GDA Action May 2012

ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MAY 2012

AA Anesthesia, P.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26AFTCO Transition Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Center for TMJ Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Dental Care Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33The Doctor’s Safety Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32EC Price General Contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Frances Cullen, P.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29GDA Dental Recovery Network . . . . . . . . . . . .13Georgia Dental Insurance Services . . . . . . . . .36

Georgia Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry . . . . .9Great Expressions Dental Centers . . . . . . . . . .25Governors Pavilion, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Law Office of Stuart J. Oberman . . . . . . . . . . .16Medical Protective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2MobileCat, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9National Practice Transitions, LLC . . . . . . . . . .16Officite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12PDQ Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Dr. Mark Padolsky—TMD Dentist . . . . . . . . . .29Paragon Dental Practice Transitions . . . . . . . .30PPM / Revenue Well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Professional Practice Management . . . . . . . . .30Sedation Dentistry—Dr. Ruth Clemans . . . . . .28Solstice Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Southeast Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33UBS Financial Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

index of advertisers

GDA ACTION (ISSN 0273-5989) The official publication ofthe Georgia Dental Association (GDA) is published monthly.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GDA Action at7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road N.E., Suite 200,Building 17, Atlanta, GA 30328. Phone numbers in state are(404) 636-7553 and (800) 432-4357. www.gadental.org.

Closing date for copy: first of the month preceding publicationmonth. Subscriptions: $17 of membership dues is for thenewsletter; all others, $75 per year. Periodicals postage paidat Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Jonathan Dubin Delaine HallGDA Editor GDA Managing Editor2970 Clairmont Rd 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NESuite 195 Suite 200, Building 17Atlanta, GA 30329 Atlanta, GA 30328

2011-2012 Georgia Dental Association Officers Michael O. Vernon, DMD, PresidentSidney R. Tourial, DDS, President ElectMarshall H. Mann, DDS, Vice PresidentJames B. Hall III, DDS, MS, Secretary/TreasurerJonathan S. Dubin, DMD, Editor

GDA/GDIS Executive Office Staff Members

Martha S. Phillips, Executive Director

Nelda Greene, MBA, Associate Executive Director

Delaine Hall, Director of Communications

Skip Jones, Director of Marketing (GDIS)

Courtney Layfield, Director of Member Services

Victoria LeMaire, Medical Accounts Manager

Judy Lively, Administrative Assistant (PT)

Melana Kopman McClatchey, General Counsel

Denis Mucha, Director of Operations (GDIS)

Margo Null, Property and Casualty Accounts Manager

Patrice Williams, Administrative Assistant

Phyllis Willich, Administrative Assistant

Pamela Yungk, Director of Membership & Finance

GDA Action seeks to be an issues-driven journal focusing on current mattersaffecting Georgia dentists, patients, and their treatment, accomplished throughdisseminating information and providing a forum for member commentary.

© Copyright 2012 by the Georgia Dental Association. All rights reserved. No partof this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Publicationof any article or advertisement should not be deemed an endorsement of theopinions expressed or products advertised. The Association expressly reservesthe right to refuse publication of any article, photograph, or advertisement.

13 Partners in Profession:

A GDA and ASDA Success Story

14 Medicaid and Electronic Health

Records: Updates and Concerns

17 Registration Guide to the

145th GDA Annual Meeting

25 Children’s Dental Health Month

Brings Out Dentists’ Volunteer Spirit

4 Parting Shots

5 Editorial

6 News and Views

11 Calendar of Events

29 Classifieds

If you watched televised news, read anewspaper, or visited news sites on theInternet lately, you heard about dentistry.Or rather, you heard about what dentistry isdoing wrong, according to some misleadingstudies and sensational broadcasts. Ineach case, the American Dental Associationand Georgia Dental Association actedquickly to counter the negative tone of thecoverage by issuing dentist talking points,emphasizing scientific facts, and conductingmedia outreach efforts. Read about ADAand GDA efforts on page 10.

ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MAY 2012

other features sections

on the cover

Member Publication American Association of Dental Editors

ACTION

V O L U M E 3 1 , N U M B E R 5 • M A Y 2 0 1 2

Note: Publication of an advertisement is not to be construed as anendorsement or approval by the GDA or any of its subsidiaries,committees, or task forces of the product or service offered in the

advertisement unless the advertisement specifically includes anauthorized statement that such approval or endorsement hasbeen granted.

4 GDA ACTIONMAY 2012

April was a busy month for dentistry in thenews. The public was treated to some prettymisleading headlines while the facts wentunder the radar. Good thing we did have ourADA and GDA working to drag the facts outinto the sunlight on our behalf.

First out of the gate, the American CancerSociety journal Cancer published a vaguelyscientific study linking dental radiographswith a certain type of non-malignant braintumor. The study stated that the research wasbased on patient recollections of how manyradiographs they had instead of an examina-tion of records or treatment notes. Sadly, mostpeople will not remember that the study wasbased on the “I think so…yes, that was it”principle. They will focus on the headline‘Dental X-rays Lead to Brain Tumors.’

The GDA faxed and emailed talking pointsto member dentists we could use in addressingthis issue with patients. I know several colleagueswho received questions from patients and wereable to help ease anxiety with these points.The ADA tackled the issue with a media statementand reminders that since 1989 the Associationhad published recommendations to helpdentists ensure that radiation exposure is aslow as reasonably achievable. (The ADA’sSelection of Patients for Dental RadiographicExaminations may be found at ADA.org.) It isnot easy to counter scary words like tumorwith facts, but we managed to do just that.

Two other two news stories that made asplash are intertwined, and offer a recurring theme.First, Dr. Louis Sullivan, a former secretary ofthe U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices, wrote a letter published in The NewYork Times. (Title: Dental Insurance, but NoDentists.) His letter bemoaned United Statescitizens’ lack of access to dental care and statedthat health care reform and Medicaid expansionwould make a current dentist shortage evenmore apparent. He lauded Alaska’s DentalHealth Aide Therapist (DHAT) model as animmediate solution to our oral health ills. Wecould train more dentists, he stated, but there isno guarantee they would practice in under-served areas. The magic bullet, according tohim, is to train more dental therapists.

ADA President Dr. William Calnonresponded with a letter published in the Times

that agreed that “suffering caused by untreatedoral disease that could have been preventedor easily treated in its early stages isunacceptable.” He, however, went on to saythat the ADA disagreed that allowingnon-dentists to perform surgical procedureswas the answer and disputed that the U.S. hada dentist shortage.

The GDA has commissioned its ownworkforce census in order to paint a truepicture of Georgia’s dentists, their practicelocations, and their current capacity. We arebusy producing more facts to bring into thelight to counter the sensationalism.

