Tips for Finding Work-Life Balance and Reducing the Stresses of Dentistry
NEW FOR 2015!
Shorten your trip to success and practice ownership. Change your life by joining us in the G.O.L.D. program (Graduates Of the Last Decade). Help guide young dentists towards growth and future success by sponsoring them in the G.O.L.D. program. Visit hinman.org/gold for more information on this day-long program.
Register before February 26, 2015 to take advantage of discounted pre-registration fees. To book a hotel or register online, please visit hinman.org
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GDACONTENTS JANUARY 2015 VOLUME 34, NO. 1
COMMENTARIES 5 • Editorial
Dr. David Bradberry on living the dream.
7 • GDA Commentary
Dr. Donnie Brown reminds us that 2015 is a licensure renewal year.
COLUMNS 13 • Endorsed Services
TransFirst offers tips on data security and patient credit cards.
15 • Politics & Dentistry
Legislative receptions, the contact dentist program, and LAW Days.
17 • Charitable Update
The Georgia Mission of Mercy takes place in June in Perry, Georgia.
19 • Leadership Pathways
Overcoming the fear of the unknown as you consider selling a practice.
16 • Tips on Reducing Job Stresses Dentistry can be stressful due to all of the skills and talents required for success: Artistry, scientific knowledge, manual dexterity, patience and insight, tact and diplomacy, and sound business acuity. Stress management is critical. Examine these tips from GDA Dental Recovery Network Director Jane Walter and find a way to alter harmful habits or routines. Read “Less Stress, More Profit for Your Dental Practice” and “Is Work-Life Balance for Real?” for additional perspectives.
22 • MILESTONES 26 • PROMOTIONS 27 • CALENDAR 28 • CLASSIFIEDS 30 • ANNUAL MEETING Thank you to Dr. Carol Wolff, a member of the Northern District, for this month’s cover. Dr. Wolff maintains her work-life balance by spending time in the North Carolina mountains with husband Joe and furry pals Lillie and Lola.
22 • MILESTONES Member news and views featuring reports on Dental Health Day at the Capitol, the Winter 2015 House of Delegates meeting, and the Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education student scholars from GRU.
26 • PROMOTIONS February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and February 6, 2015, is Give Kids a Smile Day. The GDA website www.gadental.org has all of the resources you need to promote your practice during this busy month!
30 • GDA MEETING Invest the time to make a difference at the GDA Annual Meeting, which is July 22-25, 2015, at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Amelia Island, Florida. Visit www.MeetGDA.com to reserve your room.
January 2015 • 3
ABOUTGDA GDA ACTION (ISSN 0273-5989; USPS PE-590290) The official Journal of the Georgia Dental Association is published 10 times/year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GDA Action, 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road N.E., Suite 200, Building 17, Atlanta, GA 30328. Dr. Doug Torbush (President) 1000 Iris Dr SW, Conyers, GA 30094 torbush@gmail.com Dr. David Bradberry (Editor) 1070 Woodlawn Dr NE, Ste 250 Marietta, GA 30028 drbradberry@bellsouth.net Frank Capaldo (Executive Director) Georgia Dental Association 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Suite 200 Building 17 Atlanta, GA 30328-1655 Call (800) 432-4357 Call (404) 636-7553 capaldo@gadental.org GDA Officers and Staff: Find the full listing of state officers, House of Delegates members, Board of Trustees members, district officers, committee members, and other leaders at www.gadental.org. ______________________________ GDA ACTION seeks to be an issuesdriven journal focusing on current matters affecting Georgia dentists and patients accomplished by disseminating information and providing a forum for commentary. Closing date for all editorial and advertising materials: First of the month preceding the publication month. Subscriptions: $17 of GDA membership dues is for the journal; all others, $75 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA. © Copyright 2015 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 GDA expressly reserves the right to refuse publication of any article, photograph, or advertisement, and illustrate, reduce, or revise any article submitted.
4 • January 2015
PARTING SHOTS: LATE BREAKING NEWS Dr. Ricardo Azziz to Step Down as GRU President in June 2015 From the University System of Georgia — Georgia Regents University (GRU) President Ricardo Azziz announced he will step down as president effective June 30, 2015. The university houses the state’s only college of dental medicine. Azziz was named president of the Medical College of Georgia in 2010 and was inaugurated just before the Board of Regents moved to consolidate the institution with Augusta State University. Azziz was selected by the Board to lead the newly consolidated institution that became Georgia Regents University. Board of Regents Chairman Neil Pruitt and Chancellor Hank Huckaby will soon name a presidential search committee to replace Azziz.
Get Your GDA E-Connect Weekly Newsletter Are you receiving GDA E-Connect? Every week, the GDA sends news exclusively to
member email inboxes. Contact Delaine Hall at hall@gadental.org to be placed on the E-Connect email list.
Scholarships for Allied Dental Students Available The ADA Foundation is accepting applications for its 2015 Allied Dental Student Scholarship Program. The application deadline is March 13. The ADAF will award as many as 30 merit- and need-based scholarships each in the amount of $1,000. The scholarships will be awarded to 15 students studying to become dental hygienists, 10 students studying to become dental assistants, and five students studying to become dental laboratory technicians. Guidelines and eligibility requirements are available at adafoundation.org. Questions? Contact the ADA Foundation at adaf@ada.org.
Follow the GDA on Facebok If you love Facebook.com, like the new Georgia Dental Association page now open on the site. Thank you!
JANUARYADS AFTCO Transition Consultants.............................20 Center for TMJ Therapy............................................ 8 Craniofacial Pain Center of Georgia...................20 DDD Foundation Dental Dash at Dawn...........14 Dr. Mark Padolsky—TMD Dentist......................... 6 GDA Expanded Duties Program............................ 8 GDA Dental Recovery Network............................. 6 Georgia Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry........18 Georgia Dental Insurance Services....................32 Good Shepherd Clinic.............................................18 Great Expressions.....................................................12 Hinman Dental Meeting.......................................... 2 Hospital Dentistry—Dr. Kurtzman....................... 6 Paragon Dental Practice Transitions..................10 Rogers Dental Lab....................................................35 Southeast Transitions..............................................12 UBS Financial..............................................................10 UPS/ADA Business Resources................................ 8
Tips for Finding Work-Life Balance and Reducing the Stresses of Dentistry
Advertise in GDA Action! Email Skip Jones at jones@gadental.org for rates.
Living the Dream
By GDA Editor, Dr. David Bradberry.
“There are reasons it takes ... years to train doctors to perform oral and surgical procedures. The scientific knowledge and the art of care must be developed and this cannot be accomplished in 12 or 18 months.” DR. DAVID BRADBERRY State Editor Phone (770) 977-8644 drbradberry@bellsouth.net
As I’ve shared in past editorials, I often retire to my back deck which offers me views of nature at its best, a chance to slow down, and a little bit of quiet for reflection at day’s end. This sanctuary also invokes thoughts of blessings, sorrows, life lived, and dreams for tomorrow. Usually I observe the 20some odd geese who inhabit the water and surrounding land. Today, however, there are no geese to be found. Summer gave way to fall and so quickly winter’s bleak and gray covering has arrived. I suppose that the geese, knowing this, have retreated to their “summer like” haven deeper in the South. For the average person there is no retreat to a warmer, more pleasant environment for these cold winter months, but we all have choices. We can see the winter as an enemy, taking away our desire to be outdoors, grilling, running, hiking, boating, vacationing, and enjoying ourselves endlessly in the extended daylight hours. Or, we can see winter as a time for slowing down. The colorless landscape reminds me to see life as my blank canvas, to invest in what will bring beautiful color to my life. I begin to see winter in a new way. I choose to believe that winter is an important season for all of us. In the winter we come together and meet to “plan out” the rest of the year! We appreciate and reflect on all that we enjoyed and we grieve what has been lost. We are thankful for the times we simply “got through” during the year. Most importantly, we dream. We dream of all the activities, goals, and places we want to accomplish and see, and we generally begin to visualize how those dreams are going to occur. My feeling is that winter has been upon us in the GDA for a while now. We need winter. We need time to reflect and examine the past, consider our successes, and embrace our failures. For it is only when we allow ourselves to look inward that we are able to completely release those hurts or wrongs and appreciate the successes. In the history of mankind, there is no victory where there has been no struggle. No spring where there has been no winter. No growth where there have not been times of drought.
In winter, not true winter but the winter within us all, I sometimes ponder what my practice would be like if there were no insurance companies and no discussion of scope of practice. What if there was only agreement among all of us that the team approach to dental care is the best for the patient and practice? What if we only had fulfilling days, no stress, and all was well with the world? Sometimes I ask my friends “How are you doing?” The response I receive is generally “Living the dream!” Sometimes the dream seems to be upside down — the opposite of a dream — perhaps even a nightmare. If you had told me early in my career that we would be debating topics centering around “access to care” and the creation of a new level of lesser-trained provider, I would never have believed it. We live in a world of health care providers, a generic term that is broad and subject to interpretation. The term can encompass all levels of training and care provision of any type. Doctors, hygienists, nurses, and many more individuals with different titles fall under the term health care provider. There are many things that can be done for the best care of people as part of a team approach. One level of care. There are reasons it takes several years to train doctors to perform oral and surgical procedures. The scientific knowledge and the art of care must be developed and this cannot be accomplished in 12 or 18 months. To short-cut the process and create lesser trained “providers” will only lead to creating more than one level of care. I believe to go down this mid-level provider road is disingenuous at best and harmful to patients at worst. Winter will give way to spring, the geese will return, and new growth will be upon us. We will have a stronger GDA for the entire team and continue to develop the best of care for the patients of Georgia, one level of care, the very best we have to offer. We will live the dream and our best days are ahead of us.
