At least 27 Corporate Identities for DeRose Dental Family of Companies

First I'm thinking to myself, these people and those yet to be named out loud have to just absolutely hate the Internet! And you gotta know they HATE me beyond words. I expect to start getting threats any day now...

I know they are so wishing this would just go away, Small Smiles, Kool Smiles, Smile Starters, Smile High, The DeRose's, Drs. Tran and Pham, all of them!

You know when I will go away, when they are run out of the country, doors closed on each and every abusing dentist office across this nation and a huge bon fire of papoose boards is lit at our nations Capitol, so it looks like I'm going to be doggin this subject and those involved for a very very long time!

When they first started this Kruelty To Children dental business plan, they couldn't have foreseen how much of their information would be available to just anyone who wanted to take the time to find it.

Second, I'm kinda just thinking out loud here,... trying to get the mass of information I've collected in some kind of order in my head, but at this point, it's spinning!

Where and how did Arcapita get all messed up in this. I mean for 460.3 million dollars as is reported that at some point was given to someone (several someones, several LLC's, INC's whatever..more on this one) for FORBA, LLC what did Arcapita get? (...a mess is what I'm thinking...lol...just kidding guys, don't get bent all outta shape)

Again I'm confused because in some reports it says that Arcapita Bank got FORBA for 142 million in Jan. 2006 see here.

Then other reports (arcapita's annual report) of Aracapita (no bank on this one) got FORBA for 460.3 Million! WOW that's a huge profit in little under a year for someone!!! WOW!!

Or did Arcapita get FORBA at all... Hmmmmm .... I dunno... cause ...well read on...


But according to documents I find, FORBA, LLC is really LIC SAC, LLC...owned by Dan DeRose... or is it really... Hmmmm..... I dunno... read on.... (yes, I said LIC as in Lick and SAC as in Sack)


I don't understand how private investment firms or large Investment Banks, like in Arcapita works. Not one clue. Can anyone honestly tell me if Arcapita Bank owns all these Small Smiles/FORBA or did they just put up a huge amount of money for these guys to build some more clinics, torture chambers as some would say.

I know the real movers and shakers, who facilitated and participated in this DeRose-FORBA, LLC-Small Smiles-Arcapita thingy visit hear nearly everyday. I'm sure they understand the whole thing.

According to the Colorado Secretary of State, FORBA, LLC changed it's name to LIC SAC, LLC 10-2-06 and is currently delinquent in it's filings with the state of Colorado.

Sooooooooooooo, if FORBA, LLC is operating in Colorado or any state that requires it, shouldn't there be a "Foreign Entity" filing for ya? (HINT! HINT!) I didn't find one in Colorado, Tennessee or the famous Delaware. (for those reading that don't know, Delaware is a common place to file your Corporation because of it's protective laws among other things)

I've gone back and gone over all the document filings a bit more, (not much I admit) and MY GOD, talk about name changes, flip flopping corportations, LLC's and DBA's, honestly folks!

It would take 10 lawyers, 35 CPA's and a tree chart the size of a football field to line all of it out and 20 years. (hmmm...bet that is just the way it was planned) And I know good and well, all of these companies require a full service CPA firm, with a house full of accountants dedicated to only Edward J. DeRose, Michael DeRose, and Dan DeRose and all their many companies.

Back in the day, prior to Internet and access to the files at the secretary of states, it would take federal agencies years to sort it all out, then I'm not sure it would be right.

I admit, about the time I get in figured out in my head, I get confused once again. I know the (think I know) the "donor sperm" for all the companies to follow was Smile High Partners back in 1998, no wait, it's DeRose Children's Dental... Crap! I'm confused again.

Here are just a few company names I've fan across in just three states all trailing right back to the DeRose Dental Corruption Family: (I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg)
TIP: For any of you that decide to check out the sos website in North Carolina, you have to hit everything twice for some reason). God only knows there must be at least this many more I didn't find!
Smile High Partners
Smile High Dental Partners
Smille High Dentistry For Children, PC

FORBA, LLC
FORBA Mangement, LLC
FORBA, Inc
FORBA Holding, Inc
FORBA Services (wonder what kind of servicing they do?)
Sanus Inc
Sanus Holding, LLC
Sanus Servies, LLC,INC, whatever...

DeRose Children's Dental Center, Inc or LLC (something or other, I forget at this point.)
DeRose Children's Dental Center, PC
DeRose Management, LLC-consulting service for dental clinics
Dr. Michael A. DeRose Professional Corporation
Edward and Michael DeRose Corporation
Lazarus, LLC see here
6th Street of Denver Dental Clinic
Children's Medicaid Dental Clinic in Aurora, CO

Small Smiles
Small Smiles Holding
Small Smiles of ________ (insert many different names of corporations here it, pretty much any city they have a clinic in or did at the time)

Medicaid Dental Centers
SmileStarters or Smile Starters
Carolina Dental Center
Ballance-DeRose, D.D.S., PC
Michael Anthony DeRose, DDS, PC
MAD, LLC
Friends of Football, Inc

Then there is Tran and Pham leaving Smile High and creating:

Kool Smiles
Kool Smiles 2
Kool Smiles Holding (does anyone see a pattern here beside me)

BTW, to those out there that think ffl owns Kool Smiles, that is inncorrect:
Here is what FFL Partners.com says:

Kool Smiles manages dental clinics providing oral healthcare primarily to pediatric Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (“SCHIP”) patients, a niche on which few dental healthcare providers concentrate. This lack of access for children on Medicaid provides an attractive market opportunity to Kool Smiles as it continues to build additional clinics with a mission to provide quality care to this underserved population.
The company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. FFL invested in KoolSmiles in 2004 to provide liquidity to founders and growth capital.

