consent for treatment form was sent home for parents to sign.

Lord knows what they agreed to, and in you don't know what a Papoose Board is, or a Pediwrap or Rainbow wrap is, (they sound so warm and fuzzy don't they) of course parents are going to sign it. After all these parents are excited and thankful, little Johnny and little Sally are going to get the much needed dental treatment they probably need.

Is Ocean Dental Another Small Smiles?

Well, this particular blogger doesn't know too much about Ocean Dental at this point other than the small bits I've posted. What I do know is they have entered an industry riddled with bad press, bad reviews, serious child abuse accusations, and federal fraud accusations.

So what can they expect really?

If they are on the up and up and have very clear guidelines and have set the highest degrees of standards of care it will still take them decades to shake the stigma brought on by the DeRose Family of Dental Clinics, namely Small Smiles, Smile High, SmileStarters, Carolina Dental Center, DeRose Dental Center, Medicaid Dental Center, Kool Smiles and the various other names in which the DeRose's carry on business.

Dentists throughout the land should be furious about this black eye the DeRose's have bestowed upon them. However, all dentists bare some responsibility in this.

If not for private pay dentists failure to accept mediciad patients, the DeRose's would not have had the door opened quite as wide for them to stroll through now would they?

I say that Ocean Dental has a very long and hard road ahead of them before they can even come close to calling their venture into treating medicaid patients a success.

As of right now there are more mediciad dental treatment clinics cropping up than Starbucks. One one street in any given poor community there could be a Small Smiles on one corner, a Kool Smiles on the next and Ocean Dental on the other. Worse the Rite Aid and CVS. These clinics are popping quicker than mushrooms after a spring rain.

Arcapita Bank Only Owns Tangible Assets of Forba

First just let me say this is going to be one confusing post but it's needed to lay the ground work for more posts to come.
Let's look at Arcapita Bank, formerly known as First Islamic Bank. It has several holdings here in the US including Church's Chicken, PODS, Caribou Coffee and Forba/Small Smiles.
Cresent Capital, based in Atlanta is a subsidiary of Arcapita Bank.
While foreign ownership of U.S. businesses is nothing new, the bank is paving some new ground by choosing its investments according to Islamic religious law, known as Sharia.
Because of religious law, the bank also avoids charging or paying interest. So, instead of operating like a traditional bank, Arcapita collects money for long-term investments and follows some creative methods to get a profitable return.
Use a leasing type structure the companies they acquire will sell its buildings and machinery to the bank [and] the bank will lease those assets back to the company. So, instead of interest payments, you have rental payments. Now we don't know which buildings Arcapita owns or what machinery but this is the way they invest in American companies.
Basically Forba/Small Smiles pays Arcapita rental payments every month while still actually owning the actual company, Forba. So Dan, Michael, Eddie, and Mike Roumph, Dan's partner in crime still own, always have owned Forba Small Smiles.
Here is one commentary on how this bank operates:

SHAUNTI FELDHAHN (COMMENTARY):
At first glance, companies practicing Muslim Shariah look like a conservative investor's dream -- establishments that family-oriented consumers would want to support. Companies following Shariah avoid gambling, porn and alcoholic businesses, will not charge interest and will not try to produce extreme profits. One giant Bahrain-based financial holding company that follows Shariah, until recently named the First Islamic Investment Bank (now called Arcapita), is the largest Middle East-based investment firm in the U.S. Caribou Coffee, PODS and Church's Chicken are just three of its many holdings.
The problem comes when you realize that Shariah is an all-encompassing ideology that many adherents believe should not and cannot be limited just to business. In many countries, its personal application leads to terrible human-rights violations, such as men being allowed to beat and subjugate their wives, authorities cutting off hands for stealing, and so on.
Oil-cash-rich Middle Eastern companies are investing in the U.S. and elsewhere at a record pace. Many practice the business form of Shariah. But when you and I patronize those businesses, where do our dollars actually go?
Arcapita's Web site forthrightly explains that 81 percent of the organization "is held by over 255 prominent individuals and institutions mostly from the Arabian Gulf region." This means that a huge percentage of the profit of this massive company go to 255 wealthy, influential Middle Eastern groups and individuals. And history has shown that they aren't always people with human rights or American interests at heart. In 2002 Arcapita power-broker Yusuf Al-Qaradawi defended the bloody acts of Palestinian terrorists by commending "our brothers and children in Al-Aqsa and the blessed land of Palestine generously sacrificing their blood, giving their souls willingly in the way of Allah." He later stepped down.
I have always loved Caribou Coffee, but as I walked by one recently, I hesitated to go in. I'm really not sure that the 255 Middle Eastern investors that own most of it have our national values or interests at heart. And if they fervently support business Shariah, it seems highly likely that some of them use their wealth and influence to spread family Shariah as well. When there is a choice of coffee shops, do I really want to support all that with my own money?