January 2015 • 5
The safest place for your special needs* patients? In an O.R., of course. *Intense fears and phobias • Severe gag reflexes Medically compromised • Developmentally disabled High liability Put your most stressful and unprofitable cases in the absolute best of hands: Dr. David Kurtzman at his regional Sleep Dentistry practice. • 25 years of hospital dentistry Find out more: • Hospital residency trained • General anesthesia administered by an MD HospitalDentistry.org
Dr. David Kurtzman, DDS, FAGD 770-980-6336 | dkdds@drkurtzman.com
6 • January 2015
Multiple procedures per visit Root Canals General Dentistry Implants Surgery Perio
“The doctor’s safety net.”
Prepare for Professional License Renewal The Georgia Dental Association monitors and provides feedback as needed at every meeting of the Board of Dentistry (Board). General Counsel Melana McClatchey and I as Board of Dentistry liaison listen to the Board deliberations and report on key actions to the GDA leadership so that those leaders can keep GDA members updated. This commentary will bring you up to date on some recent discussions and prepare you for the licensure renewal year ahead.
2015: A License Renewal Year By Dr. Donnie Brown, GDA Liaison to the Georgia Board of Dentistry.
“Throughout this year, the GDA will list [CE] courses available from the ADA, GDA, GDA districts, GRU, specialty organizations, and many other groups on the GDA website ... Check the site often.”
DR. DONNIE BROWN GDA Liaison to the Georgia Board of Dentistry (404) 816-7075 toothluvr@bellsouth.net MELANA KOPMAN McCLATCHEY GDA General Counsel (404) 636-7553 mcclatchey@gadental.org
The Board requires that dentists and dental hygienists complete certain numbers of hours of continuing education during each biennial renewal period. The next renewal period ends December 31, 2015. In order to renew an active license, dentists must complete 40 hours of continuing education per biennium and dental hygienists must complete 22 total hours. The Board accepts continuing education courses that are approved by the Board and sponsored by the recognized organizations listed in Board Rule 150-3-.09, such as the ADA and GDA. It is a requirement that all courses reflect the professional needs of the dentist or hygienist in providing dental health care to the public. The course requirements are as follows: Dentists: Clinical-based courses of 30 hours; CPR credit of four hours; and electives up to 15 hours. Dental Hygienists: Clinical-based courses of 15 hours; CPR credit of four hours; and electives up to 8 hours. Remember that effective January 1, 2008, at least 20 of the 40 hours required for dentists, and 11 of the 22 hours required for dental hygienists, must be acquired at on-site courses or seminars. Dentists and dental hygienists are not permitted to acquire all of their hours through online courses, electronic means, or journal studies. Unlike the last renewal that took place in 2013, dentists and dental hygienists who submitted their proof of citizenship or legal residency in 2013 will not need to submit those documents again this year. However,
if you did not renew your license in 2013, please see the GDA website www.gadental. org for details on the proof of citizenship or legal residency documents you are required to submit to complete your renewal. The Board will not mail renewal notices. Instead, the Board will send a courtesy email to the email address on file in a licensed professional’s record. It is our responsibility to ensure that the Board has our accurate email address on file. It is also our responsibility to check our email inboxes and spam folders for that email, and to ensure that the dental hygienists who are part of our team check their email inboxes and renew their licenses. Dentists can be sanctioned for the failure of a dental hygienist in their employ to renew their professional license.
CE Course Listings on the GDA Website www.gadental.org
Throughout this year, the GDA will list continuing education courses available from the ADA, GDA, GDA districts, GRU, specialty organizations, and many other groups on the GDA website. Dentists and dental hygienists can find courses here that fit their licensure needs. Check the site often.
Botox® Injections and Prescription Writing
Georgia Board of Dentistry member Dr. Richard Bennett addressed the GDA House of Delegates in January, and we appreciate his taking the time to speak to the leadership. Dr. Bennett encouraged dentists to remember to adhere to the rules and laws that govern prescription writing for controlled substances and those that govern the administration of injectable pharmacologics such as Botox®. Dentists may only administer an injectable pharmacologic for the functional or cosmetic enhancement of the gums, cheeks, jaws, lips, the oral cavity, and associated tissues in connection with a dental procedure in a dental treatment setting and only after having completed the required training and being accepted onto the Board’s registry. A link to the rules is available on the GDA website.
January 2015 • 7
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ADA Business Resources is a service mark of the American Dental Association. ADA Business Resources is a program brought to you by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc. a for-profit subsidiary of the American Dental Association. ADA is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association
Do your patients suffer from any of these symptoms? Head Pain
Forehead • Temples Migraine-type Sinus-type
Ear Ear pain • Ringing in ears Dizziness • Vertigo
Eyes
Jaw
Pain behind eye Blood-shot eyes Sensitive to light
Clicking, popping jaw joints Pain in cheek • Limited opening
Teeth
Neck
Clenching/grinding at night Looseness and soreness of back teeth
Lack of mobility/stiffness Neck pain • Tired/sore muscles Arm/finger numbness
Visit us online at w w w.tmdatlanta.com to download a referral form and learn more about our services! Manoj Maggan DDS, DABDSM, DABCP, DAAPM, FICCMO, FAACP
3590 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30005
Center for TMJ Therapy
8 • January 2015
770.521.1978 phone • 770.521.9936 fax www.tmdatlanta.com • office@tmdatlanta.com
If your patients have any of these symptoms and are not responding to treatments, they may be suffering from a TMJ disorder. Problems within the jaw can produce a myriad of symptoms that, at first glance, might appear to be totally unrelated to the temporomandibular complex. Our dedicated team of professionals have years of training and are happy to assist you in the diagnosis and treatment of possible craniomandibular/ temporomandibular disorders.
GDA Expanded Duties for Dental Assistants Certification Program Dates Announced! ___________________ Columbus Technical College (Columbus, GA) April 24-25, 2015 Athens Technical College (Athens, GA) June 19-20, 2015 Visit the Expanded Duties page at www.gadental. org to print a registration packet or call Phyllis at the GDA office at (800) 4324357 for a packet.
SPOTLIGHT ON GDA ENDORSED SERVICES AND THEIR BENEFITS:
TRANSFIRST TIPS ON DATA SECURITY AND CREDIT CARDS Contributed by TransFirst, a GDA endorsed service. See how TransFirst can help improve your patient payment security and efficiency. Email NextGen@TransFirst.com or visit www.transfirst.com/lp/gda. Responding to concerns about data security, the payment industry has introduced a number of technology solutions that can help providers minimize data security risk. TransFirst® Health and Public Services has incorporated these elements, and others, into its payment processing programs. Here’s some information you’ll want to know.
Equipment and Software Q. What is EMV®? A. EMV — short for “Europay/MasterCard/ Visa” — is a card-present, global technology standard through which an embedded chip on a payment card is used for authentication by a payment processing device. EMV includes “Chip-and-PIN,” in which the cardholder inserts the end of the card where the chip is located directly into a slot in the terminal or PIN pad, which reads the information from the chip for authentication. The cardholder must also enter a PIN to authorize the transaction. In some instances, a cardholder will be required to provide a signature for authorization. Q. Will EMV eliminate a provider’s risk for data breaches? A. No technology can completely eliminate security or breach risk. However, the use of chip cards significantly reduces the value of customer information to criminals. The chip on a payment card is a security feature that is able to store encrypted information for card authentication, making it far more difficult for criminals to create counterfeit cards.
Q. How does the October 1, 2015, liability shift affect a health care provider? A. On this date, the liability for certain chargebacks relating to fraudulent or counterfeit cards will shift from the card issuer to the payment processor or provider. It is important for businesses that accept payment cards to prepare for EMV acceptance as chip cards become more prevalent. Q. How do I prepare for EMV acceptance? A. TransFirst Health and Public Services will soon unveil a platform that supports EMV-capable equipment without sacrificing the benefits of your integrated payment processing program. The platform being developed for our health care clients will become an “all-in-one” solution supporting traditional magnetic stripe payment cards, EMV cards, near field communication/ contactless payment types (including Apple Pay™), tokenization, and complete point-topoint encryption for that added sense of comfort. An ancillary benefit of our newest payment solution: enough security features and segmentation of sensitive data to reduce PCI DSS scope! Stay tuned!
