GDA Action

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1859

2009

ACTION

THE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION

DECEMBER 2009

C e l e b r a t i n g 1 5 0 Y e a r s o f Se r v i c e & A d v o c a c y

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VOLUME 29, NUMBER 12 • DECEMBER 2009

ACTION

on the cover

2009

1859

ACTION

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. Jonathan Dubin GDA Editor 2970 Clairmont Rd Suite 195 Atlanta, GA 30329

Delaine Hall GDA Managing Editor 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE Suite 200, Building 17 Atlanta, GA 30328

2009-2010 Georgia Dental Association Officers Kent H. Percy, DDS, President John F. Harrington Jr., DDS, President Elect Michael O. Vernon, DMD, Vice President James B. Hall III, DDS, MS, Secretary/Treasurer Jonathan S. Dubin, DMD, Editor

GDA/GDIS/PDRS Executive Office Staff Members Martha S. Phillips, Executive Director Lisa Chandler, Director of Member Services Nelda H. Greene, MBA, Associate Executive Director Delaine Hall, Director of Communications Skip Jones, Director of Operations (PDRS) Barbara Kaul, Property and Casualty Accounts Manager Courtney Layfield, Director of Administrative Services Victoria LeMaire, Medical Accounts Manager Melana Kopman McClatchey, General Counsel Denis Mucha, Director of Operations (GDIS) Phyllis Willich, Administrative Assistant Pamela K. 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 2009 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.

Member Publication American Association of Dental Editors

DECEMBER 2009

C e l e b r a t i n g 1 5 0 Y e a r s o f Se r v i c e & A d v o c a c y

The Georgia Dental Association has invited each of the candidates running for Georgia governor to speak at a forum during the GDA House of Delegates on January 10, 2010. All dentists (not just members of the House) are invited to attend this important event. To read more about the forum, see page 32. Pictured (in alphabetical order) are candidates Thurbert Baker, Roy Barnes, Carl Camon, Nathan Deal, Karen Handel, Eric Johnson, Ray McBerry, John Oxendine, Dubose Porter, David Poythress, and Austin Scott.

other features

sections

11

Remembering GDA Dentists Who Passed Away in 2009

4

Parting Shots

12

GDA Plans Give Kids A Smile Day Activities in Every District

5

Editorial

6

Letters

14

Changes on Horizon for Georgia’s Fee for Service Medicaid Program

7

News and Views

Georgia Dentists Advocate for Issues at ADA House of Delegates

29

Event Calendar

20

Dealing with Dental Stress

30

Classifieds

23

How Dentists Can Change the Name of a Dental Practice

34

Breaking the Mold

16

24

GDA Public Relations Campaign Features Dental Home Message

25

Medicaid Crisis: Dentists’ Help Needed in Reaching Out to State

26

Georgia Alliance; Student Spouses Make Progress on Behalf of Dentistry

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 ADS South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 AFTCO Transition Consultants . . . . . . . . . . .31 Atlanta Age Management Medicine . . . . . . .17 Center for TMJ Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 The Doctor’s Safety Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Elite Dentistry / Dr. Ruth Clemans . . . . . . . .22 GDA Dental Recovery Network . . . . . . . . . . .33

advertisement unless the advertisement specifically includes an authorized statement that such approval or endorsement has been granted.

GDA LAW Day Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Georgia Dental Insurance Services . . . . . . . .36 Great Expressions Dental Centers . . . . . . . .27 Hinman Dental Meeting 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Law Office of Stuart J. Oberman . . . . . . . . .14 M. McIntyre & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Paragon Dental Practice Transitions . . . . . .11

PriceDoc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Professional Debt Recovery Services . . . . . .26 Professional Practice Management . . . . . . .33 Southeast Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 U.S. Army Dentist Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . .7 West Coast District Dental Association . . . .24

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editorial perspective

Publicity is Not a Four Letter Word

Jonathan S. Dubin, DMD

“Charity sees the need, not the cause.”

German proverb

Charity in dental care takes many various forms. When do we find the time? We manage though, and even look for new ways to volunteer. Caring is in our souls. Charity and caring are not just words, but also integral parts of being a health care provider.

The need for charitable care does not just exist—it is far greater than we could ever satisfy through volunteerism. Our effects can be viewed as a mere Band-aid on a gaping wound. Yet we strive to go out and purchase more boxes of Band-aids and keep applying.

Dentists set up charity clinics and volunteer for screenings and provide treatment for needy individuals, expending countless thousands of hours.

Last month I talked to a colleague about her plan for a dental day—or two—of charity works in Georgia in 2011. Perhaps you are familiar with a program called the Mission of Mercy or M.O.M. These programs have received attention in the national news over the past few years, popping up in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Connecticut, Colorado, and Texas after the Virginia Dental Health Foundation launched the first M.O.M. in 2001. This is a massive undertaking using a large facility (usually a warehouse) and perhaps up to 1,000 volunteers including 200 or more dentists along with support staff. After seeing publicity for the event, thousands of individuals in need of dental care typically show up, many sleeping outside the night before in hopes of being one of the lucky few hundred to receive free dental care on that day. As treatment is limited to that day, the care is primarily palliative, and dentists do not provide a ‘dental home’ to the recipients.

A Georgia M.O.M. would be a feel-good application of our skills that may provide a smidgen of the amount of treatment needed by indigent and working poor adults in our state. Let’s consider that unemployment is in

double figures. Oral health issues don’t subside when a person becomes unemployed, but rather the opposite—an unemployed person may delay seeking needed care until the need is at emergency level. Even if the economy picked up and unemployment were to miraculously dip into the lower single digits, there would still be a significant need for care by far too many people to have the needs solved by even a two-day Georgia M.O.M. So…is holding a M.O.M. a lot about publicity for us, the GDA, and for our profession? You bet it is. My colleague and I agreed it was more about publicity than making a sizeable dent in the need for care of the needy, the working poor, the homeless, and the unemployed. Publicity—does that sound like an awful reason to host such a program? At first, that was the feeling I had.

It sounds so wrong. But don’t dismiss this project or any other volunteer service project like Give Kids A Smile Day because it contains elements of self-promotion. In fact, I have three reasons as to why a Georgia M.O.M. program is so important: 1) It is a stopgap however few or many adults it helps. Even extraction of an infected tooth does help in that moment.

2) It says to those adults who receive treatment that dentists care. That is a powerful message to someone. If it lifts someone out of hopelessness, there is no measurement for what that is worth.

EDITORIAL Continued on page 6

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letters Botox® and More: Removing the Road Blocks to Progress in Dentistry?

To the Editor, Four years ago it seemed obvious to me that dentists were the best trained health care providers to administer facial fillers, Botox®, and mesotherapy. However, I continue to be met with a road block.

The Georgia State Dental Board and the Georgia State Attorney’s office said “That Botox® was not in the scope of dentistry.” So I went back to my office and the days and now years have gone by with no change within the state of Georgia concerning this issue.

Well folks, it’s time we had some change in the Dental Practice Act to allow dentists to use the full extent of our education—not just a fraction of it because we are bound by an overly restrictive definition of what we as dentists should be able to treat and do. It seems to me that we are fully capable of delivering these facial esthetic procedures with the proper training, as well as trigger point injections and a host of other things in the here and now and procedures yet to come. I also feel that these procedures should not be restricted to any one specialty within dentistry as the turf wars are bound to emerge during the debate.

It, further, seems to me that the trend is set and is moving forward on this issue and we need to move on with it. Or be left, seriously, to choke on the dust of our own regrets. In the February 2009 issue of Dental Economics Dr. Louis Malmacher discusses at length what I too have observed for years—that Botox® and facial fillers can be placed by dentists, with additional training, and we are well qualified and can administer these and other procedures with great skill.

In addition Dr. David Hornbrook in his article in the September 2009 issue of Dentistry Today echoes my observations on this issue. If you look in the Greater New York Dental Meeting guide, you will note that there is continuing education being given on the placement of facial fillers (hands on I might add).

I feel we are trained exceedingly well in head and neck anatomy and the basic sciences and we are far better at injections than anyone

EDITORIAL Continued from page 5 3) Publicity. Yes, the publicity. A program like M.O.M. shines a spotlight on the problems working poor and indigent adults face in Georgia.

President Kent Percy has appointed Dr. Karyn Stockwell to head a Task Force on a Georgia M.O.M. If you are asked to participate in the planning or execution of the M.O.M. I hope you say

6 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

else on the planet! So the question begs, do we move confidently into the here and now or do we choke on the dust of our own apathy and regrets in the future?

