SUMMER ISSUE 2010 VOL. 42, NO. 5
Bulletin
Editor
James Papp
Associate Editors
Seth Vruggink Jeff Smith Aric Smith Larrisa Bishop Sheryl Jenicke
Advertising Editor
Elaine Fleming Executive Secretary WMDDS 511-F Waters Building Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 234-5605 efwmdds@aol.com
Contents President’s Message...................................................................................................... 2 Editor’s Thoughts......................................................................................................... 3 Who’s Walking Out the Door with Your Profits?...................................................... 4 How You Can Make a Difference with Our Elected Officials................................... 6
West Michigan District Dental Society Executive Board 2009-2010 President Douglas Klein President-Elect Seth Vruggink Vice President Larissa Bishop Secretary-Treasurer Ryan Lebster Editor James Papp Immediate Past Doug Killian President Directors Tyler Wolf Christopher Morgan Samuel Bander Area Representatives Kent County David Armbrecht Ionia-Montcalm Kathleen Ellsworth County Mecosta County Margaret Gingrich Ottawa County Thomas Phares
West Michigan Dental Foundation Golf Outing........................................................ 8
MDA IV District Trustees
Advertiser Index............................................................................................................19
Norman Palm Brian Cilla
Big Rapids Dental Study Club Officers, 2009-2010 President Erick Perroud Vice President Christa Stern Secretary Christa Stern Treasurer Erick Perroud Holland-Zeeland Dental Society Officers, 2009-2010 President Meredith Smedley Treasurer Robert Ankerman Secretary Immediate Past President Ionia-Montcalm Dental Study Club Officers, 2008-2009 President Chris Morgan Treasurer Kirkwood Faber Kent County Dental Society Officers, 2009-2010 President Brant Erbentraut Vice President David Armbrecht Secretary Lathe Miller Treasurer West Michigan Dental Foundation Officers President Donald Vander Linde Vice President Matthew Gietzen Secretary Devin Norman Treasurer Carl Kruyswyk The Bulletin of the West Michigan Dental Society is published six times a year (the directory issue, fall issue, holiday issue, winter issue, SUMMER ISSUE, and summer issue). The opinions expressed in The Bulletin are not necessarily the opinions of the West Michigan District Dental Society. Contributions to The Bulletin are welcome and should be addressed to The Bulletin Editor, 4880 Cascade Road SE, Ste. B, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Requests for purchase of advertising space should be directed to the Advertising Editor, Elaine Fleming, (616) 234-5605. The deadline is the 1st of the month prior to publication. © 2009-2010 West Michigan District Dental Society Bulletin
GRCC News..................................................................................................................13 GRDHS News................................................................................................................14 MDA News....................................................................................................................15 Trustee Report..............................................................................................................16 Classified Ads................................................................................................................18
New Member Profile....................................................................................................20
About the cover Photos courtesy of Elaine Fleming, Executive Secretary, WMDDS.
Mission Statement The Bulletin is the newsletter of the WMDDS and its mission is to inform the membership of upcoming and recent events, state & local issues related to dentistry, and as a forum for its officers, representatives, and members to discuss appropriate topics of interest to the membership. Communication & Advertising Policy The Bulletin will publish submitted articles from members and others that relate to the practice of dentistry, small business, social, or political issues affecting dentists, or other subjects of interest to the membership. All published items are subject to space restrictions and the community standards of the WMDDS. The editors reserve the right to reject any article or advertisement deemed inappropriate and to edit submissions as they see fit. Submission & Publication Policy: Articles and advertisements must be submitted no later than the 1st of the month preceding publication date. The Bulletin has six publications: the directory issue, fall issue, holiday issue, winter issue, SUMMER ISSUE, and summer issue. Direct submissions or correspondences to: Dr. James C. Papp • 4880 Cascade Road SE, Suite B • Grand Rapids, MI 49546 Phone: 616.940.9872 FAX 616.940.2854 • Email: DRJPAPP@aol.com Include “Newsletter” in the subject line
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Off To A Running Start By Dr. Seth Vruggink, WMDDS President
T
he 2010-2011 operations year for the West Michigan District Dental Society is in full swing and it has already been a busy one. Having served on our Executive Board for a number of years now, I was pretty sure that I would be ready to go when it was my turn to grab the baton this past May. Dr. Doug Klein did an excellent job with the organization, and all I would have to do is keep things rolling, right? Wrong! I could have never anticipated how the level of involvement would ramp up as I took the position of President. To give you an idea, I received twenty-seven emails regarding WMDDS business prior to going to bed on the first day of my term as fearless leader. The volume has slowed to some degree, but my office staff has learned to put my phone on vibrate for me, so they don’t have to be annoyed by the constant sounds of incoming emails and text messages. What I would like to do with the first of my reports is give our members some idea of what they can expect from our Board and some of our committees as the year develops. We are very excited with what is happening from our Public Relations Committee. Tom Kochheiser, Public Relations Director with the MDA, recently met with our Executive Board and our Public Relations Committee to help us develop a strategy that would provide our members with the most benefit for the buck. Dr. Suzanne Port is our new chair for the committee and has things going on the right track. We should be launching a mixed media campaign by the late Fall that will target the general public about the importance of choosing a member dentist. Dr. Port is also going to seek out specific local events where the WMDDS can have an impact and make our name known. 2
Another committee that has been busier than ever before is our Legislative Committee. Dr. Steve Dater has taken over as chair of the WMDDS Legislative Committee for this year and has been responsible for a great deal of the traffic coming into my inbox. When you are receiving messages from your committee chair as he is sitting in a tree stand in Alberta looking for a bear, you know he is fully engaged in his task. Dr. Dater has been working to motivate the membership to get involved in the “Stop Insurance Bullying” legislation. As of writing this article, the legislation was still in limbo, but I am optimistic that the efforts of the committee and the MDA are going to help things go in a positive direction. He has assembled a contact dentist list for every legislator in our district. The WMDDS has hosted a legislative breakfast for the state lawmakers within our district. Several WMDDS members have organized fundraisers for candidates friendly to our position as dentists. Dr. Dater and his committee are working tirelessly to make sure that issues facing dentistry are being heard by our lawmakers. As the legal issues facing our profession grow in their breadth and depth, it is important that all of us get into the game. Please read Dr. Dater’s piece in this issue and make sure you are doing what you can to protect our profession from the assaults that appear to be on the horizon. There has never been a more exciting or important time to be involved in organized dentistry. Several years ago I was a sole practitioner living out on the island that we as dentists often find ourselves upon. I was asked to join a committee with the WMDDS, then a board position and slowly I found myself becoming part of a community of which I was previously unaware. The people whom I have been able to serve with are now my friends. We talk about a lot more than dentistry, but it is invaluable to know the state of our profession on a national scale and work to help protect it. We are always looking for more people who would like to get involved in the WMDDS. There is always room on some of our committees and there is always an avenue to voice your concerns. Please contact me personally if you have any interest in getting involved or any ideas on what we, as a society, should be doing for our members. As I have already stated, I am used to a full inbox and a pile of phone messages. My mail address is: sethvdds@chartermi.net. Office phone: 616.846.3230.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