PCI Compliance: It’s Necessary — and Required Q. What is PCI DSS? A. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is a set of guidelines established by the payments industry for any business that processes, stores, or transmits cardholder data. Q. What is PA DSS? A. Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA DSS) is a global standard created by the payments industry to help
provide definitive data security guidelines for software vendors that develop payment applications. Q. How do providers achieve PCI compliance? A. TransFirst works with a third-party company to help manage the process and make it easier for providers. You can visit www.Compliance101.com to get started. PCI compliance is an industry requirement for all businesses that accept card payments. Please be aware that each provider or merchant must complete this process on their own. Q. What else can providers do to improve security in their practices? A. There are steps providers can take to help keep patient payment information secure and out of the wrong hands: • Be mindful of employees who handle patient payment data — consider running background checks on all new employees, and limiting the number of employees who can access this information. • Take care with printed documents — shred documents no longer in use and keep printed documents with sensitive information secured with limited access. • Use smart security practices with computers — use password-protection when possible, use and keep current anti-virus software and network firewalls. • Implement ongoing risk assessment analysis — conduct regular security audits, hold periodic training sessions to educate staff on handling sensitive data, and establish security protocols to help prevent data security risks. Apple Pay is a trademark of Apple Inc. EMV is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries, and is an unregistered trademark in other countries, owned by EMVCo.
January 2015 • 9
Inspiring confidence GDA/UBS Wealth Management Program We know dentists think about much more than teeth. You think about your future and retirement, making the right financial decisions for your family, and helping your employees so their future looks confident too. UBS provides GDA with exclusive UBS benefits for the complexities of your life and practice. Contact us today and let us help you plan with confidence. Wile Consulting Group UBS Financial Services Inc. 3455 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1700 Atlanta, GA 30326 ubs.com/team/wile
Harris Gignilliat, CIMA®, CRPS® First Vice President–Wealth Management Senior Retirement Plan Consultant 404-760-3301 harris.gignilliat@ubs.com
As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, we offer both investment advisory and brokerage services. These services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate contracts. For more information on the distinctions between our brokerage and investment advisory services, please speak with your Financial Advisor or visit our website at ubs.com/workingwithus.UBS Financial Services Inc., its affiliates and its employees are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. Clients should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. CIMA® is a registered certification mark of the Investment Management SM ® Consultants GA-NOV-2014.pdf Association, Inc. in the States 10:44 of America 1 United 11/4/14 PM and worldwide. Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist and CRPS are registered service marks of the College for Financial Planning®. ©UBS 2014. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. 7.00_Ad_7.5x4.875_AX0220_WileConsultingGrp
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POLITICAL ISSUES FROM THE DENTAL POINT OF VIEW:
LEGISLATIVE RECEPTIONS A SUCCESS AT DISTRICT LEVEL By Delaine Hall, GDA Director of Communications The district legislative receptions kicked off on October 28 in Augusta and continued through November and December, concluding on December 18 with the Southeastern District reception. A total of 10 receptions were hosted by our districts across the state, requiring a tremendous combined volunteer and GDA staff effort. Dr. Doug Torbush, GDA President; Dr. Bruce Camp, Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman; Dr. Richard Weinman, GADPAC Chairman; Frank Capaldo, GDA Executive Director; Melana McClatchey, GDA General Counsel; and Fatimot Ladipo, GDA Director of Governmental Affairs attended the events. There was excellent attendance at the receptions by GDA dentists and legislators. Fatimot Ladipo provided comments at each event indicating that the GDA would remain a powerful and patient-centered advocate at the Capitol. She spoke with every legislator in attendance and let them know she was available to answer questions and provide them with the reliable information that state legislators have come to depend on from the GDA. Kudos to all the districts for their outstanding events! (Pictured above are President Torbush with State Senator Burt Jones and State Representative Bubber Epps at the December legislative reception in Central District.)
Receive updates every week on the 2015 legislative session! Email Delaine Hall at hall@gadental.org and request to be added to the “Legislative Insider” email list.
Legislative Activities in the Media
The GDA’s 2015 legislative initiatives have received positive mentions in the media. In conjunction with the district legislative receptions, the GDA issued press releases promoting the association’s 2015 legislative priorities. “The Georgia Dental Association is working with legislators to ensure access to dental care for Georgia’s rural citizens through legislation that would help recruit and retain dentists in rural areas,” said GDA Executive Director Frank Capaldo. “The association’s two-year legislative vision calls for, among other things, an appropriation to create a dental student loan repayment program.” If adopted, the association’s legislative initiatives would encourage more dentists to practice in Georgia’s rural areas. The presence of dental practices in small towns not only brings dental care to underserved areas of the state, but also provides a positive economic impact on the local community. Jobs are created, property and sales taxes are generated, and a health care infrastructure is added to the community. This message appeared in the media numerous times throughout the state.
Contact Dentist Program Needs You
A special “thank you” to all dentists who are currently serving as GDA Contact Dentists. A GDA Contact Dentist is a member dentist who has a friendly relationship with a legislator and is willing to reach out to that legislator to offer a professional perspective on dental issues. If you would like to serve as a Contact Dentist because you know a legislator, please email Contact Dentist Liaison Dr. Troy Schulman at trschulman@ comcast.net.
GDA LAW Day Program Open
More than ever, the GDA needs dedicated messengers to deliver our key legislative messages during the 2015 session. LAW Day participants receive position papers on key issues and any pending legislation prior to their day. After breakfast, participants receive an orientation on the legislative process and updates on critical legislation. Dentists are then charged with talking with key legislators and their own legislators about these critical issues. The program typically wraps up around noon. The calendar of 2015 LAW Days appears below. If you cannot attend on your district’s date, sign up for another day. Volunteers are always welcome! To help us prepare for your participation, please let us know that you are coming! Email Phyllis Willich at willich@gadental.org so you will have materials and breakfast waiting. Thank you for taking time away from your practice to help educate legislators on issues related to your profession and your patients. Feb 4 Feb 11 Feb 18 Feb 25 Feb 26 Mar 4 Mar 11 Mar 18 Mar 25
Ga. Dental Society/GAGD/ All Specialty Organizations Southwestern District/ Alliance Dental Spouses Northern District Central/ Southern Branches Northern District (Hall County Branch) Southeastern District Northwestern District Eastern District Western and Northern Districts (Northern/Eastern Branches) Central District January 2015 • 11
A Legacy Preserved and New Future Created
Southeast Transitions announces the sale of the practice of
Lee W. Plunkett, DMD
Sellers are concerned with:
Buyers are concerned with:
• The continuing quality care of your patients • The well being of your staff • The reputation of your business • The return on investment for your life’s work
• Acquiring a profitable practice • Creating a friendly & proficient team • Building lasting value & relationships with your new patients • Creating a successful future for you & your family
Southeast Transitions Passing dentistry to the next generation through practice sales
Bill Adams, DDS, FAGD President and Founder
Pete Newcomb CEO
www.southeasttransitions.com • 678-482-7305
THANK YOU
Thank You GEDC Partner Doctors Thank you for excellent patient care Thank you for making a difference in the lives of people who need you Thank you for participating with all insurances Thank you for making GEDC the fastest growing dental group in the country Thank you for making your patients feel like family Thank you for investing in GEDC
12 • January 2015
A GDA PERSPECTIVE ON FOUNDATION AND CHARITABLE ISSUES:
THE GEORGIA MISSION OF MERCY COMING IN JUNE 2015 By Courtney Layfield, GMOM Program Manager The third Georgia Mission of Mercy (GMOM) project is slated for June 18-21, 2015, at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, Georgia. Save the date and be the first to know when volunteer registration opens in February by signing up for the GMOM email newsletter. Visit www. georgiamissionofmercy.org and click the “Volunteer Center” tab. Local GMOM chairs Dr. Jimmy and Wendy Cassidy of Macon have stayed busy promoting GMOM throughout the state. Dr. Cassidy spoke at recent Southwestern and Central district membership meetings as well as at several community and service group meetings. He calls the responses he has received very positive and states that everyone seems excited about bringing GMOM to central Georgia. This is great news, as community support and buy-in is crucial to the success of GMOM. A GDA volunteer team met with the Officers-in-Charge of the Dental Command at Warner Robins Air Force Base on November 14. The GDA group sought to promote GMOM to the military and engage
The Georgia Mission of Mercy is June 18-21, 2015, in Perry, Georgia, in the GDA Central District. Be the first to know when volunteer registration opens! Visit www.georgiamissionofmercy. org and sign up for the volunteer newsletter. Thanks to all dentists and staff who plan to volunteer!
their support in the way of volunteers. GMOM was very well received and base officials are hopeful that their dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other medical and civilian personnel will be able to volunteer. More good news! Dr. Jimmy and Wendy Cassidy, State GMOM Chair Dr. Karyn Stockwell, Dr. Mike Loden (GMOM Facility Co-Chair), Dr. Marvin Conrad (the Warner Robins AFB Liaison), and GDA staff recently met with representatives from America’s Dentists Care Foundation (ADCF/AMOM) and the Georgia National Fairgrounds for a site visit. This visit allowed the team to see the facility first hand, assess any possible challenges, and begin planning the layout of the clinic. The GDA team was impressed with the facility, the parking, the number of nearby hotel rooms, and the numerous assets that will help to make this GMOM a success.
GMOM Fundraising Continues
We have wonderful donation news to report. The Pierre Fauchard Academy Foundation awarded the GDA Foundation for Oral Health a $10,000 grant to help the Foundation conduct GMOM 2015. Thank you to the PFA Foundation for their support. Another donor paid a surprise visit to the GDA office in January. Ms. Kathy Scruggs with the foundation People Loving People from the Heart rang the doorbell and presented Executive Director Frank Capaldo with a check for $11,500 to benefit GMOM. “My biggest prayer was if I did become able to give back financially I would carry it on,” said Ms. Scruggs. “My self-esteem has been down in the past due to my dental condition. For years, I did not have the money to go to the dentist to get the care I needed and I relied on charitable avenues.