Clearly Kool Smiles is up to exactly what Small Smiles, FORBA, and the DeRose's private clinics have the exact same business model.

Wouldn't you just love to get a look at their "Mission Statement"!!

There are thousands and I mean thousands of posts all across the Internet of horrific treatment of children by Kool Smiles, knows to others who have had experiences there are Kruel Smiles.

Each and every time these companies hire big and I mean big PR firms to spread their corporate propoganda. (hell I be the hire people to spend hours on the Internet make false positive posts about these places)

A person can't even count the number of statements saying the negative reports are false, misleading, from disgruntled employees, isolated incidents and blah blah blah.

But there just can't be thousand and thousands of horrible stories and reports from people all across this nation and them not be true factual statements!
A Few of all the LLC, INC's, PC's, and CC's (joking about the cc's, but there does seem to be a pattern of carbon copie companies, but that would make them, ccc's wouldn't it...oh well....) are defunct, but not many of them. Most are current with all their required filings with the Secretary of State in Colorado. FORBA, LLC - LICSAC,LLC is delinquent.

A couple have different address, but most have either one or two:

415 N. Grand Street, Pueblo, CO where DD Marketing has it's location. (Dan DeRose, well he helps schools raise money, he's dad and brother don't seem to need his help doing that...lol) (Wait, does anyone see a pattern here... children, schools, dentist, children,... )

And most of the others use the 618 Church Street, Suite 520 address in Nashville. The only one to really venture off to a new address is Sanus and it's various names and it uses 111417th Ave South, Suite 201, Nashville, TN.

Is it just me, or does it seem that they just have too many company names?

I mean I understand some, really I do. But not this many! I would understand a mother/father company for all the dental clinics and maybe each location have it's own corporation.

I would understand one for the Real Estate. And one for the Management Service.

But the others just seem like trying to bury themselves in a very long paper trail, so why would you need to do that, being you are all up and up in the business community and all.

Honestly and I'm not kidding here... I think a couple of times, they changed the names of one of the companies, back and forth twice!

Hiding and Campaign Contributions seem two "sneaky" reasons to have so many. According to campaign records many of the company names as well as each individual and their spouses were "major" contributors to Governor Bill Ritter and The Colorado Republican Committee.

-------

At first in all of this I was thinking why real Pediatric Dentists "Pedo's", as they are referred didn't throw a fit about these people, but then I realized they keep from stepping on the toes of their peers by catering (exploiting, torturing, abusing, traumatizing) poorer families and children, whose parents couldn't come close to affording going to a real pediatric dentist, heck I sure couldn't afford it.

But then you have to assume this doesn't just happen to public assistant children, it happens to private pay children, and private insurance companies as well...

One other thought here:
Something tells me if a person put Kool Smiles and Small Smiles FORBA on the auction block today, they wouldn't get much for it! If Arcapita owns/invested in/backed/purchased,whatever, they got majorly screwed last year or the prior, which ever is correct, didn't they?

DD Marketing-Dan DeRose-Forba Web Address

So the DeRose's say they actually sold all their various clinics under all the name variations I've wrote about to FORBA.

In a few prior posts I've shown where they did little more than file Corporate Name Change forms in Colorado, the change the name of the door at the Nashville, TN Church Street Address, right.

And from all the "press" the companies (really one or two companies, just name changes remember) it's reported that FORBA (Holding, LLC, INC pick one..) bought all these clinics and the great growth of Small Smiles Across America started.

Wonder why Dan DeRose's (right) company, DD Marketing in Pueblo, CO, 415 N. Grand, AV had his website promoting DD Marketing at......


.....are you ready......

Forba.com in Jan. 2007.

Of course it's not that way now, but it was.










...and it's an exact copy if you were to go back and look at what ddmktg.com looked like in Dec. 2004 you would see the exact same website. It's been redesigned since, but not by much.

DDM-DD Marketing says:

....DDM has been successful in the management of Capital Campaigns for a variety of projects across the country. Grant writing, donor prospecting, donor research, pledge management, auditing, day to day staffing and special event planning are a few of the areas of expertise DDM brings to each contract.

Hmmm...............

DD Marketing also has a division called The Media Center.

Here's what they say about it:

The Media Center is the advertising division for DD Marketing's projects. Media Center's services include concept & creative development, graphic design, video and audio production, media buying, web, research, data-mining and direct mail. Recently their Beyond The Medal of Honor film documentary received two Emmy awards and four nominations. To learn more go to: www.beyondthemedal.com

Contact The Media Center: brad@mediacentercolorado.com

Dan is the original Agent and Incorporator of FORBA, Inc.

More Trouble for FORBA-Small Smiles-Michael and Ed DeRose

Man these guys are in deep poo poo all over the place aren't they. Everyday there is breaking news, keeps a person busy for sure. My goodness there's so much crap on these people a person would need a novel the size of War and Peace to get it all lined out.

Torturing Children, Not paying their employees, ripping off our tax dollars, have more corporations than 5 people could keep track of... on and on!

From all the visits to this site over the last few weeks, especially today and yesterday, the folks at Creighton University are a bit bent outta shape over the shame the DeRose's have brought the the university.