What We Don’t Know By Dr. James C. Papp, WMDDS Editor
W
hat we don’t know can influence our practice and most importantly our patients’ health. Issues may become law without us being involved or having a “say” about how we feel or express our professional advice. That’s what I thought when I first came across an ad from one of Michigan’s dental insurers as follows: “Consumer protections for dental patients: Don’t Pull em! Oppose House bills 5839-5842. If house bills 58395842 (the non-covered dental services bills) pass, the cost of dental care in Michigan will increase. Today, insurers protect millions of Michigan dental patients from extraordinary dental fees through their contracts with dentists. These contracts save millions of dollars annually for dental plan members. They also provided Michigan families with peace of mind that dental fees they are charged are fair and reasonable for all dental services, even those not covered by their specific plan.… Michigan families are counting on you to protect them from higher dental fees.” Insurance companies protecting the public? Other people/ companies influencing fees? Saving millions to plan members? There is a plethora of talking points the previous paragraph ignites, but I want to try to keep this focused. Dental treatment is an essential element, not a luxury, to our patients’ overall health and well being. We as a dental community know this and have known this for many years. So why are we even talking about this? Well, it seems to be that, in part, we have left a “gap” between us (the dental professional) and the legislators that has not been maintained well enough to get our message across. This “gap” has faciliWEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
tated the proposed legislation. Don’t get me wrong, there are dentists working very long and hard hours away from family and loved ones to try to maintain our connection on the legislative level, but it just isn’t enough. I am actually surprised we are even talking about this, but, its here. Our dental profession needs to be heard from each one of us to our legislators. Contact them this week. Because to be blunt, we are losing the battle. The West Michigan District Dental Society supports House Bills 5839-5842 to stop insurance bullying. While people have requested their Stop Insurance Bullying Communication Action Kits, that’s not enough. There are more than 5,000 dentists in Michigan who need to get involved and throw their support to this initiative. To make contact, its easy. Here are some things you can do right now: 1. Make a quick, simple phone call to your legislator’s office, telling them you support House Bills 5839, 5840, 5841 and 5842. You don’t need to “lobby” them or even talk to your legislator. Just leave a message with the friendly staff member who answers the phone. 2. Better yet, call and set up a quick one-on-one meeting with your legislator in his or her district office. They’re glad to meet with constituents and are used to these types of meetings. Or, maybe you and a colleague can take the legislator out for coffee or a meal. 3. At the very minimum, write a letter or send an e-mail to your legislator asking for their support. Directions for finding your legislator can be found at www.stopinsurancebullying.com. Delta Dental and other insurance companies have been meeting regularly with legislators. How about you?
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Who’s Walking Out the Door With Your Profits? By Rob Westdorp, CPA, Baker Spindler Holtz, CPAs and Advisors
Reducing the Opportunity for Asset Misappropriation in Your Practice
W
ould an additional 5% of revenue have an impact on the bottom line of your practice? The answer is yes, and not only would it impact the bottom line, but it also impacts your cash flow and the value of your practice. According to the recently released 2010 Report to the Nations (Report) from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the typical organization loses 5% of its annual revenue to fraud. The Report, which is based on 1,843 cases of occupational fraud reported by the Certified Fraud Examiners who investigated them, found that while there are a number of contributing factors that lead to fraud the most prevalent was the lack of internal controls (47% of cases). Too often we hear rationale from clients about how their relationship with a long-trusted employee negates the need for internal controls, or how internal controls are only for large organizations that lack the personal relationship between employees and ownership. The truth is that 50% of frauds are committed by employees with more than five years of tenure, and 31% of all frauds occurred in organizations with less than 100 employees, resulting in a median loss of $150,000. When evaluating internal controls, it is important to realize there are three basic items that must be present in order for a person to commit fraud: opportunity, motivation, and the ability to rationalize. While influencing an employee’s motivation and ability to rationalize is difficult, if not impossible, 4
you can take practical steps toward reducing the opportunity for asset misappropriation by implementing procedures to help minimize risk. Suggestions include: • Make sure you are paying for valid expenses. Documentation must be included with each check to assure only valid purchases are being made. You should only pay from original invoices, not copies. Once an invoice is paid, it should be marked “paid” to help prevent duplicate payments from being issued for the same invoice. • Implement strict vendor approval procedures. This will help to prevent unauthorized or fictitious vendors from being added and payments from being made. • Carefully review your credit card statement(s) for suspicious activity. • Do not depend on just one person to handle your practice accounting. Separation of duties is one of the most effective controls to prevent or detect the misappropriation of assets. Supervision and financial review act as compensating controls where complete segregation of duties is not possible; however, the same individual should never have the responsibility for recording transactions involving assets and have custody of the same assets. • Review your bank deposit slip and make bank deposits daily. • Have bank statements and cancelled checks sent directly to the doctor’s home. • Reconcile your checking account on a timely basis. • When hiring office employees, especially those who will be handling cash, check references and do background checks, including credit checks. • Discuss your coverage for employee dishonesty with your insurance agent and consider a policy rider if additional coverage is needed. • Ask questions and make sure your employees know you are interested and monitoring the accounting. • If you suspect an employee is engaging in questionable activity, take immediate action and seek assistance from your accountant and your attorney. Asset misappropriation is a serious problem for many practices. By taking small steps now, you can greatly protect your WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
FEATURE ARTICLE
business assets and avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Fraud is not a victimless crime. It can destroy a practice and can disrupt or ruin the lives of not just owners, but its employees as well. Contact information: Robert W. Westdorp, CPA Senior Accountant BAKER SPINDLER HOLTZ, CPAs and Advisors 409-A Waters Building 161 Ottawa Ave NW Grand Rapids MI 49503 PH: 616.458.1835 FAX: 616.458-1895 rwestdorp@bshcpa.com www.BakerSpindlerHoltz.com
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
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LEGISLATIVE NEWS
How You Can Make a Difference with Our Elected Officials Submitted by Steve Dater, DDS websites: www.senate.michigan.gov/ and www.house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp and click on the “find your senator/ representative” tabs. Next, visit the MDA website www.smilemichigan.com and check out what legislative initiatives are going on that pertain to dentistry. We have legislation right now about non-covered services that we need people to contact their legislator on. A personal call or meeting is best, but e-mail works too. We need your help to educate our elected officials on this topic. Here is a list of what to do and what not to do when you contact a legislator from the MDA’s website.
