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ACT ION
THE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION
FEBRUARY 2014
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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 2 • FEBRUARY 2014
ACTION
on the cover
ACT ION
THE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION
GDA ACTION (ISSN 0273-5989) The official publication of the Georgia Dental Association (GDA) is published monthly. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GDA Action at 7000 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 publication month. Subscriptions: $17 of membership dues is for the newsletter; all others, $75 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA. Dr. David Bradberry GDA Editor 1070 Woodlawn Dr NE Suite 250 Marietta, GA 30068
Delaine Hall GDA Managing Editor 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE Suite 200, Building 17 Atlanta, GA 30328
2013-14 Georgia Dental Association Officers Marshall H. Mann, DDS, President Douglas B. Torbush, DDS, President Elect Greg G. Goggans, DMD, Vice President James B. Hall III, DDS, Secretary / Treasurer R. David Bradberry, DMD, Editor
GDA/GDIS Executive Office Staff Members Nelda Greene, MBA, Interim Executive Director Delaine Hall, Director of Communications Skip Jones, Director of Marketing (GDIS) Courtney Layfield, Director of Member Services Victoria LeMaire, Medical Accounts Manager 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 matters affecting Georgia dentists, patients, and their treatment, accomplished through disseminating information and providing a forum for member commentary. © Copyright 2014 by the Georgia Dental Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Publication of any article or advertisement should not be deemed an endorsement of the opinions expressed or products advertised. The Association expressly reserves the right to refuse publication of any article, photograph, or advertisement.
FEBRUARY 2014
The Alliance of the American Dental Association, together with the American Dental Association and several corporate and dental sponsors, has launched Healthy Smiles from the Start, a multi-faceted prenatal and postnatal dental health care education program for mothers and caregivers of newborns. This national program took flight in large part to the efforts of Georgia’s own Molly Bickford. Read about this program and how you can support the effort on page 14.
other features
sections
4
Reserve a Room at the Ritz for the GDA Annual Meeting
4
Parting Shots
5
Editorial
2014 GDA Annual Meeting Scientific Program Preview
6
News and Views
9
Calendar of Events
19
Classifieds
10 11
GDA, Alliance Celebrate Dental Health Day at Capitol
12
Creating Happiness as a Practice Building Protocol
16
House of Delegates Actions Help Move GDA Forward
Member Publication American Association of Dental Editors
index of advertisers Note: Publication of an advertisement is not to be construed as an endorsement 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 an authorized statement that such approval or endorsement has been granted.
ADS South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Dental Care Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Law Office of Stuart J. Oberman . . . . . . . . .10
AFTCO Transition Consultants . . . . . . . . . . .20
Dr. Mark Padolsky—TMD Dentist . . . . . . . . .21
Paragon Dental Practice Transitions . . . . . .22
Center for TMJ Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
GDA Dental Recovery Network . . . . . . . . . . . .9
PNC Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Coast Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Georgia Dental Insurance Services . . . . . . . .24
Southeast Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Craniofacial Pain Center of Georgia . . . . . . . .7
Hospital Dentistry—Dr. Kurtzman . . . . . . . . .20
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editorial perspective
Are You Satisfied?
R. David Bradberry, DMD
The last couple of decades have seen massive changes in the structure of health care in these United States. Technological advancement has and continues to move at a miracle pace. Those newer in the profession are up to date and comfortable with that aspect. The more distance there is from graduation, however, the comfort with the pace and direction of the profession seems to wane. I think that at various points in each doctor’s career they should ask ‘Am I comfortable with where the profession is and where it is going?’ As I have said before, we are heading down the path that medicine has gone. Are you satisfied with all that you hear and see about the direction of the medical profession? I find the more time that has passed away from dental school the more people are likely to express concerns. We have to bear in mind there is a fundamental difference in the way the two professions are viewed in the eye of the public—medicine is viewed as a necessity and dentistry as a commodity. Even in the Affordable Care Act there is a break within the law regarding how dentistry is viewed. Pediatric oral health care was designated as one of the 10 Essential Health Benefits but there is virtually nothing within the law that addresses adult dental care. The law gives that lip service to the provision of dental care for children, but in practice pediatric dental plans in many health exchanges are only offered as a separate, elective purchase for consumers. That faltering start is all over the news for the world to see. Basic medical care in the U.S. today is largely provided by practitioners trained at below the doctorate level. Most individuals
who provide that care are employed either directly or indirectly by corporations vested in hospitals. The day of solo medical practice is over. What about the direction of dentistry? I would ask that all of you reflect on these questions and think about where dentistry could or will be in 10, 20, or 30 years. Everywhere you hear of non-dentist ownership of dental practices, changing practice formats, the advent of lesser trained providers (commonly referred to as mid-level providers), the skyrocketing cost of education, shortages of dental educators, and an apathy of practitioners toward organizational representation. I believe it is time for all of us to take a look in the mirror. Reflect on the course of the profession in the last few decades and think about the future. Think about where you would like to see the profession you have invested so much into go. Ask yourself the age-old interview questions: Where would you like to see yourself in 5, 10, or 20 years? How do you plan to get there? And most of all why do you want to go there? Are you satisfied with the present and possible future of dentistry? One first step you can take—renew your GDA membership for 2014 if you have not already. The second—if you have renewed, attend a district meeting or LAW Day and talk to your colleagues about these issues. We need to stay informed and take action on behalf of our patients and profession.
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general news TOOTHSAVERS Ad Council App Troubling statistics show that fewer than half of children in America brush their teeth twice a day. Additionally, dental decay is the nation’s most common chronic childhood disease. The Ad Council and the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives have released a new game that aims to change this. Toothsavers—available free on the web at 2min2x.org/PlayToothsavers and as an app for iOS and Android—makes toothbrushing fun by encouraging kids to save a kingdom of characters with the swipe of their toothbrush. The app’s message aims to encourage kids to brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day in real life to significantly reduce their risk of oral pain and dental decay. The game features: • 10 colorful characters whose teeth kids can clean with swipes and taps. • 10 two-minute animations to make brushing in real life fun. • An interactive map to chart each day and night that kids brush with Toothsavers. • New characters unlocked by brushing two minutes, twice a day with Toothsavers.
The American Dental Association is a proud member of The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives which sponsors the 2 Minutes, 2 Times brushing awareness public service advertising campaign created by the Ad Council. The Ad Council has now created a toothbrushing app for children.