Hard on the heels of the Sullivan letter,the W.K. Kellogg Foundation released itsreport (and I emphasize ‘its’ as in ‘their own’)on the efficacy of the dental therapist model.Dr. Sullivan and Kellogg, while well-intentioned,failed in my mind to produce convincing data.Instead, as an ADA statement pointed outabout one part of the Kellogg study, theyrelied on “verbal reports from knowledgeablepersons” instead of documents. (Reminds meof a certain x-ray study.) The ADA went on tocall the Kellogg publication “a 460-page advo-cacy document intended to support a prede-termined conclusion” rather than an evi-dence-based report.

Dr. Calnon and others have said that wecannot “drill and fill” our way out of dentaldisease, and that is as true a statement as I havecome across. The answer is not a two-tieredsystem of care. Education and prevention ishow a disease as perverse as dental disease isconquered. Access is best addressed when youreduce the numbers of individuals with dentalproblems on the front end, when the federalprograms that have made promises to childrenin working poor families are fixed, and whenthe dentist is acknowledged and supported asthe professional best educated to diagnose,treatment plan, and provide irreversibleprocedures.

Just some facts to consider.

Just the Facts, Please!

5GDA ACTIONMAY 2012

Jonathan S. Dubin, DMD

editorialperspective


Dr. Wendy Mitchell, Chair of the Recruitmentand Retention Committee, along withCentral District Committee member Dr.Katie Garvin and GDA Director ofMembership Pam Yungk attended theADA Annual Conference on MembershipRecruitment in March. They were honoredin Chicago with a “Membership Outreach”award. Thanks to hard work by thecommittee and staff, the GDA had themost improved active member retentionrate for a society with 2,001 to 3,500members in 2011. Kudos to all whoreached out to retain your colleagues asGDA members!

Now is the time to save the date so youcan learn more about the legislativeprocess and issues affecting your practiceof dentistry. Pick a Wednesday duringFebruary or March 2013 and plan toparticipate in a GDA LegislativeAwareness Day. You will enjoy breakfast,meet with your representative and senator,and reach out to other key legislators about

important issues impacting your profession.If you have questions about the program,email Nelda Greene at the GDA office [email protected]. See you at the Capitol.

Jan 30 GHSU Dental Students

Feb 6 Southwestern District / Alliance Spouses

Feb 13 Southeastern District / NorthernDistrict (Northern Branch)

Feb 20 Northern District (SouthernBranch) / Georgia Dental Society/ N. Ga Dental Society

Feb 27 Western District / NorthernDistrict (Hall County Branch)

Mar 6 Northern District (Eastern andCentral Branches)

Mar 13 Northwestern District

Mar 20 Central District

Mar 27 Eastern District

The Georgia Dental Association ExpandedDuties training program for dental assistantshas announced a course at West GeorgiaTechnical College in Newnan. Dr. Joe Hairwill teach courses IV, V, and VI on August3 and 4, 2012. For full details, and to printa registration form, visit www.gadental.org.

The Augusta Chronicle recently ran anarticle on Dr. Stephen Hsu, an associateprofessor of oral biology at Georgia HealthSciences University. The company hefounded, Camellix LLC, has produced aconsumer chewing gum, MighTeaFlow, whichthe doctor hopes will assist individualssuffering from chronic dry mouth.

The gum, which contains the greentea compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG), a potent antioxidant, and xylitol,is the first consumer product to come outof Georgia Health Sciences University’sLife Sciences Business Development Center.The company eventually hopes to submitMighTeaFlow to the Food and DrugAdministration to develop it as a prescriptionmedicine for dry mouth.

The company is also working on amouthwash, toothpaste, cold sore medication,and even a dandruff shampoo. Theshampoo will use a patented formulationof oil-based EGCG that can be absorbedby the skin to deliver an anti-inflammatorykick.

Dr. Hsu, a former green tea farmer inChina, has consulted in the past withcompanies to develop 35 green tea-basedproducts. But Georgia and GHSU officialsencouraged him to start his own company.He received $150,000 in start-up grantsfrom the Georgia Research Alliance.

generalnews

2013LAW Day ASSISTANTS

Expanded Duties

GHSUGreen Tea Gum

GDAMembership

(L to r): Dr. Katie Garvin, Ms. Pam Yungk,and Dr. Wendy Mitchell with a plaqueawarded to the GDA by the ADA formembership retention. The trio ofmembership experts was in Chicago atthe American Dental Associationheadquarters for a recruitment andretention meeting.

Dentists from the Northern District Hall County Branch and GDA Alliance withGovernor Nathan Deal at a GDA LAW Day in 2012. Don’t miss your chance to makea difference in 2013! Save a LAW Day date. Pictured are: Dr. Janine Bethea, Dr. JackBickford, Mrs. Molly Bickford, Mrs. Fran Brown, Mrs. Shari Carter, Dr. TimothyFussell, Mrs. Tammy Fussell, Dr. Hank Goble, Dr. Jay Harrington, Mrs. JeanHarrington, Mrs. Janelle Kauffman, Dr. Paul Kudyba, Mrs. Gigi Kudyba, Dr. AbbeyLee, Dr. Svetlana Lekht, Dr. Heather McGee, Dr. Randy Phillips, Dr. Andy Ramsey, Dr.Richard Sugarman, Mrs. Helaine Sugarman, Dr. Jimmy Talbot, Mrs. Debbie Torbush,Dr. Ryan Vaughn, Mrs. Julie Vaughn, and Dr. Ron Wilson.

7GDA ACTIONMAY 2012

U.S. Reps. Mike Simpson of Idaho andPaul Gosar of Arizona, both dentists, senta letter to all members of Congress onApril 3, underscoring the role communitywater fluoridation and dental sealants playin preventing tooth decay. In their letter,Reps. Simpson and Gosar wrote thatalthough research shows that fluoridationsaves money, many communities haveyet to implement this proven preventionstrategy.

“Even though more Americans have[fluoridated water] than ever before, coverageis uneven, and in nine states less than 50percent of the people on public watersupplies receive recommended fluoridelevels,” the letter stated. The Congressmenalso highlighted a new fact sheet bythe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention that cites the benefits fromconsuming fluoridated water. The sheet isavailable at the CDC web sitewww.cdc.gov. Search for “fluoridation.”

The American Dental Association (ADA)Council on Scientific Affairs agrees withthe conclusions of a recent report that cur-rent scientific evidence does not establisha direct cause and effect relationshipbetween gum disease and heart disease orstroke. Additionally, the evidence does notestablish that gum disease increases therate of heart disease or stroke.

The report, which examined 537 peer-reviewed studies on the subject, was pub-lished in the April 2012 Circulation, thejournal of the American Heart Association.

Although there is a body of researchshowing that gum disease is associatedwith several health conditions such asheart disease, stroke, and diabetes; justbecause two conditions are associated witheach other does not mean that one causesthe other. Both heart disease and gum dis-ease share common risk factors, such assmoking and diabetes, which play a role inthe development of both diseases.