W
hen Seth Vruggink pulled me aside at the MDA Annual session in April and said he had a favor to ask of me, my first inclination was they needed someone to pick up the bar tab! Next, I was thinking that whatever it is – say no (something I promised my wife I would start doing when it comes to the dental association). But then he asked me to chair the legislative committee for the WMDDS. Seth is smart, convincing, and knew, since I was already on the ADA Council of Government Affairs, I was plugged into the legislative arena and would be perfect for the job (and yes, I had had a few adult beverages). So I said yes. My first challenge is how to build on the good work done by the previous chairs and get WMDDS to be the premier dental society in the state when it comes to legislative issues. What has become abundantly clear to me in the state of Michigan with term limits, is that it is even more important that we have a personal relationship with our legislators in both houses. When we have issues such as the MBT, tax on procedures, MDA legislation, and yes, even healthcare in general, we need to be the people our legislators turn to for answers, not insurance companies or other healthcare professionals. You may ask, “Don’t we have a lobbyist at the MDA that does that for us, and don’t we have local dentists that are contact dentists?” The answer is yes we do, but when it comes to issues that are important to us, our legislators want to hear from the people that actually vote for them. If they only hear from one dentist, and get fifty contacts from the UAW, MEA and other groups (can’t think of any more letters to add), who do you think they are going to support in a legislative effort? So what can you do? First find out who your state senator and state representatives actually are. Go to the following 6
Writing a Legislator Today’s legislative workload sharply limits the ability of the legislator to stay in close personal contact with constituents. Additionally, it is almost impossible for a legislator to be an expert on the wide range of bills to be voted on. Letters from home are fast becoming the primary source of constituency views and voter contact. Below are some things to do and not to do when it comes to writing your legislator. What to Do • Be as timely as possible. Try to write your legislator while the bill is still in committee and there is a chance for revision. • Try to limit the letter to one subject. State the name of the legislation and the bill number if possible. • State the reason for writing and explain how the bill will affect you, your family and business. Further explain your own personal view or experience. • Be constructive by pointing out what you believe to be a better approach to dealing with the problem. • Be brief, clear and accurate. • Thank or commend your legislator when it is deserved. • Ask for a reply to include your legislator’s position on the issue. • Write on your personal stationery and sign your name at the end. • Include your return address on the letter since envelopes sometimes get thrown away.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
What Not to Do • Don’t pretend to wield vast political influence. Your legislator would prefer your own individual viewpoint. • Don’t make threats or promises; it may cause an adverse effect and hurt your case. • Don’t be unreasonable and ask for the impossible. Remember, your legislator represents an entire constituency. • Don’t be insulting or abusive. • Avoid stereotyped phrases and cliches. Don’t give the appearance of a form letter. It is time to not just sit on the sidelines and hope the issues that impact our profession go our way. We need you to get involved with a phone call or e-mail. Attend a fundraiser for a candidate, it’s a great opportunity to meet the people that are representing you. If you have any questions or concerns, I can always be reached at smdater@comcast.net. Bill Sullivan, the MDA’s legislative staff expert, can also be reached at bsullivan@ michigandental.org. If you don’t like what I have to say, no problem – blame Seth!
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
Get Answers to Your Dental Records Questions The MDA office continues to receive more questions about the handling, forwarding, and disposal of dental records than almost any other topic. There’s a complete section on dental records on the MDA’s Web site at www.smilemichigan.com (dental professionals area). Just click on “Professional Topics,” then “Legal Services” and “Dental Records.” You’ll find: • the most-asked questions about dental records, including ownership, access and release, retention, and disposal; • a reprint of an MDA Journal article summarizing changes made in 2006 to the dental records law; • a sample policy for protecting, maintaining, and providing access to dental records; and • what to do with dental records after you retire.
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WMDF NEWS
West Michigan Dental Foundation Golf Outing Submitted by Dr. Matthew Gietzen, 2010 WMDF Golf Committee Chair
P
arting skies, a beautiful course, and great camaraderie were experienced by 106 golfers this year at Egypt Valley Country Club for the West Michigan Dental Foundation’s golf outing on June 4, 2010. The day started with Davis Lab hosting lunch on the patio, and Scott Seifferlein, PGA professional at Highlands Golf Academy, hosting a preouting golf clinic. Golf commenced followed by hearty hors d’oeuvres, a raffle, and silent auction which were well received by the participants. Thank you to the sponsors who made our outing a success. Donations and participation increased this year!