In case you aren't aware, Michael and his dad Ed and mom, whatever her name is have their hands and name on all sorts of things at Creighton. Honors here, and honors there, and seats on this and that. Guess they've given millions of dollars to the place.

Wonder how the folks at Creighton feel about how they got all that money the DeRose's gave? Do people not ask where it came from anymore? I mean, really, wouldn't a person ask if these people were putting themselves out there to helping the poor, how they had so much money!

Look at 'em. They have now cheated their own employees out of money to live high on the hog! Aren't you people sick to death of the DeRose's, Small Smiles and FORBA??

C'mon!

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2006/10/16/focus4.html
October 2006
News Release From the Department of Labor

Pueblo Children’s Dentistry Company to Pay More Than $343,000 in Back Wages to 523 Employees

Agreement with U.S. Department of Labor Settles Overtime Pay Violations

PUEBLO -- Forba LLC., doing business as Small Smiles Dental, Pueblo, Colo. has agreed to pay $343,479 in overtime back wages to 523 employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The Pueblo-based firm operates 27 children’s dentistry offices in Colorado and nine other states including Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and South Carolina.
“This investigation reflects the Labor Department’s commitment to ensure that employees receive the full wages they have earned,” said Alex Salaiz, Wage and Hour Division district director in Denver. “Employers must make sure they pay their employees for all hours worked and that the exemptions allowed under the regulations are properly applied.”
The employer violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by failing to pay for all hours worked and by erroneously classifying non-professional employees and clerical staff as exempt from overtime.
The company agreed to future compliance and payment of all back wages.
Enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, the FLSA requires that employers pay covered workers at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one-half their regular rate of pay for hours worked more than 40 in a single workweek. Employers also must maintain adequate and accurate records of employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment.
For more information about the FLSA, call the Department of Labor's toll-free help line at 1 (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243) or contact the Denver District Office at (720) 264-3250. Information is also available on the Internet at www.dol.gov/esa/whd.

Michael DeRose Still Looking For Grads To Work At Smile Starters

WOW and I thought he had nothing to do with Smile Starters.
Guaranteed starting salary 144k, new grads welcome, great place to start!
Funny how Tish (Letitia Ballance) and Mike (Michael DeRose) both put adds out at various Dental Schools for dentists to come join in their supposedly (new and separated) dental clinics about the same time. Tish says it a "group", wonder where she found others to "group" with on such short notice. Remember Tish has Access West in Asheville, and Mikie has Smilestarters (all one word if you go searching for it).

Honestly, you just gotta love these guys for keeping on keeping on, don't ya?
thesmilestarters.com

The Ad was posted 2-2008!
Scroll about 1/2 way down the page: here

SmileStarters is a general practice focusing on access to care for underserved children and young adults in North Carolina. We have seven locations throughout NC including Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston Salem, Greensboro, Fayetteville, and Asheville with plans for expansion. We offer excellent guaranteed salaries beginning at $144,000 and up with comprehensive benefits including health, life, disability, and malpractice insurance, paid vacation, 401K, CE time and fees and much more. If you have a desire to work in a modern, team oriented, positive environment, come help us to make a difference a smile-at-a-time!! New graduates are encouraged, a great place to begin your career.

Contact: Roger Walters-704-395-6000, walters.rdm@gmail.com
Owner listed as Michael DeRose, 2211 E. Executive, Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28208

What's better (or worse, depending on how you look at it, is that all these ads are google cashe'd so they are gonna be there for a while even if they delete them.

DeRose Children's Dental Clinic-Nashville TN-FORBA-SANUS-Trail

According to the Colorado Secretary of State's Website the DeRose's, Michael A and Edward J. incorporated a company called DeRose Children's Dental Clinic in 10-1-1975 located in Nashville, TN at 618 Church Street, Suite 520.

And guess what, this corporation is still in good standing with the state so evidently it's still up and running and filing annual tax returns and reports, however it looks like it did a name change Dec. 10, 2001. Looks like there may have been a trade name change at some point to Edward J. and Michael A DeRose, Inc or visa-versa.

But here is where it really gets interesting. The DeRose Duo say they have no affiliation with Small Smiles whatsoever right? They changed the registered agent of Corporation above in 8-17-2007 to National Registered Agents, INC in Denver, but the paper was delivered to the CO Secretary of Sate via a Linda Zoeller at the same old Nashville, TN, Church Street Address.

That's 32 years at that same address! WOW, could FORBA have an address on Church Street in Nashville?

On 12-7-2007 they filed their annual report with the CO SOS and still listed DeRose Children's Dental Clinic as the name and Nashville, Church Street as the address. Hmmm....

Are you ready... Here's the Biggie!! Ready??!!

Trade Names Listed under this Corporation and FORMED on 9-17-2007, just a few months ago:

Small Smiles Dental Centers Of Pueblo
Small Smiles Dental Clinic Of Pueblo
Small Smiles Dental Center
Small Smiles of Pueblo

....and the True Name of Registrant is....

DeRose Children's Clinic mailing address at the Church Street Address in Nashville, TN!

So I take the time to look up FORBA and I find a few names, one, FORBA Management involved Dan DeRose, but was dissolved in 2001 or 2002.

However! There is still:
FORBA, LLC, FORBA, INC and FORBA Holding, LLC, there is also FORBA Group incorporated in Delaware, as the others are, on 7-9-2007 are but I don't have info in it at this time, give me a bit.