That stuck in my heart. I want to give back to others in the same situation.” The GDA has invited Ms. Scruggs to be a guest at GMOM 2015 and see firsthand the care her donation will make possible. Remember, if you shop with Amazon. com, the Foundation has set up an AmazonSmile account in which 0.5% of approved purchases through Amazon will be paid back to the Foundation. This is a great way to shop and help support GMOM all year long.
Thanks to Intern Ashley Daly
The GDA welcomed intern Ashley Daly to the GMOM team on October 1. She is a candidate for a Master of Public Health degree at Atlanta’s Emory University. She will work with GMOM through the spring assisting with various aspects of the GMOM project, including grant writing, volunteer registration, and communications.
Donation Will Support GMOM
Executive Director Frank Capaldo (left), General Counsel Melana McClatchey, and Director of Membership Services Stephanie Lotti accept a check for $11,500 from Kathy Scruggs with the People Loving People from the Heart Foundation to benefit GMOM. January 2015 • 13
14 • January 2015
HELPING DENTISTS LEAD PERSONALLY & PROFESSIONALLY
OVERCOMING THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN POST-PRACTICE By Dr. Bill Adams, Founder Southeast Transitions We all face life-changing decisions during our careers, particularly in transition periods. Those of us who have dedicated a lifetime to pursuing a profession and honing our craft often become enmeshed in our own vocation. Our self-worth, and indeed our identity as a person, becomes fused with our profession. We can’t even begin to picture ourselves doing anything else. In fact, when we contemplate life after being a dentist, it causes us a great deal of emotional turmoil and even fear. After all, who am I without my practice? I remember waking up in a cold sweat thinking about selling my practice after 25 years of practicing dentistry. How could I change from a constant stream of secure income to rely solely on an income stream that was not predictable? Jim Alvilhiera, our business consultant at Southeast Transitions, expressed this fear well in describing his first parachute jump when he was 18 years old. “I recall the first time that I ever jumped out of an airplane. There I was standing on a platform hanging outside of an airplane 1,200 feet above the ground. I remember the sound of the engines, the blast of the air in my face, and I could feel the sweat running down my back. It was as if every nerve ending in my body was firing at the same time. I was hyper-aware. As I watched the ground rush by below me, I knew I was going to have to take a leap of faith and throw my body into the air, trusting the parachute to save my life. Then suddenly the light went green, the jump master yelled“GO,” and with my heart pounding in my chest, I had a fraction of a second to make a decision that
would impact the rest of my life. I took the leap and I have never looked back!” Jim had a very successful career in the military. He went through this same ordeal after dedicating a lifetime in service as a military officer. The career that began when he was just 18 years old defined him as a person. As he contemplated moving on to the next phase of his life, Jim could not see himself doing anything else. In hindsight, there were great personal and professional rewards waiting around the corner. I, like Jim, made a leap of faith when I sold my dental practice and went into consulting and brokering dental practice sales. I knew how to practice dentistry and could always return to wet-fingered dentistry if life as a consultant did not work out. Initially, I contemplated working as a dentist part-time while exploring my new career path, but I discovered that I was not able to do both and had to let go of practicing my profession in order to be a successful dental broker. I went from being a respected dentist into a job that was seen by our profession as a necessary evil that we endure in order to sell the practice. I knew I could improve the dental practice sales model by valuing the contribution each practitioner specifically brings to his or her patients and staff. Not all dental practices are the same. Each dentist brings a unique contribution to his or her practice that needs to be valued by the purchaser of their practice. This individual focus has resulted in many successful dental practice sales. The fear of change had blinded me to a very fundamental reality — I was not my job. In reality, what makes us successful is not the job, but the values, skills, and passions
in each of us that we bring to everything we do in life. It is who we are and how we put ourselves into the work that makes us successful, not the other way around. Once I truly realized this, my eyes were opened, and a vast array of opportunities opened up for me. Sometimes we are unaware of how fear plays a role in our lives, but we cannot let fear decide our future. We call it being in a rut and we may think no one else can do what I do, or that my staff won’t be able to continue on without me. These are all different manifestations of our own fear. The reality is that everyone will be fine after you have moved on to the next phase of your life, although there are definitely things that you can do to make the transition from private practice into retirement or another stage of life easier. The question, at this point, becomes not is it time to make a change, but how can I muster the courage to make the change beneficial to everyone involved? As we age and near retirement, the thing that we lack the most is time. Our real challenge is to structure our remaining years so that they are both meaningful and rewarding.
January 2015 • 15
START THE NEW YEAR WITH TIPS ON REDUCING STRESSES UNIQUE TO DENTISTRY By Jane Walter, LPC, Director, GDA Dental Recovery Network Make a visual survey of any large magazine rack and you will find numerous articles on stress and stress management with titles similar to these: Discover the Secret to Less Stress, Manage Your Stress or It Will Manage You, How to De-stress Your Life, Top 5 Coping Strategies for Handling Stress, De-clutter Your House to De-stress Your Self, and so on. Just reading these titles can increase your stress! In fact, after my casual survey of magazine covers I was stressed 16 • January 2015
trying to think of an original title for this article. Stress certainly seems to be a fact of contemporary American lifestyles. Recent studies suggest that the promise of more relaxed lives due to technology has turned into a nightmare for many people who are unable to resist the lure of one more electronic gadget that will make specific tasks easier or faster. Despite our high tech world, we seem to be more stressed than ever. But what is stress, exactly? Webster’s defines stress as mental or physical tension. My work as a therapist and counselor has convinced
me that stress is an individuated issue— something that stresses me may not bother you at all and conversely so. This makes sense, given that we are each shaped by the sum total of our individual life experiences to the present point in our journey. Another, more descriptive definition of stress details it as a product of the complex interaction between one’s experience of external events and the level of one’s internal confidence to address, manage, or resolve those events. Notice there is no mention of controlling the stressful events. Without question, a strong need to control situations
or others contributes to stress rather than eliminates it.
Choice of Profession
As health care providers dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants encounter stresses unique to their professions. The choice of a helping profession itself may even be a contributing factor, as people who choose to be helpers for a living almost always focus on their patients’ needs to the detriment of their own wellbeing. Often they have chosen a health care profession in an unconscious attempt to heal from their own psychodynamic problems through their efforts at helping others. Additionally, the more technical the professional training, the less the attention given to the emotional and relational needs of the practitioners, resulting in a lot of people who excel at taking care of others but who are not as attuned to self care. Dental practice can be quite stressful due to the number and variety of skills and talents required to be successful. I don’t know of another profession that calls for the following abilities: artistry, scientific knowledge of anatomy and physiology, manual dexterity, patience and insight, tact and diplomacy, and sound business acuity. Developing and maintaining excellence, or even adequacy, in all of these areas has to be stressful.
In the Office
There is potential for stress due to natural factors that are alive and well in some dental offices. Many dentists refer to their staff as a second family or an “office” family and unfortunately, relate to them in that manner, often resulting in major problems for the doctor and the staff. Boundaries can become blurred and often the dentist finds him or herself with management problems as dysfunctional, codependent relationships form in the office. Staff members may adopt unhealthy roles due to unclear expectations related to job duties, or as a corollary to the dentist’s insecurity with leadership and discomfort with personnel management. When the doctor has trouble enforcing office policies it may be based in his or her anxiety about being a “boss” versus being a “buddy.” Of course another contributing factor to problematic and stressful office relationships can be just good old-fashioned personality conflicts. Dental office staff report that many dentists with whom they have worked have tendencies toward perfectionism and
micro-management to the point that it “drives everyone crazy.” Dentists have noted that staff members who are manipulative or passive-aggressive certainly can contribute to stress in the office. If the dentist’s spouse is also a staff member, the potential exists for all kinds of additional stress-producing problems—again, due to the lack of clarity of roles and the likelihood for interpersonal conflicts among the staff, the dentist, and the spouse. When the dentist is not comfortable with managing staff, stress is inevitable for everyone in the office, sometimes extending to patients. Stress in the office can also result from some of the realities of dental practice. The dentist and dental hygienist are working in an emotionally charged part of the human body, the mouth, a very sensitive and intimate area for most people. Many dental patients are frightened and some are quite verbal about their anxieties, sometimes to the point of hostility toward the dentist and staff. Stress can develop if the dentist absorbs the patient’s emotional distress and if he or she has a high need for approval, the stress is exacerbated. Dealing with the demands of other types of difficult patients can also be a challenge to the dentist’s stress management skills: the ever-complaining patient, the never-satisfied patient, the patient who demands perfection, the patient who expects restorations to last forever, the patient who doesn’t want to pay for professional services, the patient who is always late or reschedules continuously, the drug-seeking patient, the patient who brings unruly children along to the appointment. And, of course, one of the major stresses of dental practice is the challenge of coping with the reality that you are engaged in a profession whose goal is to treat dental problems and improve dental health—an admirable endeavor, but one that is accompanied by the knowledge that on occasion, you will be causing pain. Many people are unable to recognize stress as it is occurring, which can then result in stress build-ups to the point of the development of a number of serious problems. The negative effect of unresolved stress on emotional and mental wellbeing is well documented. Stress which is transformed into physical tension and pain is common among dental professionals. The physical requirements of dentistry often cause eyestrain and neck, back, leg, shoulder, arm, or hand pain. In a survey of 31 dentists who are participants in the GDA Dental
Recovery Network, 11 identified workrelated physical pain as an antecedent to their initial use of drugs—that is, drugs that were not prescribed for them by a physician. This is drug abuse when the drug is illegal or self-prescribed and is something other than over-the-counter analgesics. Additionally, 21 of the 31 dentists identified dental career factors as contributing to the development of their chemical dependency. Other than physical pain, the factors surveyed were: stress, isolation, availability of drugs, feeling undervalued, dealing with patients beyond dental procedures, and managing staff. Fully 18 of the 21 named work-related stress as contributing to their addictive disease. Clearly there are many factors that can cause or contribute to the development of any disease, but we cannot afford to ignore the impact of stress on our physical and mental wellbeing. Learning to identify and resolve stress in our lives and ourselves is essential for sustaining overall good health.