Scott Van Timmeren, Greg Feutz, Brent Dingman, Cristin Zuiderveen
Lunch Sponsor ($2,000) Davis Lab Eagle Sponsors ($1,000) Delta Dental Henry Schein Dental Meade and Zolman Family Dentistry OMSA of Western Michigan Oral Surgery Associates Studio 2 Digital Dental Design West Michigan Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Lining up a shot: Devin Norman and Matt Peal 8
Birdie Sponsors ($500) DDS Integration First Companies, Inc. Founders Bank and Trust Grand River Endodontics, PC Grandville Dental Health Center Grandville Endodontics, PC Huyser Orthodontics Dr. Bruce Jackson Dr. Jacob Lueder Mac Dental Lab WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
WMDF NEWS
MDA Insurance and MDA Services Midwest Capital Advisors, LLC T. Carson McLean-Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Norman Family Dentistry Dr. Thomas Nykamp Partners In Dental Care Dr. Robert Payne Dr. Mark Powell Professional Consulting & Accounting Group Paul Weston- Weston Financial Major Patron ($250) Dr. John Bolthouse Dr. Brian Cilla Drs. Palm, Panek, and Billups Vander Lugt, Mulder, DeVries & Elders Volunteers playing an integral role in the success of the outing include: GRCC dental assisting students; Carol Klein-OMSA, WMDF Board Member; Betsy Haller, Bank of Holland; Wendy McGinnis, Sue Rankin, and Brian Hofstra, Founders Bank and Trust; Scott Seifferlien, Highlands Golf Academy; Mike DeSmyter, Sean Heyboer, Jeff Gietzen, Midwest Capital Advisors; Paul Spindler, Baker, Spindler, Holtz CPA’s. Golf Committee Members: Larissa Bishop, Jim Ditta, Mark Powell, Tim Meade, Ryan Zolman, Ken Mulder, Mike Palaszek, Chuck Hoebeke, Elaine Fleming, and Matthew Gietzen, Chair.
E.K. Phares and Arnie Baker enjoying the day of golf. WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
Elise Boncher, Katie Swan, Heather Gietzen and Katie Van Haren
Outing Results: Winning foursome (with a score of 67): Andrew Van Haren, Ryan Van Haren, Kevin Coe, Drew Racek Men’s Medalis: Matt Gietzen (72) Women’s Medalist: Andrea Konen (112) Men’s Longest Drive: Dave Shafer Women’s Longest Drive: Katie Van Haren Closest to the Pin #5: Matt Bishop Closest to the Pin #7: Arnie Baker Closest to the Pine #12: Steve Dater Closest to the Pin #16: Chuck Hoebeke Putting Contest Winner: Jim Heidenreich: 13
Andrew Van Haren, Kevin Coe, Drew Racek, Ryan Van Haren
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WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
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WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
GRCC NEWS
What’s Happening at GRCC Submitted by Julie Bera
A
s our academic year comes to an end, both the dental hygiene and dental assisting programs have had a successful year. We had 31 dental hygiene graduates and 21 dental assisting graduates. Although the job market is a bit tough right now, our graduates have an optimistic outlook and are subbing and looking for full- and part-time positions. Our full-time faculty has been working extremely hard, revising both curriculums over the past two years. We are ready to start this new curriculum in the fall. We have moved some classes around in the way we deliver the information, allowing students more time to gain proficiency in the various tasks. One of the exciting aspects of this revision is that we have added local anesthesia and nitrous oxide administration into our dental hygiene curriculum. So, for the next year, we will be running three different curriculums: the “old curriculum” for the current second-year DH class, “new curriculum” for the first-year DH class, and the “new curriculum” for the DA class. With the recent hiring of three new DH adjunct faculty, this will help with the delivery of clinical instruction. We are also grateful for our “retiree,” Bunny Bookwalter, who is going to help us out this fall semester!! We would also like to thank all of the dentists who support our programs by encouraging current and future students. Please continue to encourage them. If you have any questions, please call Eve Sidney, Dental Auxiliary Programs Director, at 616.234.4240. We want to thank the following dentists who graciously accepted 21 dental assisting students into their offices this past spring, many who accepted either more that one student or had a student for two rotations. We find three different office rotations, times 24 students each spring, so finding a total of approximately 73 offices. Please consider having a student in your office for the future. I will be calling, beginning in February, for the April rotations. If you are interested, please give me a call at 616.234-4542. The following dentists “donated” approximately 6,200 hours: Dr. Don Konen Dr. John McMahon Partners in Dental Care Dr. Mark Powell Dr. Paul O’Grady Dr. Suzanne Port Drs. Webb and Kragt WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
Drs. Armbrecht Drs. Meade Dr. Ralph Rader Drs. Tysee and Eggleston Drs. Bishop & Biersack Dr. Matthew Lubbers Dr. Joe Ellis Drs. Hoekwater Dr. Gary Mancewicz Dr. Erick Rupprecht Dr. Judd Carroll Dr. Jim Lockwood Dr. Gary Scott Drs. Muscott & Cusack Dr. James Eldersveld Dr. Jeff Huisman Dr. Jason Dew Dr. Travis Harshman Ionia Oral Surgery Dr. Mark Johnston Drs. Smiley and Benton Drs. Herremans and Bosscher Dr. Todd Brower Dr. Brian Nylaan Dr. Bruce Stewart Drs. Hodge and Swan Dr. Ed Young Dr. Amy DeYoung Dr. Richard Despres Dr. Keith Combs Dr. Scott Pirochta Dr. Gary Cook Dr. Sarah Palmer Drs. Schultz, Erbentraut, Domin and Brooks Dr. John Marshall Dr. Tara Meachum Dr. Brad Dykstra Dr. James Papp Drs. Huizinga & Lindhout Dr. Christian VerMeulen Dr. Jonathan Eagle Holt Family Dentistry Drs. Caldwell & Christopherson
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GRDHS NEWS
Grand Rapids Dental Hygienists’ Society Officers 2010-2011 Submitted by Cheryl Bentley President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Davis valgrdhsvp@yahoo.com Immediate Past President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Bentley chooey46@yahoo.com Recording Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Ellis msmefamily@aol.com Membership Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikki Verhey nverhey@yahoo.com Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JoAnne Hodder joahodder@att.net MDHA Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Bentley chooey46@yahoo.com WMDF Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Kamyszek kamyszeksnorth@sbcglobal.net Board Members-at-Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Roos kathleenroos@sbcglobal.net Betty Wakefield wakefield8704@charter.net Dental Hygienists of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traci Beals tracifloss2002@yahoo.com Janice Brouwers jantooth32@hotmail.com Committees Seminar Committee . . . . . . . . . Jan Brouwers and Traci Beals GRCC Liaision . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Davis and Cheryl Bentley Newsletter Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pennie Lewis cent4yrthoughts@aol.com Special Olympics/Special Smiles Delegates to MDHA . . . . . . . . . Valerie Davis, Cheryl Bentley, Pennie Lewis Alternate to MDHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Ellis
GRDHS Schedule of Meetings/Speakers 2010-2011 September 16, 2010 Dr. Ben Gillis Digestive Problems Schuler’s on Alpine October 12, 2010 Bonnie Nothoff PA 161 Roadshow GRCC January 13, 2011 Sara Hann Nutrition Partners in Dental Care February 10, 2011 Kay Verbrugge Myofunctional Therapy Schuler’s on Alpine March 9, 2011 Chris & Kelly Syverson Traumatic Brain Injury Partners in Dental Care April 14, 2011 Clinical Specialist Oral DNA Labs Location to be announced
Grand Rapids Dental Hygienists’ Society Annual Seminar with Dr. John Gobetti November 6, 2010 | 9:00 am to 12:00 noon Save the date and watch for the flyer!