Dr. Melanie Abrams

I guess since FORBA/Small Smiles really shouldn't even be open in Kentucky. Are they doing like they are doing in Kansas and saying the dentist at the clinic, Melanie Abrams is the owner of the clinic? Anyone who has a brain knows that simply isn't the case. Either way, as with most dentists associated with Small Smiles who have been named here, their family come avisitin' this site. Evidently she had family in Owensboro, Kentucky who are concerned Melanie may be in a bit over her head perhaps.

In fact, I would be money if you got your hands on a company directory at the headquarters it would list Kansas offices as well as Kentucky offices, anyone got one I could take a sneak peek at...LOL?

Name:

MELANIE ABRAMS

Address:

SMALL SMILES OF LOUISVILLE

Address 2:

3438 TAYLOR BLVD

City, State, Zip:

LOUISVILLE KY 40215

Phone:

502/366-4442

License:

8374

License Issue Date:

5/30/2006 0:00:00

License Expire Date:

12/31/2009 0:00:00

Practice Type:

GENERAL DENTIST

Michael A. DeRose is MAD

This is for those who are suing Michael A. DeRose.
There is another company owned by him along with Clint and Craig DeRose (his sons I'm guessing).
It's called MAD Family, LLC (Michael A. DeRose). At one time MAD, LLC and Gwyn and Tony, LLC (who the heck ever they are) were in business together buying home across Pueblo.

(I think this brings the total of different companies Michael DeRose is owns or is associated with up to 29 or 30, I've really lost count)

If you go here, agree to the terms and search MAD Family, LLC or MAD, LLC a whole list of properties will pop up. It's almost shocking. There are 42 of them totaling $7,015,800.

Once again this shows the life style this dentist lives. How many dentists do you know that live like this? None that aren't either in or headed to jail.

DeRose Padula Enterprises

It appears the DeRose Dental Conglomerate has yet another couple of names to add to the ever growing cauldron. First there is DeRose Padula Enterprises, LLC, a dental clinic located at 1560 Bonforte Blvd, Pueblo, CO, valued at $141096. They've had this property for several years and I'm not sure what name this clinic actually goes by, other than it's owned by DeRose Padula Enterprises, LLC with consists of Ed DeRose, Neta DeRose, and Adolph Padula, well you can see for yourself by clicking here.

Then there is another building said to be a dental clinic, was a church at one time, located at 1022 Liberty, Lane, Pueblo valued at close to 1/2 million dollars. This one is owned by DeRose Padula Enterprises (no LLC). You can look at it for yourself by clicking here.

WARNING: Head Start Programs To Offer Dental Care

WARNING TO PARENTS OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HEAD START PROGRAMS.

• READ CONSENT FORMS CAREFULLY PRIOR TO ALLOWING ANY TREATMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN THE NEW HEAD START DENTAL PROGRAM.

• MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT CONSENTING TO HAVING YOUR CHILD TIED UP/STRAPPED DOWN IN A RESTRAINT OF ANY KIND.

AAPD teams up with Head Start
New program will help secure dental homes for at-risk children Posted Feb. 20, 2008

By Stacie Crozier

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Head Start are teaming up to help establish dental homes for young children enrolled in Head Start.
The AAPD Head Start Dental Home Initiative will be publicly announced Feb. 28 with a press conference in Washington. The initiative will create a national network of dentists to provide dental homes for Head Start and Early Head Start children, said Dr. John S. Rutkauskas, AAPD executive director.
"AAPD and Head Start are partnering at the national, regional, state and local levels to develop a national network of dentists to link Head Start children with dental homes," said Dr. Rutkauskas. "Dental homes mean that children's oral health care is delivered by dentists to children through an ongoing relationship that is comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated and family-centered." Read the full story here.

Former Dentist With Small Smiles Confesses

WARNING: Video at the end of this report may be very disturbing.

2-15-2008
(Rochester, N.Y.) - Last December, 13WHAM showed a disturbing video tape of children strapped in restraints undergoing multiple root canals while their parents were kept out of the room.

Now, the man who once ran the Irondequoit Small Smiles Branch is speaking out for the first time.

