Three weeks ago the powers that be had a media blitz on sedation, here we go, with the followup.
More Dentist Anesthesiologists Are Needed in the Pediatric Setting
http://www.newswise.com/articles/more-dentist-anesthesiologists-are-needed-in-the-pediatric-setting
Released: 3/29/2012 1:00 PM EDT
Source: Allen Press Publishing Services
Newswise — The demand for dentist anesthesiologists in pediatric dental practices is on the rise. More than 70 percent of board-certified pediatric dentists in the United States provide mild to moderate sedation in their practices. Nearly that many, 60 to 70 percent, would use a dentist anesthesiologist if one were available. However, supply cannot yet meet the demand.
The current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress reports on two congruent surveys, one of board-certified pediatric dentists and one of directors of pediatric dentistry and dental anesthesiology training programs. These surveys explore models of office-based dental sedation and future needs for deep sedation and general anesthesia services in pediatric dentistry.
As much as 12.3 percent of the general U.S. population has been reported to experience dental fear and anxiety. Among junior high and secondary school students, about 18 percent reported moderate dental fear. This is one of the reasons behind the increased need for sedation in dental practices.
Extensive treatment needs, anxiety, uncooperative but age-appropriate behavior, and limited cognitive functioning are among causes that require deep sedation or general anesthesia for young dental patients. Two-thirds of pediatric dentistry residency directors anticipate this need for dental anesthesiology services to increase in coming years. Among dental anesthesiology program directors, 88 percent report increased requests for anesthesiology services by pediatric dentists over the past 10 years.
The addition of a dentist anesthesiologist to a pediatric dental office team can provide depth and scope to a practice, enabling it to offer office-based sedation and anesthesia services. The number of dentist anesthetists currently practicing in the United States is relatively small, though. Considering the future need for these services in the pediatric setting, dental anesthesiology residencies are seeing cases involving young children and those with special health care needs.
Full text of “The Use of Office-Based Sedation and General Anesthesia by Board Certified Pediatric Dentists Practicing in the United States,”
and other articles, Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 59, No. 1, 2012, are available at “http://www.anesthesiaprogress.org/
”
###
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
FINALLY!! Texas State Dental Board Director resigns before big hearing. Come One, Come All to the April 11, 2012 10:30 Texas State Dental Board Meeting!
By Mary Ann Roser
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFFPublished: 8:47 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sherri Meek, executive director of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, resigned earlier this month and will not be present at an April legislative hearing where board critics plan to testify.
Meek, who cited personal reasons for her resignation, is using up personal leave time before her resignation takes effect Aug. 31, said the board’s general counsel, Joy Sparks. Glenn Parker, former executive director of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, has been the dental board’s director of administration for the past several months and has taken over as acting executive director with a salary of $75,000, a $5,000 increase to compensate him for his additional duties, according to a letter from Meek to Parker.
Parker will be at the hearing of the House Public Health Committee at 10:30 a.m. April 11 in the Capitol Annex, E2.012.
At the hearing, lawmakers will hear public testimony about various health registries maintained by the state and concerns about the operations of the dental board, including its enforcement practices and a law that allows board members to act as expert witnesses in cases involving dentists, as long as the board does not object.
“No board member has ever asked for permission to serve as an expert,” Sparks said, adding that she “would have absolutely no problem” with an outright ban on it.
Members of the Houston-based Texans for Dental Reform say they plan to speak at the hearing and voice their ongoing concerns about the dental board, including uneven and unfair enforcement of the law; “overemphasis on protection of dentists;” and conflicts of interest.
The hearing is open to the public.
Sherri Meeks has been there since 2007, that’s when it all went to hell in a hand basket in Texas. I’m sure there were initially good intentions with the Frew v Texas lawsuit, but damn!! If I were a conspiracy theorist, I’d think that Private Equity firms and corporate practice of dentistry bandits (DGPA) were at artful play here.
I’m not really a betting person either, but I’d wager the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners are going to need a larger venue come April 11 at their 10:30 AM hearing!! I also think, Sherri Meeks should be dragged to that hearing, hog tied! What a chicken shit, she is!
What do you think?