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WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
MDA NEWS
Keeping You Informed Does Your License Expire This Year? Is your dental license expiring this year? One-third of all dental licenses expire on Aug. 31. Dentists receive just one license renewal notice from the state, 60 days prior to the license expiration date. Yet many dentists overlook these notices, or put off the renewal process. Don’t let that happen to you! Without a current license, you cannot legally practice dentistry. A late renewal, even for a brief period, may subject you to the loss of thousands of dollars in income. Insurers will deny claims for any treatment provided while your license was expired. Malpractice coverage will not apply if you practice without a license. And, you may be forced to pay a late renewal penalty by the state. Sixty hours of acceptable continuing education is required for every three-year license renewal period, so make sure you’re up to date on your CE as well. If you’re among the one-third of dentists whose license expires this year, make sure you renew your license. Online renewal is available at www.michigan.gov/mylicense. Two Great Ways to Keep Informed Want to stay up-to-date with all the latest developments and breaking news from the MDA? It’s simple: Just sign up as a fan on the MDA’s Facebook page. Visit www.facebook. com/MichiganDentalAssociation. Updates from the MDA’s Facebook page will automatically appear on your Facebook news feed. Or, you can even sign up for updates so that MDA news alerts come direct to your phone. And don’t forget about the RSS feed feature at www.smilemichigan.com. You’ll get all the latest postings on the MDA Journal’s online news section, delivered directly to your e-mail address. See the Journal’s news page on www.smilemichigan. com for sign-up information. Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep up with the latest. And the MDA is using new technology to make it easier and faster than ever. Getting started is easy. Questions? Contact the MDA’s Jeff Mertens at 517.346.9460 or 800.589.2632, ext. 460.
New Oral Health Director Named The Michigan Department of Community Health announced the appointment of Christine Farrell as the new oral health director for its oral health program, effective June 1. As oral health director, Farrell will oversee and promote the state’s oral health program. Her duties include educating the public about oral health issues as well as implementing preventive activities to improve oral health. Farrell is a registered dental hygienist and formerly served as a policy specialist in the Medicaid program. She is a former president of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association.
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Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Annuities, Education Savings Plans, Retirement Plans, Retirement Planning,Tax Strategies, Estate Planning, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Business Overhead Insurance and Long Term Care Insurance. Precious Metals and Commodities are also available through LPL Contact Paul at
616.677.9929 paul.weston@lpl.com
Securities offered through LPL Financial Member FINRA/SIPC
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
15
TRUSTEE REPORT
Summer 2010 Update By Dr. Brian Cilla, MDA Trustee
A
s I write this latest trustee report the weather has been hot and humid. Summer is officially underway. World Cup Soccer recently finished with the Spanish as the final victors and the Tour de France peloton is nearing the Pyrenees Mountains. As is the usual protocol, the MDA Board of Trustees (BOT) held their summer meeting at the end of June. This year it was held at Crystal Mountain Resort. At this session, the most significant topics pertained to access to care and non-covered services (NCS) activities. A number of additional agenda items were discussed and the most important are summarized as follows: • A PEW Charitable Trust representative, Ms. Rebecca Alderfer, presented an overview of PEW activities and initiatives. It was apparent that this group takes the issue of advocacy for dental access issues seriously. They have a keen understanding of the political process and the financial resources to aggressively pursue their objectives. Some issues, like community water fluoridation, are aligned with the concerns of our profession. On the other hand, PEW is an advocate for the expansion of alternative dental care providers as the solution to the perceived problem of dental access issues. They do not have data to validate this position, nor have they been overly concerned with the details regarding funding for the dental treatment to be rendered by these proposed auxiliary dental care personnel. My interpretation is that PEW has placed the cart before the horse. Unfunded mandates clearly mean there will be a lack of dental care irrespective of the number (or type) of dental care providers and/or their geographic distribution. Hopefully, organized dentistry can have continued conversations with the PEW folks on access issues. • Four MDA members had been appointed to ADA council leadership positions. Of local interest, Dr. Chris Smiley has been made Chair of the Council on Dental Benefit 16
Programs. I hope Chris likes Chicago, because he will certainly be spending more time in the “Windy City” as part of his chair duties and responsibilities. • Imagine our “surprise” when we were informed that Dr. Connie Verhagen would be serving on the Michigan Community Health Department Amalgam Separator Rule Committee. Rumor has it that Connie is tough as nails but is fair and evenhanded. • The MDA is in the process of filming three new MDA commercials. I have seen the preliminary work by SMZ and believe that everyone will be quite pleased with the final product when these television commercials are released. • The MDA BOT and MDAIFG attended a presentation by Tim Spink, of MEBS, outlining a proposal for a dental debit card. It was ultimately resolved that MDAIFG will conduct pilot studies and that the results of these studies will be reviewed prior to formalizing MDA endorsements for this financial service offered by MEBS. • The 2010 HOD approved formation of a House Committee on Access Funding in order to investigate the feasibility of new revenue sources that could be dedicated to funding oral health programs in Michigan. The BOT has authorized use of the Market Place Issues Fund in order to finance the Access Committee expenses and to bring in an outside economic advisory firm. This firm would be part of the evaluation process and provide assistance in developing a report on various funding models. • Dr. Deb Peters, Speaker of the HOD, has encouraged the various MDA component societies to begin work selecting HOD delegates and alternates for our 2011 annual session. WMDDS usually has this task completed by early Fall. • Dan Schulte, the MDA legal council, discussed recent FTC antitrust cases that will require close monitoring. The situation, which is of most relevance, concerns the North Carolina Board of Dentistry. Apparently, that Board had informed non-dentists, who were engaged in tooth whitening businesses, that they were conducting the illegal practice of dentistry. The FTC has expressed interest in conducting a further review of this matter. Anti-trust, states rights, oh my! • The BOT has resolved that the MDA Committee on Continuing Education investigates the feasibility of an online CE course for diagnosis and treatment planning. The impetus for this action was related to the MDA Committee on Peer Review/Dental Care finding member WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