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Toothsavers is the first mobile app to be entirely created by the Ad Council. Through campaigns like Smokey Bear, McGruff the Crime Dog, and “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk,” the Ad Council endeavors to improve the lives of all Americans in the areas of education, health, family, community, and safety. Since it launched in 2012, the Ad Council’s Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign has made significant progress in improving children’s oral health habits. A survey released in August 2013 indicated that more kids now regularly brush their teeth, and many parents have seen the campaign’s Public Service Announcements.
GADPAC Student Kudos The GDA Political Action Committee received a check for $775 in December. The contribution represented the collective financial support of 155 dental students, approximately 50 percent of the student body, at the Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine. That exceeds the percentage of GDA member dentists, 36%, who donated to GADPAC. Dylan Hamilton, the American Student Dental Association Legislative Action
Chair, wrote in a note that accompanied the check that “On behalf of our ASDA chapter, I want to thank you for your work in protecting our profession, and for making Georgia one of the best states in the country to practice dentistry.” The GDA thanks the dental students and all of the GDA member dentists who have contributed to the PAC for 2014. If you did not contribute via your dues statements, it is not too late! Email Pam Yungk at yungk@gadental.org for details on writing your check.
AMERICAN COLLEGE New Fellows Congratulations to these GDA members who were inducted into the Georgia Section of the American College of Dentists (ACD) in November 2013. Great work doctors! Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.
William Argo (Macon) David Bradberry (Marietta) Gordon Burnett (College Park) Catharine Enright (Atlanta) Kathleen Robinson (Atlanta)
GDA member dentists inducted into the American College of Dentists in 2013 in New Orleans were (l to r) Drs. David Bradberry, Catharine Enright, William Argo, Kathleen Robinson, and Gordon Burnett. Photo: Dr. Richard Weinman.
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INT’L COLLEGE New Fellows Congratulations to these GDA members who were inducted into the International College of Dentists (ICD) in November 2013. Outstanding work doctors!
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Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.
Lee Andrews (Augusta) Henry Benson (Atlanta) Jay Cranford (Moultrie) Charles Fana (Savannah) Carl Findley (Albany) John Harden (Atlanta) Martin Krieger (Marietta)
Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.
David Kurtzman (Marietta) James Lopez (Columbus) Annette Rainge (Augusta) Franklin Tay (Augusta)
TEXTBOOK APP Whitening Congratulations to GDA member Dr. Van Haywood, whose textbook Bleaching: The First Step to a Beautiful Smile is now available for download on iTunes. The app illustrates the results achieved by the author, a Professor in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation in the College of Dental Medicine at Georgia Regents University, over more than 15 years of providing Nightguard Vital Bleaching to patients. Dr. Haywood calls the app one way to provide patients with realistic expectations for the outcome of cosmetic treatment.
Several GDA member dentists were inducted into the International College of Dentists in 2013 in New Orleans. This image includes all of the inductees from District 5 (Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi). Photo: Courtesy of the ICD.
NEWS AND VIEWS Continued on page 8
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NEWS AND VIEWS Continued from page 7
DDD FOUNDATION 5K Fundraiser The DDD Foundation is hosting the 3rd annual Dental Dash at Dawn 5K on Saturday, March 8. This race is a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier held at the Historic Fourth Ward Park in Atlanta and will support the DDD Foundation’s mission of providing accessible and comprehensive dental treatment to patients with developmental disabilities. Visit www.dddfoundation.org for registration details. Established in 1999, the DDD Foundation aims to ensure that people with developmental disabilities have a place to go to receive regular dental care. The DDD Foundation’s Dental Clinic is the only one of its kind in the metro Atlanta area, and provides dental services to approximately 4,000 patients from 70 Georgia counties and around the Southeast.
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SEEN AROUND Dentist News Dr. Lloyd Darby III, a retired general dentist in Vidalia, was recently featured in a lengthy article in The Advance newspaper. Darby Dental Services was founded in 1909 in Vidalia by Dr. Darby’s grandfather and continued by his father who joined the practice in 1966. Dr. Darby III sold the practice in 2012 to Dr. Jeremy Woods. The article discussed Dr. Darby’s time at Emory, his community service, and his volunteer dental care efforts. Today, among other efforts, Dr. Darby works with Compassionate Care Dental Clinic of Vidalia, which is funded by Mercy Medical Center. He provides volunteer care as well as supervises dental student volunteers. In 2012, the clinic met the dental needs of 229 indigent individuals. Kudos to Dr. Darby for giving dentists a good name in Southeast Georgia! Dr. David Bradberry, a pediatric dentist in Marietta, penned a response to a question in the Atlanta Journal Constitution from a
reader who wondered why a three-year-old would need root canals on baby teeth. The question was prompted by a story about a pediatric dental patient in Hawaii who died after complications of care received in a dental office. Dr. Bradberry gave a good overview of the importance of primary teeth to a child’s health and future dental health. The response may be viewed at ajc.com. Thank you to Dr. Bradberry for his service as a spokesperson for dentistry.
CARECREDIT CAUTION Staff Education Do you offer CareCredit in your practice to help patients finance their dental care? CareCredit, a subsidiary of GE Capital Retail Bank, was recently ordered to refund up to $34.1 million to consumers who were enrolled into the program thinking that the services were completely interest free. Several consumers complained to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that they did not realize they were actually accruing interest
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charges of up to 26.99% that went into effect if their full balance was not paid at the end of a promotional period. The American Dental Association and Georgia Dental Association endorse CareCredit for GDA members. The GDA encourages members who utilize CareCredit to adhere to the company’s guidelines for offering the CareCredit service to patients and ensure dental staff members are thoroughly trained on how to talk about what CareCredit can offer. The CFPB found some consumers were not being given adequate explanation of the terms of the CareCredit card because they were offered by poorly trained staff in medical and dental offices rather than official representatives of CareCredit. The CFPB also said some consumers did not receive copies of the actual CareCredit agreements and instead had to rely solely on oral explanations given by the service provider or office staff. In addition to issuing refunds, CareCredit will also now have to contact most consumers within 72 hours of an initial transaction to explain the product to them over the phone. For certain transactions of more than $1,000, consumers will enroll directly through a CareCredit representative. GE Capital Retail Bank stated, “CareCredit is a responsible lender with consistently high customer satisfaction ratings and repeat usage. We have been cooperating with the CFPB and committed to providing enhanced education for health care providers and consumers.”
DENTISTS In Memoriam The GDA extends sympathy to the family and colleagues of the following individual. Edwin I. Swords Jr., DDS, of Atlanta who died December 10, 2013, at the age of 92. He was a 1950 Emory University School of Dentistry graduate and a general practitioner in Canton until retiring in his mid-80s. He completed the 6.2 mile Peachtree Road Race at age 91 along with six of his grandchildren. He was an American Dental Association Life Member and WWII Army veteran who served in the Phillipines. His son is GDA member Dr. Edwin Swords III.