Let's start with FORBA Holding, LLC- The documents say it's TRUE NAME IS-Sanus
and it's annual report file in November 2007 is still the old DeRose Children's Dental Clinic in Nashville. Linda Susan Zoeller still doing the document filing.

FORBA, LLC says it was formed 10-01-2002 and at present it's delinquent in some of it's filings. It also says that Daniel E. DeRose is it's registered Agent and It's True Name is LICSAC, LLC. (cute). By the way, it's a full year late in filing it's annual report with the State of Colorado, however I bet it gets filed soon since so many FORBA dudes hang out here.

LICSAC, LLC is also delinquent in it's state filings and there's Danny boy again, listed as the registered agent. It was formed 10-2002. It's two years delinquent in it's state filings so it's not in good standings with the state of Colorado either.

So what we have here is FORBA Holding, LLC is really Sanus.
FORBA, LLC is really LIC SAC, LLC (guess they thought we would get confused trying to say that one a couple of times real fast, instead say it slowly..nothing but class, this bunch!)

Sanus Holding says it was formed 9-25-06 and has the same Church Street Address as above. Yet according to the press releases (aka propoganda) they say Sanus MOVED to Nashville, and FORBA moved to Nashville, whatever, but in reality it was nothing more than names being changed on the office doors.

It's in good standings thanks to Linda Susan Zoeller, wow, didn't she work for DeRose Children's Dental Clinic, well yes she did!

Now we have Sanus Services, INC and guess where it's located, yep, Church Street in Nashville, TN. Busy place, that 618 Church Street, Suite 520! Sanus Services goes under the name FORBA Services...located...well you get the picture now right? Once again, this is in good standings thanks to Linda. I bet she spends most of her days trying to figure out what to file in what name and in what state, hope she's paid well to keep her mouth shut.

After a while it looks like the DeRose's got wise and just used a company that does this kind of thing to be it's registered agent. The Corporation Company aka The United States Corporation Company aka CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service

So there you have it, the paper trail so to speak and it all leads right back to Edward J. and Michael A DeRose with Danny DeRose getting used a bit in the mix.

I've got way too much time on my hands don't I?

I bet Tish Ballance wishes she had done her homework before getting into business with these guys.

And they say they have nothing to do with "Small Smiles" Whateva!

Ballance -DeRose DDS PA

After looking over the Articles Of Incorporation for Ballance-DeRose, DDS PA it appears another name needs to be added to the list of people involved in dental practice. There are three people listed:

Michael Anthony DeRose
Letitia L. Ballance
Robert D. Hinshaw

with Michael Anthony DeRose listed as Registered Agent.
and Robert D. Hinshaw the Incorporator
It was signed 10-16-2003

This corporation is still current and active

There is also a Michael Anthony DeRose, DDS PA corporation listed in North Carolina with Mike being the sole director and incorporator.

This corporation was formed July 12, 2001 and is also current

Dr. David Moore-Small World Dental Clinic-North Carolina

By Tara Savatius: 2-1-06

When kids wouldn't behave, he choked them, slapped them and banged their heads against chairs. He'd often haul them out of their seats by their necks or yank them forward by hooking his fingers under their upper front teeth.
No, this isn't another column about some thug with a three-page rap sheet. This is about Dr. David Moore, pediatric dentist extraordinaire, and what went on in his Billingsley Road office.
In one case described in a report by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, Moore pulled a girl "off of the dental chair by her head and neck and slammed her against the window in the operatory." In another, he choked a boy and left marks on the child's neck and face. A third child also emerged from his office with marks on his cheeks and arms after Moore strapped him to a chair and used a mouth prop that caused unnecessary bleeding.
That's just a small sample of how the low-income children who visited Moore's Small World Clinic, which specialized in Medicaid patients, were treated. The rest of the story doesn't get much better. According to the dental examiners' report, Moore left children unattended while they were under intravenous sedation and failed to note his reasons for sedating them in their records. Though he didn't have a general-anesthesia permit, he administered general anesthesia to other children and left them unattended as well.
Why knock your patients out? My guess is that it's a heck of a lot easier to perform hours of unnecessary work when they're out cold.
That's where the Medicaid fraud comes in. Moore repeatedly billed the government for work he didn't do and failed to justify work that he did, an investigation by the dental examiners revealed.
A rational person would assume that Moore's dental career was kaput, but rational people apparently don't sit on the dental examiners board. As punishment, the board revoked Moore's license for six months starting Jan. 13. When he gets it back in July, they plan to get really tough with him by putting him on probation.
Here's how that harebrained scheme is supposed to work. According to an agreement Moore signed with the board, if he doesn't beat up kids, illegally gas them, work on them alone or bar their parents from the examining room, he gets to keep his license. The board plans to enforce this by training his staff -- who will be hired and paid by him -- to keep an eye on him. Moore will be required to establish a fund for each staff member that covers their salary for up to six weeks -- not six weeks, but up to six weeks. They'll get the money if they fink him out, but only if the board later finds he broke the law. How they'll pay the rent until they find a new job isn't covered in the agreement.
What happened at Small World Clinic is just the latest example of the dental examiners board's laissez-faire attitude toward fraud and patient abuse by Charlotte dentists. Two and a half years ago another investigation by WCNC-TV's Stuart Watson found that two other pediatric Medicaid Dental Centers in Charlotte were barring parents from the examining room, strapping down children as young as 4 for hours, and drilling and capping eight to 16 teeth at a time, procedures that the board found were often unjustified or unnecessary.
After more than two years of inaction, the board finally wrote letters of censure to six of the doctors. The two owners of the clinics, Drs. Letitia Ballance and Michael Derose, were put on that infamous probation. If they bill Medicaid for more than six crowns in a single day, neglect to get parents' permission before the procedure or commit fraud again, they could lose their dental licenses for six whole months. Wow. That's tough.
Part of the problem here is that like doctors, dentists police themselves in North Carolina, with results that can be frightening. The six dentists who serve two-year terms on the dental examiners board are elected by the other dentists licensed in this state. (A hygienist and regular citizen also serve on the board, but they don't get to vote or sit in on disciplinary hearings.)
This creates a sticky situation. Laying the smackdown upon your fellow dental practitioners isn't the way to maintain your popularity or your seat on the board. Make too many enemies and it could come back to haunt you when you leave. And since the board is the final word, why stick your neck out when you could stick up for a colleague who handles poor kids no one wants to work on anyway? It's not like there's a lot of money in that Medicaid stuff, and dentists have to make a living somehow.
Right?