TRUSTEE REPORT
dentists who require refresher courses, but are not so deficient that they should be mandated to take the extensive remedial programs currently offered at U of D and U of M. • It was resolved to allocate funding in order to allow the MDA legal council to investigate an alleged case of denturism. A report will be presented at the September BOT meeting. An action plan will be forthcoming, based upon the findings of the investigation. • The MDA strategic objectives continue to evolve. It was resolved to develop a practice management master plan, which will incorporate member survey data, and provide for review of current programs and resources. Additionally, by June 2011, the MDA would like each component to develop a retention/recruitment plan, have a membership contact person, and establish membership committees in at least 50% of the MDA component societies. As we should all be aware, WMDDS and MDDS are models for success with membership issues. • Interim funding for the Rossman Group was allocated in order to assist with activities related to the Access To Care Committee. ADA funding will begin again in August. • Peter Ruddell, of Wiener & Associates, provided an update and analysis of the NCS legislation. The take home message from his presentation is that we are failing miserably in our ability to motivate MDA members to contact our elected representatives. There have only been two legislative breakfasts (Washtenaw and WMDDS) and seventeen direct meetings between MDA members and state representatives. Additionally, at the present time there are no institutional allies on our side. Delta has garnered support from large insurance purchasers, the MEA and various Chambers of Commerce, the Grand Rapids Chamber included. Without letters and phone calls from MDA members (voters) on the NCS issue, legislators have no particular imperative to move forward with our proposed legislation. Please be aware that we are in an election campaign cycle and are dealing with a legislative body that has many lame duck members who are not interested in taking action on this sort of issue at the present time. Without more aggressive grassroots activism, NCS legislation will die a quiet death in Committee. • At least somebody has taken an interest in our NCS legislative activities. Apparently, thin-skinned and wellcompensated Delta Dental executives have taken exception to the tone of the MDA campaign to moderate their corWEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
porate behavior (insurance bullying). As a consequence, discussion at the BOT centered on how to best reach a mutually acceptable compromise with Delta Dental regarding the NCS legislation. In the end, the majority of the BOT resolved that 1) the MDA should temporarily set aside the “stop insurance bullying” campaign, 2) the Committee on Governmental and Insurance Affairs (CGIA) should review and make recommendations to the Executive Committee and BOT on items that can be negotiated with Delta Dental. The CGIA was granted authority to change the name of the MDA NCS legislative marketing campaign. Neither Dr. Palm nor myself were in support of this resolution. • The BOT has resolved to support the final report recommendations from the Michigan Access to Oral Health Workgroup titled: A Unified Voice on Oral Health. Dr. Norm Palm, chair of the workgroup, and the members of this committee should be proud of the final report. At that time, the BOT discussed various topics and issues on access to dental care. A determination was made that most access initiatives have intrinsic merit. The consensus was that the MDA should serve as an informational source and act as a facilitator for encouraging collaboration with the various stakeholders in addressing access to dental care. It was decided that a Special Committee on Access to Care would provide the best venue for moving forward on the various dental access issues. Breakout groups felt that the most appropriate activities for the MDA to pursue should include education and training of medical personnel and parents, continued campaigning for expansion of Healthy Kids Dental, pursue inclusion of dental care as a mandatory part of Medicaid, ongoing advocacy for the Points of Light model, encourage legislation seeking a tax on sugar sweetened beverages (as a means of funding dental care access initiatives), promoting community water fluoridation efforts, and the necessity to explore different means by which dentists can provide dental care for the underserved. As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent WMDDS and MDDS as your MDA trustee. I hope you find these reports informative. Do not hesitate to a call or e-mail me at blcilla@aol.com with any of your concerns or commentary. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
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CLASSIFIED ADS
The classified ad rate is $10.00 up to and including 30 words; additional words 15¢ each. Space permitting, WMDDS members may place ads free of charge as a membership service. Ads should be submitted in writing and sent with payment to Elaine Fleming, WMDDS, 511-F Waters Building, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Telephone numbers and hyphenations count as two words, abbreviations count as one word. Ads received after the first of the month prior to publication may appear in the following issue. Space for Lease – Holland (great north side neighborhood location). Previous tenant was a family practice dentist. High visibility sign available. Building interior is ready for equipment installation. Three ops and small lab. Owner is willing to adapt building to needs. Call 616.245.9098 or 800.669.0717. Office Space for Lease – Great location! 2426 Burton St. SE, 915 sq. ft., 3 operatories, lab, private office, reception, business office, basement. Contact Dr. Sam Bander at 616.949.5980 or email at drsam@sbcglobal.net Storage Space for Lease – Safe, secure, 24/7 access. Ideal for records, models, or just stuff you need to store. Located in the basement at 1151 East Paris Ave. Contact Dr. Sam Bander at 616.949.5980 or drsam@sbcglobal. net for more information. Established Dentist with an Existing Office in Grand Rapids Wants to Buy – in or partner with another dentist. Open to all options. Please contact P.O. Box 141661, Grand Rapids, MI, 49514-1661. Grandville: 2000+ sq. ft. office space available for lease in exclusive professional office building. Other tenants include endodontist, family dentist, pediatric dentist, oral surgeon and orthodontist. Building partnership buy-in also possible as investment. Call 616.531.6377 or 616.531.1260. Half of Building (2,424 Square Feet) for Lease. Other half is a full-service dental laboratory. Two year old building, excellent for a dental practice. Great location in Kentwood on the corner of Breton and 32nd Street. If interested please call 447.0190. 18