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Upcoming GDA / Dental Events Please visit the GDA Calendar at www.gadental.org for more detailed information on the events listed.
MARCH 2014
MAY 2014
Mon, Mar 3: Northern District Executive Council Meeting, GDA Office.
Wed, May 5: Northern District CE Program, Villa Christina.
Wed, Mar 5: LAW Day, Central District. Wed, Mar 12: LAW Day, Southeastern District / Northern District Hall Co Branch. Thu, Mar 13: CORPS Program Visit to Central Ga Technical College Dental Hygiene Students. Tues, Mar 18: CORPS Program Visit to Columbus Technical College Dental Hygiene Students. Wed, Mar 19: LAW Day, Northern District Central and Southern Branches.* Wed, Mar 26: LAW Day, Southwestern District / Alliance Dental Spouses.*
Mon-Wed, May 19-21: ADA Washington Leadership Conference, DC. Mon, May 26: GDA Office Closed for Memorial Day Holiday.
JUNE 2014 Fri, June 6: GDA Finance Committee Meeting, GDA Office Sat, June 28: GDA Board of Trustees Meeting, GDA Office. Sat, June 28: Fisher Foundation for Dental Education Board Meeting, GDA Office.
* May be cancelled. Contact GDA office for details.
Thur-Sat, Mar 27-29: Hinman Dental Society Meeting.
APRIL 2014 Fri, Apr 4: GDA Officers Meeting with Specialty Groups, GDA Office. Sat, Apr 5: GDA Board of Trustees Meeting, GDA Office. Wed, Apr 9: Northern District CE Program, Villa Christina. Wed, Apr 9: CORPS Program Visit to Georgia Highlands College Dental Hygiene Students. Tue, Apr 15: CORPS Program Visit to Central GA Technical College Dental Hygiene Students. Mon, Apr 21: Northern District Executive Council Meeting, GDA Office. Fri-Sat, Apr 25-26: GDA Dental Assistant Expanded Duties Courses, Columbus. Mon, Apr 28: CORPS Program Visit to Georgia Regents Univ Dental Hygiene Students. Tues, Apr 29: CORPS Program Visit to Clayton State College & Univ Dental Hygiene Students. GDA ACTION FEBRUARY 2014
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GDA Celebrates Dental Health Day at State Capitol The 2014 Georgia legislative session kicked off on January 13. One of the signature events that took place at the Capitol on the first day was a celebration of good dental health! In honor of Governor Nathan Deal’s officially proclaiming January 13 as Dental Health Day in the state, 32 GDA and Alliance members and GDA staff distributed hundreds of oral health kits to legislators and legislative staff. “This annual event is a great way to place the topic of good oral health in front of legislators right from the start,” said GDA President Dr. Marshall Mann. “We plan to follow up handing out the dental kits with good turnouts at our LAW Days and hard work by our network of Contact Dentists to make this a successful session.” Teams of volunteers spread out over the four floors of the State Capitol and the six floors of the Legislative Office Building bright and early that Monday morning, handing out kits in every legislative office. Staffers and legislators alike greeted GDA volunteers with big smiles and cries that ‘Our kits are here! We always look forward to seeing the GDA!’ “We truly appreciate the dentist and Alliance volunteers who visited the Capitol,” said Interim Executive Director Nelda Greene. “Many of these volunteers also took part in the Board of Trustees and House of Delegates meetings on Saturday and Sunday, including brand new Leadership GDA participants Dr. Hannah Oh and Dr. Kristina Dawson. They took time away from their practices to ensure that the GDA advocacy effort got off to a smooth start.” After all of the kits were in the hands of legislators, the GDA, Alliance, and staff volunteers gathered on the Capitol steps near the governor’s office for a photo with Gov. Deal. Here is to the successful start of what hopefully will be a successful session for dentistry and dental patients.
Dr. Kristina Dawson Dr. Jonathan Dubin Mrs. Nancy Ferguson Dr. Brenda Fritz Dr. Greg Goggans Dr. Lee Hawkins Mrs. Cindy Jernigan Dr. Ben Jernigan Mrs. Janelle Kauffman Dr. Thom Kauffman Mrs. Johanna Livingston Dr. Lynn Livingston Dr. Marshall Mann Dr. Hannah Oh Dr. David Remaley Dr. Richard Sugarman Dr. Doug Torbush Mrs. Debbie Torbush Dr. Becky Weinman Dr. Richard Weinman
GDA President Dr. Marshall Mann with State Rep. and GDA Past President Dr. Lee Hawkins (l) and GDA Vice President Dr. Greg Goggans. Dr. Goggans is a former multi-term State Senator.
GDA Staff Dental Health Day Participants Nelda Greene Delaine Hall Skip Jones Courtney Layfield Melana McClatchey Pamela Yungk GDA Membership Services Committee Chair Dr. Becky Weinman with 2014 Leadership GDA participants Dr. Kristina Dawson (l) and Dr. Hannah Oh (r).
GDA and Alliance Dental Health Day Participants Dr. Lindsey Anderson Mr. Korey Anderson Dr. Janine Bethea Mrs. Janet Bradberry Mrs. Fran Brown Dr. Nelson Conger
GDA President Dr. Marshall Mann and Gov. Nathan Deal with GDA, Alliance, and GDA staff Dental Health Day participants. The group distributed dental care kits to legislators to celebrate Dental Health Day in Georgia. GDA ACTION FEBRUARY 2014
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Creating Happiness as a Practice Protocol Olivia McLeod Straine*
There is a lot of science that demonstrates the positive effects that being happy has on people, including better health and a longer life. According to the MerriamWebster Dictionary, happy can be defined as “being pleased or glad about a particular experience or event.” So, how does being happy apply to the dental practice? Is creating happiness important and can it become a system within the practice that is implemented on daily basis? Happily, the answer is yes!
What is Happiness? As doctors, your role is not just to cure but also to care. When people know you care, whether they are patients or team members, they tend to be happier. Logically, making patients happy should be a deliberate part of delivering effective treatment. So, let’s consider what makes a happy patient. Being happy is much more dynamic that being satisfied. Dr. Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of Positive Psychology, a branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengthsbased character, and healthy institutions, defines authentic happiness as a positive emotion resulting from engagement and meaning. In dentistry, happy patients are quality patients, as demonstrated by their behavior. A quality patient commits to consistent, continuing care visits, accepts your treatment plan, agrees to your financial arrangements, keeps appointments, re-appoints for her next appointment, refers family and friends, and values your practice’s philosophy of preventive dentistry.