Sincerely, Dale C. Madson, DMD Statesboro, Georgia

Editor’s Note: In 2005, the Georgia Board of Dentistry’s legal counsel, the Attorney General’s Office, provided two written opinions regarding whether administration of Botox® or other dermal fillers was within the scope of the practice of dentistry. Their research concluded that with very limited exceptions (such as pain management) administration of Botox® injections is not within the scope of a dental license. The Attorney General also notes in the memorandums that the practice of dentistry is statutorily a limited license to practice medicine and that treatment of wrinkles or other perceived defects in the skin is the practice of medicine.

A written copy of the opinions may be obtained on-line at the Georgia Board of Dentistry’s web site http://sos.georgia.gov/ plb/dentistry under the “Questions and Other Information” section or from GDA General Counsel Melana Kopman McClatchey at mcclatchey@gadental.org.

The Georgia Dental Association (GDA) will not publish unsigned letters submitted to Action, or letters submitted under a name the GDA cannot verify. The Editor reserves the right to edit all letters for clarity and length. Opinions presented in letters and commentaries are the authors’ opinions, and do not necessarily reflect the GDA’s adopted policies.

Questions, comments, and submissions may be directed to the GDA office by phone to (404) 636-7553, fax to (404) 633-3943, or email to Managing Editor Delaine Hall at hall@gadental.org.

‘yes.’ (And take the opportunity to turn to page 12 to find out how you can participate in the 2010 Give Kids A Smile Day in Georgia.)

Charity is not the answer to life’s ills. Nor is it a viable long term option for our care system. It is caring when needed most, and the opportunity to educate others as to the great needs that we cannot shoulder alone.

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members in the news Members benefit from GDA Spokesperson Training The GDA’s annual Spokesperson Training seminar was November 6. Communications expert Robin Wright led the event, and staged mock legislative testimony and media interview situations to create a realistic and challenging training event. Each dentist was videotaped as he or she spoke.

The tapes were then played back to allow Ms. Wright and the other attendees to critique each dentist’s responses. Kudos to these attendees who learned not only how to effectively convey GDA talking points, but how to better communicate every day.

On-Camera Participants Dr. Evis Babo Dr. Jack Bickford Dr. Bruce Camp Dr. Jay Harrington Dr. Marshall Mann Dr. Jason Oyler Dr. Kent Percy Dr. Kent Simmons Dr. Mike Vernon Dr. Becky Weinman Off-Camera Observers Dr. Don Benton Alliance President Elect Molly Bickford Dr. David Drew Dr. Nancy Gallagher Dr. Ed Green Dr. Lindsay Holliday Dr. Tom Jagor Dr. Ben Knaak Dr. Roy Lehrman Dr. Elizabeth Lewis Dr. Mike Loden Dr. Grant Loo Dr. Amanda Merritt Dr. Terry O’Shea Dr. Robin Reich Dr. Troy Schulman Dr. Richard Smith Dr. Jimmy Talbot Dr. Richard Weinman Dr. Carol Wolff

Central District hosts new dentist event Central District President Elect Kara Moore reports that the district hosted a successful new dentist event (for dentists in practice for 10 or fewer years) in October. “We want to encourage new dentists to become more involved in the district, and encourage interested members to seek leadership positions,” said Dr. Moore, a 2005 graduate of the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry. The event was held at the Fish and Pig on Lake Tobesofkee and was sponsored with many thanks from the district by Perry Dental.

Central District New Dentist Event Attendees: Dr. and Mrs. Vin Bhasin, Dr. Traci Long, Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Hargett, Dr. Margret and Mr. Corey Moore, Dr. Amber Lawson, Drs. Brad and Jennifer Roberson, Drs. Katie and Cameron Garvin, Dr. Amy Lee, Dr. Ched Smaha, Dr. Kara and Mr. Geoffrey Moore, and Casey Daniels, owner of event sponsor Perry Dental.

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Members Seen in the News • In 2005, Dr. Robert Gilbert, a retired periodontist who served as GDA editor in the 1980s, sold his Cobb County home and property to county officials for use as a park. According to the November 13, 2009, Marietta Daily Journal, the 16-acre Smith-Gilbert Gardens park is now up and running and introducing Metro Atlantans to the pleasures of green space. The park’s garden features more than 3,700 species of plants and 30 sculptures, and the restored 1840s home in the park is home to educational and gardening programs for adults and children.

• The Georgia Academy of General Dentistry (GAGD) announced that eight GDA dentists received their Mastership Awards and three GDA dentists received their Fellowship Awards at the convocation ceremony of the Academy of General Dentistry Annual Meeting in Baltimore last summer.

Masterships were awarded to Drs. Robert Brooks, Kevin Dancy, Brad Dixon, Phillip Durden, Travis Hampton, Rebecca Hobbs, Thomas Jagor, and

8 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

Ricky Lane. Fellowships were awarded to Drs. Marlyn Betancourt, Shawn Lottier, and Wade McIntyre. Fellows must maintain three years of continuous membership in the AGD, complete 500 hours of approved CE, and pass a comprehensive written exam on all aspects of dentistry. Mastership is awarded to Fellows who have completed an additional 600 hours of CE in the 16 disciplines of dentistry, including 400 hours in participation courses.

• Dr. George Coletti, a Decatur oral surgeon, has authored the historical novel Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel. Dr. Coletti’s grandparents came to Stone Mountain in 1922 and purchased the Wayside Inn located at the foot of the famous granite outcropping. His uncle Elias worked on all three Stone Mountain carvings and was famed for his many rescues of individuals and animals from the steep side of the mountain. Dr. Coletti, who assisted his uncle on several rescues, received his own degree of fame in 1957 for single

Dr. George Coletti presenting a copy of his historical novel Stone Mountain: The Granite Sentinel (touching on the years before and during the Civil War) to Major General Peter Boylan, President of Georgia Military College. Dr. Coletti is on the GMC Foundation board.

handedly rescuing a man named Glenn Duncan. He subsequently received a scholarship to the University of Georgia from Dr. and Mrs. Glenn Duncan for his heroism. Read more about the book at www.thegranitesentinel.com.

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Alliance, GDA members assemble legislative dental kits GDA Alliance dental spouses and GDA dentist volunteers met in October at the GDA executive office to assemble 900 legislative dental kits. These kits will be distributed on January 11, 2010, to the legislators and legislative staff at the Capitol in celebration of Dental Health Day, the opening day of the legislative session.

This dental kit event on opening day will mark the 25th anniversary of the first time the Alliance assembled and helped distribute such kits at the Capitol. In 1985, DeDe Slappey and her Alliance Legislative Committee members assembled 228 toothpaste kits for legislators. Each white plastic kit contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, disclosing tablets, floss, sugarless mints, and breath spray. With the assistance of GDA dentist Dr. John Savage, then a state representative, Alliance members and GDA dentists placed the kits within the legislators’ desks in the House and

Thanks to the GDA and Alliance volunteers who gathered in October at the GDA office to assemble 900 dental kits, continuing 25 years of this legislative advocacy effort.

Senate chambers. This is a tradition that has continued to the present day.

Alliance legislative chair Joan Diversi had initially planted the idea of an Alliance event at the Capitol on the opening

day of the session in 1984, when she and her legislative committee assembled 200 wooden baskets with green tissue paper, apples, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss and distributed them to legislators.

Thanks to Steve Fortmann and Julie Peters with Oral-B for donating the Crest toothpaste and Glide dental floss included in this year’s kits. Kudos to the Alliance and GDA members who assembled the kits—they are a great way to keep dentistry at the forefront of legislators’ thoughts during the session.

Beverly Allen Molly Bickford Alliance President Linda Broderick Dr. Tom Broderick Fran Brown Dr. Don Brown Deb Cavola Dr. Ron Cavola Joan Diversi Jean Harrington Dr. Jay Harrington Sherry Kendrick Amy Manzella Kay Messinger Cheryl O’Donnell Mary Percy GDA President Dr. Kent Percy Liz Roos Helaine Sugarman Dr. Richard Sugarman Debbie Torbush Sarah Woodall GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

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Student members back the PAC From the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry comes news that all four classes of dental students have contributed to the Georgia Dental Association Political Action Committee. This level of support speaks well about the continued efforts by student leaders, including MCG American Student Dental Association Legislative Liaison William Moore, to inspire their fellow students

Class of 2010 GADPAC Contributors Stanley Alderman Marc Allred Robert Allred Darron Alvord Patrick Arnett Victor Au-Yeung William Bennett Brian Bragassa Charles Brooks Jr. Jonathan Bullard Sharla Bush Amy Camba Yasheena Cara Patrice Caughman Mark Causey Justin Chong Robert Crawford Sara Dyer David Elrod Brandon Esco Travis Fiegle Ryan Fulchi Adam Goldberg Amanda Davis Shivane Gupta John Hansford Zeyad Hassan John Haycock Aubrey Hedrick III Ashley Hill Bracey Holland Jason Howard Frank Huff Shaunta Jones Jung Lee Benjamin Lyons Dawnyetta Marable Aksana Marshall Claudia Mora Alan Myers Mayur Nayee Brandi Owen Alaina Pancio Milin Parikh Alpesh Patel David Quintero Helen Rainwater Patrice Robbins Thaddeus Rowell Masoud Salekian Courtney Shaw