RDH/RDA – Dental professional with over 5 years experience seeking fulltime, part-time or subbing opportunities where I will be able to utilize my professional experience with patients. Please contact me at 616.262.8719. Opening a Satellite Office. Looking for a good used panoramic x-ray and some other used equipment (in good shape). Please email: hanyb@juno.com or call my office at 616.774.9402 or cell phone 616.307.2213 (leave message). Dental Office for Lease – Sparta, MI. 2,000 sq ft., includes two x-ray machines, vacuum extraction, cabinetry, laboratory. $1,350 plus utilities. Traffic flow/14,000 daily. 616.874.4192. RediDental Emergency Dental Care is now accepting applications from dentists. This is a perfect opportunity to “moonlight” to bring in extra money. Schedule not full? Consolidate your office hours and work a few with us for guaranteed pay. We have morning, evening, and weekend hours available. Email resumé to dr.lebster@tds.net. Office Condo for Sale – Income producing! 3769SF new medical tenant on 5-year lease, 5351SF available to occupy. High traffic corner. Norton Shores. Call 616.776.0100. RDH – 19 years Hygiene experience, professional demeanor with excellent chair side manner seeking part-time or substitute opportunities, flexible, proven individual/team player, strong references. Kathy 616.682.1967. Associate Position Wanted – General dentist looking for a position in a private practice as an associate in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Open to all options (buy-in, partnership). Please call 616.307.2472 or email kmvdds@gmail.com.
Gorgeous Brand New 9120SF Class A Grand Rapids, Michigan area – General practice with average revenues of $600,000. Great family community convenient to Grand Rapids. Fully paperless office with complete digital, computerized system in four fully equipped operatories. Contact Phil Stark, Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or visit www.peakdental.com. Practice Wanted – Experienced general dentists wish to grow existing practice through buy-out or merger. Greater Grand Rapids. All options considered. Contact smile01@sbcglobal.net. Grand Rapids, Michigan area – General practice for sale, average revenues of $600,000. Great family community convenient to Grand Rapids. Fully paperless office with complete digital, computerized system in four fully equipped operatories. Phil Stark, Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or visit www.peakdental.com. Dental Office for Lease – Rockford, MI. 1,000 sq ft, includes some dental equipment and furnishings. $675/mo., plus utilities. Traffic flow/10,000 daily. 616.874.5300. Tired of your IRA losing money? Is your IRA insured? Invest in an insured, secured, diversified real estate note package paying income each and every month. 20% return on full purchase. Investment is $500,000. Partials considered for a 15% return. Current owner has other business opportunity. Call now. TPS Holdings, 616.299.5778. Non-Profit Organization seeking gently used dental chair for program serving autistic children. Contact Deb Frost at 616.726.1914 or email Dfrost@hopenetwork.org.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
CLASSIFIED ADS
Charlevoix County – Well established, solo general practice for sale in Northwest Lower Michigan between Charlevoix and Petoskey. Averaging $357,000 the last three years on a part time schedule. Great potential to grow practice or add satellite office. Possible associateship with option to buy. Three equipped operatories, real estate with lake views available as well. Ken Smith Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or peakdental.com Thinking of selling or buying a practice? Let Peak Transitions facilitate the transition with the support and experience of Peak’s team. Valuations, associate buy in or traditional sale, our knowledge and expertise can save you time, money and anxiety. Call Phil Stark 888.477-7325 or visit www.peakdental.com. Associate Position/Practice for Sale Wanted: General dentist with 13 years experience looking for a place to practice in the Grand Rapids and surrounding east areas. Open to all options. Please email to midds331@yahoo.com. Practice Merger Opportunity – Grand Rapids: Looking to transition your patient care? General Dentist in the Grand Rapids area is seeking an opportunity to bring in an additional patient base (up to 1,000 patients) into existing practice. Opportunity for doctor transition is also negotiable. If you are interested in this unique opportunity, call 616.975.2870. CEREC 3D for sale – Meticulous annual maintance record. Includes acquisition unit, milling unit, vita blocks, powder and many other accessories. Ready to use. Latest software version 3.6. $27,000 complete. Call Dr Sam Bander 616-949-5980 or e-mail drsam@sbcglobal.net
New professional space available now in downtown Rockford. Highly visible building with new well built 1340sq/ft addition. Full 8ft basement, 2nd floor also available. Adjacent to parking lot with front door parking. Reasonable rent, great area for specialist. Existing building has busy general dentist. Call 616.866.3333 for info. CPR/AED Training – your site. Two year certification. Medical professional with 18 years of training experience. Heartsine AED’s for sale. Penny Loosenort RRT www.healingheartscpr.com or call 616.485.4669. Orthodontist Needed in Northern Kent County/Sparta – Two unequipped operatories ready in new, 2-dentist, 10-operatory, general dentistry building with room to expand to multi-chair practice. Ideal for satellite or start-up practice. Great referral base with six general dentists in Sparta and many more in just a 5-6 mile radius. See facility at www.spartadentistry.com. Email mcfalldds@sbcglobal.net or call 616.887.7389. We are open to all scenerios of space sharing and partnerships. SE Grand Rapids/Cascade – Office suite available on 28th Street. Up to 3,000 sq. ft., remodel to suit, adjoining new office of established general dentist, perfect for a specialist. Lease or purchase option. Contact Randy Chambers, DDS at 616.974.9947, or Eric Trierweiler with Prime Development at 616.957.4733.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
ADVERTISER INDEX