Creative Loafing Charlotte 
Dental Board Investigation

Smile Starters Dental Clinics North Carolina

Not such a great review for the one in Fayetteville, NC

See here

Rated a 2 out of 10 because parent was asked to sign a blanket release giving permission to strap child down in whatever kind of device they saw fit.

Kristi said:

The front office staff at smile starters was very friendly and the office itself seemed clean and organized. As for the rest of the dental staff, I can not speak of them because we didn't make it that far. I knew when I made the appointment that parents are not allowed to go back into the dental area with their children. Although I was a little uneasy with that, I decided we would give it a try. We found out when we got there, that they would not see our children at all, unless we signed a statement giving them authorization to try a whole list of restraining methods if the need would arise. They did inform us that before they utilized the baby papoose method, they would come and get us first, but there were many other methods including having a doctor or nurse physically hold them down or,the doctor or nurse putting there hand over the childs mouth, that they would use without coming and notifying the parent. This just being a cleaning visit, I did not feel it was worth it for my child to have a bad experience and us be in the waiting area having no idea what was going on, when we could just find another dentist. This could very well be a terrific dentist office, but being military and the mother of three children, we have visited many dentists and never been asked to sign anything even close to this, so I didn't even know to ask about it when I made the appointment. That would have saved us a little wasted time, this just isn't the dentist for us.

It's not just Corporate Dentist Defrauding Medicaid and The Public

Dr. Bryan Spilmon also one of the many guilty dentist exposed. WSBT News Story here

More Dentists Medicaid Fraud Cases here.

There are hundreds of stories on the Internet about this happening, however none compares to the torture of the innocent children like those involving Medicaid Dental Centers, Small Smiles, Smile High, Smile Starters and other FORBA managed dental clinics.

ABC- I-Team Furthers Investigation

ABC-I -Team Furthers Investigation

Smile Starters Dental Clinics-Dr. Raf Rivera cohort of Michael DeRose and Tish Ballance Since 2002

In an Email I was told:

The dental clinics in NC started out named the Medicaid Dental Centers.

They changed the name to the Carolina Dental Centers.

They just renamed the clinics again to Smile Starters.

Mike Derose and Tish Ballance just sold the clinics to a Dr. Rafael (Raf) Rivera, Jr. after paying the 10 million dollar fine to the government.

They are trying to say that since they sold the clinics they are all under new management and are hoping that the bad press will go away.

Dr. Raf Rivera has been working for Derose and Ballance since 2002. He was involved in the NC Dental board case involving excessive treatment, etc...and he did treatment that you hear about on Small Smiles and Kool Smiles, etc..

Hope this helps.

I'm trying to confirm this.

There is a Dr. Rafael Rivera, Jr NC dental license number 6870 in Charlotte, NC whose licenses was issued 6-26-1998 and is up for renewal in March 2009 and has no Dental Board Actions listed at present.

Dr. Michale DeRose was issued a NC dental license in 6-15-2001 and is on probation as listed on the NC Dental Board site.

Small Smiles Again Under Fire in Albany, NY 4-1-08

Attn: State Investigators
If there is a Small Smiles Clinic in your state and you are not investigating them, you should be. There is a clear connection between Medicaid Dental Clinics, Small Smiles and Kool Smiles. At the end of this article you will see exactly what the connection is.


Two Employees Speaks out about Small Smiles Office in Albany New York.

Video May Be Disturbing

Part 1 of Investigation:

CBS Channle 6 WRGB New Albany, New York, April 1, 2008

Picture a young child strapped into a dental chair, unable to move his arms or legs.
As the cold, metal instruments invade his trembling mouth, the boy's heart begins to race: 200 beats per minute. 225. 250.
Now, he's sweating, throwing-up and urinating his pants - frantically scanning the room full of masked faces for some sign the pain will come to an end.
But it does not. The dentist keeps on working
"That's Small Smiles," said Nicole, a former assistant at the Colonie children's dentistry clinic. "Don't bring your kids there."
Speaking on condition of anonymity, former employees Nicole and Holly detailed a list of allegations against the clinic and its lead dentist, Dr. Maziar Izadi. They include:
-Rushing through procedures, even when children are vomiting and urinating