Trends in the Profession
There are a number of professional and economic trends that will potentially affect the practices and lives of dental professionals in Georgia, including the access to care debate, telemedicine, and the impact of health care reform just to name a few examples. All these trends are predictive of change in the profession, and change almost always brings an increase in stress. Add in the impact of a still-recovering economy and a continued reluctance among some adults to seek regular dental care, and there is little doubt that dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and administrative staff will encounter additional stress. Working together to weather the storms will help everyone in the profession.
What to Do?
Given that stress is an inevitable fact of life for most of us, the question of stress management is critical. As noted at the outset, there are countless magazine articles and entire books written in response to the problem. Just as stress itself is an individualized experience, so does the preferred method of stress management vary from person to person. The following choices are my offering; none are original or new but
DENTAL STRESS
Continued on page 19 January 2015 • 17
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DENTAL STRESS
Continued from page 17 for some reason, many of us are reluctant to make the changes that are proven to decrease stress. The key word is change. My experience with human beings is that we resist change when it involves a shift in habit or routine. And of course, there is the fear of giving up something which is providing the perception of comfort. If you truly practice the following and don’t experience a decrease in the stress in your life, I will “refund” your money, so to speak.
Practical Matters and Self Care • Arrange to get enough rest or sleep • Engage in moderate exercise regularly • Make healthier food choices • Establish balance in your schedule • Practice emotion resolution by talking about yourself and your life with someone • Adjust expectations of yourself and others to realistic levels • Lose the perfectionism as it is a denial of your humanity • Set personal limits by knowing when to say “no” and say it • Develop a spiritual or religious practice that fits your belief system and calms you • Learn to meditate • Find a pastime in which you can lose yourself and be enlivened • Schedule time for renewal, with significant time away from your usual and customary life • Reduce amount of time spent multi-tasking • Listen to music instead of talk radio • Spend time with your pets as it’s proven to reduce stress • Remember to breathe deeply When your stress is causing a significant or chronic problem in your mental health or your physical condition, seek professional guidance despite your discomfort with asking for help. The GDA Dental Recovery Network helps dental professionals with addiction and wellbeing issues. Call Director Jane Walter at (404) 376-5987 or email her at jwgda@aol. com for a confidential consultation.
Less Stress, More Profit for Your Dental Practice By Roger P. Levin, DDS When dentists enter the profession, they often hear from their experienced colleagues that stress comes with the job, and that it increases in proportion to production. Fortunately, neither of these myths about dentistry is true. Causes of stress Most stress results from disorganization in the practice, which usually indicates outdated management systems. When a practice’s systems are plagued by inefficiencies and ineffectiveness, it’s almost impossible for any doctor — no matter how skilled or motivated — to rise above those limitations. As high achievers, however, most dentists will try to push through, which causes their stress levels to skyrocket. Crucial systems Instead of continuing to struggle in less-than-ideal conditions, doctors need to take a step back to evaluate and replace management systems that are no longer working. Where should they begin? Levin Group has identified the following “9 Areas of Expertise” that dental practices must master: Production, Collections, Team building, Scripting, Case acceptance, New patient experience, Hygiene, Scheduling, and Marketing. By implementing systems in each of these areas (or replacing obsolete systems with new ones), dentists can increase production while reducing pressure on themselves and their team members. Successful scheduling One system that has a considerable impact on stress levels is scheduling. It affects nearly every aspect of practice operations. Poorly constructed schedules can have devastating results — frustrated patients, lost production, and a chaotic work environment. Time is a finite resource, so the better it’s managed, the more successful the practice will be. From one day to the next, the schedule’s format should be very similar. Mornings should be reserved for long, high-revenue procedures that make up most of the day’s production goal. Afternoons can then be filled with simple procedures. A high-performance scheduling system also uses 10-minute units (rather than 15) to accurately time appointments and allow more scheduling flexibility. This type of schedule keeps everyone on a steady but not frantic pace, which empowers the practice to meet daily production goals. Conclusion While every team member will experience some degree of tension at work, excessive strain will eventually take its toll on both the dentist and staff. Fortunately, systems can be created and implemented that will put the practice in the right position to increase production and profit, without increasing stress. To learn more about how to run a profitable, efficient, and satisfying practice in the new dental economy, attend an upcoming seminar by Dr. Roger P. Levin. Pick a date and location that fits your schedule at levingroup.com/gpseminars. This article was published December 8, 2014, on www.dentistryiq.com.
January 2015 • 19
Have your patients complained about face pain?
HEADPAIN Forehead Temples Migraine type Sinus type
Face Pain
EYES
Myofascial pain and toothaches.
Pain behind eye, above eye, below eye Sensitive to light
EAR
Many disorders in the head and neck region are known to refer pain to dental structures and imitate dental pain. Due to the location of the perceived pain dental clinicians are often involved in the diagnosis and management of the pain. Myofascial pain (MFP) is widely believed to be the most frequently occurring orofacial pain of non-odontogenic origin. It has long been known that MFP could mimic pulpitic symptoms. Past studies have shown that MFP is a relatively prevalent condition among the general population and the one that is most often misdiagnosed by dentists.
Ear Pain Ringing in ears Dizziness Vertigo Fullness
TEETH
Clenching/Grinding at night Looseness and soreness of back teeth Unexplained tooth pain
NECK
JAW
Lack of mobility/stiffness Neck pain Tired/sore muscles Arm/finger numbness
Mayoor Patel
Clicking, popping jaw joints Pain in cheek Limited opening Face pain Muscle stiffness
DDS, MS
D.ABDSM, DABOP, DABCP, DAAPM, FICCMO, FAACP, FAGD
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HEADACHES
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IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE FOR REAL? By Tonya Lanthier, Founder, DentalPost.net I recently returned from “EO Thrive 2014 Cleveland,” the annual gathering of Entrepreneur Organization members that re-energizes and inspires us to keep leading our organizations in the best and smartest ways possible. I’ll be touching on some of the themes I learned about, but one really resonated with me and I wanted to share it separately. No matter where we are in our careers, we all have lives outside work. Whether you are searching for your first position, going to school to move from assistant to hygienist, caring for patients several days a week, keeping the front office running like clockwork, or leading a dental practice, that’s only part of who you are. The past decade for me has been a whirlwind. I started DentalPost at about the same time I started a family. I’m the mother of active 11-year-old twin girls, so you can imagine what our family calendar looks like. Add to that my work schedule: I am in the dental office each week, then travel or run my business other days. Often, I’m at a hotel instead of my bed at the end of the day. The schedule is very demanding. But I make sure I spend time with my kids. We have fun at the lake, the beach, on the slopes, and even in the dirt! Earlier this month, they sang in their first chorus concert. I was on the front row. I wouldn’t have been anywhere else. But entrepreneurs, business owners, and any of us who work sometimes get focused on our jobs and can miss out on our kids’ activities. We might tell them to be quiet while we are taking a call. I am guilty of asking my kids to hold on and let me finish an email or make a call. Then, I am all theirs. In reality, that call or email could wait while we are more present with the ones we love. At “EO Thrive,” a fellow EO member took the stage to tell the story of how he almost died from Crohn’s disease. He woke up one day with a fever of more than 104 degrees. But he blew it off and went back to bed. The next day, he went to the hospital and was already septic. Doctors had to perform emergency surgery to save his life, removing a large part of his large and small intestines. His case was so involved that it spread throughout the hospital as a “miracle surgery.”