The American Heart Association(AHA) report acknowledges the value ofgood oral hygiene to maintain good overallhealth but noted that current scientificdata do not indicate whether regularbrushing and flossing or treatment of gumdisease can decrease the incidence of ath-erosclerosis, which is the narrowing of thearteries that can lead to heart attacks andstrokes.

The ADA’s Council on ScientificAffairs, which is made up of ADA memberdentists who are scientific experts,appointed a representative to theAmerican Heart Association expert com-mittee that developed the report. TheADA Council on Scientific Affairs thenreviewed the report and agreed with itsconclusions.

As a science-based organization, the ADAsupports research on the risk, prevention,management, and treatment of oral diseases,

CONGRESSFluoride

AHACardiac Disease

NEWSContinued on page 8


as well as research that helps clarify rela-tionships that may exist between oral con-ditions and systemic diseases. The ADAencourages patients to talk to their dentistsabout the role that good oral health playsin their overall health.

The American Academy of CosmeticDentistry has initiated a public relationseffort that features a 19-page online-onlycookbook highlighting oral healthy-friendlyfoods. The organization tapped Milwaukee,Wisconsin, nutritionist Karen Krchma andCalifornia dentist Dr. Shawn Frawley toidentify foods that promote oral health,develop recipes that incorporate thoseingredients, and offer tips on foods andcosmetically lightened teeth.

AACD Director of Membership andMarketing Mike DiFrisco characterizedthe booklet, only available on the AACDweb site, as “something we thought wouldbe fun for our members to share with theirpatients and that people might like todownload for free” he told the MilwaukeeJournal Sentinel.

Some of the foods highlighted includefresh basil, which is touted for reducingbacteria in the mouth; broccoli, which seemsto form an acid-resistant film on the teeth;and fresh ginger, an anti-inflammatory thatcan support healthy gum tissue. Thebooklet is posted at aacd.com/smilerecipes.

The most recent Census revealed that sev-eral areas in Georgia are experiencinggrowth. The Hinesville-Fort Stewart andWarner Robins areas were noted as beingamong the top 10 fastest growing metroareas between 2010 and 2011, whileColumbus, Georgia, made the top 100. (Ametro area is defined as containing a coreurban area of 50,000 or more population.)Charlton County was ranked as the singlefastest growing county from 2010 to 2011.

Statesboro and Tifton were noted astop 10 fastest growing “micro” areasnationwide between 2010 and 2011. Amicro area has at least 10,000 (but lessthan 50,000) population.

Other highlights from the Census:

• As of July 1, 2011, the nation’s 366 metroareas contained 261.1 million people(83.8 percent of the total population).

• Six metro areas increased their populationsby more than 100,000 people from 2010to 2011: Dallas-Fort Worth (155,000),Houston (140,000), Washington, D.C.(122,000), New York (119,000), LosAngeles (116,000), and Miami-FortLauderdale (105,000).

• The most populous metro areas on July1, 2011, were New York (19 million), LosAngeles (12.9 million), and Chicago (9.5million). Fourteen metro areas had pop-ulations of 4 million or more.

The GDA remembers these dentists whomade significant contributions to theirprofession, patients, families, andcommunities and whose information wasrecently forwarded to the GDA office.

Ben T. Gleaves Jr., DDS, who diedNovember 22, 2011, at the age of 91. Dr.Gleaves was a 1956 University ofTennessee dental school graduate and amember of the GDA through the CentralDistrict. He was a general dentist and anAmerican Dental Association LifeMember.

Elona G. Marcy, DDS, who died August21, 2011, at the age of 70. Dr. Marcy was a1967 University of Maryland School ofDentistry graduate and a member of theGDA through the Northern District. Shewas a general dentist, a GDA Honorable

NEWSContinued from page 7

AACDCookbook

CENSUSGeorgia Growth

DENTISTSIn Memoriam

9GDA ACTIONMAY 2012

Fellow, and an American DentalAssociation Life Member.

William H. Trinkner, DDS, who diedNovember 9, 2011, at the age of 96. Dr.Trinkner was a 1943 Atlanta SouthernDental College graduate and a member ofthe GDA through the NorthwesternDistrict. He was a general dentist and anAmerican Dental Association LifeMember.

Edward E. Zwig, DDS, who died March30, 2012, at the age of 79. Dr. Zwig was a1956 Emory University School ofDentistry graduate and a member of theGDA through the Northern District. Hewas a periodontist, a GDA HonorableFellow, and an American DentalAssociation Life Member.


If you watched televised news, read anewspaper, or visited news sites on theInternet in March, April, and May, youheard about dentistry. Or rather, you heardabout what dentistry is doing wrong,according to some misleading studies andsensational broadcasts. In each case, theAmerican Dental Association and GeorgiaDental Association acted quickly to counterthe negative tone of the coverage by issuingdentist talking points, emphasizing scientificfacts, and conducting media outreach efforts.

GDA Battles X-ray Cancer Story with Talking PointsSeveral television programs recentlydiscussed a study that associated yearly ormore frequent dental x-rays to an increasedrisk of developing a non-cancerousmeningioma brain tumor. The day thestudy was released the GDA faxed andemailed talking points to member dentiststo help them answer patient questions. Thepoints, now available on www.gadental.org,addressed multiple issues, including thestudy’s questionable methodology of relyingon individuals’ memories of having dentalx-rays taken, not a scientific review ofdental or medical records.

The GDA also posted on its web site arisk management article previously publishedin GDA Action on how dentists could educatepatients that dental x-rays are valuable. Thearticle emphasized that many oral diseasescannot be detected on the basis of a visualand physical examination alone and x-raysare an important part of the examinationand diagnosing process. The article alsodiscussed how to handle patients whorefuse to have dental x-rays taken.

The ADA quickly issued a press releasereiterating the Association’s long-standingposition that dentists should order dentalx-rays for patients only when necessary fordiagnosis and treatment. The releasepointed out that since 1989, the ADA hadpublished consistent recommendations tohelp dentists ensure that radiation exposureis as low as reasonably achievable. The ADAalso ensured that its web site, www.ada.org,contained professional and consumer-orientedx-ray educational information easily accessiblefrom the home page. In addition, ADASpokesperson Dr. Matthew Messina was

interviewed for the study on dental x-rays,and his quotes appeared in U.S. News andWorld Report and on MSNBC.

ADA Addresses Article on ER DrugSeekers Claiming Dental PainAn April 30 story in The New York Times(“E.R. Doctors Face Quandary on Painkillers”)looked at the phenomenon of emergencyroom patients who claim to have agonizingdental pain in order to obtain prescriptionpain medication, and how emergencyroom physicians struggle to identify ifthose patients are telling the truth.

The ADA swiftly issued a statementdecrying that the newspaper did notexplore the underlying problem of peopleseeking dental treatment in emergencyrooms—that there is virtually no consistent,substantive dental safety net for low-income adults. When “uninsured andindigent people cannot get routine dentalcare, small problems become big ones,and the pain becomes intolerable,” thestatement read. “As a result, they flock toemergency rooms with dental pain. Thatthey have dental problems is apparent toER physicians. But whether they actuallyneed pain medication is a judgment call.”