-Allowing children's heart rates to go dangerously past 200 beats per minute

-Performing unnecessary procedures, such as placing crowns on baby teeth that are about to fall-out

-Needlessly placing children under a papoose board, a device that immobilizes their arms and legs

-Discouraging parents from sitting with their children during procedures

-Failing to properly sterilize instruments


"They were constantly pushing production," Holly said. "I think they do it so they can make a fast buck."
Holly and Nicole allege staff members, notably Dr. Izadi, earn lucrative bonuses for achieving certain production numbers - a claim the company denies.
Dr. Izadi did not return CBS 6 phone calls, and ran to his car when approached by CBS 6 reporter Steve Flamisch and photographer Chris Cornell in the Small Smiles parking lot.
A receptionist forwarded our call to Small Smiles corporate spokesman Don Meyer, who said that a review of 40 charts found that all procedures were "necessary and proper." He acknowledged, however, that the doctor who performed the review is a Small Smiles employee, and not an independent expert.

To be fair, Small Smiles did take swift action when informed of allegations that several employees may be using crack cocaine and marijuana, allegedly during their lunch breaks.

A corporate team promptly flew-in from Colorado and drug tested the entire staff. Meyer confirmed there were terminations, but he would not say how many - nor would he say whether anyone had been tested at the time of their hiring. Former employees allege no one is tested.
A government source confirmed that state officials are looking into the list of allegations against Small Smiles.
The company's clinics have also been the subject of news investigations in Denver, Rochester, and Washington D.C.

According to reports, FORBA, LLC began in Pueblo, CO, then was taken over by Sanus, a holding company in Nashville, TN, but a large portion of it's firm would continue to operate out of Pueblo, CO.

Hmmm.. Isn't that where Michael DeRose, DDS, owner of a 3 million dollar home, who was fined $10 million dollars this week lives? Well, yes it is as a matter of fact.

Now isn't William A. Mueller, DDS an old buddy of Michael DeRose's? Well, yes he is, they co-owned several clinics together back in the day. Including Smile High Dental Clinic in Colorado.

Isn't William A. Mueller associated with FORBA, LLC from it's conceptions? Well, yes he surely is. see here . and here And look, a one Edward DeRose in with FORBA. This Eddy could be related to Michael DeRose, well I bet he is don't you?

And look here! See how many founders of Kool Smiles are formerly associated with Smile High Dental Clinics out of Colorado. Looks like at least two. Dr. Tu Tran and Dr. Tim Pham.

And look here. FORBA says he operates 42 clinics and has 750,000 patients a year.

And here is where we find ourselves at Arcapita, Inc. Arcapita Bank. Where it acquired FORBA for 435 million dollars.


I found this at topix:

I work for Kool Smiles, a sister corporation of Small Smiles and all I can say is that their "philosophy" is awfully confusing. They say that they do not NOT allow parents to go back with their children during treatment, yet when we had people from our corporate office visiting us one week, we were reprimanded endlessly for having parents in the back office and they even went so far as to have additional training for employees to learn how to "handle" those parents who want to accompany their child. We also have a consent form somewhere in a packet of forms that every parent is required to fill out every six months, that allows us to use restraint techniques, voice control, and hand-over-mouth on their children - if they are anything like me, they probably don't really read all of the forms they are signing and have no idea of what is really going on with their children in the back office. I can also tell you that it is not just done in the event of an emergency - it's usually done on smaller children who are afraid, and is used to control the child for long periods of time to complete the most dental work possible in the time alloted. I have only witnessed a couple of instances where it was actually beneficial for both the dental team and the patient. The majority of the time the child is terrified, screaming, crying, spitting, and choking thru the entire procedure, while the doctor and the assistant speaks to them in an angry tone, then is sent back out to their parent soaking wet with sweat and exhausted from the ordeal they just went thru. This whole practice is not only traumatic for the patient and upsetting to the parent, but nerve-racking for the dental auxiliary working on the child, which often results in poor quality dentistry. Not to mention the dentisit's they hire are usually fresh out of dental school and are not experienced enough to handle the fast-pace and large patient load demanded of them. I enjoy working with children and I love working with the under-served community because they really need the help and have little other options, but now that I'm starting to see and feel the other side of corporate dentistry, I'm really disappointed - even disgusted at times.

Awe. The Internet is a wonderful thing!

update 3/1/2010

Dr. Maziar Izadi is now practicing what he calls dentistry at Allcare in New York.  Wonder why they hired him, he's a terrible dentist according to all reports.  

Small Smiles Albany New York Investigation Part 2 4-1-08

CBS Channel 6 WRGB New Albany, New York

Small Smiles Investigation Part 2
4-08

Office of Inspector General Reports Wide Spead Fraud In Dental Medicaid Payment-September 2007

To All Dentist and Dental Corporations Exploiting and Abusing Our Children and Stealing Our Tax Dollars For Your Personal Gain and Lavish Life Styles: Big Brother Is Watching As Is This Blogger.

Download and Read The Report Here

Improper Medicaid payments for dental services have been identified periodically by State Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU). In 2004, a MFCU investigation determined that dentists were reimbursed $4.5 million for unnecessary dental services. In 2000, another MFCU identified a widespread fraud scheme by dentists who recruited children to receive Medicaid-reimbursable services, many of which were unnecessary or were not provided.

Thirty-one percent of Medicaid pediatric dental services in the five States resulted in improper payments. In the five States we reviewed, improper payments for pediatric dental services provided during calendar year 2003 totaled an estimated $155 million, of which the Federal share was approximately $96 million.