He awoke with a colostomy bag and a catheter, and was in the hospital for 30 days. While he was lying in bed for a month, all he could think about was his family. He did not want his three-year-old son to see him with tubes coming out of him. After he went home, he still faced a long, difficult recovery. For four months he was in a special bed and still had a colostomy bag and a catheter attached to him. Every day, he looked forward to his little boy coming home from pre-school. All he could think about was spending time with him, not making that call or putting off his son when he wanted to play catch or watch the Disney Channel. After four months, it was time to remove the bag and catheter, so he explained to his son he had to go back to the hospital. He reassured him he would be okay, and wanted to know if his son understood what he was telling him. His little guy asked, “Will you be able to pick me up? Will you be able to swing me upside down like tick tock? Will you be able to throw the ball?” This dad and entrepreneur finally understood the most important aspect of life: spending time with our loved ones. We don’t have to almost die to realize this. But sometimes we do have to force ourselves to
slow down a little. Maybe you go play with your kids or take a walk with your spouse after a tiring day. Exercise rejuvenates us. Why not involve our families? Hiking and exploring places you’ve never been are always fun. For some parents, helping kids with homework is a great way to connect. (All I will say is I’m not one of those parents!) I have cleared time on my schedule to coach one daughter’s basketball team. This will require that I not travel as much on the weekends during my busy season. I am so excited for her, and I played basketball, too. It will be a blast! I had meant to do this for a while but once I heard the story of my fellow entrepreneur, coaching took on a whole new meaning for me. For us as entrepreneurs and as dental professionals, work-life balance is not only for real, it’s essential. We have to focus on being happy and not just working all the time. Most of us work to pay for our lives. But don’t forget to live life. Make your family a priority. Don’t look back and wish you had. Tonya Lanthier, RDH, began her career as a dental hygienist in 1995. Her love for dentistry was a driving force in the founding of DentalPost.net in 2005, a platform that helps dental professionals and practices connect.
January 2015 • 21
GDAMILESTONES GDA Debuts Public Facebook Page at House of Delegates The Georgia Dental Association Facebook page officially launched on January 11 at the House of Delegates meeting. GDA Public Relations Committee Chairman Dr. Robin Reich and Information Technology Liaison Dr. Erik Wells, along with GDA staff worked hard in the weeks leading up to the meeting to create a great looking page filled with useful and relevant content! Please “like” the GDA page the next time you are on Facebook.
1.
1. Dr. Chris Deleon, President Doug Torbush, Dr. Robin Reich, Dr. Ed Green, Dr. Anna Schultz, and Dr. Lyndsay Langston “like” the GDA Facebook page and they invite you to do so as well.
GDA House of Delegates Convenes in Atlanta
2.
Thank to the GDA delegates and alternate delegates, and guest speakers, who took part in the Winter House of Delegates meeting of the Georgia Dental Association. Attendees heard from President Dr. Doug Torbush, Executive Director Frank Capaldo, ADA Fifth District Trustee Dr. Red Stevens, Georgia Board of Dentistry Past President Dr. Richard Bennett, GRU College of Dental Medicine Associate Dean Dr. Carole Hanes, and Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education in Georgia President Dr. Jay Harris, and conducted the important business of the association. Look for reports generated from the meeting to appear in Action in the months to come. 2. The GDA House of Delegates convened on January 11 in Atlanta. President Dr. Doug Torbush (at podium) led the meeting which featured updates on association activities and lively debate on issues from mid-level providers to financial issues.
3.
Fisher Foundation Scholars Honored During GDA House GDA dentist contributions to the Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education in Georgia benefited a great group of Georgia Regents University dental student scholarship recipients who visited the House of Delegates in January. Thanks to GRU Associate Dean Dr. Carole Hanes and Fisher Foundation President Dr. Jay Harris for joining the photo.
4. 22 • January 2015
3. Fisher Foundation scholars Cameron Anderson, Alex Culberson, Katherine Boone, Lauren Hughes, Mariesa Manente’, Kassidy Looper, Emily Husted, Yosef Anday, and Anthony Rella join student Alena Reich, Dr. Carole Hanes, and Dr. Jay Harris after the student scholars were recognized at the GDA House.
5.
5.
GDA Distributes Dental Kits on Opening Day of Legislature
4. Dr. Richard Sugarman, Mrs. Lesley Benson, Alliance legislative liaison Dr. Janine Bethea, and GDA Governmental Affairs Chairman Dr. Bruce Camp smiling before heading out to distribute dental kits.
The 2015 Georgia legislative session kicked off on January 12. One of the events that took place at the Capitol on the opening day was a celebration of good dental health! Thanks to the GDA and Alliance members and GDA staff members who distributed hundreds of oral health kits to legislators and legislative staff as a way to start the session with a smile. This advocacy event places the topic of good oral health squarely in front of legislators as the session begins. The GDA is following this effort with several LAW Day events and lobbying work conducted by Executive Director Frank Capaldo, Director of Governmental Affairs Fatimot Ladipo, General Counsel Melana McClatchey, and Director of Member Services Stephanie Lotti. Smiling volunteers spread out over the four floors of the State Capitol and the six floors of the Legislative Office Building on a rainy Monday handing out kits in every legislative office. Staffers and legislators alike greeted GDA volunteers happily. These kits are always sincerely appreciated. After distributing the kits, the hard-working dental kit distribution crew gathered on the Capitol steps for a photo with Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and State Rep. Lee Hawkins, a general dentist. Here is to a great session!
5. Some of the volunteers who took part in the dental kit distribution on the first day of the legislative session on the Capitol steps with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and State Rep. Lee Hawkins, a GDA past president. Shown are Dr. Richard Weinman, Dr. Bruce Camp, Mrs. Debbie Torbush, President Dr. Doug Torbush, Dr. Ben Jernigan, Mrs. Sharon Hawkins, Dr. Jack Bickford, Mrs. Molly Bickford, Mrs. Cindy Smith, Dr. Richard Sugarman, Dr. Lindsey Anderson, Mr. Korey Anderson, Mrs. Lesley Benson, Mrs. Nancy Ferguson, Dr. Donnie Brown, Mrs. Fran Brown, GDA General Counsel Melana McClatchey, and GDA Director of Governmental Affairs Fatimot Ladipo. 6. President Dr. Doug Torbush and Vice President Dr. Ben Jernigan speak with State Sen. Lester Jackson (a Savannah dentist) near the Senate chamber on the opening day of the legislative session. The encounter was caught on tape as the GDA documented the day.
GDA and Alliance Dental Health Day Participants Dr. Lindsey Anderson Mr. Korey Anderson Mrs. Lesley Benson Dr. Janine Bethea Dr. Jack Bickford Mrs. Molly Bickford Dr. Donnie Brown
Mrs. Debbie Torbush Mrs. Fran Brown Dr. Richard Weinman Dr. Bruce Camp Mrs. Nancy Ferguson Dr. Ben Jernigan Mrs. Cindy Smith Dr. Richard Sugarman Dr. Doug Torbush
6. January 2015 • 23
ADAMILESTONES ADA: CDC Data Shows Early Childhood Caries Trending Down The American Dental Association (ADA) is encouraged that preliminary data presented at the “Innovations in the Prevention and Treatment of Early Childhood Caries” conference on October 23 shows a downward trend in early childhood caries in the United States and indicates progress in ensuring that children are receiving needed dental treatment. “This preliminary analysis may indicate a promising trend. We are encouraged that it shows far less untreated tooth decay in children, with dentists providing needed treatment,” said ADA President Dr. Maxine Feinberg. “Dental Medicaid visits have been increasing and more kids are seeing the dentist. Now, we must stay the course, building on that momentum to continue making an impact for children, and expand efforts to prevent dental disease before it starts.” Preliminary unpublished data shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Dr. Bruce Dye indicates a decade-long trend of increased treatment of caries in preschool children, suggesting a shift in untreated dental disease in the U.S. among 2- to 5-year olds toward more restored dental surfaces for all 20 primary teeth. The analysis is based on a review of 2011-12 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) longitudinal health data from the CDC and a representative sample of the U.S. population. It was presented in advance of expected CDC publication of the full range of data covering 2011 through 2014 next year and should be viewed as a preliminary analysis. While we await the full data analysis, continuing to align and promote efforts that contribute to reducing untreated dental disease is critical. Through the ADA’s Action for Dental Health, dentists across the country are delivering dental health education and disease prevention to communities, fighting for increased dental health protections under Medicaid, and providing care now to people suffering from untreated dental 24 • January 2015
disease. For example, according to research from ADA’s Health Policy Institute, from 2000 to 2010 dental care utilization among low-income children increased in 47 states and the continued expansion was primarily due to Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP), which mandate dental benefits for children. Also, ADA’s Community Dental Health Coordinators (CDHCs) are helping people connect to dental public health resources in their communities and dentists who can provide needed treatment. “Dental access, prevention, and care initiatives are making a positive difference in dental health for patients and the ADA is committed to continuing to support and promote increased alignment of efforts and partnering to better fuel the momentum,” Dr. Feinberg said.
Dental and Dental Hygiene Testing Service Volunteers Needed The Department of Testing Services (DTS) is a shared service of the American Dental Association that provides psychometric and test development services for examination programs within the dental and dental hygiene professions. On an annual basis, a call is issued to solicit volunteers who are willing to serve on Test Construction Committees (TCCs) in support of critical examination programs. Volunteers are currently sought for the following (first calendar year of commitment is indicated in parentheses): Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations • National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I (2016) • National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II (2016) • National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) (2016) • Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) (2016)
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American Dental Association • Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) (2015 and 2016) Three of the aforementioned examination programs (NBDE Parts I and II, NBDHE) are operational, while two are currently in development (INBDE and ADAT). The INBDE will serve as a licensure examination that will ultimately replace NBDE Parts I and II; the ADAT is an admissions test for use by advanced dental education programs. Communities of interest will be provided with four years of advance notice before the INBDE is implemented. The ADAT is anticipated to be available for pilot administration in the first quarter of 2016. Additional information concerning the INBDE is available via the following link: www.ada.org/jcnde. Interested individuals must meet the Selection Criteria and submit a Personal Data Form (PDF) to be considered for appointment. Please note that curriculum vitae are not acceptable. All application materials are available via the following link: www.ada.org/en/jcnde/examinations/testconstruction. Each test construction committee meets annually for two to three days at the ADA headquarters in Chicago to develop the dental examinations. The JCNDE makes the travel and hotel arrangements, reimburses for ground transportation and hotel expenses (room and tax only), and provides a per diem of $75 per meeting day. In addition, continuing education credit is granted for each test construction meeting attended. Completed PDFs must be submitted by February 15, 2015. ADAT 2015 appointments will be announced by March 31, 2015. National Board appointments will be announced by May 29, 2015.