The ADA statement points out theirony that patients who seek care via theER cost Medicaid more than treatment bydentists would. “States would actually savemoney by providing basic care, such asfillings and extractions, to these patients,”the ADA stated.

GDA President Responds to CBS Story on Teen DeathsThe GDA monitored an April CBS-Atlantatelevision report that sensationally tried tolink the deaths of three teen boys fromGeorgia to wisdom tooth extractions.Despite the scare-tactic language the storyused, such as “Although the three deathsmay seem unusual, dental deaths are morecommon than you might imagine,” nosubstantive links were drawn between theboys’ regrettable deaths and any dentalprocedure. In fact, the story noted brieflythat one boy’s death had been attributed toa reaction to penicillin.

“This story sensationalized the very saddeaths of three boys, and put out distorted

information that could deter individuals whoneed care from having treatment performed,”said GDA President Dr. Michael Vernon.He noted that the GDA office receivedvery few calls on this story.

ADA, GDA Reach Out AfterEditorial Lauds Dental Therapists An April 8 editorial published in The NewYork Times featured the opinions of Dr.Louis Sullivan, who served as the secretaryof the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services from 1989 to 1993. In hiseditorial, Dr. Sullivan decried the numbersof emergency room visits that childrenmake due to dental pain. He assigned muchof the blame to a shortage of dentists inrural and poor areas, and the low numbersof dentists who accept Medicaid. Hisanswer—pump huge numbers of rapidlytrained dental therapist midlevel providersinto the dental delivery system.

The Times published a letter fromADA President Dr. William Calnon that madeseveral key points in regards to the Sullivanpiece. Dr. Calnon praised Dr. Sullivan forcorrectly observing that dental pain needlesslysends too many Americans to seek care inemergency rooms, but pointed out thatnumerous barriers impede people fromenjoying good oral health, including theiraccess to fluoridated water systems andlack of knowledge of how to prevent oraldisease through good oral hygiene andhealthy habits. Dr. Calnon stronglyrefuted Dr. Sullivan’s notion that dentaltherapists with minimal training can safelyand effectively perform surgical proceduressuch as extractions and pulpotomies.

“The nation will never drill, fill andextract its way to victory over untreateddental disease,” Dr. Calnon’s letter ended.“A public health system based primarily onsurgical intervention in disease that couldeasily have been prevented is ill-conceivedand doomed to fail. Until we focus on oralhealth education and disease prevention,the nation will fail to meet the needs ofthose who cannot afford or otherwiseaccess dental care.”

GDA dentist Dr. Ed Green of Albanyalso submitted a letter to the Times,although it was not selected for publication.In the meantime, the GDA has commissioned

Dentistry Counters Misleading Messages in Media

11GDA ACTIONMAY 2012

its own workforce census in order to painta true picture of Georgia’s dentists, theirpractice locations, and their current capacity.The GDA looks forward to sharing accurateworkforce data and asserting that creatingmidlevel dental providers is not the answerto addressing dental access to care in Georgia.

The GDA is aware that the ADA hasinvited Dr. Sullivan, an Atlanta resident, toa meeting to discuss the ADA’s view that a onlya dentist has the education and training toprovide patient diagnosis and performsurgical / irreversible procedures, and thatdental care is appropriately delivered withthe dentist as the head of the dental team.

ABC World News Story ExaminesDental Medicaid in FloridaAn April broadcast of ABC World Newswith Diane Sawyer included a report on

dental access in Florida titled, “HiddenAmerica: Medicaid’s Youngest FaceDental Crisis.” The focus was the tragicresults of children not receiving care,including a recounting of the DeamonteDriver death in Maryland and video ofchildren with blackened stumps wherehealthy teeth should be. The Associationprepared a press statement to answerinquiries from journalists that noted thechronic budget woes plaguing Florida’sdental Medicaid program and how thatimpacted access. The ADA also reachedout to the segment’s producer to offerassistance on any follow-up stories.

ADA Decries Kellogg ‘Study’ asFlawed AdvocacyImmediately after the Dr. Louis Sullivanletter was published, the W.K. Kellogg

Foundation released a report praising thedental therapist model. An ADA statementon the report faulted Kellogg in manyareas, including one instance where“While repeatedly referring to 54 countriesthat employ therapists in some capacity,the authors concede that ‘no documentscould be located’ for more than half (28) ofthose countries, and that they instead reliedon ‘verbal reports from knowledgeablepersons—that dental therapists practice in16 of these countries.’”

ADA President Dr. William Calnonwas interviewed about the Kellogg studyby the Alaska bureau of the AssociatedPress and by Alaska Public Radio. TheADA was cited in other news coverage onthe Kellogg study including the PBSNewsHour “The Rundown” Blog andDentistry IQ.

The ADA has released the third in aseries of papers (all available atwww.ada.org) that examine thechallenges and solutions to bringinggood oral health to millions ofAmericans who, for multiple reasons,lack access to regular dental care.

“Breaking Down Barriers to OralHealth for All Americans: The Role ofFinance” explores how the availabilityof financing affects people’s oralhealth, various methods of paying forcare, and recommendations forimproving the system.

“When people are able to accessoral health care, they are more likelyto receive basic preventive servicesand education on how to attain andmaintain good oral health. They arealso more likely to have oral diseasesdetected in the earlier stages, saidADA President Dr. William Calnon.“In contrast, lack of access to oralhealth care can result in delayeddiagnosis, untreated oral diseasesand conditions, compromised healthstatus, and, occasionally, even death.

“Unfortunately, access to oralhealth care eludes many Americans,”

Dr. Calnon continued. “While certainlynot the only factor, financing is amajor factor in people’s ability toaccess health care.”

Increased funding alone cannotrepair a dental financing system thatis rife with inefficiencies and shiftingpolicies and that is overly tiltedtoward costly surgical interventionin disease that could have beenprevented. Acknowledging this, thepaper provides eight recommendationsthat aim to eliminate unnecessary,costly, preventable dental diseaseover time. ADA suggestions include:

• Eliminating cost sharing (copayments)for diagnostic, preventive, and directrestorative procedures. Necessary careshould not be subject to unreasonablylow yearly maximums on coverage.

• Setting maximum plan benefit feesin an open and transparent manner.

• Setting Medicaid and CHIP reim-bursements for dental care at ratesthat are acceptable to sufficientnumbers of dentists practicing in

the covered area to provide care tothose eligible patients who seek it,as consistent with federal law. Stateprograms should base these rateson the ADA Survey of Dental Feesor an equivalent database.

• Encouraging dental plans to cover 100percent of the cost for preventiveservices.

• Encouraging states to implementadministrative reforms to cut redtape that impedes dentists fromdelivering care and patients fromreceiving it, including “carving out”the dental portion of Medicaid.