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
State pulls license of Medford dentist | MailTribune.com
State pulls license of Medford, Oregon dentist
March 27, 2012
By Mark Freeman
Mail TribuneState pulls license of Medford dentist | MailTribune.com
A Medford dentist had his license suspended and faces possible revocation after allegedly falsifying dental charts, scamming dental-insurance companies and obtaining marijuana from a patient, state records show.
The Oregon Board of Dentistry ordered the indefinite emergency license suspension for Bongmin An, 43, calling him "a serious danger to public health and safety," according to the March 12 suspension order.
"This happens very infrequently," said Patrick Braatz, the board's executive director. "I've been with the board nine years, and this is probably only the second or third emergency suspension."
An has been licensed for dentistry in Oregon since January 2002 and practiced general dentistry at the Medford Dental Clinic on East Barnett Road in Medford, according to board of dentistry records.
An investigation by the Oregon board revealed that, between August 2009 and this past January, An provided dental treatment for numerous patients but failed to maintain chart notes for any of his patients, according to the dentistry board.
When chart notes were requested to validate insurance claims, An allegedly fabricated them to satisfy requests from dental-insurance companies, the board order states.
The board also has information alleging that An altered dates of treatment of patients in claims sent to dental-insurance companies so the companies would pay benefits for patients who were not entitled to them.
Board investigators also turned up allegations that An had obtained marijuana from a patient identified only as ML, but the board order did not specify when and how many times An allegedly received marijuana from the patient, the board order states.
Braatz said he did not know whether the marijuana was allegedly used as payment in lieu of dental work.
The order alleges that on at least one occasion An stored marijuana in the clinic's freezer and then offered to share it with his employees, the order states.
An was informed of the suspension March 12 just after the board vote, Braatz said. He has requested a hearing on the board's order before an administrative law judge, and one will be scheduled within 30 days, Braatz said.
An did not return telephone calls Monday seeking comment.
The suspension was immediate because An's alleged use of controlled substances "and his authority to prescribe controlled subscription drugs, and his failure to accurately document treatment that was provided to patients poses a great risk of harm to them," the order states.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Mom: Son's Teeth Extracted At School Without Consent - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego
Yes, I believe this is the exact same company I put up the open warning letter about just yesterday. The school is trying to get out of it’s responsibility, saying it’s because there are budget cuts and no school nurse! WHAT! The school nurse was practicing dentistry too?!! Lord help us all! Schools need to stay out of the medical field and keep to the three R’s.
SAN DIEGO -- A local mother is outraged after her 9-year-old son came home from school with four fewer teeth.
"I was livid," said Tina Richardson, mother of 9-year-old Alexander Henry. "I jumped out of my car. I ran back to the school. They were all, 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' I was shaking."
Alexander, a student at Freese Elementary School in Lomita, currently takes part in the Big Smiles Program, an organization that is contracted by the San Diego Unified School District to provide dental care at no cost to hundreds of local children.
Richardson said she signed a form in September, which she believed authorized Big Smiles to examine her son's mouth. Two months later, she received a separate "Exatraction Authorization Form" that indicated Alexander had several teeth with cavities. Richardson said she never signed or returned the form.
"I still have the form here in my hand," she said. "I did not return it to the Big Smiles Corporation. I did not give them permission to pull my son's teeth."
Four of Alexander's teeth -- three on the bottom left, one on the top left -- were pulled at the school by a dentist because two were allegedly loose and the others had cavities in them. The teeth were removed in an empty classroom, instead of in a sterile room or at the nurse's office.
"I hope this isn't going on all over the district somewhere, where they're just going into classrooms and extracting teeth out of children's heads," Richardson said.
A representative for Big Smiles told 10News the original form Richardson signed in September gave Big Smiles permission to extract the teeth.
Late Thursday afternoon, Big Smiles issued the following statement to 10News:
Big Smiles provides quality dental care to children in a school setting. It is our practice to always obtain informed consent and to only provide procedures that are medically necessary. We cannot provide details of this specific case without proper consent given federal laws that protect the privacy of the patient.Jennifer Gorman, SD Unified's Nursing & Wellness program manager, said it was her understanding Richardson had signed an authorization form. She said they would still look into what happened, even though this probably won't be the last medical problem in local schools.
"These things, other things are going to happen that are beyond our control," Gorman said.
According to Gorman, a significant problem is the lack of school nurses, many of whom have been cut from the school district because of budget cuts. Gorman said a nurse would have been able to oversee Big Smiles' procedures and completion of authorization forms.