The Bulletin wishes to thank our valued advertisers who support organized dentistry by helping to defray the cost of printing and mailing. Advertising in the Bulletin is seen by over 90% of the dentists in the West Michigan District. This includes five of the fastest growing counties in the state: Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm and Mecosta. For information on advertising rates, call Elaine Fleming, WMDDS Executive Secretary at 234-5605. Target your Market – advertise in the Bulletin! Davis Dental Laboratory................ inside front cover Founders Bank & Trust.......................5 Henry Schein.............inside back cover Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & Carter, PC.............................................7 MDA IFG............................................11 Professional Solutions.............................................12 TechTrust...........................................10 Weston Financial...............................15
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NEW MEMBER PROFILE
Dr. Sarah Lennan Dr. Sarah L. Lennan D.D.S., M.S.D. was born and raised in Frankenmuth, MI where she graduated in 1998 from Frankenmuth High School. She graduated with honors from Michigan State University with a degree in Human Physiology in 2002. She then attended the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2006. While there, she conducted two years of endodontic research and co-authored two articles pertaining to the study of endodontics, which were published in two well-known dental journals. Dr. Lennan also served as the president of the School of Dentistry Honor Council. Following dental school, Dr. Lennan attended Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and received a Master’s in Science of Dentistry and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in the specialty of endodontics. While at Boston University
she also conducted one year of research in oral biology. She graduated from BU in June of 2009, and has been practicing endodontics in the Grandville and southwest Michigan area since then. Dr. Sarah is pleased to announce her future plans to open Grand River Endodontics, P.C. at 4211 Parkway Place, S.W., Suite 104, in Grandville, MI 49418. Grand River Endodontics, P.C. will operate as a dental practice limited to the specialty of endodontics. The practice is scheduled to be open full time in August of 2010. The office hours will be Monday through Friday, from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Dr. Lennan is an active member of the American Association of Endodontists, the Michigan Association of Endodontists, the American Dental Association, the Michigan Dental Association, the West Michigan District Dental Society, and the Kent County Dental Society. If you have questions for Dr. Lennan, she can be reached at 989.385.1830 or email her at sarahddsendo@yahoo.com. For appointments, please contact 616.249.3500 or visit the office website at www.grandriverendodontics.com.
New Legislative Director Joins MDA The MDA welcomed a new director of legislative and insurance affairs to the association staff this spring. Bill Sullivan, J.D., joined the staff after serving as special counsel in the office of state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop since January 2006. A veteran capitol staffer, Sullivan served as legislative director, special counsel and deputy chief of staff to former Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema from 2003 until 2006. Sullivan also previously served as chief of staff in the offices of state Sens. Loren Bennett and R. Robert Geake. Sullivan holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame law school and as an undergraduate attended the University of Michigan (Dearborn), where he majored in economics and political science.
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“Bill brings to the MDA a great network of contacts and a tremendous background with the Legislature,” said MDA Executive Director Drew Eason. “I think everybody will be impressed with Bill, and I’m anxious for our MDA members to have the opportunity to meet him.” In his position at the MDA, Sullivan will coordinate the association’s legislative affairs program as well as the MDA’s political action committee, Dental PAC. He will also serve as the MDA’s primary resource for dental benefit plan questions and advocacy. Contact him at 800.589.2632, ext. 405, or directly at 517.346.9405. You can also e-mail him at bsullivan@michigandental.org.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010
You and Your Dental Team are cordially invited to the LEARNING EXPERIENCE at the Stonewater Country Club
Spend an amazing day with your team. The day includes breakfast, lunch and a raffle throughout the day. Morning Session (Entire Team Together) Tips for Practice Growth in this challenging Economic Environment Proven Techniques to Increase Patient Flow Learn How to Increase Production & Profitability Proven Techniques to Improve Referrals Combat Today’s Economic Climate
WHEN:
Friday. September 24th, 2010 8:30am Registration 9am to 4pm
WHERE:
Stonewater Country Club 7111 Kalamazoo Ave SE Caledonia, MI 49316-9126
Hosted by: Jim Philhower (Director of North America Dental Sales Leadership & Development for Henry Schein Dental) Afternoon Team Breakout: 4 Specialty Sessions Doctors — Ted Schumann II: Current Trends Within the Dental Office - Proper Checks and Balances for Your Practice - Important Tips for Success - What Impacts the Bottom Line? Dental Assistants — Elizabeth Elliot of Hu-Friedy: Infection Control in the Office Hygienist — Sally Kopanski, RDH Colgate: Care of the Oral Cancer Patient Office Manager / Front Desk — Jean Moore: Practice Management Software - Your expectations of your Practice Management Software. - Optimize Insurance Management - Efficient Recall & Appointments - Tips to Make Your Life Easier
Call 616-454-1223 for additional information
SAVE THE DATE!
5 CE Credits
CERP Approved CE
WEST MICHIGAN DENTAL SOCIETY 511-F Waters Building Grand Rapids, MI 49503
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID GRAND RAPIDS, MI PERMIT # 657
2010–2011 WMDDS CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
OCTOBER 1, 2010
The TMD/Sleep Connection: Unraveling the Mystery and Saving Your Patients’ Lives with Jamison Spencer, DDS Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at efwmdds@aol.com
DECEMBER 16, 2010
West Michigan District Dental Society Holiday Dinner and Awards Night Socialize with friends | 6:30 pm Dinner and Program | 7:30 pm Presentation to Dr. John Bouws, 2011 Silent Bell Recipient | 2010 MDA & ADA Life Member presentations Cascade Hills Country Club, Grand Rapids | Business Attire For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at efwmdds@aol.com
JANUARY 28, 2011
Lioness Leadership with Katherine Eitel Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at efwmdds@aol.com
MARCH 11, 2011
Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry’s “Best Kept Secrets” with John W. Farah, DDS, PhD Materials for Direct Restorative Dentistry with John M. Powers, PhD Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at efwmdds@aol.com