• Broadening state Medicaid programsto include adults, beginning withcoverage for urgent care thatotherwise drives adults to hospitalemergency departments.

• Encouraging federal and stategovernments to expand programsthat provide incentives for dentiststo establish practices in underservedareas.

ADA Paper Delves Into Real Reasons Americans Don’t Access Dental Care


The GDA / American Student DentalAssociation (ASDA) Partners in Professionmentor program connects practicing den-tists with students eager to learn aboutwhat their future holds. Leaders in theASDA chapter at Georgia HealthSciences University worked hard tofind PIP mentor matches for interestedstudents in 2011. After being matched,several duos carried on spirited phone andemail communications. Then, on March23, many of the duos were able to meetin person during a soiree hosted by Drs.John and Jackie Harden of Atlanta.

“We were happy to welcome about50 dental students, mentors, GDA staffmembers, Alliance members, and otherguests,” said Dr. John Harden. “Wetreated them to a dinner buffet, desserts,and drinks, and let the students and

mentors get to know one another on amore social level.”

“This was a great opportunity to letthe many students and mentors who hadonly ‘met’ by voice and email meet face-to-face,” said GDA President Dr. MichaelVernon. “The students were able to net-work with other dentists as well.”

The GDA / ASDA PIP program isintended to build lasting relationshipsamong future colleagues, as well asallow students and practicing dentists tolearn about obstacles facing the professionand how to accomplish dental goals.Participating dentists are encouraged toset students on the fast track to GDAinvolvement and show them the value ofbeing a member of organized dentistry.

“This was a great jump start for theprogram,” said Dr. Vernon. “Thanks toJohn and Jackie for the food, company,and their screened porch. We had a fewmentor student partners waiting for theperfect time to start the relationship, andthis helped break the ice in many ways.

“I am excited for how we can assistour students, but also how this will lift theGDA,” Dr. Vernon continued. “I am surethis will help the GDA develop leadersand committed members as the mentorsdiscuss issues and possible changes to ourprofession.”

The mentor program kicked off dur-ing Dr. Jay Harrington’s term as GDApresident. He stated that he was happyto see the program up and running. “Oneof my goals as President was to see usrevitalize this important program,” he said.

Thanks to the doctors, students, and GDA staff who attended! Students: Andy Benfield, Jessica Brown,Vy Do, David Forrest, Samira Jafari, GigiKendrick, Robert Lowry, James Maina,Naz Majdi, Robert O’Brien, Melanie Tang,Ben Taylor, Shannon Thorsteinson, RubyTruong, Beau Upshaw, Blake Upshaw, andBob Wilson; Dentists: Drs. Evis Babo,Christi Cheek, Eric Ferrara, Emile Fisher,John Harden, Jay Harrington, Jeff

Kendrick, Terry O’Shea, Walter Stewart,Jimmy Talbot, Mike Vernon, and JasonYoung; Guests: GDA Executive DirectorMartha Phillips, Director of MembershipPam Yungk, and Director of MembershipServices Courtney Layfield; JeanHarrington, Sherry Kendrick, Al Phillips,and Debbie Vernon.

Partners in Profession:A GDA and ASDA Success Story

“It was really great to meet and talkwith so many people that I respect andadmire,” said Beau Upshaw. “It was afun and laid back atmosphere. Dr.Harden knows how to throw a greatparty. I hope we have the opportunityfor many more events like this in thefuture.”

“It was great to meet everyone in arelaxed setting,” said Bob Wilson. “Igained a lot of insight from talking withdentists from all sorts of different back-grounds. I really hope this is the first ofmany events with the mentor program.”


Since September 2011, the GeorgiaDepartment of Community Health(DCH) and Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services (CMS) have worked toregister providers and implement theMedicaid Electronic Health Record(EHR) Incentive Program. All “eligibleMedicaid professionals” (including den-tists) who meet certain criteria can registerfor the incentive program and possiblyreceive up to $63,750 over six years forparticipation in the program.

The GDA office receives regularquestions about the program and offersthis Q&A to assist members. If you do notsee the answer you need here, contactCourtney Layfield at the GDA office [email protected].

Q: Is the state funding the EHR incentive program?

A: No. This is a 100% federally fundedprogram authorized by the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009designed to encourage the adoption anduse of electronic health records across thecountry by all health care providers.

Q: What incentives are offered to doctors?

A: This program is designed to give eligi-ble Medicaid professionals $21,250 in thefirst payment year to adopt, implement, orupgrade an Office of the NationalCoordinator certified EHR system and anadditional $42,500 paid over five years forthe meaningful use of a certified EHR sys-tem according to the requirements devel-oped by CMS. Providers are not requiredto participate every year and may opt toonly participate the first year. Incentivepayments are made at the end of eachattestation period.

Q: What is an eligible professional?

A: Primarily, eligible professionals musthave at least 30% patient volume attributableto Medicaid. PeachCare for Kids patientsDO NOT count toward the Medicaidpatient volume criteria. The CMS web siteoffers this guidance for dentists:

“Dentists must meet the same eligibilityrequirements as other eligible profession-als (EP) in order to qualify for paymentsunder the Medicaid EHR IncentiveProgram. This also means that they mustdemonstrate all 15 of the core meaningfuluse objectives and five from the menu oftheir choosing. The core set includesreporting of six clinical quality measures(three core and three from the menu oftheir choosing.) Several meaningful useobjectives have exclusion criteria that areunique to each objective. EPs will have toevaluate whether they individually meetthe exclusion criteria for each applicableobjective as there is no blanket exclusionby type of EP.”

Q: Can you tell me about the clinical quality measures?

A: Not yet. The Clinical Quality Measures(CQMs) for dental have not been defined

as of yet and the timetable is unknown.However, CMS continues to make updatesto the program and has clarified many ofthe rules for dental in the most recent setof rules released for Stage 2 MeaningfulUse. The American Dental Association hasbeen working closely with CMS, ONC,and other federal agencies on this programto define the measures for dental.

Q: Is there a deadline to register for the program?

A: Eligible professionals must apply toparticipate and begin receiving incentivepayments by calendar year 2016. The pro-gram is slated to end in 2021.

Q: How do I begin theregistration process?

A: An interested dentist must FIRSTregister their intent with CMS at

Medicaid and Electronic Health Records:Updates and Concerns


www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms.CMS has done a good job of keeping theirweb site updated with information. Theyoffer FAQs and links to webinars that theyhave hosted on the topic.

After 48 hours have elapsed (to allowCMS time to submit registration informa-tion to DCH), a dentist must then registerwith DCH. The web site is www.dch.geor-gia.gov/ehr. DCH has developed a Toolkitfor Eligible Professionals, FAQs, a QuickStart Guide, and a Patient VolumeCalculator for use in determining if youqualify.

Q: Are EHRs requiredfor dentistry?