He was jailed for fraud. In a follow-up to our 13 WHAM News investigation, he told Jane Flasch that some of the procedures that so traumatized children weren't even necessary.

Rochester's Small Smiles dental office opened with a promise to serve children who don't get regular dental care. Clinic director, Dr. David Gardner, was hauled into a Monroe County court 14 months later.

Gardner pleaded guilty to grand larceny and left Rochester for prison. Now, he wants to come clean about what he says was going on behind closed doors on Ridge Road in Irondequoit.

"Taxpayer dollars are being wasted because they're paying for treatment that's not getting done, treatment that doesn't need to be done, and children aren't being treated like children," Gardner said.

Ashley Sones was a patient during that time. Nine of her teeth were extracted. Another dentist reviewed Ashley's x-rays.

He confirmed that at least two of her teeth could have been saved. But, her file did not contain enough information about the rest.

She never did get partial she was promised; it was denied.

Some very young Small Smiles patients had metal caps, crowns, and root canals. Dentists dispute whether root canals and crowns are the best treatment option for young patients.

However, Gardner said he was under pressure from the corporation to make $1 million every year.

"The biggest thing you can do is those baby root canals and crowns because it’s $220 that Medicaid does not question. It’s just $220, $220, $220," Gardner said.

The Rochester office would not allow cameras inside.

Gardner said they routinely used another controversial technique to restrain children. On an attached video taken at a Small Smiles in Maryland, you can see a small child strapped to a papoose board which holds his body and arms immobile.

Gardner said papoose boards were encouraged in order to complete four or more root canals at a time. Even though it made kids frightened and stressed.

"Stressed out enough to wet their pants, sweat completely through their clothes, be all wet," Gardner said. He said he was told, “Clean them up as best you can before you give them to mom and dad."

Ashley Sones said both she and her younger brother Wesley were physically held down.

"My heart was racing,” she said. “It felt like blood was rushing through my body."

Their mother never even knew. It was Small Smiles policy not to allow parents to be with their children.

"I trusted them,” said Ashley’s mother Wendy. “That's their job."

Since our reports first aired in December, Small Smiles changed its policies. It now allows parents to be present with their children for procedures.

While it still uses papoose boards, the policy is clearly posted and parents can refuse. As for Gardner, the company characterized him as someone with an ax to grind.

Gardner confessed to billing Medicaid for work he did not do.

Investigators say Small Smiles cooperated in the investigation against Gardner and repaid nearly half a million dollars.

Gardner has surrendered his medical license and now sells RVs in Indianapolis.

He says he was pressured into the Small Smiles way of doing business with the understanding that if he were caught, he would be taken care of.

"I've lost my career, I've lost my livelihood," he said.

A member of the Pediatric Dentistry Program at SUNY Buffalo conducted an independent review of the Small Smiles Rochester office last month.

He concluded that restraints, crowns, and other procedures are being used in the proper manner.

Nevertheless, we were not allowed to see a copy of the review documents.

The reviewer spent only half a day at the clinic and did not interview parents. Criminal investigations are underway in several states including New York.

Small Smiles is the name of the clinics in the Rochester NY area, however they also go under different names including Kool Smiles, all managed my FORBA, LLC out of Nashville, TN a subsidiary of Arcapita Bank based in the Middle East.

See this dentists Plea Agreement, Read about his bonus paid to him from Small Smiles, and more here






Since the report aired, Small Smiles has changed its policies, now allowing parents to accompany their children during procedures. Small Smiles cooperated with authorities, repaid close to half a million dollars.

Continue here

More Disturbing Allegations Against Small Smiles

Small Smiles is under National Investigation due to an investigation siting barbaric treatment of children in it's dental offices across the nation according to ABC-7 news.


Here is a transcript of the latest report from ABC-7 I-Team Investigation in the DC area.
Date:2-11-08

This is Brandon from N. Carolina showing off his mouthful of baby root canals capped in metal.


And Daniel from Colorado with abrasions and welts from visiting the dentist.


And Miguel from Maryland, strapped down on a papoose board while his mother is forced to wait outside.


Miguel's treatment was not an isolated case. The I-Team has learned that routine use of papoose boards in the Small Smiles network of clinics has injured and traumatized children, and may have played a role in this child's death.


At least a dozen states have launched civil or criminal investigations, many


of them prompted by our reports.


In Arizona…4 year old Jonathan strapped in restraints died from an overdose of anesthesia while this dentist performed five baby root canals.


Dr. Matthew Nolen: "No comment."