Creating a Happy Environment Owning and operating a small business is an exciting opportunity, professionally and personally. The best part is being able to develop other people to their potential, to uncover and enhance their strengths, and make their limitations irrelevant. As a leader of a dental practice, the dentist
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sets the example for conduct and behavior, including happiness expectations for employees and patients. In other words, they cast the vision and determine the practice philosophy, which, subsequently, determines the practice systems, including both the hard-side and soft-side systems. The hard-side systems are the structure, processes, benchmarks, and feedback tools. The soft-side systems focus on creating a positive environment and the expectation for happiness, which is equally, if not more, important. For example, dental practices understand the importance of having a daily huddle, but tend to focus on what happened yesterday, what’s on the schedule today, and what is coming down the road tomorrow. These are all hard-side systems. They often miss the other component, the soft-side, which is about setting the right tone for the day. At Straine, we have a huddle every morning and begin with a gratitude statement. There is science that shows gratitude exercises have the ability to change people’s happiness set-point. Based on my practice philosophy, the first thing that I want to do is plant positive seeds to sprout and bloom for the rest of the day so my team will embrace opportunities to share their happiness with others.
Creating a Happy Team Unfortunately, having a positive work environment does not automatically result in a happy team. A happy team feels they have control over the things that happen to them and they can solve the problems they encounter on a daily basis because there are clear policies, a proven management system, and a firm understanding of roles and responsibilities. A happy team is created through encouragement, education, and positive reinforcement. The most powerful types of reinforcements are attention, approval, and appreciation and need to be given abundantly every hour of every day. But the reinforcements must be authentic, which means they are specific to the team member’s behavior and an important com-
ponent of that person’s job responsibilities. For example, instead of being general and saying to your financial coordinator, “You’re really great at handling patients,” you would be more specific with “I really appreciate that you resolved the treatment plan with Mrs. Smith as effectively as you did. I appreciate the way you handled her objections.” It is critically important that the doctor is in tune with the team and is actively encouraging and reinforcing positive behavior. Why? Because a lot depends upon it, including the team’s own personal and professional growth, their openness to redirection and positive criticism, and their impact on others, including patients. Ultimately, patient happiness, treatment acceptance, retention, and referrals are all influenced by the dental team. Human beings are very porous. When the team is not happy, they transfer their emotional state onto the patient. There’s a new discovery called mirror neurons that show we imitate the behaviors of the people we’re interacting with and mimic the emotion that accompanies those behaviors. So, in other words, if the team is not happy, patients will pick up on the negativity and, more than likely, will not end up as happy, quality patients. Conversely, if your team is truly happy, their behavior will reflect that mental state and patients will, again, begin to mimic them.
Creating Happy Patients But just like having a happy environment does not necessarily make a team happy, having a happy team does not guarantee happy patients. There’s a bit more to it than that. Start by identifying if there is a problem with patient happiness. There are two ways to find out. First, measure and monitor key practice vital signs like patient retention, treatment acceptance, and referrals. If they are not healthy, your patients are not happy. The second way is to simply ask a patient if there’s a problem if their behavior or body language seems negative. Researchers interviewed
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patients at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Rochester, Minnesota, and identified seven ideal physician behaviors—patients want their doctors to be confident, empathetic, humane, personal, forthright, respectful, and thorough. Patients also want their health problems to be properly diagnosed and completely treated. It’s about respecting the patient, listening to the patient’s concerns, and addressing or providing solutions to those concerns. This means that as a health care provider, they want and expect us to let them know the current health of their mouth, all issues and concerns, and treatment solutions. So, we need to confidently, empathetically, and respectfully communicate the results of the patient’s examination and treatment recommendations without filtering it with our own perception of the patient’s willingness or ability to accept the dentistry or invest in their oral health. If this is done consistently and with compassion, it will be difficult for patients to be unhappy with the dentist or team. Now, they may be
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unhappy with the extent of care they need, the limitations of their insurance benefits, the time needed to achieve oral health, and the cost of care. But if happiness is a system and a goal in your practice, your team is more likely to actively provide solutions to these patient concerns. They will work with patients to maximize their benefits, patiently explaining how insurance really works. They will try to consolidate appointments to minimize the patient’s time investment. And they will offer financing solutions (like CareCredit’s health care credit card*) so the patient is happy about how the cost of care fits into their monthly budget.
A Happy Conclusion Creating a happy environment, happy team, and happy patients must be done systematically and deliberately. The good news is that when you create and maintain happiness in your practice, you’ll end up happy, too. Authentic happiness is contagious. So, every day take advantage of the opportunity to get everyone on your team and every patient in the chair—infected!
1. Neeli M. Bendapudi, Leonard L. Berry, Keith A. Frey, Janet Turner Parish, William L. Rayburn. (2006). Patients’ Perspectives on Ideal Physician Behaviors. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Vol. 81, Issue 3, Pages 338-344, DOI: 10.4065/81.3.338 *Olivia McLeod Straine is a Certified Professional Behavioral & Values Analyst. She and husband Kerry Straine present practice management courses throughout the country and founded the Straine Management System™. Olivia began writing monthly Straine Practice Tips™ for clients in 1995 and in 2003 launched the Ask The Coach column in Henry Schein Dental’s Privileges eNewsletter. GDA endorsed service provider CareCredit submitted this article from Ms. Straine for GDA Members to enjoy. To find out about CareCredit’s services, visit the GDA web site www.gadental.org. Click the green GDA Services button at the top of the home page and then choose Endorsed Services.
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Georgia Alliance Plays Key Role in Launch
Georgia Dental Family Can Reach Moms to Be and New Moms with Educational Toolkit The Alliance of the American Dental Association (AADA), together with the American Dental Association (ADA), Henry Schein Cares (HSC), and Colgate has launched Healthy Smiles from the Start, a multi-faceted prenatal and postnatal dental health care education program for mothers and caregivers of newborns. “We are very excited to offer this toolkit to Alliance dental spouse members,” said Georgia’s Molly Bickford, Co-Chair of the AADA Dental Health Education Committee with Mrs. Sue Gardner of Ohio. The dynamic duo was the impetus behind the program’s creation. “Healthy Smiles from the Start is all about making mouth healthy habits a priority for everyone in the family.”