Congress Passes, President Signs, Section 179 Tax Provision (ADA Leadership Update for Jan. 9, 2015) Just before leaving for its winter break Congress passed the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R. 5771), which extends the Sec. 179 expensing tax provision for 2014. The president signed the measure on Dec. 19. The American Dental Association worked to ensure passage of this law, which allows small businesses to write off up to $500,000 of capital investment in 2014. ADA members sent more than 8,500 emails to Congress in the last month urging lawmakers to pass the bill. In addition, ADA staff met with legislators and staff about this issue throughout the year. Because H.R. 5771 only applies to the 2014 tax year, the ADA will continue fighting to ensure tax fairness for small businesses by working to make Section 179 permanent in the coming year.
ADA Advocates to Reauthorize Funding for CHCs (ADA Leadership Update for Jan. 9, 2015) The American Dental Association will lobby the new Congress in support of reauthorizing funding for community health centers, a critical issue because the centers, which play an important role in providing care to underserved people, face a funding cliff in 2015. If the Health Centers Fund expires, health centers face reductions to grant funding by 60 to 70 percent. The ADA and other organizations, working as a coalition, plan to continue to lobby for the reauthorization. Helping dentists contract with community health centers is a major focus of the ADA’s Action for Dental Health movement. By partnering or contracting with community health centers, private dentists are able to help these safety net facilities expand their capacity to provide care to underserved populations — often children in Medicaid — without increasing the clinics’ “bricks and mortar” expenses and staffing overhead. Patients benefit because quality care can be quickly and efficiently delivered.
U.S. Dental Spending: 2013 (ADA Leadership Update for Jan. 9, 2015) A research brief released by ADA’s Health Policy Institute demonstrates that the dental economy is not rebounding. National dental care expenditures were $111 billion in 2013, the most recent year available, roughly the same as the previous year when adjusted for inflation. Taking into account both inflation and population growth, national dental expenditures fell slightly between 2012 and 2013. With four years of post-Great Recession data, it appears that unless there is substantial change in current trends in the dental care sector, the “new normal” of flat dental spending predicted by some analysts may be upon us.
ADA Updates Clinical Guidance on Preventative Antibiotic Use An updated ADA clinical practice guideline, last evaluated in 2012, finds that in general, for patients with prosthetic joint implants, the use of prophylactic antibiotics, or antibiotics administered to prevent
the risk of infection, are not recommended prior to dental procedures to prevent prosthetic joint infection (PJIs). The guidance, included in the January issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), was created by a panel of experts tasked by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. “The panel found that the current best evidence failed to demonstrate an association between dental procedures and prosthetic joint infection,” said Dr. Thomas Hart, Chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. “However, this guideline should be integrated with professional judgment and used along with other available, patientspecific data, needs, and preferences to determine an evidence-based approach to care.” Dentists should note that there does not appear to be a conflict between the updated ADA prosthetic joint infection practice guideline and a recent Lancet publication on infective endocarditis. “Prosthetic joint infection and infective endocarditis are different disorders,” said Dr. Thomas Sollecito, who is one of nine members of the panel. “They have different risk factors. The microorganisms involved in PJIs are often from different ecosystems than the oral cavity whereas those in infective endocarditis can be from the mouth.” This recommendation clarifies findings in the 2012 guidelines entitled, “Prevention of Orthopaedic Implant Infection in Patients Undergoing Dental Procedures: Evidence-based Guideline and Evidence Report,” which a 2012 panel of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and ADA authors co-developed. The full recommendation, entitled “The Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics Prior to Dental Procedures in Patients with Prosthetic Joints: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Dental Practitioners,” can be accessed in the January 2015 print edition of JADA and on the JADA website. January 2015 • 25
GDAPROMOTIONS Visit the website www.gadental.org to find promotional materials you can use in your practice and community during February to talk about National Children’s Dental Health Month and Give Kids a Smile Day (February 6, 2015). Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. NCDHM messages and materials have reached millions of people in communities across the country. The ADA and GDA have free online resources that can help members with oral health presentations as well as activity sheets that can be used as handouts. Dentists are encouraged to visit www.gadental.org and access the Practice Promotions page. The ADA also encourages dentists to utilize the 2015 NCDHM campaign poster featuring the slogan “Defeat Monster Mouth.” This poster features on one side the McGrinn Twins, Flossy and Buck, along with their best friends and next-door neighbors, Den and Gen Smiley and K-9 the dog, fighting to defeat Plaqster the Monster for good oral health. On the reverse side, teens demonstrate effective ways to defeat monster mouth and maintain good oral health by brushing, flossing, rinsing, and eating healthy snacks. The GDA Council on Dental Health will celebrate Give Kids a Smile Day on Friday, February 6, 2015, with events in every district. For example, the Northwestern District will host a day of care at the Fortis College School of Dental Hygiene for 150 children that offers exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride treatments, and sealants. Visit the GDA website to find contact information for your Council on Dental Health representative and learn more about projects being planned. Each year, 26 • January 2015
Start planning today: 1) Visit the GDA website www.gadental.org. 2) Click the green “GDA Services” button. 3) Click “Practice Promotions” in the drop down menu. 4) Review the information and download materials. 5) Email admin@gadental.org or call (800) 432-4357 for help. approximately 350,000 children benefit from more than 1,500 Give Kids a Smile Day events nationwide, all because of the efforts of 40,000 or more annual volunteers.
The GDA looks forward to seeing photos and reports from GDA events in February and publicizing member efforts in print, on television, and on social media.
GDACALENDAR FEBRUARY 2015 Wed, Feb 4: Fri, Feb 6: Tue, Feb 10: Wed, Feb 11: Wed, Feb 18: Wed, Feb 18: Thu, Feb 18: Thu, Feb 19: Wed, Feb 25: Thu, Feb 26:
Ga Dental Society/Ga Academy of General Dentistry/Specialties LAW Day. Give Kids a Smile Day, Statewide. Clinic Day Social, Georgia Regents University. Southwestern District/Alliance LAW Day. Northern District LAW Day. Northern District CE Course (Dr. Clayton Davis). Table Clinic Day, Georgia Regents University. Western District CE Course (Linda Harvey). Northern District Hall County LAW Day. Southeastern District LAW Day.
MARCH 2015 Mon, Mar 2: Wed, Mar 4: Wed, Mar 11: Wed, Mar 18: Thu, Mar 19: Wed, Mar 25:
APRIL 2015 Wed, Apr 8: Sat, Apr 11: April 17-18: April 27-29:
MAY 2015 Mon, May 4: Fri, May 8: Mon, May 11: Fri, May 15: Mon, May 25: Sat, May 30: May 29-31:
JUNE 2015 Jun 18-21:
JULY 2015 Fri, Jul 3: Jul 23-26:
Northern District Executive Council, GDA Office. Northwestern District LAW Day. Eastern District LAW Day. Western District/Northern District LAW Day. ASDA Talent Show, Georgia Regents University. Central District LAW Day.
Northern District CE Course (Dr. Glenn Maron). GDA Board of Trustees Meeting, Savannah. ADA Membership Conference, Chicago. ADA Grassroots Legislative Conference, DC.
Northern District Executive Council, GDA Office. Northwestern District CE Course (Laney Kay). Northern District Membership Meeting Details at the District Website www.ndds.org. Southeastern District CE Course. GDA Office Closed for Memorial Day Holiday. Special Smiles Dental Screenings, Emory Campus. Hinman Annual Meeting, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC.
Georgia Mission of Mercy Clinic, Perry, Georgia.
GDA Office Closed for Independence Day Holiday. GDA Annual Meeting at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Amelia Island, Florida. Featuring a New Dentist CE track and Herman Cain. Registration opens April 1 at www.MeetGDA.com.
SEPTEMBER 2015 Mon, Sept 7:
The Georgia Dental Association Board of Trustees will meet in Savannah on April 11 in the spirit of moving the meeting from Atlanta to venues around the state and allowing interested members to attend the meeting and observe. For questions about attending this meeting, please contact Patrice Williams at williams@gadental.org. The GDA board looks forward to visiting the town where President Elect Dr. Tom Broderick has his orthodontic practice!
GDA Office Closed for Labor Day Holiday.