The state investigation found that Jonathan was restrained "for no justifiable reason" and his symptoms "could have been masked by the papoose board." The dentist's license was revoked.


Roberta Baskin: "Does the Small Smiles home office encourage the use of these papoose boards?


Doug Gardner: "Yes."


In New York Doug Gardner lost HIS dental license after being convicted of Medicaid fraud for double billing at a Small Smiles clinic.


Doug Gardner: "When you're throwing that much treatment at Medicaid that quickly, they can't check everything."


The I-Team tracked Gardner down to Indianapolis, where he agreed to speak out about Small Smiles practices for the first time.


Doug Gardner: "Taxpayer dollars are being wasted because they're paying for treatment that's not getting done, treatment that doesn't need to be done, and children aren't being treated like children."


This Small Smiles patient remembers being physically held down in the Rochester clinic two years ago.


Ashley Sones: "I was sweating. My whole body was shaking. It was like I was having a seizure."


Gardner says it was not uncommon.


Roberta Baskin: "How stressed out did these patients get?


Doug Gardner: "Stressed out enough to wet their pants, sweat completely through their clothes, be all wet."


Roberta Baskin: "And how are you told to manage that?


Doug Gardner: "Clean them up as best you can before you get them back to mom or dad."


That's another Small Smiles policy. Separating parents from children during dental procedures. In North Carolina Brandon's mom couldn't imagine what was taking three hours until he emerged with 16 baby root canals and steel caps.


Christy Dillbeck/Brandon's mother: "I couldn't stop crying cuz I was very upset and wanted to see him."


In Colorado, these police photos are evidence of young children bruised from restraints. Daniel had 8 teeth drilled and capped in one sitting.


Beatrice Ponce/Daniel's mother: "He just hears the word 'dentist' and he starts to cry and scream that he doesn't want to go in."


Dentists tell us baby root canals and caps may not always be the best treatment option for young patients, but DO result in the best reimbursement for Small Smiles.


Doug Gardner: "The Small Smiles way of taking care of children is to maximize every dollar that they can, during that patient visit, at all costs."


After Gardner's clinic was audited, Small Smiles paid back $444,000 in overcharges.


Gardner: "I've lost my career. I've lost my livelihood." "I'm unemployable now."


Except as an RV salesman in Indianapolis… where he can't forget the pressure from Small Smiles to break a million dollars in profits each year.


"The biggest thing you can do is those baby root canals and crowns cuz it's $220 that Medicaid does not question. ...its just 220, 220, 220, 220, 220."
-----------------------------------------------------


AS A RESULT OF OUR REPORTS, THE MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS LAUNCHED A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF SMALL SMILES.


THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY, FORBA, TOOK OVER THE CLINICS IN SEPT 2006 AND SAYS IT CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEMS THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THEN.


THEY DECLINED AN ON CAMERA INTERVIEW, BUT TELL US THEY'RE UNDERTAKING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IN MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT.

At the site above you can read a couple of so called statements from the folks at FORBA. They really don't say a whole lot...other than a lot of blah blah blah. What I find most interesting is what they Do Not mentions.

Here is FORBA-Small Smiles-Kool Smiles Latest Statement...like I said... a lot of blah blah blah. I did note that the press release is from the renowned Rubin Meyer, a "marketing" and "communication" firm in Washington DC. Here is what Ruben Meyer says at their site as to exactly what they do:

Many companies face challenges from regulators and policymakers in Washington and must navigate what can be a difficult business environment. The days of the back-room deal are gone. Today it takes hard work, creativity, and a clear message to get the job done in Washington.

Maybe it's just me but I read that as "Lobbyist". What is clear is that these people at FORBA-Small Smiles-Kool Smiles whatever have some really big bucks to spend to hire these people for their press releases.

Date: 2-8-08
Don Meyer
Donald.Meyer@rubinmeyer.com
202-834-6859


STATEMENT OF FORBA DENTAL MANAGEMENT
Nashville, TN – FORBA Dental Management, management company of Small Smiles
Dental Centers, released the following statement today:
“The current executive leadership and ownership of FORBA Dental
Management, the management company of Small Smiles, has been in place
since September 2006. Since that time, our objective has been to provide highquality
dental care to children in underserved communities nationwide, and we
have taken steps to improve the policies and culture of the company to meet
that goal.
“Most recently, we have launched a number of initiatives, detailed in previous
statements to WJLA, to improve care and ensure a positive experience for
children and parents at Small Smiles Dental Centers.
“Under our management, Small Smiles’ 1,600 employees and caregivers
work tirelessly to ensure that underserved children receive the highest
quality, compassionate care at our facilities nationwide.”