Why the Program Was Created According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, overall dental caries in the baby teeth of children 2 to 11 declined from the early 1970s until the mid 1990s. From the mid 1990s until the most recent (1999-2004) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, however, this trend has reversed. There has been a small but significant increase in primary decay. This trend reversal was more severe in younger children. In fact, 42% of children 2 to 11 have had dental caries in their primary teeth. Black and Hispanic children and those living in families with lower incomes have more decay. Yet, dental health education has not been widely incorporated into prenatal and postnatal education programs. “There is an urgent need for dental health education to be included in prenatal and postnatal classes offered by hospitals and birthing centers,” Bickford said. “By collaborating with these educational programs and providing the Healthy Smiles from the Start toolkit, we can help to prevent and decrease baby bottle tooth decay, as well increase awareness that it’s not only safe, but very important that women visit a dentist during pregnancy. This will help lay the groundwork for good oral health habits in early childhood.”
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How the Project Was Launched Healthy Smiles from the Start was launched during the ADA Annual Session in New Orleans in November 2013. The launch site was Touro Infirmary, where representatives from AADA, the ADA, and Henry Schein were joined by individuals from the Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of Dentistry, including Dean Henry Gremillion and representatives from the dental hygiene department. The infirmary is famed in the city for its Family Birthing Center and neonatal intensive care unit. Staff members at the infirmary deliver 3,000 babies annually and the Alliance felt the location was a natural match for the launch of their program. “We were delighted to kick off the program at the Touro Infirmary,” Bickford said. “Our volunteers distributed 750 infant safety toothbrushes and Spiffies® Wipes donated by Alliance members to the new moms present. We also donated a Healthy Smiles from the Start toolkit to the infirmary and unveiled the memorable image of a smiling child that is the initial face of the program. You cannot help but smile when you see his smile!” Molly Bickford, a long-time Georgia Alliance member and dental health education volunteer, is also a proud grandmother. As she waited for the appearance of her grandchildren, she said she was amazed by how the oral health of expectant mothers and newborns was often overlooked by otherwise informed and educated caregivers. She and Sue Gardner, another dental health education veteran, saw a need the Alliance could address. Bickford was then amazed at the speed with which the program caught fire. “Henry Schein and the ADA were immediately interested in the idea,” said Bickford, the spouse of GDA Governmental Affairs Chair Dr. Jack Bickford. “We went from the idea phase to the professional materials production phase to New Orleans at a very fast pace and we are adding sponsors as we speak— Colgate just came on board. It is exciting to see such an interest in addressing this significant issue.”
What the Healthy Smiles Project Involves The Healthy Smiles from the Start program toolkit includes a professionally-produced four minute video and PowerPoint presentation on a DVD for an instructor to use to present the information to patients and facility staff, as well as easy to print patient handouts and educational brochures. All materials, available in both English and Spanish, were created by the American Dental Association. “The materials are attractive and tailor-made to deliver to hospitals and birthing centers with existing prenatal and postnatal classes,” Bickford said. “All volunteers need to do is request that these materials be added to facilities’ expectant and new mother educational efforts.” The ADA became a willing supporter of the Healthy Smiles program in part because the initiative ties in with Goal 3 of the Association’s Action for Oral Health campaign—addressing the nation’s dental health crisis through prevention and education. As part of this goal, the ADA hopes to reduce the proportion of adults and children with untreated dental decay through multiple interventions, early diagnosis and risk assessment, disease management and health education, and by preventing dental disease before it starts. (Read more about the Action for Oral Health at www.ada.org/8585.aspx.) Henry Schein is already a major sponsor of the ADA’s Give Kids a Smile Day efforts through Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global social responsibility program. Now, the company has committed $15,000 a year for three years to help the Alliance’s Healthy Smiles program get off to an effective start. Colgate recently joined as a major sponsor as well, committing to donate $10,000 a year for three years. Georgia’s own Alliance has committed a one-time $10,000 donation, while the AADA Foundation for Dental Health Education has committed to a one-time $20,000 donation. The Alliance of the Ohio Dental Association has also kicked in with a single donation of $2,000.
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Georgia’s Molly Bickford (r) with Sue Gardner of Ohio. The co-chairs for the AADA Dental Health Education Committee are pictured at the launch of the Healthy Smiles from the Start program in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2013 (Photo Credited EZ Event Photography, courtesy ADA News. © 2013 American Dental Association.)
The Alliance initially created 500 toolkits for dental spouses to utilize in their states for dental health education projects. Thanks to additional sponsors and growing financial support, AADA hopes to not only continue to produce kits and make them available free of charge to Alliance dental spouses, but also make the Healthy Smiles program information available to ADA dentists via secure links on www.ADA.org and the Association’s YouTube.com channel.
low incomes, but we want to reach out to families everywhere with this program.” Bickford encourages GDA dentists to support their dental spouses in this effort by sharing this article with them and assisting in the outreach process however possible. Interested volunteers in Georgia are encouraged to visit the Alliance web site
The Alliance of the American Dental Association’s Healthy Smiles from the Start is a multi-faceted prenatal and postnatal dental health care education program for mothers and caregivers of newborns.
www.AllianceADA.org to find out more on the program and request a free kit. Watch GDA Action and the GDA web site www.gadental.org for more information on how dentists can become involved as the program expands.
You Can Take Part in Healthy Smiles Alliance members nationwide are encouraged to distribute Healthy Smiles from the Start materials to local hospitals and community health centers with established prenatal education classes. In this the first year of the program, the Alliance has set a goal of placing materials and starting programs in at least three prenatal classes per state. By 2016, the Alliance aims to increase that goal and have materials and active programs in at least 10 facilities per state. The Georgia Alliance is already ahead of the game due to an incredibly active membership. Several members have already volunteered to place kits in facilities throughout the state, but more GDA Alliance members are encouraged to request kits and reach out to facilities in their communities. “Dental spouses should approach any facility where they believe oral health education is needed,” Bickford said. “Certainly, the statistics show that the need is greater in many families with GDA ACTION FEBRUARY 2014
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Winter House of Delegates Moves Association Forward The GDA House of Delegates met on January 12, 2014, in Atlanta. Early on a Sunday morning, delegates and alternates, as well as ADA Delegation members, guest speakers, and students from Georgia Regents University took time from their weekend to travel and conduct the business of the Association. Hats off to these volunteers for supporting the profession of dentistry and the well being of dental patients through their membership and involvement.
narrowed down the candidate list. After a series of interviews and discussions, the Committee hopes to present a trio of candidates to the Board of Trustees for consideration in early February.
Director Greene Warns About Quick Legislative Session
Dr. Marshall Mann welcomed the House members and guests, and discussed his visits to the GDA districts in the fall. Visitors to the district events have found that Dr. Mann knows someone in every Georgia town of decent size and has a funny story to tell about them. Dr. Mann thanked Executive Director Nelda Greene for speaking at the district events as well and recognized the GDA staff. He encouraged members to sign up for a LAW Day program (email Phyllis Willich at willich@gadental.org) and the GDA cruise to Alaska in May (email Patrice Williams at williams@gadental.org).