10 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

Christy Sikes Erin Sitz Glendon Smalley Kyle Smith Sasha Smith Mark Strandburg Sunya Sweeney Leigh Trotter Paul Trotter David Weldon Daniel White

Class of 2011 GADPAC Contributors Rochelle Asher Autumn Barnett Michael Beckerman Jack Bell Whitney Berelc Neena Bhole Nicolas Bisig Stephen Blank Michael Carr Jared Carter Stacey Cohen Krista Cox Christopher Deleon Anthony Didato Adam Doss Rachel Dulebohn Nadia Esfandiarinia Bradshaw Ford Joidaz Gaines Adam Goodwin Evan Grodin Richard Hammond Brett Hester James Hicks Paul Hinchey Christopher Howlett Jeffrey Ingalls Hannah Johnson Jonathan Johnson Brittany Jones Melissa Jordan Benjamin Kacos Ryan Kennedy Sara Khan Joyce Kim Lauren Lee Erika Lentini Ross Levine Marianna Libkind Kristina Lopez

to become supporters of the legislative advocacy efforts of organized dentistry. The students are also energized by regular visits from GDA dentists and staff, including Executive Director Martha Phillips, who speak on legislative topics. Kudos to these students who back the GDA PAC—may they serve to inspire practicing dentists to contribute!

Raluca Marinescu Jason Minton William Moore Dai Nguyen John O’Neill Hyunso Park Chip Patterson Ryan Price Ismael Salvador Francesca Seta Micah Shaw Bianca Starks Phillip Strickland Joseph Sumrall Donald Taylor Lindsey Thurman Quoc Tran Sterling Whitworth Bartholomew Wilson Julia Winger Behnam Yavari Alison Youngpeter

Class of 2012 GADPAC Contributors Katherine Abell Crystal Bennett Zackary Bentley Ryan Bloomquist Septian Borders William Boyd Kenneth Bunn Trenton Campbell Nathan Cherof Molly Cleveland Ashland Doomes Ann Downer Robert Edwards David Ensley Azadeh Esfandiarinia Amir Ghalehgol Johnny Gosier Jonathon Hall Elizabeth Harrison David Hildreth Bradford Huffman Matthew Keller Jayne Kelly Christopher Kragor Christopher Lee Jason Lee Megan Lowe Lee Martin Garrick McGrath

Heath Miller Michael Minyard Brian Mitchell Kristina Mohme Laura Moses June Murakaru Perrice Murray Amy Myers Jose Navarro Sarah Padolsky Rebecca Paquin Emily Parks Arjun Patel Dhruti Patel Shivani Patel Thomas Pierce Benjamin Poston Thomas Rice III Joseph Ryan Tina Sampat Alyson Satterfield Laura Schmidt Anna Schultz Christopher Seibert Kristen Shaw Tanya Shores Ashley Smith Qiansha Tang Uyen-Phuong Tang Alicia Thomas Shannon Thorsteinson Jacob Truan Jessica Watson Tameika Wheeler Meghan Whitney Brandon Whitworth Claire Worthy James Yoon

Class of 2013 GADPAC Contributors Christen Adamson Anushka Amin Lindsey Anderson Patrick Barnes James Barron II Clinton Baugham Andrew Benfield Stella Bonner Jessica Brown Robert Cannon Wendy Cardenas Daniel Carlon James Cassidy

Meagan Chaffins Karin Davis Raymond Dickey II To-Nga Dinh Megan Flournoy David Forrest Shiven Gandhi Jorge Griswold James Gustin Emily Hahn Brandon Hammond Alex Harvey Megan Henry William Herring Nhi Ho Jeremy Holloway Charles Hopkins Brittany Hudson Jennifer Kendrick Dustin Kilby Jamie Kim Amanda Kossick David Langer James Maina Naghmeh Majdi Brian Martin Matthew Martin Jesse McMillan Kyrslyne Moore Destiny Murray Robert O’Brien Jancy Parkerson Kaley Peek Kimberly Peters Ben Popple Samuel Posey Brock Pumphrey Tyler Rathburn Andrew Shoemaker Kamyar Simian Matthew Smith William Smith Ivan Stojanov Thomas Suitt Dana Swayze Benjamin Taylor Michael Thomas Jr. Jessica Varn Matthew Vaughn Devon Watson Nicole Youngs

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Remembering GDA Dentists Who Died in 2009 These dentists made significant contributions in their own ways to bers whose names do not appear on this list, please send their their colleagues and communities. The abbreviation for their GDA memorial information to the GDA executive office. These names district appears by their name. If you know of other deceased mem- were received by November 17, 2009.

Paul W. Baker Jr., DDS (NW) Emory University 1946 July 6 Age 88 Roger T. Bell, DDS (NW) Georgetown University 1980 November 1 Age 54 A. Albert Berger, DDS (N) Emory University 1951 July 19 Age 88 Pitman B. Cleaveland Jr., DDS (W) Emory University 1945 February 6 Age 87 Stephen C. Fink, DDS (N) Emory University 1977 May 4 Age 59

Ronald E. Harrell, DDS (SW) GDA President (1986) Emory University 1959 October 9 Age 73

Frederick M. Miller Jr., DDS (W) Emory University 1962 September 6 Age 71

Marvin Kaplan, DDS (N) Emory University 1947 April 26 Age 85

Bennie J. Norton Jr., DDS (NW) Emory University 1961 August 15 Age 77

Rollin E. Mallernee, DDS (N) GDA President (1981) Atlanta-Southern Dental College 1943 April 13 Age 95 Richard F. Maxwell, DDS (N) Emory University 1956 April 15 Age 78 Neil R. Melcher, DDS (E) Northwestern University 1961 October 6 Age 72

Wister L. Ritchie Jr., DDS (C) Emory University 1955 June 11 Age 77 Thomas L. Saul Jr., DDS (E) Loyola University 1964 November 11 Age 69

Fred M. Sims, DDS (E) Emory University 1963 April 11 Age 70 Russell C. Snow Jr., DDS (NW) Emory University 1955 April 29 Age 88 Murray Stein, DDS (NW) Northwestern University 1951 September 24 Age 86 Al West, DDS (N) Emory University 1955 January 23 Age 77

Edd L. Simmons, DDS (N) University of Tennessee 1950 May 5 Age 82

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GDA Plans Give Kids A Smile Day Activities in Every District Nelda Greene Associate Executive Director

The annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) Day is coming to a location near you in February. On Friday, February 5, 2010, the Georgia Dental Association (GDA)

in conjunction with every district dental society will coordinate free dental care for less fortunate children around the state.

For the eighth year, member dentists and their staff members will participate in the American Dental Association’s national major oral health outreach program launched to encourage parents, health professionals, and policymakers to address important access to oral health care issues as well as to provide care to local, qualifying children from low-income families.

Georgia’s GKAS program needs your help and you can participate in a number of ways!

Be a Volunteer at One of the District Programs For the past seven years, the GDA has focused its volunteer efforts on one or two locations for pro bono care. This year in an effort to broaden GDA efforts and for dentists to be able to reach out to those in their own communities, Dr. Byron Colley, Council on Dental Health Chairman, charged each district Council member with holding a district event.

The district challenge resulted in numerous programs throughout the state.

The GDA encourages you to review the list and to pick a location where you can volunteer your time to help children in your area.

Dentists and their staff members can give of their time and expertise for a few hours or for the entire day. All efforts are appreciated. Dentists are encouraged to bring along a dental assistant and a dental hygienist as well as any other office staff members who might enjoy participating.

Some of the programs will provide prevention-only services while others will perform more extensive restorative treatment.

Each district program is tailoring their program based on the facilities and needs.

If you are interested in volunteering, please call or email the contact dentist listed below and place Friday, February 5, 2010, on your calendar. We guarantee that you will have a positive experience helping these children.