They fail to address the fact that they are also called Kool Smiles in many states. At this point in time Kool Smiles are popping up on every street corner. You can do job searches and Kool Smiles are looking for employees in many states across the US. Not so many under the name Small Smiles. Wonder why that is exactly?

My hat's is off to the people at ABC-7 Investigation team. Forba has posted another great statement with general denial on the website of WJLA under the comments section, however I wonder why they keep making "statements" and won't answer some  hard questions.
  Amazing though how since this latest report has come out, there are people signing up on the comments section to basically stick up for FORBA, wonder if they might me part of the new marketing machine, ya think? Do these posters actually think people are stupid or what?

Water boarding is all over the news as to whether it's an appropriate torture for murders at Gitmo. I tell you what, I'm more concerned about "Papoose Boarding" right here stateside and this is being done to our very own children buy dentists across the US.

It certainly isn't just these dental chains who are making the news, it's your local private dentist as well.

Parents Overbilled For Pediatric Dental Care

Below is snippet from a blog of another parent complaining about being ripped off by a pediatric dentist. The dentist is out of Colorado Springs, CO of all places. If you've been keeping up with my blog you know there are many references to children's dentistry and the great state of Colorado.

If the dentist had not been so greedy hitting the parents up for more money they probably would have gotten away with over billing the insurance company.

I encourage EVERYONE to really look over the statements your insurance company sends you showing the amount they paid your dentist. Don't hesitate to call your dentist and ask about items you don't recognize or clearly understand.

If you find charges you feel are fraudulent file a complaint with the following:
The BBB
Your State's Dental Board
The ADA
The Federal Trade Commission
Your Insurance Company
Your State's Attorney General


Also the ADA has procedure codes (standardized codes used to bill insurance companies for each procedure). Don't hesitate to call other dentists and ask what they charge for the particular code of interest. You can also do this to "shop around".

We reviewed the bills, they charged us for 5 cavities and told us they going to do one. They charged significantly over what the insurance considers reasonable and expect us to pay the difference.

We are still trying to figure out why they charged $300 for sedation when our regular dentist charges $45. Why we have a bill for 5 cavities when one was fixed. Until we figure this out DO NOT GO TO COLORADO SPRINGS CHILDREN'S DENTISTRY.

We have paid almost $1000 for one infected tooth. I believe they are taking advantage of us by overcharging and billing for work that wasn't done.

Steer clear of Derek Kirkham DDS, and the rest of Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry. This practice is out to rob you blind.

Check out the full complaint here.

Georgia DCH Statement Regarding Kool Smiles Investigation

DCH Statement Concerning Possible Class Action
Lawsuit Regarding Medicaid Dental Services

No child in our Medicaid or PeachCare for KidsTM programs has lost dental benefits or been
dropped from the program due to the contract disputes between Kool Smiles, P.C. and the care
management organizations (CMO), Peach State Health Plan and WellCare of Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) will thoroughly investigate all the allegations received from parents/guardians of patients and other dentists concerning poor care delivery received from Kool Smiles, P.C.

The Department will also investigate allegations and concerns reported to DCH including but not
limited to:
o Patterns of “over-utilization of services” and questions raised about the appropriateness of
care delivered
o “Unusual patterns of patient restraint”(such as use of restraining boards for children) and
sedation vs. Traditional Pain Management (usage of Nitrous Oxide or IV sedation)
compared to other dentists and normal averages
o “Over-utilization of stainless steel crowns” in children compared to other dentists and
normal averages
o “Lower use of preventive care” (i.e.: fewer sealants used to prevent cavities per patient
treated) compared to other dentists
o “Over-utilization of X-rays” compared to other dentists and normal averages

The adequacy of the dental networks for both Peach State Health Plan and WellCare of Georgia
are closely monitored and assessed by DCH.

August 22, 2007

In March 2007, the DCH Inspector General began an audit of Kool Smiles, P.C., which precedes
the current contract termination between the CMOs and the provider. Until the audit is complete, the Department will offer no comment on that investigation.

DCH offers no comment during pending litigation. If included in the lawsuit, the State of Georgia
will be represented by the Attorney General’s Office. Inquiries should be directed to the AG’s
office.

