Thursday, August 25, 2011

American Dental Partners, Inc and Tooth Doctor for Kids Spreading from Arizona to Texas

Another dental mill is opening more Texas dental clinics since it appears the Texas State Dental Board of Examiners has opened the doors to the illegal practice of dentistry by corporations and dental Medicaid fraud.  Yes, Texas is open for business indeed, Mr. Perry. 
a  toothdoctor for kids
A Tooth Doctor for Kids/Braces For Less with 5 locations in Arizona and 7 locations in and around Houston and 2 locations in San Antonio Texas is coming to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. 
With 9 locations already at work in Texas, Tooth Doctor for Kids has six more locations scheduled to open between August 2011 and late fall 2011, as seen here on their website.
Their website says they offer; Dental checkups, Cleanings, and x-rays; Dental Fillings and Crowns; Sedation; Sealants; Fluoride Treatment; Space Maintainers.
What is hard to find on their website is the name of the dentists treating the children and if those dentists are general dentists or pediatric dentists.  Website design and clinic décor is the main misleading marketing to parents, implying the dentists spent an extra 2 years of dental school to become pedodontists when they did not.

To find the name of the dentists at each clinic you have to go to “Contact Us” then click a link to an individual dental center and only then are the dentist’s name found.
For Instance the Chandler, AZ clinic has:
  • Dr. Steven Callan  
  • Dr. John Hamblin 
It says the Chandler clinic “specializes in children's dentistry and sedation dentistry”.  However in searching the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, neither Dr. Callan nor Dr. Hamblin appear.  You can search here- AAPD Search-use advanced search options to search for the name of the dentist.
It doesn’t appear any of the dentists at the Phoenix West location are Pedodontists either.  In fact, I didn’t find any Pedodontists at any Tooth Doctor for Kids location.
A Tooth Doctor for Kids says it’s a American Dental Partners “affiliate”.  American Dental Partners is located in Wakefield, MA
American Dental Partners, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADPI) has “affiliates” in 21 states.  From ADPA’s 1st half 2011 financial statement…the Company is americandentalpartnerslogoaffiliated with 26 dental group practices, which have 278 dental facilities with approximately 2,387 operatories (procedure rooms)…Gregory A. Serrao, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Upon searching for a corporation in Arizona named A Tooth Doctor for Kids I found nothing.
I did find:
Care for Kids of Arizona, LLC
401 EDGEWATER PLACE STE 430
WAKEFIELD, MA  01880
781-224-0880

Care for Kids-USA, LLC
401 EDGEWATER PLACE STE 430
WAKEFIELD, MA  01880
781-224-0880
GREGORY A SERRANO, MANAGER
Care for Kids of Arizona, LLC is operating under the following trade names:
Arizona’s Tooth Doctor for Kids
Arizona’s Mobile Tooth Doctor for Kids
Arizona’s Tooth Doctor
The Traveling Tooth Doctor for Kids
Central’s Tooth Doctor for Kids
Arizona Corporation Commission Public Access
Arizona Registered Name Search
A online review of A Tooth Doctor for Kids:

Very upset parent!!!!

by Very Mad at Citysearch
This place is horrible and essentially an assembly line with sedation and general anesthesia. Several other Drs mentioned that the work my child got was very bad antin some areas not needed at all. After some research I found out that these guys are mostly general dentists with no formal training in treating children. Only pediatric dentists have to do a 2-3 years residency to train to treat children.....like pediatricians. I am also told these guys have a horrible reputation among dentists and pediatric dentists in Phoenix. I don't understand how places like this are legal. If you have had a similar experience please write the AZ state dental board. Also watch out for other places like this who have general dentists treating only kids (kool smiles, small smiles, cute smiles for kids) i learned that these guys receive about two week in dental school working on kids and that's the extent of their training...outside of weekend courses ......that is not right!!!!! This is crazy!!!
American Dental Partners Financial Statement
A Tooth Doctor for Kids Press Release August 10, 2011 (the whole press release is more about American Dental Partners, than anything else.  In fact it doesn’t even mention who “owns” A Tooth Doctor for Kids", I think we all know the answer to that one.)