Central District (Warner Robins) Location: Mobile program in Warner Robins area schools Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Contact: Dr. Shirley Fisher at (478) 929-0296 or shffish@aol.com

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Eastern District (Athens) Location: Office of Drs. Jennifer and Erik Wells Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Contact: Dr. Jennifer Wells at (706) 548-7373 or docwells8@yahoo.com

Southwestern District (Valdosta) Location: Valdosta Technical College Dental Hygiene School Contact: Dr. James Knighton at (229) 896-7595 or knighton@surfsouth.com Western District (Columbus) Location One: Columbus Technical College Dental Hygiene School Location Two: Valley Healthcare Contact: Dr. Al Lugo (706) 660-1310 or drlugo@bellsouth.net

Eastern District (Augusta) Location: Medical College of School of Dentistry (This is an MCG sponsored event but Augusta area dentists can volunteer) Contact: Dr. Tara Schafer at (706) 721-2116 or tschafer@mcg.edu Northern District (Decatur) Location: Cary Reynolds Elementary School (Dekalb County) in partnership with the DeKalb County Public Health Department Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Contact: Dr. Heather Perry at (770) 536-0201 or lanierperio@aol.com Northern District (Sandy Springs) Location: Ison Springs Elementary School (Fulton County Schools) in partnership with the Fulton County Public Health Department Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Contact: GDA Associate Executive Director Nelda Greene at (404) 636-7553 or greene@gadental.org Northern District (Hall County) Location: Hall County Health Department, in partnership with the Lanier Technical College Dental Hygiene Program Contact: Dr. Patrick Toms at (770) 536-4471 or toms1@bellsouth.net Northwestern District (Woodstock) Location: Cherokee County Health Department in partnership with the Whitfield County / Floyd County public health departments Contact: Dr. Casey Hart at (770) 926-8371 or casey@drhartsoffice.com

Provide Your Own GKAS Event Some dentists choose to coordinate an event at their own office rather than participating in the larger GDA-sponsored program. Many of you currently provide free care to children through a local school program or faith-based initiative. If you wish to have a GKAS event at your practice, you can go to the ADA’s web site (www.ada.org) and download the planning kit to assist with the logistics of a program at your dental practice.

To find children that truly need dental care and whose families cannot afford to provide care, contact the school nurse at one of the schools in your area or work with a local health department. Please register your program at the ADA’s web site so that they are aware of your efforts. The GDA also asks that you send your program information to Nelda Greene at the GDA Executive Office at greene@gadental.org so that your event is reported in a future issue of GDA Action.

Conclusion Georgia’s dentists are caring professionals who do much to help the less fortunate. The GDA values your participation in this event as well as the many other community service programs held throughout the year. Please help us to capture all efforts by reporting your programs to the GDA Executive Office at greene@gadental.org. This information is critical in educating decision makers and elected officials about the efforts of Georgia’s dentists.

Southeastern District (Savannah) Location: Armstrong Technical College Dental Hygiene School Contact: Dr. Stephanie Skinner at (912) 925-6613 or skinnerdmd@comcast.net

Bring a smile to the face of a child by participating in a GDA Give Kids A Smile activity in your district.

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Changes on Horizon for State Medicaid Program for Aged / Blind / Disabled Population Lisa Chandler GDA Director of Membership Services

Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) is the current administrator for Georgia’s fee for service Medicaid program, a position the company has held since 2003.

However, ACS has lost their contract with the state, and Georgia will turn to EDS (now know as HP Enterprises) for fee for service Medicaid administrative services tentatively effective July 1, 2010. The GDA will know for sure in June 2010 if EDS will hit their targeted July 1 deadline.

This transition will not affect the Georgia Families program, a partnership between the Georgia Department of Community Health and the Care Management Organizations Amerigroup, Peach State, and WellCare that provides

14 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

health services to many Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids recipients. The CMOs subcontract dental administration to DentaQuest (formerly known as Doral).

Dentists who are Medicaid providers may remember the disastrous start to the ACS claims administration program in 2003 that included web site outages, understaffing, and a significant fee recoupment. At that time, ACS took over from EDS to provide fee for service Medicaid claims administration.

The current ACS contract with the state expires on June 30, 2010. In 2006, the state Department of Community Health (DCH) initiated a competitive procurement process to identify an agent who could support a new Medicaid Management

Information System (MMIS) for Georgia.

The MMIS is an integration of computer systems that work together to process Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids claims and other pertinent information related to the two programs. DCH sought to upgrade its MMIS to meet government regulations and provide more efficient services to Medicaid providers and patients. In March 2008, EDS was awarded the seven-year, $391 million contract to design, develop, and implement the new MMIS. The Georgia Dental Association has been participating in task force meetings with EDS so that the GDA can keep the membership informed of the latest changes as well as notify dentists when EDS will go live. In a task force meeting

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Georgia Dentists Advocate for Issues at ADA House of Delegates Richard Weinman, DMD GDA Delegation to the ADA Chairman

This year’s American Dental Association (ADA) Annual Session in Hawaii was one that none of us will soon forget. It was not the location that was special but the combination of events that will likely never be repeated. We had Dr. Marie Schweinebraten’s campaign for ADA President Elect, the disclosure of problems within the ADA’s for-profit division, and controversial resolutions that could change how we practice.

With all of this on our plate, your GDA Delegation remained focused and accomplished more as a group than at any time I can remember.

Marie Schweinebraten Campaign for ADA President Elect Marie’s campaign was heartbreaking because of how excellent it was. Her flawless speech to the House of Delegates was acknowledged as the best of the three candidates. Her presentations to the 17 districts and her ability to answer difficult questions were remarkable. Our expectation going into the vote was that Marie had an excellent chance of winning and possibly without a runoff. Well, there was a runoff and unfortunately Marie was not chosen.

None of us on the Delegation know why the best candidate was not chosen. It may have been politics within the various districts or the fact Marie was running from a conservative region. We do know that she ran the best campaign she could.

Even if given the chance we would not have done anything differently.

I want to acknowledge Dr. Ed Green who excelled as Marie’s campaign manager and all the Delegation and other volunteers who worked so hard on this campaign.

ADABEI: Trouble with the ADA For-Profit Division Shortly before the ADA House of Delegates the GDA Delegation was informed that the ADA’s for-profit division

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(ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., or ADABEI) had serious problems with some of its businesses. We were given this information under strict attorney / client privilege. That means at this time your Delegation members cannot discuss the particulars of the problems because of personal exposure to lawsuits. In general, there were serious lapses in how the ADA monitored these businesses as well as how it followed its own procedures as an organization. As a result, the ADA has incurred losses of many millions of dollars and has exposure to other legal actions. The ADA Board of Trustees, new Executive Director Dr. Kathleen O’Loughlin, and the House of Delegates have taken actions to help remedy these problems and to keep them from re-occurring.

due to term limits. Dr. Brad Greenway will be taking on duties in the Hinman Dental Society that will not allow him the time to do both jobs and will not be running for another term. Dr. Kent Percy is on the ADA Council on Annual Sessions and will also be unable to do both jobs at the level of commitment and detail that they deserve. Therefore, Kent will not take the immediate past president’s position on the Delegation.

Please thank these retiring members of the Delegation as well as the present members for all they have done this year for our profession

Budget, Business and Administration Matters Reference Committee

Thanks to Your GDA Delegation

GDA Representatives: Drs. Marshall Mann (summary author), Timothy Fussell, Jim Hall, and Jay Harrington

I was especially proud of how our Delegation worked on the resolutions brought before this House. Thanks to Drs. Tom Broderick (SE), Henry Cook Sr. (W), Ed Green (SW), Brad Greenway (N), Kara Moore (C), Donna Thomas Moses (NW), Mark Ritz (SW), Mike Vernon (E), Joe Dufresne (N), Tom Field (N), Timothy Fussell (SW), Marshall Mann (NW), Jim Reynierson (E), Doug Torbush (N), and Kent Percy (NW / Officer), Peter Trager (NW), Carol Wolff (N), Jay Harrington (C / Officer), Jack Bickford (NW), and Jim Hall (C). I am also proud of the representatives from our fellow Fifth District states Alabama and Mississippi. The Fifth worked diligently on behalf of our members and the profession.

I especially want to thank those members who will not be returning to the Delegation. Dr. Schweinebraten finished her term as Fifth District Trustee.

We all benefited from her representation on the Board. Dr. Henry Cook is leaving

In Budget, Business and Administration Matters, delegates faced several challenges.

The budget of $115,372,500 was passed with a deficit of $536,050 that the House voted to fund from reserves.

After lengthy debate on the House floor, your Delegation held firm insisting that we not raise dues for 2010 during a financially challenging year for dentists. ADA dues for 2010 will remain $498.

Other important resolutions were referred to councils and the Board of Trustees for refinement, but those that passed included a resolution that will establish a committee to develop duties for a new Council on Association and Financial Affairs.

Most of the other resolutions that were debated and passed through the Reference Committee hearings and on the floor were concerned with oversight of ADABEI financial affairs, ADA reserves, employee hiring and retirement plans, budget clarity and transparency, and information technology initiatives.

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Dental Benefits, Practice, Science & Health Reference Committee GDA Representatives: Drs. Mike Vernon (summary author), Jim Reynierson, Mark Ritz, and Doug Torbush We dealt again with workforce issues in the Dental Benefits section. Because programs around the country have introduced mid-level providers or expanded the duties of allied personnel, the Board felt that ADA policy needed to be changed to take them into consideration. This led to the introduction of phrases like “Any surgical / irreversible procedures that are delegated should have appropriate supervision (personal, indirect, or direct) as determined by the individual state dental practice act.”