According to Georgia Families records:
o 24,000 or five percent of current WellCare of Georgia members have received services
from Kool Smiles, P.C. since implementation of the Georgia Families program
o 20,500 or seven percent current Peach State Health Plan members have received services
from Kool Smiles, P.C. since implementation of the Georgia Families program

The Smile Behind Small Smiles

Meet, Atif A. Abdulmalik, of Bahrain. He is the CEO of Arcapita Bank, formerly Islamic Investment Bank until it changed it's name in early 2005. This is the company behind FORBA, LLC, or at least one of them.

FORBA, LLC is Small Smiles.

I don't know a lot about Venture Capitalist, Holding Companies nor how they all operate change hands, move about or hide.

Here is what I have found out here on the net:

There was The Carlyle Group, American Capital Strategies, and Arcapita Bank who got together and created Small Smiles Holding Company to purchase Sanus Holding who had just acquired FORBA in the fall of 2006.

In a press release found in a Nashville newspaper it states that Sanus Holding acquired FORBA, LLC and moved it's office to Nashville.

Then there is a report in January 2007 "Arcapita Bank, an Islamic Investment Firm and it's affiliated acquired Sanus Holding.

I don't know how all this worked but what I can figure out is that all of the medicaid and other state insurance programs who are billed for work done (necessary and UNnecessary) from Kool Smiles and evidently Small Smiles is headed to Bahrain, off the coast of Saudi Arabia.

Looks like our tax dollars are padding the pockets of another Islamic country via abusive dental care.

Abusive treatment of our kids and their teeth, over billing our medicaid system and no telling what else I've not discovered yet is just a kick in my teeth!

Don't take your Kids to these Dental Chains for heavens sake!

Wake Pediatric Dentistry-Johnson City, NC

If you live in Johnson City, NC and have children who have an upcoming appointment at Wake Pediatric Dentistry, you might save your child a life of torment if you take a few minutes and check out this discussion.

Shocking and Sickening!
There are a few compliments on the dental practice, some from it's own employees, however the complaints are very very upsetting. Don't miss the first page of this discussion, nor the last one even if you don't read one word in between.

Here are a couple of reviews of Wake Pediatric Dentistry from 2006, they weren't so good either.

Like I've been trying to point out with the blog, it's not just Small Smiles, Kool Smiles and other dental care chain traumatizing our children for a buck.

There are recounts after recounts of different dentist in this area using these barbaric type of behavioral management techniques.

Here are just a few dentists names listed as Bad Apples in this particular discussion group:
Dr. Horowitz
Dr. Parrish
Dr.Swarr office in Raleigh

Papoose Boards- Not In The UK

According to what I've been able to find out on the net, the General Dental Council in the UK prohibits the use of papoose boards several years ago for normal and pediatric dentistry.

Here is a discussion forum about it.

Children Dental Clinic, Does Not Mean Pediatric Dentist

Over the course of the last few days I looked into, read, reread, watched reports from news organizations across the Internet on some of these Dental Clinics designated for treating children and some even taking children on medicaid or state insured children only.

Some have sweet websites with smiling children splashed on each page and show the kid friendly decor and the happy smiling faces of the dentists and staff.

Small Smiles, Kool Smiles, Smile High, and Ocean Dental are the main clinics I've looked at in recent days.

Something I thought was a bit misleading to parents and the children treated is even though they are geared toward children, designed specifically for children does not mean they employ Pediatric Dentists or owned by Pediatric Dentists. Most I've looked at are only trained in General Dentistry.

Now I'm not saying by any means they don't have a clue about dentistry. Nor am I saying they took correspondence course to get their licenses. Many may well have attended wonderful dental colleges. I'm just saying because the clinic/office is decorated in cartoon characters doesn't mean they are Pediatric Dentists.

For example there are job ads online for Ocean Dental looking for dentists, assistants, office and administrative personnel. However, the critiria for the dentist do not ask or require them to be actual Pediatric Dentists, with the 2 extra years of training for treating children dental issues.

In their ads they never say they are Pediatric Dentists-(Pedodontist) they say something like "General Dentistry For Kids and Young Adults" so they are not breaking any laws to my knowledge.

It's just the whole set up makes you think you are getting a pediatric dentist to treat your children, so buyer beware.

It's not hard to find out if they are licensed in Pediatric Dentistry. All I had to do was check out the company sites, see the names of the dentists at different clinics or who owns the clinics and check to see if they hold a Pediatric License or a member of the AAPD. Pretty simple really. Many of them will list the dentist's name, where he/she went to school, what association he/she's a member of..etc.

I'm getting a bit off subject here though messing with this kind of information.

My complaint is "STOP STRAPPING DOWN CHILDREN FOR DENTAL CARE"