Mom: Son's Teeth Extracted At School Without Consent - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego
Where does Hoecker get his dough?
Here we have a map of the business of Chad B. Hoecker, DDS of Ocean Dental Centers, another Medicaid dental mill, which has been allowed to infiltrate several states.
He actually has one telecommunication business called “Buck The System”. LOL
Click here for a much larger view of the map.
I’ve not been able to locate it, but I’m sure there is some Private Equity firm behind him. However he does have a Private Equity Firm cash management company called Focal Point.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Small Smiles still soliciting dentists to come to work–it’s wonderful they say!! ROTFLMAO
I just get so tickled with I get stuff like this.
Here we have a flier that Missy Green sent out of the Small Smiles Colorado office, just this week, trying to solicited dentists to come to work for them!
My first question is what about the Kochenbergers? Jake and Jenna, did they give it up being - slave hunters for Church Street Health Management?
Well, clearly Missy Green is stilling trying to recruit. Wonder how she tells sells to dentists how wonderful it will be working for the company saving the underserved children across America with the company in bankruptcy, even their $435 million dollar investment bank – Arcaptia-in ruins. That’s an audio I’d love to hear!
Right now we have people in some clinics who have not been paid their February pay checks. Some are working for pennies, if anything at all, since there are fewer victims to over-treat. Remember, if you’ve been there more than 6 months you are off the guaranteed salary payroll and strictly on the Collection Based Salary – commissions basically.
Heck, there is no telling how many employees who have stuck it out that will be on the “unsecured creditors” list soon. Remember, anything they owe after the filed for bankruptcy on February 20th could surely end up on that very list.
I know, some are already on there, but they could be “another day older and deeper in debit” and owing their soul to the “company store”.. Why is that dang song in my head… lol
As one person pointed out, they can’t close the 3 patient a day clinics since those are “assets” they need to sell… Oh, wait, they don’t own those clinics, right? ROTFLMAO!
Gosh, dangit! I just can’t keep that straight in my head. Own, don’t own, owner dentists, lead dentists, associate dentists… Never have gotten the exact definition of an “owner” dentist, well, not officially, but I have heard it explained on audio.
I guess the owners of those clinics should just sell the equipment and move on. The owners don’t even have to worry about breaking the lease do they, since Church Street Health Management has their name on those leases. ROTFLMAO!
Chesterfield dentist arrested for practicing without a license | WTVR.com – Richmond News & Weather from WTVR Television CBS 6
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – Police arrested a man for practicing dentistry without proper licensing, according to a press release from Chesterfield County Police. Juan Polanco Dominguez, 44, ran an office out of his Chesterfield County home, police said.
Dominguez was charged with four felonies and five misdemeanors including practicing dentistry without a permit and violation of the professions and occupations act. Dominguez was held on a $15,000 secured bond.
Police want anyone with information about Dominguez to call Chesterfield Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or text the code tip699 and sent to 274637 (CRIMES)
Texas, feds take action on orthodontic fraud | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth
NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES
DALLAS — A Dallas dentist has agreed to pay the state and federal government $1.2 million to resolve allegations that he submitted false orthodontic claims under Medicaid.
Dr. Richard Malouf, former majority owner of All Smiles Dental Center, allegedly submitted false Medicaid claims between 2004 and 2007.
News 8 reported on Malouf's lavish homes and two multimillion dollar corporate jets. Malouf did not admit any wrongdoing or liability in his settlement.
He is one of several orthodontists highlighted for multimillion dollar billings under Medicaid.
Eleven dental operations statewide have had their state funds suspended for credible allegations of fraud in billing the Texas Medicaid Orthodontics program. This follows a 10-month News 8 investigation of medicaid orthodontics in Texas, which found the state spends more on braces for poor children than the rest of the nation combined.
"Something's wrong and I want my money back," said Texas Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound). Nelson called a hearing to look into how Texas spent $424 million on orthodontics under Medicaid between 2008 and 2010.
Medicaid does not cover cosmetic orthodontics, but a News 8 investigation found that tens of thousands of children received procedures at taxpayer expense.
"What we really want is, we don't want people to do it," said Texas Sen. Bob Duell (R-Rockwall).
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Was this the meeting that started the corporate dentistry phenom?