Another reference was proposed to change “The degree of supervision required to assure that treatment is appropriate and does not jeopardize the systemic or oral health of the patient varies with the nature of the procedure and the medical and

dental history of the patient, as determined with evaluation and examination by the dentist.” On the surface it may sound like a good thing to make sure appropriate supervision is available and that the dentist does the exam. However, your Delegation felt that the ADA needed to stay true to its values and not condone the aberrations other states choose to embrace. The ADA already has policies that state these things.

In all there were five resolutions that came out of the Board of Trustees report.

With the help of other states, we sent the resolutions back for re-consideration. Our first choice was to defeat all the resolutions and keep our present policy. I am sure we will see these resolutions in some form next year.

Some of the less controversial issues we considered included urging insurance companies to coordinate benefits up to what they would normally pay with no other policy to consider and not allowing insurance companies to dictate the fees of non-covered procedures. Other resolutions concerning tooth whitening by non-dentists

were referred to an ADA agency for further study. Guidelines to help make schools tobacco free were passed. The ADA was also asked to develop a standard for secure electronic transmission of digital radiographs.

Dental Education and Related Matters Reference Committee GDA Representatives: Drs. Carol Wolff (summary author), Tom Broderick, Donna Thomas Moses, and Peter Trager Resolution 5 addressed the “Certification Requirements for National Certifying Boards for Recognized Dental Specialists.”

The resolution will allow for each specialty to allow for an exemption for a unique

HOUSE OF DELEGATES Continued on page 18

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HOUSE OF DELEGATES Continued from page 17

candidate regarding the requirement of completion of training in an accredited program for the specialty as certified by the dental specialty’s certifying board.

Such exemptions would be petitioned to the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) and reported to the House of Delegates in the annual CDEL report.

Resolution 26s1 addressed developing a Part Three of the national boards to eventually eliminate live patients from the examination process. This is a stated goal of the ADA and will allow further investigation into the development of such an examination.

Resolution 50 would allow for the CDEL to study the possibility of joint approval of the ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) for approved continuing education courses.

Resolutions 56 & 56B & RC would allow for the development of an examination to evaluate the competency of dental school seniors as a quantitative score to be used by post doctoral graduate programs admission evaluations. This has been found to be necessary since national board scores will be pass / fail. The development of such a test will be funded by interested specialty boards.

Resolution 58RC was passed regarding changing the composition of the CDEL to include members of ADA (especially those not presently involved in the examining community), American Association of Dental Examiners, and American Dental Education Association.

Legal and Legislative Reference Committee GDA Representatives: Drs. Tom Field (summary author), Jack Bickford, Henry Cook, Kent Percy, and Richard Weinman There were 18 resolutions presented to our committee. Three resolutions (33, 34, and 35) related to student loans and loan contracts. They were referred back to committee to consider cost and

18 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

procedure and are to be brought back to the 2010 House of Delegates. Resolutions 10, 39, 40 and 82 were associated with professionalism in dentistry and the code of conduct. All passed. Two resolutions (6 and 65) were statements of patient and dentist rights and responsibilities. Both passed after minor changes. Three resolutions (15, 16, and 170) touched on the House of Delegates quorum and calling special sessions. They were referred to committee to evaluate and report back next year.

The most significant resolution from your Delegation’s point of view was Resolution 60 (put forth by the Fifth District) regarding what national health care reform should and should not include. After significant discussion at the Reference Committee level and debate at the House of Delegates, the resolution passed with only one no vote. The resolution states that in addition to the existing policy of the

association, the ADA shall also advocate that any health care reform proposal: 1. Maintains the private health care system; 2. Should increase opportunities for individuals to obtain health insurance coverage in all U.S. jurisdictions; 3. Assures that insurance coverage is affordable, portable and available without regard to preexisting health conditions; 4. Develops prevention strategies that encourage individuals to accept responsibility for maintaining their health and which may reduce costs to the health care system; 5. Be funded in a sustainable, budget neutral manner that does not include a tax on health care delivery;

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6. Exempts small business employers from any mandate to provide health coverage; 7. Include incentives for individuals and employers to provide health insurance coverage; 8. Contain medical liability (tort) and insurance reforms; 9. Encourage the use of electronic health records with rigorous privacy standards; 10. The ADA opposes limits on or elimination of Health Savings Accounts because they are proven successful health care coverage alternatives enjoyed by many who value choosing their own providers without restrictions or penalties.

Membership and Planning Reference Committee GDA Representatives: Drs. Brad Greenway (summary author), Joe

Dufresne, Jonathan Dubin, Ed Green, and Kara Moore Four resolutions came out of our committee that passed the House of Delegates. In an attempt to address all age groups, one resolution promoted and encouraged new dentist involvement and another promoted activities for dentists nearing retirement. The other two resolutions may have more immediate implementation. As a result of Resolution 20, the ADA will optimize its “Find a Dentist” search engine on its web site.

Resolution 32 creates an ADA logo for accredited dental specialties. The purpose is to help educate the public about who is truly considered a dental specialist.

The most debated resolution regarded the hiring of an outside consultant to evaluate how the ADA operates or governs itself. California, the resolution presenter, felt it was a timely proposal to provide the new executive director, along with new Board of Trustees members, important

information to evaluate how the ADA works and how it could improve. Our Delegation was successful in adding some controls. This resolution was defeated by a narrow margin. The House, after hearing new ADA Executive Director Kathleen O’Loughlin speak, believed that she was evaluating and reorganizing the ADA and wanted to give her an opportunity to complete her ideas without interference.

Some delegates may also have rejected the proposal due to the cost involved.

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Stressed, Anyone?

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 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.

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.

Choice of Profession

In the Office

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

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

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Exercising moderately but regularly is an excellent way to manage stress levels.

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 / 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 lack of clarity of roles and the likelihood for interpersonal conflicts among the staff and the dentist and the spouse. When the dentist is not

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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 / 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 drugseeking patient, the patient who brings unruly children along to the appointment.

(I am confident this is only a partial list.

Please email me with examples of your experiences.) 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 recent survey of 31 dentists who are participants in the GDA Dental Recovery Network, 11 identified work related 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.

Current Trends in the Profession In the February 2009 GDA Action, GDA Executive Director Martha Phillips identified a number of trends that will potentially affect the practices and lives of dental professionals in Georgia. In her article she discussed Board of Dentistry policies on dental examinations, charity health care, retail medical clinics, dental tourism, the questions around dentistry’s shift (or not) toward the medical model, and the ongoing Medicaid crisis in Georgia. All these trends are predictive of change in the profession, and change almost always brings an increase in stress.

Add in the impact of the current troubled state of our economy 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.

STRESS Continued on page 22

Making healthier food choices is one way you can reduce the impact of stress on your body and help yourself feel better.

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STRESS Continued from page 21

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 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.

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Practical matters and self care • Arrange to get enough rest / sleep

significant time away from your usual and customary life

• Engage in moderate exercise regularly

• Reduce amount of time spent multi-tasking

• Make healthier food choices

• Listen to music instead of talk radio

• Establish balance in your schedule

• Spend time with your pets as it’s proven to reduce stress

• 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

• 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.

Jane Walter, LPC, is the Director of the Georgia Dental Association Dental Recovery Network. The network helps dental professionals with addiction and wellbeing issues. Call Jane at (404) 3765987 or email her at jwgda@aol.com for a confidential consultation.

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How Dentists Can Change the Name of a Dental Practice Melana Kopman McClatchey GDA General Counsel

Recently a member contacted the GDA asking what he needed to do to change the name of his dental practice. For years the name of his practice was the same as the name he used to register his corporation with the Georgia Secretary of State. He wondered whether he had to amend all of his corporate documents just to change the name of his practice.

Interestingly enough it is not necessary to change the incorporating documents to amend the name of a business.

Corporate documents which are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office do not reserve a name. Under Georgia law, issuance of a name by the Secretary of State merely means that the name is distinguishable for filing purposes from the names of other entities in the records of the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State’s Office.

Georgia law allows a corporation to transact business under a trade or fictitious name other than its corporate name. To operate under a trade name, though, dentists need to register that trade or fictitious name with the Clerk of the Superior Court in which the dental office is located. There are several important steps to follow when registering a trade name.

Step 1: Verify that the trade name to be registered is not currently in use in the county in which the dental practice operates. Superior Courts usually maintain Trade Name books in their Records Department which identify all the trade names registered in that county. Dentists should contact the appropriate Superior Court to determine whether the search must be performed in-person or by written request.