A: According to the ADA Dental PracticeHub at ADA.org, for the vast majority ofdentists, there is no fixed deadline toswitch to electronic health records. Thedeadline exception is for dentists who billMedicare for patient services. For thesedentists, starting in 2015, Medicare reim-bursement rates will be affected if ‘mean-ingful use’ of EHRs has not been demon-strated.

Q: What if I bill patient services toa Medicare Advantage Plan? Will Ibe subject to reductions in reim-bursement rates?

A: Probably not, but it would be advisablefor you to contact the Medicare Advantageplan(s) that you bill to for confirmation.Based on the rules for meaningful use thatare in place now, those providers who billto Medicare Part B will be subject to thepayment adjustments / reductions startingin 2015. Medicare Advantage Plans areconsidered a Part C plan under Medicare.

Q: What is certified EHR technologyand where can I buy it?

A: Participants must use certified EHRtechnology from an approved vendor list.Estimates for the cost of this technologyrange from $20,000 up to $100,000,depending upon the size and demandsof the practice. Currently there aretwo certified dental EHR technologyvendors—MacPractice and Open Dental.The GDA anticipates that most of theother dental practice management soft-

ware companies will become certifiedsoon. To find out if your software iscertified, visit one of the following ONC websites: http://healthit.hhs.gov/certificationor http://onc.chpl.force.com/ehrcert.

Q: A company called me and said they could get me enrolled.Should I use them?

A: There are for-profit companies currentlymarketing to dental offices that they canhelp you register to become eligible forthis EHR program. However, their servicesrequire that you pay them a percentageof any incentive money you receive. Youmay not need to utilize one of thesecompanies in order to participate andreceive incentive money, but that is abusiness decision you will need to make onyour own.


GDA dentists and staff once again fannedout across Georgia to provide dentalscreenings, educational programs, goodybags, and other dental services throughoutFebruary to celebrate Children’s DentalHealth Month (CDHM). Volunteersdonated their time at daycares, pre-schools, elementary schools, churches,Boys and Girls Clubs, and several othervenues.

The GDA Council on Dental Healthdistributed nearly 8,000 toothbrushes,toothpaste, and goody bags within theseven GDA districts. Below is a report onmany of these wonderful activities thatyour colleagues held in their area. Theseare in addition to the district GKAS activi-ties reported on last month. We encourageevery GDA member to host an event nextyear to reach even more children!

Central: Council member Dr. ShirleyFisher reports that a number of privatedental offices reached out to children intheir communities. Amanda Lester, RDH,who is employed by Drs. Amy and MikeLoden, visited with 40 kindergarteners.CDDS dentists and staff members alsogave presentations to children to educatethem on preventative measures that theycan do at home to prevent dental disease.

Eastern (Athens): Council member Dr.Jennifer Wells reports that Athens areadentists once again stepped up, gave pre-sentations, and passed out goody bags to1,330 children. Thanks to Drs. ForestPagett and Joshua Whetzel (Madison) whospoke to 240 kids at Morgan CountyPrimary School; Dr. Bill Newell(Jefferson) who visited with 200 kids atJefferson Parks and Recreation; Dr. ChrisStrickland (Watkinsville) who saw 100 kidsat Oconee Primary, Oconee Elementary,and Mars Hill Preschool; Dr. Phil Durden(Winterville) who educated 250 kids atOglethorpe County Primary andOglethorpe Preschool Academy; and Dr.Jayni Bradley (Watkinsville) who gave pre-sentations to 540 kids at six schools inOconee County.

Eastern District (Augusta): Councilmember Dr. John Spratling reports that 11dentists reached 4,699 children duringeducational school visits and during theGive Kids a Smile event held at GHSU.Thanks to Dr. Barbara Utermark(Martinez) for visiting 200 children at mul-tiple elementary schools; Drs. Doug andGreg Clepper (Augusta) who went toStevens Creek Elementary and spoke with90 children; Dr. Greg Griffin (Lincolnton)who visited 80 children at Lincoln Countyschools; Dr. Celia Dunn (Evans) for speak-ing to 125 kids at Blue Ridge Preschool;Dr. Tommy Neal (Thomson) for educating55 children at McDuffie County schools;

Children’s Dental Health MonthBrings Out Dentists’Volunteer Spirit

Children’s Dental Health MonthContinued on page 26

Dr. Robert Joiner with dental assistantPenny Daigle from Advanced DentalAssociates of Cumming reached 54 lowincome children in Forsyth and DawsonCounty.


Drs. John Spratling, David Brantley, andKelly Hughes (Augusta) for visiting 705kids at Brookwood and other area schools;Dr. Steve Powell (Evans) for volunteeringhis time to 2,626 children at Riverside andother area schools; Dr. Judson Hickey(Augusta) for speaking to 105 children atarea schools; Drs. Mike Rogers and LeeAndrews (Augusta) for visiting 156 chil-dren at Westminster and St. Mary’sschools; Dr. Holland Maness (Martinez)for speaking with 125 children at BlueRidge Elementary; and Dr. Tina Moses(Augusta) who gave oral health presenta-tions to 540 children at Windsor SpringElementary.

Northern District: Several privateoffices stepped up to volunteer:

• Dr. Sarabess Baumrind (Atlanta) andMenia Chester, Director of the FultonCounty Cooperative Extension, gave apresentation on oral health to 22 fifthgraders at Fickett Elementary.

• Dr. Elisha Buckley (Roswell) and herstaff gave oral health presentations attwo schools to 150 first graders and 85second graders.

• Dr. Brook Corbett (Atlanta) discussedoral hygiene, practice tooth brushing,read books, and pass out toothbrush kitsto 13 4-year olds and 8 1-year olds atOglethorpe Presbyterian Preschool. Shealso visited with the kindergarten class atAshford Park Elementary School.

• Dr. Kiran Kamdar (Stone Mountain) andher staff hosted a daycare field trip toher office, as well as visited threeelementary schools and 11 daycarestelling the story of “Tommy the Tooth”and educating the kids on the importanceof healthy teeth, going to the dentist,not sucking on thumbs or fingers, andgood brushing habits. In total theyreached 1,780 kids.

• Dr. Larry Miller (Monroe) and twodental hygienists gave oral healtheducation presentations to 110 children,ages 4 to 8, at George Walton Academyand 45 children, ages 4 to 5, at Bright

Beginnings Preschool. They also donated15 sets of toothbrushes, toothpaste, andoral health instructions to the WaltonCounty DFACS office for children’sEaster baskets.

• Dr. Richard Remigailo (Atlanta) and hiswife Eleanor (AKA the tooth fairy) visit-ed Chamblee United Methodist Churchpreschool (where they reached 72children) and Dunwoody Elementary(where they reached 140 kindergarten

Children’s Dental Health MonthContinued from page 25

Dr. Sarabess Baumrind and MeniaChester, Director of the Fulton CountyCooperative Extension, talk to fifthgraders in Atlanta.


students). They gave a presentation on goodbrushing and oral health habits and passedout toothbrushes and toothpaste kits.