Executive Director Nelda Greene touched on several issues in her report, including that the 2014 legislative session is expected to end earlier, in mid-March, primarily because legislators cannot raise money for their election campaigns while the session is ongoing. With primary elections slated for May 20, legislators will be motivated to fly through the mandated 40 days of the session without scheduling many breaks or committee hearing-only days. She mentioned that the LAW Days slated to take place after the middle of March (the ones designated for the Southwestern District, the Alliance, and the Northern District Central and Southern branches) may be cancelled. If you are registered for a LAW Day on March 19 or 26, you may want to consider attending an earlier day! Contact the GDA office at (800) 432-4357.
Update Given on Search for Executive Director
ADA Fifth District Trustee Discusses Declining Membership
Dr. Sidney Tourial, Chair of the GDA Executive Director Search Committee, informed the House that more than 90 applicants had responded to the Association’s advertisement for an Executive Director to replace Martha Phillips and the search committee had carefully reviewed the applications and
Read more about your Fifth District Trustee in the sidebar on page 17.
President Mann Touts Upcoming GDA Events
Dr. Red Stevens, a periodontist in Alabama, is the Trustee for the ADA Fifth District (Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi). He spoke to the House about several issues, but
focused on the fact that while the American Dental Association has more members than ever before, the ADA’s market share has fallen. That means there are more dentists than ever before and more dentists who are choosing not to join their professional association. Dr. Stevens noted that the areas where the membership percentage was the lowest was where the concentration of dentists was the highest—Birmingham, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; and Atlanta. He said that it was up to the involved dentists to stop the downward trend and build bonds in the big cities. He also extended kudos to Georgia’s delegates to the ADA House of Delegates for their reputation for fiscal conservatism.
Outstanding Slate of Honorable Fellows Elected Dr. Marvin Winter, chairman of the Awards Committee introduced a slate of candidates for GDA Honorable Fellowship for House of Delegates consideration. The candidates were unanimously approved. Congratulations to the Class of 2014 Fellows who will be formally recognized during the Annual Meeting this summer: EASTERN Craig Taylor, DMD NORTHERN Evis Babo, DMD Henry Benson Jr., DDS David Carithers, DDS James Granade III, DMD Heather Perry McGee, DMD Victor van Greuningen, DMD
The House of Delegates is ready to govern! Thanks to the 130 delegates, alternates, GDA state officers, GDA Delegation members, and guests who attended the House on January 12.
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SOUTHEASTERN Byron Colley III, DMD Mark Dusek, DDS SOUTHWESTERN Christopher Hasty, DMD Jeffery Singleton, DMD WESTERN Nancy Gallagher, DMD
Community Service Honorees Elected Dr. Marvin Winter introduced two candidates for the GDA Community Service Award. The candidates were unanimously approved. Dr. Stockwell was elected in particular for her work with the Georgia Mission of Mercy, and Dr. Weinman in particular for her work with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Wellspring Living. NORTHERN Rebecca Weinman, DDS
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NORTHWESTERN Karyn Stockwell, DMD
Dentists Elected to GDA and ADA Positions Vice President: House members voted to select Dr. Ben Jernigan of Atlanta as a candidate for GDA Vice President. Voting on that position will take place at the GDA Business Meeting on July 18, 2014, during the Annual Meeting. Secretary / Treasurer: House members voted to select Dr. Jay Phillips of Tifton as a candidate for GDA Secretary / Treasurer to succeed Dr. Jim Hall. Voting on that position will take place at the GDA Business Meeting on July 18, 2014, during the Annual Meeting.
also elected Dr. Annette Rainge to her third term as Delegate; Dr. Robert Carpenter to his second term as Delegate; Dr. Chris Hasty to his second term as Delegate; Dr. Richard Weinman to his third term as Delegate; Dr. Carol Wolff to her third term as Delegate; and Dr. Robin Reich to her second term as Alternate Delegate. Dr. Andy Allgood was elected to an Eastern District Alternate Delegate position to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Rainge who was elected to a Delegate position. Board of Trustees: House members elected Dr. Craig Taylor to the position of Trustee for the Eastern District. Welcome Dr. Taylor. Dr. Byron Colley was re-elected as Trustee for the Southeastern District. Welcome back Dr. Colley.
ADA Delegation: House members elected Dr. Marshall Mann for an open AtLarge delegate position on the Georgia Delegation to the ADA House. The House
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From ADA Fifth District Trustee Dr. Red Stevens Thank you for the opportunity to greet you as your new Trustee. Some of you I have known for years and some of you I have yet to meet. But I represent all of you—dentists from Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama—on the ADA Board of Trustees. My job is to serve as spokesperson for the ADA Fifth District at the Board table, and promote and defend our ideals and positions as you and your Delegates inform me. The Board of Trustees is the managing ADA Fifth District Trustee Dr. Red body of the ADA.The House of Delegates Stevens. is the legislative and governing body— the supreme authority in the ADA. In these organizational bodies, with your involvement, your ADA Delegation members and I do our best to carry out your wishes and keep dentistry the profession you want it to be. But I can’t emphasize enough the need of your involvement. It is vital. I am a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry and live in Vestavia, Alabama, which is a suburb of Birmingham. I teach part time at the U-of-A School of Dentistry and after 23 years of solo practice in Periodontics I work parttime as an associate in my former practice. I am married with three children and three grandchildren. My daughter is a general dentist in private practice in Birmingham.
Although I have spent my professional life in Alabama, I grew up in Tucker, Georgia, and am a graduate of Tucker High School. My brother Dr. Jim Stevens is a general dentist in Duluth. His daughter Dr. Eliza Myers is a general dentist in Augusta who is married to Dr. Alan Myers, another general dentist. So, I have strong family ties to Georgia. I also have a strong vested interest in keeping our profession focused on the dentist-patient relationship and the welfare of our patients. A strong dentistpatient relationship ensures the highest quality of care for all. I have known most of the members of your ADA Delegation for years and have met and worked with all of the newer Delegates. For the past many years that I have worked with these dentists as a Delegate from Alabama, I can personally tell you they are both knowledgeable and excellent leaders. They work very hard for you and the doctors in the Fifth District. In fact, not that many years ago the Georgia Trustee, Dr. Howard Jones, was ADA President.When you see the current and former hard-working members of your Delegation, let them know how much you appreciate their hard work. Never hesitate to contact me personally with your questions, ideas, and yes, even complaints. Call me at (205) 960-0074 or email me at redstevens66@mac.com or stevensa@ada.org. We need your involvement. Thank you for giving me the privilege to serve you.