Medicaid Program, abusing children and elders, and intentionally inflicting bodily injury.

The dentists unnecessarily performed root canals, drilled into patients’ healthy teeth, and completed as many as 20 medically unnecessary filling procedures on the same patient, defrauding the Medicaid program of $4.5 million.

In 2000, Florida’s MFCU investigated a widespread Medicaid fraud scheme by dentists who recruited children to receive Medicaid-reimbursable services. Many of the services were found to be unnecessary or not provided.

In fiscal year 2006, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a program designed to estimate and monitor State and national improper payment rates in the Medicaid program.

In this report, they analyzed Medicaid pediatric dental services provided during calendar year 2003 in five States (Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas).

Nine Dentist Suffer Consequenses of Abusing and Traumatizing Children

Charlotte Observer story

A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE CHILDREN'

Medicaid dentists disciplined

Probation, reprimands were given before $10 million settlement

KAREN GARLOCH AND GARY L. WRIGHT

kgarloch@charlotteobserver.comgwright@charlotteobserver.com

Christy Dillbeck holds the stainless steel caps and teeth of her son Brandon. Brandon at the age of 4 had 16 teeth drilled out and capped with stainless steel in a scam by local dentists. (original story aired July 2003)

Nine dentists have been disciplined in connection with a Medicaid fraud case alleging they performed or billed for unnecessary dental work on poor children in North Carolina.

Patients as young as 4 years old had multiple teeth pulled and root canals performed during single appointments at Medicaid Dental Center clinics in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Asheville and Raleigh, according to state documents.

At least two children received 16 pulpotomies, also known as "baby root canals," and 16 steel crowns during the same visit.

"It was a very traumatic experience for the children and their parents," said attorney Darren Dawson of Greenville, N.C., who represents some of the families involved.

"These were children who were 4, 5 and 6 who were told by their moms and dads that they were going to visit with trusted professionals. Suddenly, they're in there for three hours and coming out with a mouth full of steel."

In a settlement announced Wednesday, Medicaid Dental Center, a privately owned chain of N.C. dental clinics, agreed to pay $10 million to the government to resolve allegations that it performed and billed for unnecessary dental work on kids.

Clinic owners and dentists Letitia (Tish)Ballance. DDS of the Charlotte area and Michael DeRose,DDS of Pueblo, Colo., are also serving three years' probation, starting in 2005, by the N.C. Board of Dental Examiners.

The seven other dentists who worked for the clinics received written reprimands in 2005 that will remain permanently in their N.C. files and with the National Practitioner Data Bank.

"It's something that will follow them in any state where they try to practice," said Bobby White, executive director of the dental board.

White said the seven dentists received lighter discipline than the clinic owners because they were inexperienced and essentially following orders. Ballance and DeRose "were the bosses, making decisions and sending it down the line -- `You will do things this way,' " White said. "The board saw that as a mitigating factor."

The seven include three from Charlotte -- Drs. John Lyons, Jeffrey Zieziula and Erron Brady. Others are Drs. Lori Petree and Christopher Ballinger of Winston-Salem, Dr. Heather Berkheimer of Southern Pines and Dr. Michelle Wilkerson of Raleigh, according to the dental board.

None of the seven could be reached for comment Thursday. Several continue to work for Medicaid Dental Center, in the Charlotte office, now called Smile Starters, and elsewhere. Ballinger and Brady now work in private practice.

According to the board's reprimands, Lyons and Ballinger saw patients initially and developed diagnosis and treatment plans. The remaining five dentists performed the treatment. The board accused all seven of doing their work "without adequate diagnostic documentation."

The dental work was done between 2001 and 2003 and involved the children's baby teeth.

Since 2005, the dental board has made unannounced inspections of Medicaid Dental Center, and found the clinics substantially in compliance with its standards.

Spokeswomen for the U.S. attorney in Charlotte and the N.C. attorney general on Thursday would not disclose how many children they allege received unnecessary dental work, how many dentists were involved, or why the government settled for $10 million instead of bringing criminal charges.

Federal and state laws do not explicitly make it illegal for dentists to perform unnecessary work. Such claims are typically left to malpractice lawsuits in civil court. There are laws making it a crime to commit Medicaid and health care fraud in billings.

The settlement agreement doesn't prohibit prosecutors from bringing criminal charges. But when civil settlements are reached, sources said, it suggests prosecutors are not planning to pursue criminal charges.

16 `baby root canals'

One of the children treated in Charlotte was Brandon Dillbeck, then 4.His mother, Christy Dillbeck of Charlotte, said her son had 16 "baby root canals," and 16 stainless steel crowns placed on his teeth during one visit.

"He has nightmares to this day of people holding him down," the 24-year-old mother said. "He had blood all over his shirt. He was covered with sweat. He looked like he was in a trance. He was crying."

Dillbeck said she had taken her son to the dentist to have his teeth cleaned. She was 19 at the time and unemployed, and she took Brandon to Medicaid Dental Center because the office accepted Medicaid.

Dillbeck said she didn't give the dentist permission to perform the baby root canals or place the crowns on her son's teeth.

"What mother in her right mind would give permission to do that to their child all at one time?" she said. "A mother would have to be crazy to let someone do that to their child.

"He had beautiful teeth before. He came out of there, and they were all metal. He was embarrassed for years about how he looked. He wouldn't smile."