Here is a 2004 picture of the group it appears may have been the one who planned the take over of modern dentistry. They called this meeting a “CEO Consortium “ and it took place June 10, 2004 at the “Institute at Heartland Dental Care”. All but one or two went on to become the founders of the Dental Group Practice Association which now includes corporate CEO’s in Canada and Australia as well as dental supply companies, products companies and our favorite corporate dentistry law firm, Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis.
Pictured above is: Dr. Rick Workman, Mike Bileca, Steve Thorne, Mitchell B. Olan, Mark Freidman, Bob Fontana, Kirk Huntsman, Dr. Jeff Moos, Douglas W. Brown.
Was this the meeting where the idea to sell this illegal business model to Private Equity was born? What were the Dental Practice Acts in 2004? How many of these guys should have been in jail then? What about now?
Where are they now
Dr. Rick Workman – still with Heartland Dental, Vice President of the Dental Group Practice Association, not in jail.
Mike Bileca – Florida State Representative, still with Towncare Dental, Treasurer of the Dental Group Practice Association and not in jail.
Stephen (Steve) E. Thorne lV – remains at Pacific Dental, President of the Dental Group Practice Association and not in jail.
Mitchell B. Olan - Still CEO of Dental Care Alliance/Gentle Dental Group Services, not in jail.
Mark E. Friedman – CEO of UAI Technology, Inc. President of Mid-Jersey Realty, LLC, Board of Directors of Klein Decisions, and not in jail.
Bob Fontana – Still reigning king at Aspen Dental, wanting to bring dental service to the “underserved” and not in jail.
R. Kirk Huntsman – Dental One, which was supported by ABN AMRO Private Equity, merged with DentalCare Partners to become DentalOne Partners, with Kirk as joined up with the disgusting Reachout Healthcare America crew, recently wrote an article on how to beat the Dental Practice Management groups he largely assisted in creating, when at the same time he started Nexus Dental Alliance, which is not a Dental Practice Management, it’s even better, it’s his Dental Practice Management Group, he has the R. Kirk and Julie M. Huntsman Foundation, he is not in jail.
Dr. Jeff Moos – Still with Mid-West Dental that merged with Mountain Dental and backed by Private Equity firm Friedman, Fleischer & Lowe of Kool Smiles fame, he is not in jail.
Douglas W. Brown – Mr. Brown is eyeball deep in a number of the dental mills, Affordable Care, DentalOne Partners, Dental Works, Dental Care Partners, Secretary of the Dental Group Practice Association, not in jail.
Pictured above is: Dr. Rick Workman, Mike Bileca, Steve Thorne, Mitchell B. Olan, Mark Freidman, Bob Fontana, Kirk Huntsman, Dr. Jeff Moos, Douglas W. Brown.
Was this the meeting where the idea to sell this illegal business model to Private Equity was born? What were the Dental Practice Acts in 2004? How many of these guys should have been in jail then? What about now?
Where are they now
Dr. Rick Workman – still with Heartland Dental, Vice President of the Dental Group Practice Association, not in jail.
Mike Bileca – Florida State Representative, still with Towncare Dental, Treasurer of the Dental Group Practice Association and not in jail.
Stephen (Steve) E. Thorne lV – remains at Pacific Dental, President of the Dental Group Practice Association and not in jail.
Mitchell B. Olan - Still CEO of Dental Care Alliance/Gentle Dental Group Services, not in jail.
Mark E. Friedman – CEO of UAI Technology, Inc. President of Mid-Jersey Realty, LLC, Board of Directors of Klein Decisions, and not in jail.
Bob Fontana – Still reigning king at Aspen Dental, wanting to bring dental service to the “underserved” and not in jail.
R. Kirk Huntsman – Dental One, which was supported by ABN AMRO Private Equity, merged with DentalCare Partners to become DentalOne Partners, with Kirk as joined up with the disgusting Reachout Healthcare America crew, recently wrote an article on how to beat the Dental Practice Management groups he largely assisted in creating, when at the same time he started Nexus Dental Alliance, which is not a Dental Practice Management, it’s even better, it’s his Dental Practice Management Group, he has the R. Kirk and Julie M. Huntsman Foundation, he is not in jail.
Dr. Jeff Moos – Still with Mid-West Dental that merged with Mountain Dental and backed by Private Equity firm Friedman, Fleischer & Lowe of Kool Smiles fame, he is not in jail.