Step 2: Fill out and file a form with the appropriate Superior Court. Once it has been determined that the name a dentist wishes to use is free, it is time to move forward with registering the name. Many of the Superior Courts in the larger coun-

ties such as Fulton County and Clayton County have simple applications that can be obtained in-person or on-line, filled out, and filed. If the county does not offer such forms, dentists might consider modeling their applications after those forms. If a county does not offer a form, dentists might strongly consider having an attorney draft a form for the dentist or at least review the form the dentist drafts before it is filed with the Court.

The application will essentially need to have the following information: (1) the address at which the dentist is operating or conducting business; (2) the city and county in which the business is located; (3) the name under which you will be operating and are seeking to register; (4) a statement that the business being conducted is a dental practice; and finally, (5) the dentist’s notarized signature.

When the document is ready to be filed, the dentist should bring the original and several copies of the document to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office. It is a good idea to contact the Superior Court in your county to determine how many copies should be brought to court. Always make sure to bring at least one more copy than is required so that it can be stamped and kept as a personal record of the filing.

Once before the Clerk, remember to have him or her stamp the personal copy with the date and time. Be aware that there is fee associated with all court filings.

ate newspaper and request that it be published for two consecutive weeks. The advertisement should run once a week for two weeks. It is imperative to make sure the announcement actually runs in the paper and that all fees associated with the advertisement are paid.

Keep in mind that if and when a dentist sells his or her practice, the new owner would have to file an amended registration identifying himself or herself as the new owner of the business.

The Superior Court Clerk’s Office is a great reference for dentists seeking to register a trade name. To determine the contact information for each County’s Clerk’s Office, dentists can visit the Georgia Superior Court Clerk’s Cooperative Authority web site at www.gsccca.org.

In addition, a dentist should be aware that if he or she registers a trade name it may also be necessary to amend business occupational tax certificates in the county / city where the dentist is conducting business.

If you have questions about this article, please contact the GDA General Counsel Melana Kopman McClatchey at mcclatchey@gadental.org.

Please be aware that this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice. Dentists must consult with their private attorneys for such advice.

Step 3: Run an advertisement / announcement in the appropriate legal organ in the county where the dental office is domiciled. Before running the announcement, determine which newspaper constitutes the legal organ for the county in which the dental office operates. This can be done simply by asking the Clerk of the Superior Court of that county.

Once it is confirmed which newspaper will need to run the advertisement, a dentist would take a copy of the stamp-filed form / application to the offices of the appropri-

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GDA Public Relations Campaign Emphasizes Importance of Dental Home The Georgia Dental Association’s annual public relations campaign runs from January 5 until February 7, 2010. The Public Relations Committee researched several approaches to this year’s radio message, and elected to focus on the ongoing GDA Dental Home Initiative. The long-term goal of this initiative, you may recall, is to give every child in Georgia access to a dental home by age one.

A dental home is defined as the ongoing relationship between the dentist who is the primary dental care provider and the patient, which includes comprehensive oral health care beginning no later than age one in a continuously accessible, coordinated, and family-centered way. Unfortunately, many general dentists do not regularly examine patients under age three. Therefore, the GDA started this initiative to educate general dentists and their staff members on how to welcome and examine very young patients in the general dental practice. Now with this public relations campaign, the GDA is inviting the public to visit a GDA member dentist and find a dental home.

The GDA will conduct the radio campaign by utilizing the GAB-Time buy through the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. The GAB-Time buy is a program for non-profit organizations who could not otherwise afford to purchase advertising.

The cost to the GDA is $35,000 versus a “retail” cost of $199,000 if the GDA purchased radio spots separately and not as a part of this buy. Typically, listeners will hear the GDA message broadcast on 164 radio stations and 22 TV stations statewide over 6,500 times during the six week campaign. All spots are scheduled to air Monday through Saturday between 6 a.m. and midnight.

Read the script of the radio message below and listen for the spot to air in your area starting January 5. You may also visit the GDA web site at www.gadental.org to hear the spot.

2010 GDA Dental Home Radio Script Sound Effects: (Outside in a neighborhood park with kids playing in background.)

24 GDA ACTION DECEMBER 2009

Barb: Ann, let’s see it’s been a few months now since you all moved in, are you finding everything okay?

Ann: Oh this move has been great. We love the new house, and the kids really like their school.

Barb: Sounds like you guys are planning on sticking around then.

Ann: Absolutely. Oh I do need to find a dentist, so if you have any recommendations…

Barb: You got it. We’ve been going to the same dentist for years. We call it our “Dental Home.”

Ann: Why is that?

Barb: Oh we started taking the kids to the dentist right after they turned a year old. It was important to find somebody we could trust and one the kids could grow comfortable

with. Another reason I chose a Georgia Dental Association Member dentist.

Ann: I know how kids are, they need that familiarity. Mine are the same way.

Barb: Actually our entire family realized the importance of having a dental home, Bob and I, the kids, and even the grandparents.

Ann: I never thought about it that way.

(Toward kids) Come on kids, time to go.

Barb thanks for everything, now we have a new home and soon a new Dental Home.

Announcer: For the overall health of your entire family, let the Georgia Dental Association help you and your loved ones find a family Dental Home. For a referral to a GDA member dentist visit www.gadental.org today.

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Medicaid Crisis: Dentists’ Help Needed in Reaching Out to State After three years’ experience of Care Management Organizations (CMOs) administering the Georgia dental Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids programs, the Georgia Dental Association continues to have serious concerns about the direction these programs are headed.

Since the inception of the program, the GDA has been a vocal advocate for the dentists’ ability to provide access to dental care to the recipients of these two programs. The role of the CMOs appears to be one of putting up obstacles to that care.

In recent months, the GDA reported on several independent audits that confirmed numerous inconsistencies and errors in data reported to the Department of Community Health (DCH) by the CMOs specifically calling into question the reliability of the provider network capacity.

Ongoing and draconian changes to the program by the CMOs create doubts about whether children will have access to dental care. Recent fee cuts to the program by WellCare range from 14 to 51 percent making it difficult for some dentists to continue to provide services.

Many of the latest changes to the dental Medicaid / PeachCare programs call into question whether the state is receiving the product (dental services) that it is paying for. The state pays a per-member permonth insurance premium to the CMOs to provide medical and dental care to its recipients. Just like any other insurance company the CMOs assume the risk of providing the care to these insureds for the insurance premiums they receive. The state has paid the premiums, yet the CMOs have implemented so many changes to the program that the ability for children to access care continues to diminish. In fact, Dr. Jerry Dubberly, DCH Medicaid Director, reported that Georgia’s HEDIS* dental score for 2009 is at 56 percent, an 8 percent decline from the 2008 score. This reinforces our concern that the state is paying for services that many consumers may not be receiving. Even though the GDA questions the appropriateness of using the HEDIS score as a marker, their own marker shows a decline.

At a time when children seeking care are facing roadblocks and dentists’ fees

have been cut by 14 to 51 percent, it is worth nothing that WellCare’s Expense Ratio has continued to increase for the past four years and has gone from 12.4 percent in 2004 to 14.3 percent in 2008.

Mr. Steve Pollock, President of Doral Dental, stated that Doral has not reduced their administrative fees for the Georgia Medicaid program for the past three years, even though dentists’ fees have been cut substantially and patient services have been reduced. It should also be noted that the three CMOs have sub-contracted the dental portion of the business which means that the WellCare administrative cost added to the Doral administrative cost probably accounts for 20 to 24 percent of every premium dollar paid by the state.

Throughout October and November, the GDA President and GDA staff have met with various representatives including legislators to discuss the seriousness of our current situation. GDA staff met with Michael Minor, Chief Operating Officer, Georgia Region for WellCare, and Steve Pollock, CEO and President of Doral Dental, Inc. We requested a meeting with Department of Community Health Commissioner Rhonda Medows and were referred to Dr. Jerry Dubberly with whom GDA staff and the GDA President met.

On Friday, November 20, 2009, GDA representatives met at the GDA Executive Office with advocates from Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Families First, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, Voices for Georgia’s Children, the Georgia Rural Health Association, and other advocacy groups to educate these organizations on the impending crisis.

We are frustrated that despite all of our diligence working on your behalf and on behalf of the children of Georgia there are no quick fix solutions. What we have learned is that our voices and the voices of dentists don’t count. What does count are the voices of the patients. Commissioner Medows is not hearing from the children and their parents that they are not receiving care. We know that the state has no additional funds and will probably propose a 1.86 percent across the board fee cut in the 2011 Fiscal Year Budget. We also know that the state is paying premi-

ums for services that are not being delivered and that the CMOs are not likely to change any of their policies unless forced to do so.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? • Download the documents posted at www.gadental.org in the Medicaid Center and use them to talk to your legislators. The message: The state is paying for services that the CMOs are not allowing dentists to deliver.