Brandon, now 9, has lost his baby teeth and the steel crowns, but his mom worries he may still suffer long-term problems.

Dawson, the Greenville lawyer, said Thursday he represents the families of five children, including Brandon, who received the questionable dental work. Four were patients at a Charlotte clinic, he said.

Dawson and his colleague Harry Albritton are in preliminary negotiations with attorneys for Medicaid Dental Center and the dentists, seeking to reach a monetary settlement rather than go to court.

'Black eye' to profession

The Medicaid Dental Center case gives a "black eye" to the profession, said Dr. Alec Parker, who heads the N.C. Dental Society, the state's professional organization for dentists.

"It's really just hard to understand how (dentists) could justify that," Parker said. "We put our trust in our health care providers, and we expect them to do what's best for the patient."

Part of the problem, Parker said, is that private dentists don't accept many Medicaid patients because the state-federal insurance program for the poor and disabled doesn't provide adequate reimbursement. Dentists also shun Medicaid because it means extra paperwork and frequently missed appointments because patients don't have transportation.

That leaves patients few choices for dental care and pushes dentists who do accept Medicaid to treat large numbers of patients. "When reimbursement rates are as low as they are, it makes it difficult to make ends meet," Parker said. "They feel like they have to overbill and overtreat to make a go of it."

Still, Parker said, if the Medicaid Dental Center dentists knew that what they were doing was wrong, and did it repeatedly, they should be facing "more than just a reprimand."

"People who are trying to take advantage of the system need to know that somebody's watching."

Checking out your dentist

• Ask friends and family for recommendations. Insurance companies and managed care plans usually have a panel of dentists.

• After obtaining names, check to make sure they are properly licensed and have clear records.

• N.C. dentists are licensed and disciplined by the N.C. Board of Dental Examiners: www.ncdentalboard.org; 919-678-8223.

• S.C. dentists are licensed and disciplined by the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation: www.llr.state.sc.us; 803-896-4300.

• Ask about costs and why procedures are necessary and if there are alternatives.

Remember the names of these dentists, they have been involved in Fraudulent Medicaid Billing and Performing Unnecessary Dental Procedures on Children, likely strapping them down in restraints for hours at a time in a papoose board, traumatizing children and abusing them, all for the love of money and greed!

BEWARE of These Dentists:

Dr. Michael DeRose

Dr. Letitia Ballance

Dr. John Lyons

Dr. Jeffery Zieziula

Dr. Erron Brady

Dr. Lori Petree

Dr. Christopher Ballinger

Dr. Heather Berkheimer

Dr. Michelle Wilkerson

Ocean Dental - Dr. Chad Hoecker-Another Medicaid Dental Chain

At the regular February 2008 meeting of the Board Of Dentistry State Of Oklahoma the board considered the following :

14. Consideration and possible action to initiate investigation, adopt Statement of Complaint, and
schedule hearing involving CHAD BRANDON HOECKER, D.D.S. [RPHoopes/
Newsome]

The next meeting is scheduled for May 16, 2008.

At this time this blogger is unable to find out exactly what the "Statement of Complaint" including but rest assured will continue to investigate this.

Source: Zoom Info Business People Information
Dr. Chad Brandon Hoecker:

Dr. Chad Hoecker is a 1991 graduate of Oklahoma State University, earning a degree in Finance. Following graduation from OSU, Dr. Hoecker successfully operated a real estate and advertising business in Dallas, Texas. A continuing interest in dentistry led Dr. Hoecker back to school to complete his science requirements. Once his requirements were filled, he applied to and was accepted by the Baylor College of Dentistry.

After graduating with his D.D.S. in 1998, Dr. Hoecker opened his fee for service practice in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Shortly following the start of his practice, he recognized there was an unmet need for dental care amongst the lower socioeconomic group in the community. This knowledge and his desire to help led him to open his traditional practice to Medicaid.

Over the next few years Dr. Hoecker used his business/finance background to help him develop a business model focused on Medicaid only clinics. In 2002 he opened his first Medicaid only clinic in Enid, Oklahoma. His second such clinic opened in Oklahoma City in late 2003.

Today his business model has allowed Ocean Dental the opportunity to offer dental services to children in nine different clinics in Oklahoma. Because of Dr. Hoecker's vision, drive, and compassion, Ocean Dental professionals are currently treating thousands of children each year in Oklahoma and will soon open offices outside of the state.

The current COO of Ocean Dental is Joe Akin, former director of International Marketing of Stillwater Designs, Stillwater, OK.

The airplane hanger for Ocean Dental's Corporate jet/jets, being built as mentioned in a previous post, is on land leased under the name Stillwater Storage LLC., PO Box 98, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74076, as seen here.

As of the date of this post there are 25 Ocean Dental Clinics in the following states:

Oklahoma
Ohio
Arkansas
Iowa
Kentucky
Indiana
Texas

There just seems to be a whole lot of Medicaid dollars, federal and state distributed, to keep so many of these clinics in business; Small Smiles, Kool Smiles, Medicaid Dental Center, Smile Starters, Ocean Dental to name a few.

Evidently there is some serious money to be made abusing our children , (with unnecessary dental work, and strapping the children down in papoose boards) and milking the medicaid system via dental treatment in the guise of treating the needy.

It sickens me beyond belief that these corporations represent themselves as loving, caring and wanting to really help our under underprivileged children.

As I see it these Dental Chains are frauds on many levels.

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.