Douglas W. Brown – Mr. Brown is eyeball deep in a number of the dental mills, Affordable Care, DentalOne Partners, Dental Works, Dental Care Partners, Secretary of the Dental Group Practice Association, not in jail.
Kool Smiles files suit against law firm taking personal injury cases - I’m thinking this is NOT a good idea for Freidman Fleischer & Lowe; Doug Brown or Kevin Miller…
…Dentistry of Brownville, P.C. or NCDR, LLC, or KS TX, P.C. or whatever name Kool Smiles dental centers are using.
You have a Private Equity firm behind the Kool Smiles name. You have a Private Equity firm basically practicing dentistry. You have a Private Equity firm setting up dummy professional corporations in many states, Texas included. You have a crooked dentist, Dr. Tu Tran with his name all over Dentistry of Brownsville, PC and he doesn’t even practice in Texas or any other state for that matter! He lives outside Atlanta. According to Texas records, NCDR, LLC is “governed” by Kool Smiles Acquisition Corporation-400 EAST GALLERIA PARKWAY SE, STE. 800
ATLANTA , GA 30339
There are thousands of parents complain their children are being injured and abused with unnecessary and substandard dental treatment. These same complaints have been coming from Kool Smiles clinics across the nation for 5 years. The parents are claiming of harsh and brutal touching and manhandling of their children to deliver that dental care. All for the simple reason to bill Medicaid for as much as they can in as quickest amount of time. Maybe parents have taken photos, made audio and video recordings of the children screaming and have decided to take action against the dentist and the company responsible for it. Maybe some support staff at the dental centers have done the same.
So, what does the company do? It files suit against the law firm taking the cases, citing “Copyright Infringement”. Seriously??!!
5:12 –CV-00036
Monday March 19, 2012
NCDR, LLC
Dentistry of Brownsville, P.C.
KS TX, PC
vs.
Mauze & Bagby, PLLC
George Watts Mauze, II
James Thomas Bagby, III
Texas Southern District Court
Tradmark Infringement
Kool Smiles v Mauze & Bagby
Friedman, Fleischer & Lowe (FFL)
FFL Partners Executive Investors
Kool Smiles Investment
Midwest Dental Investment
You have a Private Equity firm behind the Kool Smiles name. You have a Private Equity firm basically practicing dentistry. You have a Private Equity firm setting up dummy professional corporations in many states, Texas included. You have a crooked dentist, Dr. Tu Tran with his name all over Dentistry of Brownsville, PC and he doesn’t even practice in Texas or any other state for that matter! He lives outside Atlanta. According to Texas records, NCDR, LLC is “governed” by Kool Smiles Acquisition Corporation-400 EAST GALLERIA PARKWAY SE, STE. 800
ATLANTA , GA 30339
There are thousands of parents complain their children are being injured and abused with unnecessary and substandard dental treatment. These same complaints have been coming from Kool Smiles clinics across the nation for 5 years. The parents are claiming of harsh and brutal touching and manhandling of their children to deliver that dental care. All for the simple reason to bill Medicaid for as much as they can in as quickest amount of time. Maybe parents have taken photos, made audio and video recordings of the children screaming and have decided to take action against the dentist and the company responsible for it. Maybe some support staff at the dental centers have done the same.
So, what does the company do? It files suit against the law firm taking the cases, citing “Copyright Infringement”. Seriously??!!
5:12 –CV-00036
Monday March 19, 2012
NCDR, LLC
Dentistry of Brownsville, P.C.
KS TX, PC
vs.
Mauze & Bagby, PLLC
George Watts Mauze, II
James Thomas Bagby, III
Texas Southern District Court
Tradmark Infringement
Kool Smiles v Mauze & Bagby
| Original Complaint | Exhibit 5 [doc 1-6] |
| Exhibit 1[doc 1-2] | Exhibit 6 [doc1-7] |
| Exhibit 2 [doc1-3] | Exhibit 7 [doc 1-8] |
| Exhibit 3 [doc 1-4] | Exhibit 8 [doc 1-9] |
| Exhibit 4 [doc1-5] | Exhibit 9 [doc 1-10] |
Friedman, Fleischer & Lowe (FFL)
FFL Partners Executive Investors
Kool Smiles Investment
Midwest Dental Investment