• Encourage any patients who are Medicaid / PeachCare recipients to convey any issues or concerns about their experiences in accessing dental care to the Department of Medical Assistance Office of Constituent Services whether you treat Medicaid patients or not. Get this message out into the community so patients who do not present to your office know where to file a complaint. Please convey this information to your office staff as well.

Commissioner Medows believes that children are not having difficulty in receiving care and she has requested that DCH be notified of problems accessing dental care. Please ask your patients that are having problems accessing dental care to contact the Office of Constituent Services at (404) 656-4495 or constituentservices@dch.ga.gov.

• Email the GDA at chandler@gadental.org and keep us informed of any feedback you get from your patients, legislators, or other contacts willing to help solve this critical lack of access to dental care for Georgia’s children. * The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is a widely used set of performance measures in the managed care industry, developed and maintained by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

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alliance Georgia Alliance Makes Splash at Convention in Hawaii President Linda Broderick

The Georgia Alliance dental spouses’ organization was well represented at the Alliance to the American Dental Association (AADA) convention in Honolulu. Representing our great state were Molly Bickford, Rose Marie Dougherty, Dr. Janine Bethea Freihaut, Jean Harrington, Leanne Mann, Mary Percy, Helaine Sugarman, Debbie Vernon, Jean Weathers, Jane Vedder, and myself. Gigi Kudyba, the AADA Dental Health Education Chair, and

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Debbie Torbush, our newly elected AADA Vice President, also attended.

We have much to be proud of in Georgia as our Alliance won 11 awards.

Our legislative awards included “Highest Percentage of Members to Join a State PAC” which went to the Alliance of the Southeastern District Dental Society on the component level and the Alliance of the GDA on the constituent level. We also won a participation award for the GDA “Dental Care Kit

Legislator Distribution Program” and recognition for our “Georgia Alliance LAW Day.” The Alliance of the Northern District Dental Society won an award for the “Most Effective Children’s Dental Care Program” with their Give Kids A Smile Day project.

Communications awards we received included one for the best published photograph in any news media for our picture of the Alliance business breakfast

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welcoming a record-breaking number of attendees in the GDA Action and best electronic media communication for the Dishing Up Smiles cookbooks presented to International Women’s House as reported in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

We also received a membership award for most creative member recruitment program for our “March Meeting Madness” program.

The Medical College of Georgia Dental Student Spouse Alliance won three awards including best activity involving dental health education for their “Wanda Wondersmile Puppet Show” and best activity involving membership for “Dine ‘Em and Sign ‘Em.” Everyone raved about their project “Santa’s Workshop” where volunteers visited teens in area hospitals during the holidays. May our student spouses continue to share their enthusiasm with others!

The highlight for us Georgians was watching Rose Marie Dougherty receive the Thelma J. Neff Award, the highest honor the Alliance bestows. This award is given to members for making outstanding contributions and who exemplify outstanding leadership and volunteer spirit through excellence in service and commitment to their Alliance. Rose Marie is currently our Georgia Alliance Dental Health Education chair as well as the AADA District 3 Trustee.

It is the mission of the Alliance, as a partner of the Georgia Dental Association, to provide community oral health education, to support the wellbeing of the dental family, and to engage in legislative advocacy for the welfare of consumers and the dental profession.

We welcome all spouses to join us in our efforts, meet new people, and have fun in the process! Now is the time for your dues to be paid by your spouse. Please email me, any of the officers, or your local district representative if you have any questions.

Vice President Jean Harrington (478) 932-0131 harmolar@windstream.net

Eastern District Debbie Vernon (706) 860-0306 vernon.debbie@gmail.com

Secretary Helaine Sugarman (404) 233-5085 hgs0409@aol.com

Northern District Helen Adkins (678) 289-3323 chcce@bellsouth.net

Treasurer Cindy Jernigan (404) 237-3716 cindy.jernigan@kcc.com

Northwestern District Liz Roos (770) 319-6414 drjimroos@bellsouth.net

Editor Cheryl O’Donnell (770) 360-7987 rjodon@bellsouth.net

Southeastern District Mandy Clemmons (912) 598-2197 rmakvols@bellsouth.net

District Representatives 2009-10 Central District Janet Ferguson (478) 452-1977 docganmama@aol.com

Southwestern District Tammy Fussell (912) 384-4561 mrsfussell@yahoo.com

Central District Jane Vedder (478) 453-3903 robertwvedder@windstream.net

Western District Beth Fagundes (706) 845-9797 mbfendo@charterinternet.com

AGDA Officers 2009-2010 President Linda Broderick (912) 352-3703 lindabroderick@comcast.net President Elect Molly Bickford (770) 428-0025 jfbmkb@bellsouth.net

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Georgia Student Spouse Alliance Builds Bridges with State Alliance Jacquelyn Whetzel, AGDA Student / Spouse Chair

Que una fiesta! The Alliance of the Georgia Dental Association (AGDA) recently hosted the second annual MCG Student Spouse Dinner at the home of Dean Connie and Dr. Dick Drisko in Augusta. This theme was a Mexican Fiesta, complete with authentic Mexican desserts and beautiful decorations. The guests of honor included all of the married couples in the MCG School of Dentistry and Resident programs with the hopes of increasing the MCG Dental Student Spouse Alliance (DSSA) membership.

Linda (AGDA President) and Tom Broderick, Debbie (AADA Vice President) and Doug Torbush (Northern District Vice President), Jean (AGDA Vice President) and Jay (GDA President Elect) Harrington, Dawn and Ken Hutchinson, Mary (AADA Conference 2010 Co-Chair)

At the MCG Dental Student Spouse Fiesta are (Front row l to r): Debbie Vernon, Janelle Kauffman, Jacquelyn Whetzel, and Dawn Hutchinson. (Middle row l to r): Debbie Reynierson, Dr. Connie Drisko, Linda Broderick, Debbie Torbush, Dr. Josh Whetzel, Dr. Ken Hutchinson, and Mary Percy. (Back row l to r): Dr. Mike Vernon, Dr. Tom Broderick, Gigi Kudyba, Dr. Paul Kudyba, Dr. Doug Torbush, Jean Harrington, Dr. Jim Reynierson, and Dr. Kent Percy.

and Kent (GDA President) Percy, Gigi (AADA DHE Chair) and Paul Kudyba, Debbie and Jim Reynierson, Debbie (AGDA Eastern District Rep) and Mike (GDA Vice President) Vernon, and Janelle Kauffman (AGDA Well Being Co-Chair) as well as me and my husband Josh provided appetizers and desserts in addition to a catered meal. With the help of Donna Strom, Dean Drisko’s administrative assistant, this event was a huge success.

While we enjoyed the crisp evening weather connecting with old friends and making new ones we also signed up 18 DSSA members. The AGDA paid dues for the student spouses who joined at the party and will pay dues for other student spouses who want to join. Thanks to DSSA Co-Presidents Ashley Caughman and Ashleigh Haycock who shared valuable information about the group’s plans for the upcoming year and the three awards the group won at the AADA meeting in Hawaii.

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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 Lisa Chandler at (800) 432-4357 or (404) 636-7553, or email chandler@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.

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.

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.

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DENTAL RELATED SERVICES X-RAY SAFETY CERTIFICATION for dental assistants. Complies 100% with Georgia law. This six-hour course has certified over a thousand x-ray machine operators. Send $149.99 per registrant with name(s) to: Dr. Rick Waters, 385 Pinewood Circle, Athens, GA 30606. Visit www.acteva.com/go/laser for next day delivery, credit card payment, or the NEW! online version. Call (706) 255-4499 for more information.

DENTISTS AVAILABLE FOR FILL IN WORK / LOCUM TENENS Dentist Available Daily (DAD): Dentist available during vacations, emergencies, and CE courses. Leave your practice in well-trained hands. I am licensed, insured, and have a DEA registration number so I can write prescriptions. Call Dr. Richard Patrick at (770) 993-8838.

Dentist Will Fill In for illness, vacation, or continuing education. Licensed, insured, DEA #. Call (404) 786-0229 or email breighard@gmail.com.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE / LEASE For Sale: Panoramic X-ray machine (Planmeca PM 2002 EC Proline). Like new, bought 2003, takes excellent pans, low usage. Convertible to digital. Has Maxillary sinus program, TMJ, Adult and Pedo programs. $9000.00 O.B.O. Acucam with color monitor, color Acuprinter— DG1; cart. Needs cord upgrade. $2000.00 O.B.O. Inquiries call (404) 255-5006 or email jimfagandmd@gmail.com.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE Full Time Dental Associate Position: Very busy Pediatric office is seeking an associate dentist. Candidate must have excellent communication skills, be enthusiastic and motivated, and able to work in a team environment. New graduates welcome to apply! Please fax resume to (678) 479-7007 or call Cheryl at (678) 851-5912 to schedule an interview.