Reserve your room now for the GDA Annual Meeting that takes place July 23-26, 2015, at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Amelia Island, Florida. Click the blue “Hotel” tab on the www.meetgda.com website. January 2015 • 27
PLACING A CLASSIFIED AD 1.) AD FORM: Submit 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. 2.) DUE DATE: ALL ads and prepayments are due by the first of the month before the publication month (i.e., Dec. 1 for January). 3.) DENTIST RATES: ADA member dentists pay $75.00 per 60-word ad per month. There is a 50 cents perword charge for each word over 60. Non-ADA member dentists may not advertise in GDA Action. 4.) CORPORATE RATES: Non-dentistowned companies (real estate firms, banks, etc.) pay $195 per 60-word ad per month. There is a 50 cents perword charge for each word over 60. 5.) FORMS OF PAYMENT: Ads are payable by check (made payable to GDA), money order, Visa, or MasterCard. Per the GDA Finance Committee, a surcharge of $5 will be applied to any credit card transaction. 6.) PRINT ADS ON WEB SITE: Prepaid ads for the print GDA Action will appear on the GDA website www.gadental.org for the month the advertisement appears in print. There is no additional charge for the Web ad. 7.) BANNER ADS ON WEB SITE: Advertisers who purchase a classified or display advertisement may purchase an add-on banner advertisement on the GDA website www.gadental.org. See the advertising guide on the GDA web site for pricing and details.
28 • January 2015
GDACLASSIFIEDS DENTAL EQUIPMENT Equipment for Sale: Closed orthodontic practice, miscellaneous equipment for sale. Three ruby power-backed Royal ortho chairs and eight stools, Cox dry heat sterilizer, M7 Midmark autoclave, Wehmer model trimmer and vacuum spatulator, two ultrasonic units, photo wall-mounted light box, 2.5 Cranex panoramic, Velopex developer, Tab seven shelf filing cabinet, Spartan and Adec Pac 1 mobile self-contained carts, 90Kvp wall mounted x-ray head and control, Denar wall-mounted cephalostat with adjustable chair, three compartment plaster bin, four splash hoods, Danville Engineering Macrocab and micro-etchers,Sta-Vac machine, high speed evacuation motor, Triad 2000 light curing unit, Impulse sealer, Rx Honing Machine, Galetti articulator, Kesair Airocide ACSSO, Rocky Mountain 506A spot welder, miscellaneous lab items and tools. Details, photos: bebdds@comsouth.net, (404) 9348087-c, (770) 497-0236-h.
DENTISTS AVAILABLE Dentist Available: North metro Atlanta and North. Part-time fill in. Sold solo practice of 31 years. GA license, DEA, Insured. Lots of TLC with patients. Contact Dr. Pam at wdtroll1982@gmail.com. Periodontist wants to work with GP performing SRP therapy. Metro Atlanta area, Part-time. Please respond via email to dentist5884@gmail.com. Dentist (Temp Fill In). DEA# and insured, GA, FL, AL licensed. Private practice (solo and group), military experience. E-mail: drglassdmd@yahoo.com or call cell# (770) 656-5269 or (770) 380-7487. Dentist will fill in for illness, vacation, or continuing education. Licensed, insured, DEA#. Call (404) 786-0229 or email breighard@gmail.com. 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.
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.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE Need a part-time Endodontist, Oral Surgeon and General Dentist. Great compensation. Please call (678) 620-5001 or (770) 565-1010. Part-Time Associate Dentist Needed: We have an outstanding Part Time opportunity for a general dentist in our successful, well respected, quality-oriented private dental practice in the Alpharetta, Canton area. We are seeking a special, motivated, enthusiastic, personable general dentist to join our practice. This opportunity can transition into a Full Time position with potential partnership opportunities for the right candidate. We offer excellent compensation and benefits. For additional information, please send CV to resumesdental@yahoo.com. State of the art practice looking for an enthusiastic orthodontist to join our team in multiple locations in metro Atlanta. Our office provides a friendly environment and a hard working team. We are offering a parttime associate position growing into a full time position. Please email your resume to braces2007@yahoo.com. 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 base/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.
Expanding Dental Group Seeking Dentists for our Atlanta-Based Practices! We want you to join our growing team and enjoy a large, built-in patient referral base, clinical autonomy, advanced technology, a professional support team, paid time-off, competitive compensation and signing bonuses! We provide specialty & general dentistry to patients of all ages and offer pediatric conscious IV sedation and adult sedation dentistry. Immediate openings available for recent grads, general dentists and/or pediatric dentists in our expanding Lilburn, Dacula and Gainesville pedo practices. Potential for more hours if willing to travel. FT/ PT positions available now. Immediate opening for an experienced general dentist in our adult and teen zone Lilburn and Gainesville locations. PT position available now but potential for FT. Immediate openings for an experienced general dentist & endo/perio specialists in our Lilburn & Gainesville locations. PT available now. Please email cover letters and CVs to hr@tebodental.com. For more information, please visit us at www. tebodental.com Great Expressions Dental Centers has openings for full-time General Dentist(s) in our Metro Atlanta, GA offices. Our dentists have clinical freedom and autonomy without the financial or administrative burdens associated with practice management. Dentists can expect unlimited production based earnings, full benefits, time off, malpractice coverage, stable patient base, and long-term practice career growth with possible investment opportunity. Sign-on bonus possible as well! Please reach out to Ross Shoemaker @ (678) 836-2226 or ross. shoemaker@greatexpressions.com to apply!
SPACES & OFFICES AVAILABLE Dental Practice since 1955 For Sale: Near Downtown Atlanta. High visibility, excellent starter or secondary location. 6 ops. Owner close to retirement/will gladly stay as employee for transition. 5 stars on Healthgrades.com. Associate DDS also works 3 days per week. Will consider sale of building and property as well. Call (404) 630-6767 Are you looking to sell your practice, but continue to work in it, either full or part time? Sometimes a “For Sale by Owner” is the best solution. You can avoid big company politics or inflated brokers fees by working
directly with the buyer. Interested? Email us at horizondentalmanagement@gmail.com for more information contact Beth Hodder. Dental Space for Dentist or Specialist in Greater Atlanta! Stockbridge, Fayetteville, Duluth, Dunwoody, Woodstock, Stone Mtn, 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 2-3 more. Save time & build-out costs! Contact us at: dentalspecialist2@gmail.com Smyrna general practice for sale: Solo dental practice has been in the same location for the past 36 years. Owner retiring but will stay on for transition. Great location along Spring Road. Space is 2200 square feet that has been impeccably maintained. 3 operatories expanded to 4 or 5. Great spot to move existing office or open a satellite practice. Free standing building for sale also. Reply to (770) 617-8374.
per year working 3 days/week. Proven management team, well trained staff, paperless and EHR compliant. Doctor/owner will work 2 days a week to ensure transferability of staff and patients. Call (678) 482-7305 or email info@southeasttransitions.com for details using listing ID #GA1059. Please visit us at www.SoutheastTransitions.com. Dental Practice for Sale in Statesboro, GA. Well established practice with an excellent customer base and staff. Revenues for the practice exceeded $400K last year. The selling doctor is retiring from dentistry. Please call (678) 482-7305 or email info@southeasttransitions.com for details using listing ID #GA1064. www.SoutheastTransitions.com.
MULTI-FACILITY ORTHO PRACTICE IN NORTH GEORGIA. Lots of room for growth! All FFS, collecting $820K+ on a part-time schedule. Selling Dr. willing to stay on. Please contact us at (678) 482-7305 or info@southeasttransitions.com for more information using listing ID #GA1066. See more at www.southeasttransitions.com. Dental Practice for Sale in Gwinnett County, GA. Well established, FFS practice collecting $550K+ working a part-time schedule. 4 equipped rooms, 1 plumbed; all digital. Selling doctor to work through transition. Real estate also available for purchase. Please call (678) 482-7305 or email info@southeasttransitions.com for details using listing ID #GA1068. www.southeasttransitions.com. Dental Practice for Sale in East Metro Atlanta. Well established, FFS practice collecting $325K with 4 equipped ops, and Dentrix software, stand-alone building also for sale. Doctor wishes to retire but will agree to work toward a smooth transition. Please call (678) 482-7305 or email info@southeasttransitions.com for details using listing ID #GA1069. www.southeasttransitions.com Pediatric Dental Practice for Sale in Middle, GA. Established pediatric practice with 5 operatories (can expand to 7). Located in regional medical center. Collects $900,000+
January 2015 • 29
The meeting is July 23-26, 2015, at The Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Amelia Island, Florida. Visit www.MeetGDA.com to reserve your room today.
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*Not valid on implant parts. No copies accepted. Not valid with any other offers. Expiration date: 3/31/15. Code: RemCoupDisc
*Not valid on implant parts. No copies accepted. Not valid with any other offers. Expiration date: 3/31/15. Code: RemCoupDisc
2407 Denso Drive • Athens, TN 37303 • 800.278.6046
2407 Denso Drive • Athens, TN 37303 • 800.278.6046
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ANY REMOVABLE PRODUCT*
Journal of the Georgia Dental Association 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE Suite 200, Building 17, Atlanta, GA 30328 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Reserve Your Annual Meeting Hotel Room Get Ready for Children’s Dental Health Month Licensure Renewal: Preparing During 2015
GDIS listens! Our new medical plans offer great benefits members have asked for! Call GDIS for a free quote or visit www.MyGDIS. com for details.