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GRU Stats and Fisher Foundation Scholars The GDA House was pleased to welcome Dr. Carol Lefebvre to speak on behalf of the GRU College of Dental Medicine. Dr. Lefebvre offered interesting statistics about the newest class of students. There were 999 applications for 80 spots, and the class’s average science GPA was 3.57. As of January 12, 37 students who had accepted slots were from underserved areas of their states. Dr. Lefebvre noted that GRU was eagerly looking forward to the fall when the Education Commons building opens. (The GDA extends kudos to Dr. Lefebvre who was named Dean of the CODM on January 27.) Dale Crail, President of the Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education in Georgia, recognized the Foundation scholars who could attend the House. Kudos to Brittany Bonds, Josh Buckner,
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Kudos to the Fisher Foundation dental student scholars from GRU who attended the House. They learned a lot about their future profession! Shown are ASDA President Alena Reich, ASDA Vice President Jordan Blankenship, Jennifer Ryan, Bridget Lyons, Amir Lamei, Brittany Bonds, Fisher Foundation President Dale Crail, Joy Jen, Ryan Burroughs, new GRU CODM Dean Dr. Carol Lefebvre, Josh Buckner, Brant Sandifer, and Andrew Kicklighter.
Ryan Burroughs, Alex Culberson, Joy Jen, Andrew Kicklighter, Amir Lamei, India Lamothe, Bridget Lyons, Michelle Paterson, Jennifer Ryan, Brant Sandifer, and Marielle Youmans. Mr. Crail noted that GDA members supported the Foundation in 2013 by donating $57,000 via their dues
statements. Every dollar of this amount went directly to student scholarships. This was the final presentation by Mr. Crail as Foundation President—Dr. Jay Harris of Columbus is the new leader of the organization.
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classified ads How GDA members can place classified ads AD FORM: Submit all ads on a GDA Classified Advertisement Form. To obtain a form, call Skip Jones at (800) 432-4357 or (404) 636-7553, or email jones@gadental.org. (Note: The GDA may accept or reject any ad for any reason and in its sole discretion.)
AD DEADLINE: Ads and ad check payments are due by the first of the month before the publication month (i.e., Dec. 1 for January).
AD RATES: ADA member dentists pay $75.00 per 60-word ad per month. There is a 25 cents per-word charge for each word over 60. Non-dentist-owned companies (real estate firms, etc.) pay $195 per 60-word ad per month (additional word charges as above). Non-member dentists may not place ads.
LATE FEE: Ads for which full prepayment is not received by the first day of the ad’s publication month (i.e.; Nov. 1 for a November ad) will incur a $25 late fee in addition to the ad rate.
DENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
DENTIST POSITIONS AVAILABLE
For sale: 2004 Planmeca EC Proline Pan Xray unit with 2009 Schick Ipan Digital Conversion Sensor. $5000. Email:dbrantley@ pdssmiles.com.
Tired of managed care? Ready for the unique opportunity of a lifetime? Join our well-established Marietta practice as an associate and enjoy your own private office, modern technology, brand new equipment, a brand new facility, great compensation, a fun and supportive team, and a mentoring relationship with the senior dentist. Most of all enjoy presenting and performing comprehensive dentistry in a structured environment where patient comfort is the goal. For inquiries, please send cover letter and resume to mariettacda@gmail.com.
For Sale: Air Techniques VacStar Dental Vacuum System #20. Volts 115, Amps 16, Frequency 60hz. Used 3 times and made in 2011. Email inquiries to drmac@comcast.net.
DENTAL RELATED SERVICES Secure Encrypted Email Seminar—Easy 100% HIPAA email-compliance using your existing email addresses. Protect patients’ trusted health information and learn to: (1) Delete sent emails from recipient’s Inbox, (2) Attach files up to 5GB, (3) Prevent forwarding of select emails, and more using Outlook, Webmail, cell phones, and desktop apps. After this affordable hands-on seminar your secure email will be in place and working. Halfday class Friday, April 18, 2014. Call (706) 255-4499 or visit www.encryptedemailclass.com.
GA—Cartersville, Hiram, & East Point: Outstanding opportunity available for a skilled & enthusiastic General Dentist to join our successful multi-specialty, group practice. Become a part of our team that provides all phases of patient care: General, Orthodontic, IV Sedation, Endodontics, & Oral Surgery. Our offices are paperless, with digital radiographs & state-of-art equipment. Excellent benefits package based on experience. Email CV to hr@asmile4u.com or call (678) 387-2783 x1204.
DENTISTS AVAILABLE FOR LOCUM TENENS
Outstanding associate opportunity for a General Dentist to join our highly successful practice in Woodstock, GA. This is a non-chain dental practice with an emphasis on serving children & adults. Our success comes from doing what is best for our patient, and an extreme focus on a positive company culture and employee support. Great practice environment & culture; Continually trained & dedicated staff to support you; No day-to-day headaches of practice management; Full Digital; Wellestablished 30(+) year patient base & growing. Strong internal systems for increased efficiency bringing you, the doctor, the opportunity to see patients in a productive, yet quality driven manner. 100% doctor support when and where you need it. Please apply to job or email at reggieworksws@ yahoo.com.
Dentist will fill in for illness, vacation, or continuing education. Licensed, insured, DEA #. Call (404) 786-0229 or email breighard@gmail.com.
FORMS OF PAYMENT: Submit a check or money order with the ad form. (Make checks payable to GDA.) Credit cards are not accepted as payment.
DENTIST: Need Part Time Fill In? Vacation, Illness, Maternity? GENERAL DENTIST SOLD LONG ESTABLISHED PRACTICE. GA & DEA LICENSED. (Available Expanded Atlanta Area.) Cell: (404) 219-4097. Home: (404) 842-1196. Jesse Hader, DDS.
WEB SITE PLACEMENT: Prepaid ads will appear on the GDA Web site www.gadental.org for the month the ad appears in print. Non-prepaid ads will NOT be placed online.
Dentist available during emergencies, vacation, CDE courses. I have a current license, 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.