Georgia—Atlanta—Lucrative Associate Position Available. We are a family and cosmetic group practice with three locations. Our focus is on professionalism and high quality of care. From plush waiting rooms to state-of-the-art equipment, you and your patients will feel comfortable at our facilities. Exceptional support staff, flexible hours, highest level of income in the field. This is your opportunity to be part of an organization that you can be proud of, while enjoying the income level and professional esteem that you deserve. Experienced candidates please fax resumes to: (770) 926-8483.

Southside Medical Center, Inc. (SMC) is looking for an energetic, patientoriented Dentist to join our team. The qualified candidate must have a degree in Dental Medicine (DMD or DDS) and hold a Georgia license. The Dentist will be responsible for providing quality dental services to our patients and perform administrative duties as needed. Pediatric Dentistry experience a plus. SMC offers excellent benefits and a great compensation package. Apply in person at 1046 Ridge Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30315; online at www.southsidemedical.net; or fax your CV to (404) 564-6992.

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Associate Dentist Needed for Private Practice in South Atlanta Area.

Established and growing Fee for Service General Family Practice located in Newnan and Peachtree City seeks part time associate dentist with possible future full time opportunity. The ideal candidate should be adept in performing all phases of general dentistry. Applicant must have strong endodontic and periodontic skills.

Please fax inquiries to (770) 487-5372 Attn: Practice Administrator, call 770-4878298, or email aberdent@bellsouth.net.

Associate Dentist. Established dynamic practice offers a unique opportunity for motivated professionals. Multiple locations available. No empty chairs…No insurance claim problems…With career high income potential and no daily office / overhead challenges. Contact Tina Titshaw at tina@myrockdale.com, call (678) 413-8130, or fax resume to (770) 760-1375.

FT / PT Motivated Associates Needed Immediately for one of our rapidly growing well-established Atlanta area practices.

New graduates welcome to apply! We offer excellent income potential with knowledgeable staff members dedicated to quality dentistry and patient care. Please send CV / resume to jgolyer@choiceonedentalcare.com.

PRACTICES / SPACE / LOTS FOR SALE / LEASE SHARE Space Available: 2500-3500 s.f. Class A finished dental space available in a high visibility center in Hiram. Already has a G.P. and Periodontist / Endodontist.

Suitable for another G.P. or a specialist.

Landlord willing to modify the space to suit the needs of the tenant. Also, dental space available off I-85 / Clairmont Road in Atlanta. Call (678) 640-5466.

POWDER SPRINGS / HIRAM AREA, GA. Beautiful practice with lots of exposure.

GREAT LOCATION! Recently updated with newer equipment and technology including digital x-rays. 5 ops and a total of 2000 sq ft. There are over 1,800 active patients (12 months) and an average of over 50 new patients per month! On track to produce almost $700K this year. For more information please call (678) 482-7305 or email Michelle@southeasttransitions.com or visit www.southeasttransitions.com.

DULUTH, GA. Amazing opportunity to own a high quality practice in a great location with high visibility and traffic. All FFS practice. Annual collections over $1 Million.

4 operatories loaded with upgrades including CEREC. This one won’t last long! For more information please call (678) 482-7305 or email Michelle@southeasttransitions.com or visit www.southeasttransitions.com.

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PRACTICES FOR SALE: For more information, call Dr. Earl Douglas, ADS South, (770) 664-1982. ATLANTA #8557: Gross $770,141; 4 days / 3 operatories; 1,131 sq. ft. office space. CARROLL COUNTY #8428: Gross $609,663; 4 days / 4 operatories; 2,000 sq. ft. office space.

Additional plumbed but unequipped operatory. DULUTH OFFICE SPACE & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE #8393: Five (open-bay) operatory office with a Planmeca pan / ceph. Equipment will include 4 chairs, 5 delivery units, 10 computers, and misc. office equipment.

LILBURN #8516: Gross $1.07 Million; 5 days / 8 operatories; 3,000 sq. ft. office space. RIVERDALE #8517: Gross $836,285; 4 days / 8 operatories; 4,030 sq. ft. office space. Two additional plumbed but unequipped operatories. SOUTHEASTERN GEORGIA #8172: Gross $796,640; 4 days / 5 operatories; 1,732 sq. ft. office space.

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS AVAILABLE. Contact Vikki Howard (910) 523-1949.

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breaking the mold Dr. John Goddard Admires the View From the Basket of His Hot Air Balloon Breaking the Mold showcases dentists with interesting hobbies—everything from painting to woodworking to photography and more.

A different GDA dentist will be profiled every month. To submit information on a colleague or to share information about yourself, send an email to Delaine Hall at hall@gadental.org or call the GDA office at (800) 432-4357 or (404) 636-7553.

Dr. John Goddard, a general dentist in Jonesboro, was a teenager when the U.S. space program first sent astronauts to the moon.

“Their exploits and flights made a big impression on me,” said Dr. Goddard. “I decided that one day I wanted to be a pilot.”

That dream was fulfilled in an unusual way not long after Dr. Goddard received his DDS degree from Georgetown University in 1978. “After completing dental school a close dentist friend from my hometown of Griffin, Dr. Kit Weathers, invited me to help him launch, chase, and recover his newly purchased balloon,” said Dr. Goddard.

“I was instantly hooked on the sport. To this day, I find that flying and landing a balloon is, in its own way, just as exciting as a lunar landing.”

Dr. Goddard eventually pursued flight instruction with Dr. Weathers. After

Dr. John Goddard in his one-man hot air balloon emblazoned with his general dental practice logo.

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his initial training and licensure In 1989, Dr. Goddard as a balloon pilot, he acquired was invited to fly in France two balloons. “One is a large as part of the celebration of balloon for flying two or three the 200th anniversary of the passengers, plus me,” said Dr. French Revolution. While Goddard. “The other balloon is his balloon was transported a much smaller one-man on a French Air Force jet balloon. When no passengers or from New York to Paris, Dr. chase crew are available, I fly Goddard traveled to Paris the small balloon on days that more conventionally via others in our local balloon club commercial airline. Usually, are flying. It is purely for fun.” however, Dr. Goddard The smaller balloon transports his balloon fabric, features distinctive toothbrush or envelope, in a bag someartwork as well as the word Dr. John Goddard has thing like a large duffel bag. been a hot air balloon “SMILE” in large letters—Dr. That is remarkable considpilot for 27 years.

Goddard’s office logo. Every ering that the largest balloon flight he makes is a subtle nudge envelope can expand to hold approximately for balloon watchers to visit their dentist!

80,000 cubic feet of heated air. The envelope Early on, Dr. Goddard regularly bag and all other related equipment, attended balloon rallies all around the including the basket which holds the pilot Southeast. “The competition was just what and any passengers, can easily fit on the my ego needed,” said Dr. Goddard. back of a pickup truck.

“Occasionally, I would even beat one of If you are motivated to pursue piloting the nationally ranked pilots.” He has also a balloon yourself, Dr. Goddard says that flown at the ‘Super Bowl for balloonists,’ any commercially licensed balloon pilot the Albuquerque International Balloon such as himself can give flight instruction.

Festival, six times. “A typical large balloon “The process involves 15 to 20 hours of rally might feature 50 to 75 balloons,” said instruction and solo flights before someone Dr. Goddard. “At Albuquerque you will can qualify for a license,” said Dr. see 700 to 900 balloons in the air at the Goddard. “The FAA requires all student same time. So, flying there is challenging, pilots to pass a written exam as well as an but beautiful.” Over the last few years, in-flight exam.” He warns that a student however, he has tended to choose rallies pilot is expected to fly up to 5,000 and closer to home, within a three- to four10,000 feet as part of training. “One time I hour drive from Griffin, so his family flew to 16,000 feet, just to say I had been members can easily accompany him. He 3 miles up,” he said. “It was cold.” reserves the rest of his flying time for wedDr. Goddard never regrets choosing ding proposals, birthdays, anniversaries, to pursue ballooning as a hobby. “In a school and charity events, and for friends balloon you can see the deer in the field, of his two college-age daughters. hear dogs barking in the distance, and “A flight typically lasts an hour or so,” said even talk to people on the ground as you Dr. Goddard. “Since we are at the mercy of the pass over,” he said. “Once you have seen winds, we may travel anywhere from five the world from a balloon, you can never to 10 miles at a height of around 2,000 feet.” look at the sky the same way again.”

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Inside This Issue • GDA Plans Give Kids A Smile Day Activities in Every District • How Dentists Can Change the Name of a Dental Practice

DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DELIVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

ACTION Suite 200, Building 17, 7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, Georgia 30328-1655 www.gadental.org