• Dr. Ryan Vaughn (Gainesville) openedhis office by appointment duringFebruary to 250 children from HallCounty and Gainesville City Schools. Heprovided needy children with freeexams, prophys, fluoride treatment, andsimple extractions. Each child alsoreceived a dental goody bag.

• Dr. Janice Wilmot (Lilburn) and herstaff visited first grade classes at CampCreek Elementary and spoke to 160 stu-dents. They also presented students withdental care packages. Dental health andpreventative care were the focus and thechildren enjoyed books about dentalhealth.

Northwestern District: Several privateoffices stepped up to volunteer:

• Dr. Ruth Clemans (Marietta) and oneassistant gave a dental health presentationto 86 third graders at BlackwellElementary in Marietta.

• Dr. William J. Cline (Cartersville) andstaff members gave a dental health pres-entation on proper brushing and flossingto 379 children at several schools,including Cartersville Primary, ExcelChristian Academy, Hamilton CrossingElementary, Euharlee Elementary, andWhite Elementary.

• Dr. Ray Morgan (Woodstock) and hisassociates offered free sealants or topicalfluoride applications with each dentalcare visit during February to patients ofall ages.

Children’s Dental Health MonthContinued on page 29

Dr. Celia Dunn and Valerie Hardin, RDH, at an Eastern District preschool.


• Dr. Atusha Patel (Marietta), with twoassistants, gave presentations to 220children at Wood Acres Academy in Marietta.The kindergarteners saw a presentationon CDHM’s history and President HarryTruman’s involvement and a Dudley theDinosaur DVD. They viewed real dentalinstruments and received a goody bag.The 3-4 year old classes enjoyed a simplerpresentation and enjoyed dental relatedcrafts using miniature marshmallows torepresent teeth. They also receivedgoody bags and calendars and stars tomark the days when they brushed andflossed twice a day.

Southeastern District: Council memberDr. Stephanie Skinner (Savannah), reportsthat several dentists in the district visitedarea schools to educate children aboutdentistry and good oral health, reaching atotal of 1,042 kids.

Southwestern District: Drs. Robert andAshley Moss (Albany), along with one dentalassistant gave several oral health presentationsto third and fifth graders at several LeeCounty elementary schools. They reachedapproximately 500 children.

Western District: Council member Dr.Alex Cranford (Newnan), reports that heheld an educational event at the Newnan /Coweta Boys and Girls Club for some 60kids. In addition:

• Dr. Paul Garcia (Columbus) visited sev-eral area schools to give educational pro-grams and gave dental goody bags toapproximately 300 children.

• Dr. Jordan Brunson (Palmetto) in con-junction with The Links, Inc. LagrangeChapter, hosted a “Brush Up YourSmile” event with dentist, nutritionist,and nurse volunteers. More than 70children received free dental exams andinformation on obesity and good foodsfor oral health. Each child also receiveda dental goody bag. Dr. Charley Cheney(Newnan) conducted the exams with Dr.Brunson. Thanks to Help A Child Smileof Conyers for donating a dental van andGolden Corral of Newnan for the use oftheir parking lot. Approximately $4,000in services was donated during the event.

Children’s Dental Health MonthContinued from page 27


Dentists Availablefor Locum Tenens

Dentist will fill in for illness, vacation, orcontinuing education. Licensed, insured,DEA #. Call (404) 786-0229 or [email protected].

Dentist Available Daily (DAD): Dentistavailable during vacations, emergencies,and CE courses. Leave your practice inwell-trained hands. I am licensed, insured,and have a DEA registration number so Ican write prescriptions. Call Dr. RichardPatrick at (770) 993-8838.

DENTIST: Need Part Time Fill In?Vacation, Illness, Maternity? GENERALDENTIST SOLD LONG ESTAB-LISHED PRACTICE. GA & DEALICENSED. (Available Expanded AtlantaArea.) Cell: (404) 219-4097. Home: (404)842-1196. Jesse Hader, DDS.

Dentist available during emergencies,vacation, CDE courses. I have a currentlicense, DEA certificate, and insurance.Contact me at (706) 291-2254 or cell (706)802-7760. I hope I can be of service to you.Patrick A. Parrino, DDS, MAGD.

Positions Available

Full time associate dentist wanted tojoin our team in a thriving general den-tistry practice in Northwest Georgia. Weare looking for a well rounded individualwith an interest in all aspects of generaldentistry. We have a friendly, well trained,outgoing staff that enjoys taking care ofpatients. Please call (404) 408-0078 oremail: [email protected].

Georgia: Cartersville, Hiram, andEast Point—Opportunity available for ageneral dentist in an established familypractice. We are a multi-specialty groupproviding state-of-the-art offices. Excellentincentive packages. Requirements: 1=yearof experience and active Georgia license.Email resume to [email protected] orcall (678) 387-2783 ext 1204.

Fast growing, busy general practicelooking for an associate dentist. Weprovide general dentistry for patients of allages offering pediatric conscious sedationand will soon offer adult sedation dentistry.Our doctor and staff are very dedicatedand work extraordinarily well together.Caring for our patients is our primary goalso a good chair side manner is a must as wellas a positive and motivated personality. If youare interested, please forward resume [email protected] or fax (770) 456-7103.

Charleston, South Carolina—Join apediatric practice with multiple offices. Joina fun, well-respected, paperless pediatricpractice and live in a great city on thebeach. The position is for someone lookingfor a great place to work in a friendlyand comfortable working environment.Competitive salary & benefits. Email [email protected] or call(843) 816-KIDS (5437). coastalkidsdental.com.

We have an outstanding full timeopportunity in our successful, well-respected, quality oriented private pediatricdental practice for the right candidate. Weare seeking a special, motivated, personableindividual to join in our success. Generaldentists would require a minimum of at least2 years’ experience in pediatric dentistry.We are a booming practice with tremendousgrowth and earning potential. We offerin office sedation. We offer excellentcompensation and benefits. For moreinformation, please contact AmandaMoseley at [email protected] (678) 352-1090 / (678) 429-9931.

Dentist Jobs: Aspen Dental offerstremendous earning potential and a prac-tice support model that empowers dentiststo achieve goals. We eliminate obstaclesfor dentists to own their own practice.To learn more about our compellingproposition and to apply, please call (877)332-9154 or visit www.AspenDentalJobs.com.EOE

classified ads

How GDA members canplace classified ads

AD FORM: Submit all ads on a GDA ClassifiedAdvertisement Form. To obtain a form,call Skip Jones at (800) 432-4357 or(404) 636-7553, or email [email protected].(Note: The GDA may accept or reject anyad for any reason and in its sole discretion.)

AD DEADLINE: Ads and ad check payments are due by thefirst of the month before the publicationmonth (i.e., Dec. 1 for January).

AD RATES: ADA member dentists pay $75.00 per60-word ad per month. There is a 25 centsper-word charge for each word over 60.Non-dentist-owned companies (real estatefirms, etc.) pay $195 per 60-word ad permonth (additional word charges as above).Non-member dentists may notplace ads.