CLASSIFIEDS Continued on page 21
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CLASSIFIEDS Continued from page 19 SPACE SHARING OR PT ASSOCIATE— East Cobb: New facility; 14 yo practice—5 equipped, latest technology. FFS, Comprehensive Dentistry. Surgery Suite for sedation. Solo GP looking for a GP or SPECIALIST interested in SPACE SHARING for 1-3 days a week OR will consider ASSOCIATE for 1-3 d/wk. Ability to do endo and impacted 3rds a plus. Email cover letter with goals, resume, and contact number to 2thmom@gmail.com. Buckhead general dentistry practice seeks dental associate in busy, well established practice. Applicants should be knowledgeable and professional in all areas of general dentistry. For details call (404) 2615388 or email inquiries to piedmontdentists@yahoo.com. Pediatric Dentist Needed: We have an outstanding full time opportunity for a Pediatric Dentist / General Dentist (would require a minimum of at least 3 years experience in pediatric dentistry) in our successful, well-respected, quality oriented private pediatric dental practice for the right candidate. We are seeking a special, motivated, personable full time pediatric dentist to join in our success. We are a booming practice with tremendous growth and earning potential. We offer in-office sedation. We offer excellent compensation and benefits. For more information, please contact Dr. Vishant Nath at (678) 763-2600 or email drnath@kidshappyteeth.com or contact Amanda at (678) 352-1090 / (678) 429-9931 or amanda@kidshappyteeth.com.
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We are seeking a reliable and personable general dentist part to full time in Marietta private family practice. Dentist should have some experience. Buy in opportunity available. Please call Bill at (404) 272-7568 or Fax resume to (770) 984-9256. GEORGIA—ATLANTA. Multiple pediatric dental offices in Metro Atlanta are seeking pediatric dentist and general dentist to work in an extremely successful, expanding business. We offer a team motivated working environment and a competitive salary. We believe in a high level of patient and parent education and making sure that children have an excellent dental experience at each visit. Our practice provides all levels of care, including oral sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia at local hospitals. Candidate must have excellent communication skills, be enthusiastic and motivated. For more information please call (678) 923-4466 or email brian.friedman@dentistry4children.com. Visit our web site at www.dentistry4children.com. Pediatric Associate Needed: For group practice. Associate / Buy in, serving 3 practice locations in Southwest GA. Email jpjohnson423@gmail.com.
NORTH GWINNETT / ENDODONTIST NEEDED: Twenty year old practice with brand new office seeks Endodontist two or three days per month. Rotary Hand piece, Schick 33 digital x-rays, receptionist and assistant already available. Great place to start your new endodontic practice, or for established specialist to add satellite location. To see location and office pictures: www.SugarhillDentist.com or contact DrBridgett@gmail.com for more details. Dentist Opportunities: Copperhill, TN / McCaysville, GA. Dental Partners is one of the fastest growing family dental practice groups in the Southeast. We give you the ability to focus on patient care while earning a base of $125K-$200K and the opportunity to earn more based on production. Benefits package of medical / vision / life / FSA, 401K, professional liability, and yearly CE allowance. Relocation and student loan repayment assistance program available. Email resume to areimiller@dental-partners.com or call Ashley Reimiller, Director of People Development (321) 574-8003.
CLASSIFIEDS Continued on page 22
ATLANTA—ASSOCIATE DENTIST, ENDODONTIST, and PERIODONTIST NEEDED. We currently have three positions available in our quality-oriented, well-established group practice with multiple locations. This is a very lucrative opportunity for an experienced candidate with good interpersonal skills. Large patient / referral base with abundant new patients each month. Well appointed, beautiful office including CAD/CAM and the latest technology for general dentistry, state of the art surgical suites for periodontics, and new microscope for endodontics. We have successful systems in place, including an exceptional team of assistants and support staff. Come be a part of our team and join us in creating an atmosphere of excellence, fun, and productivity. Email resumes to 1careerinfo@ gmail.com. GDA ACTION FEBRUARY 2014
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CLASSIFIEDS Continued from page 21 General dentist needed for group practice associate / buy in. Serving 3 practice locations in SW Georgia. Email jpjohnson423@gmail.com. Orthodontist Needed—Multi-office general practice is seeking an orthodontist for 2-3 days a week to start and develop our orthodontic department. Position may turn into full time in future. Associate must be willing to travel between Marietta, Woodstock, and Fairmount locations. Minimum 3 years of experience required. Please email resumes to rezaalemzadeh@ hotmail.com.
PRACTICES / OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE Dental Space for Specialist in Greater Atlanta! Stockbridge, Fayetteville, Duluth, Dunwoody, Woodstock, Stone Mountain, and Riverdale locations. Ideal for Pediatric Dentist, Periodontist, Endodontist, or Oral Surgeon looking to add satellite location or new startup. Already plumbed & fully equipped with 5 operatories and room for 23 more. Save time & build-out costs! Contact us at: dentalspecialist2@gmail.com.
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For Sale: High Net Practice. $850,000 gross, 4 ops, FFS & INS < 1% PPO. Excellent location to raise a family. Atlanta 2 1/2 hours, Beach 2 1/2 hours, Mountains 3 hours. Call Bill Morris at (678) 725-6459. Dental Space Available! Duluth, GA: Already built-out and plumbed with dental equipment! Convenient location located off Sugarloaf Parkway near I-85. Built in 2007. Up to 6 operatories if needed, sterilization, consultation room, kitchen, front office, and private doctor office. Split design dental space, perfect for new dentist or specialist satellite office. Upscale building in a high growth area with excellent demographics. Move in ready! Contact Aubrey Scher at (404) 384-8800. Beautiful turnkey dental practice for lease. With or without equipment. Five fully equipped operatories, lab, private consult room, pano room, etc. Recently renovated professional building. Great medical walk-by patient traffic with covered attached parking. A must see. Great for a move to upgrade your current location or for dental specialist or as a satellite practice. Please call Dr. Priti Bloor at (404) 259-1812.
COASTAL GEORGIA—Well-established all FFS general practice. 3 equipped ops with room for 3 more, doctor retiring and building is also for sale. For more information, please visit www.southeasttransitions.com, call (678) 482-7305, or email amanda@southeasttransitions.com with listing ID GA1049. NORTH GWINNETT—8 operatory, well established, all FFS practice with a strong hygiene program. Great location with facility also for sale. Collected over $700K in 2012. For more information, please visit www.southeasttransitions.com, call (678) 482-7305, or email amanda@southeasttransitions.com using listing ID GA1048. AUGUSTA—Well-established, all FFS practice with 4 equipped ops in a great location in Augusta! Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! For more information, please visit www.southeasttransitions.com, call (678) 482-7305, or email amanda@southeasttransitions.com using listing ID GA1035.
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Inside This Issue • Register for Your 2014 GDA Annual Meeting Hotel Room • Get a Sneak Peek of the GDA Annual Meeting Clinical Program
DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DELIVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
ACTION
Suite 200, Building 17, 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, Georgia 30328-1655 www.gadental.org