LATE FEE:Ads for which full prepayment is notreceived by the first day of the ad’spublication month (i.e.; Nov. 1 for aNovember ad) will incur a $25 late fee inaddition to the ad rate.

FORMS OF PAYMENT: Submit a check or money order with the adform. (Make checks payable to GDA.)Credit cards are not accepted as payment.

WEB SITE PLACEMENT: Prepaid ads will appear on the GDA Website www.gadental.org for the month thead appears in print. Non-prepaid ads willNOT be placed online.

CLASSIFIEDSContinued on page 32


Practices/Office Space Available

Clayton County / Office Condo forsale. 1,200 sq ft. dental office. Threeplumbed dental treatment rooms, and lab.Private office with shower, business officeand waiting room. Close to SouthernRegional Hospital / high traffic area. Saleincludes real estate, dental equipment,and all furniture. Great start up or secondoffice. Condo appraised at $130,000 willsell for $100,000. Call (404) 881-0798.

Located on Main Highway—NelsonBrogdon Blvd in Buford / Sugar Hill.1.5 miles from Mall of Georgia. 3,500 sqfeet last used as Ortho. Also 1,200 sq feetpreviously used as Perio. Free standingbuilding with over 50 general dentistsnearby. Email [email protected] orcall (770) 845-9159.

I-985 / Sugar Hill—Seeking PEDI-ATRIC DENTAL PRACTICE to locatenext door to oral surgeon, endodontist, andfamily dentist in new office park withestablished family medicine and cardiolo-gy practices. New space for sale or lease,will built to suit. Call Matthew Levin (678)467-9658.

Available: BUCKHEAD: Beautiful, primelocation, 4 operatories. DECATUR:Grossing $1.8 million, multi-doctor.GWINNETT: Grossing $550,000, 4 opera-tories. GWINNETT: Grossing $210,000,4 operatories, great merger. TUCKER:Grossing $350,000, 5 operatories.MERGERS: Buckhead, Duluth, Mid-Town, Peachtree City. Contact RichaneSwedenburg, New South DentalTransitions: (770) 630-0436, [email protected]. Check new listings:www.newsouthdental.com.

Practice for sale due to health reasonsand it’s time (forty-two years). Located insouth-central Georgia. Great place to raisea family with good hunting and fishing.Will continue working during transitionperiod. Practice now limited to surgery,extractions, and prosthetics. Call (229)424-5888 Friday, Saturday, or Mondaybefore 6 p.m.

Available: Montezuma, GA—Next toPerry, GA. Dental office only; no patients.Three equipped ops with living spaceupstairs. Office can be reopened for busi-ness. Dental equipment can be sold sepa-rately. Nicely equipped oral surgery opwith hall drill. Charming small town; prior-ity will be given on a first come, first servebasis. Contact Dr. Moretz at (478) 957-6395

CLASSIFIEDSContinued from page 31

CLASSIFIEDSContinued on page 34


Savannah: Successful, turnkey ORALAND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERYpractice. Doctor retiring. Two surgicalsuites. Great staff. Electric hand pieces.Plumbed for dry air pneumatic handpieces. Excellent location in modern pro-fessional building. $300+K a 3 1/2 days /week. Great place to live and play. Pricedto sell at $190K. Contact Dean Cox @(678) 584-4855.

GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNI-TY in beautiful north Georgia. Ten yearold 10,000 sq ft high image glass buildingwell located for public awareness alongwith dental practice in this same locationfor 39 years. State Agency also renting withbuilding. Some vacant space available forrent to dental specialist, physicians, orother professional businesses. Close tohospital. Motivated cross-trained staff.Friendly patients who appreciate what youdo for them. Modern equipment.Computers in all operatories. Ideal for soloor group practice. Growing communitywith excellent school system. Low crimerate. Tons of family / sportsman outdoorrecreation. Call soon to arrange a conven-ient time to meet us and see our facility.(706) 745-6848.

FLOWERY BRANCH / HOSCHTON /BRASELTON, GA: 20,000 square footdental office building for lease in the #4most economically developing area in thecountry! Now Leasing and Interior BuildOut Can Begin Immediately! Great leaserates & TI allowance available. Looking forPERIO, ENDO & ORAL SURGEON. Ina highly visible area where NO specialistsare located at this time! Be the first in thearea for a promising long term career loca-tion. Whether you want 1,500 or 5,000square feet, space will be tailored to eachindividual’s needs. Perfect location for anew practice startup or a 2nd satellite loca-tion! Close to the newly approved satellitelocation for Northeast Georgia MedicalCenter. Demographics are off the chartsand schools are unbelievable … literallyone of the most sought after locationsaround! Priority will be given on a firstcome / first serve basis. Please email:[email protected] more information or call (678) 612-2277.

PAULDING COUNTY, GA. Well estab-lished practice with room to grow! AllFFS patients. The practice collected$300k in 2011 with 50% overhead. Thereare 3 ops with an additional roomplumbed. Seller is ready to retire. Formore information call (678) 482-7305,email [email protected] visit www.southeasttransitions.com.

CUMMING, GEORGIA. Beautiful prac-tice for sale in Cumming, GA. There are 4operatories loaded with nice equipmentand technology. The practice collected$600K in 2011 and is referring out manyprocedures. Buyer can expect to make$200K the first year after debt service.Seller is retiring and flexible with his tran-sition plans. For more information call(678) 482-7305, email [email protected] or visit www.southeast-transitions.com.

AVAILABLE: SAVANNAH AREA#8779—Gross Collections $1.05M; 4 days;5 operatories; 2660 sq. ft. office space.ATLANTA PERIO #5241—GrossCollections $1.32M, 3 days, 4 ops; 2400 sq.ft. office space. NORTH ATLANTAPERIO #5241—Associate needed for hightech perio practice. All phases of perioperformed. PAULDING COUNTY#8799—Gross Collections $653K, 4.5days, 6 ops, 3600 sq. ft. office space. NWGA #8816—Gross Collections $1.09M; 4days; 5 ops; 2450 sq. ft. office space.COLUMBUS AREA #8824—GrossCollections $310K; 4 days, 6 ops; 3000 sq.ft. office space. NORCROSS OFFICESPACE #8834—1750 sq. ft. office spaceand dental equipment for lease. Two fullyequipped and 2 unequipped operatories.$3500 a month. For information, call Dr.Earl Douglas, (770) 664-1982 or [email protected].

CLASSIFIEDSContinued from page 32

Suite 200, Building 17, 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody RoadAtlanta, Georgia 30328-1655

www.gadental.org

ACTIONInside This Issue

• Botox® and Dermal FillerOverview Course Added to GDA Annual Meeting Lineup

• Partners in Profession: A GDA / ASDA Success Story

DATED MATERIALPLEASE DELIVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

GDA Action May 2012

Documents

Transcript of GDA Action May 2012