gda action

ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MAY 2009

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

ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MAY 2009

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

1859 20091859 2009

GDAction May 2009 using.qxd 5/11/09 10:38 PM

GDAction May 2009 final.pdf 1GDAction May 2009 final.pdf 1 5/22/2009 12:05:59 PM5/22/2009 12:05:59 PM

ADS South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

AFTCO Transition Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Center for TMJ Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Dentist Available Dr. Mark Rabin . . . . . . . . . . .27

The Doctor’s Safety Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

GDA Dental Recovery Network . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Georgia Dental Insurance Services . . . . . . . .32

Great Expressions Dental Centers . . . . . . . . . .17

Hungeling & Sons PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Law Office of Stuart J. Oberman . . . . . . . . . . .15

Medical Protective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Paragon Dental Practice Transitions . . . . . . . .30

Professional Debt Recovery Services . . . . . . . .6

Professional Practice Management . . . . . . . . .28

Scott R. Green, DMD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Southeast Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Sullivan Wickley Properties, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .25

index of advertisers

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

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

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

2008-2009 Georgia Dental Association Officers Mark S. Ritz, DDS, PresidentKent H. Percy, DDS, President ElectJohn F. Harrington Jr., DDS, Vice PresidentJames B. Hall III, DDS, MS, Secretary/TreasurerJonathan S. Dubin, DMD, Editor

GDA/GDIS/PDRS Executive Office Staff Members

Martha S. Phillips, Executive DirectorLisa 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)

George Stewart, Operations Manager (PDRS)

Phyllis Willich, Administrative Assistant

Pamela K. Yungk, Director of Membership & Finance

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

© Copyright 2009 by the Georgia Dental Association. All rights reserved. No partof this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Publicationof any article or advertisement should not be deemed an endorsement of theopinions expressed or products advertised. The Association expressly reservesthe right to refuse publication of any article, photograph, or advertisement.

14 How the ARRA COBRA Subsidy Affects Dentists

16 Annual Meeting Registration Form(Special Insert)

17 Florida Court Strikes Down Dental Advertising Law

18 Update on FTC Red Flag Rule and Dentistry

19 History Spotlight: GDACommunication Vehicles

22 GDA Members Learn ValuableLessons at ADA Workshop

24 Alliance of the GDA Shines at Leadership Conference

4 Parting Shots

5 Editorial

7 Letters to the Editor

8 ADA Commentary

9 Guest Commentary

11 News and Views

26 Event Calendar

27 Classifieds

You are invited to register for the 142ndGDA Annual Meeting in Asheville, NorthCarolina, which is July 30 to August 2, 2009.Join your fellow GDA members at thehistoric Grove Park Inn. Use the form inthe center of this issue to register forthe meeting and buy your event tickets(dentists may also register online atwww.gadental.org).

other features sections

on the cover

Member Publication American Association of Dental Editors

ACTION

V O L U M E 2 9 , N U M B E R 5 • M A Y 2 0 0 9

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

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



4 GDA ACTIONMAY 2009



With all of the clamoring about access to careand about providing funding and dental carefor children, much less attention is given toanother deserving group. These individualsmay reside in rural or urban settings and arelikely to be of lower socioeconomic status.They may be children in fact, but in reality areperpetually children. Developmentally dis-abled individuals are just that.

Not many of us think specifically abouttreating these individuals, although most of ushave special needs patients in our practices.These individuals with special needs havenumerous barriers placed in front of them.The initial barrier is unfamiliarity. Just assome practices do not see children, if I wereto call a number of practices and ask if theywould treat a person with special needs anddisabilities—someone who may not be theperfect patient—a percentage of those practiceswould answer ‘no’ simply because of a fearthat they may not be able to accommodate thepatient physically or emotionally.

I can tell you from the perspective ofsomeone who performs oral screenings at theSpecial Smiles Program held during theSpecial Olympics each year that if dentists hadthe opportunity to work with these patientsthey would find out that they are just patients.They may have limitations of varying degreesbut their oral health is generally not that muchdifferent than that of other patients. It is esti-mated that 70 to 80 percent of developmen-tally disabled individuals can be treated in aprivate practice setting with only a minormodification of our normal treatment proto-col. Those individuals who are adults oftenneed to be handled as pediatric patients. Eventhough most can be seen in private offices,Special Smiles Program statistics tell us thatthese individuals have much fewer sealantsthan other individuals. This potentially meansthat they are less likely to have seen a dentistor have had any oral health care.

What of the other portion of the develop-mentally disabled population apart from that70 to 80 percent? Each person’s needs are dif-ferent, and in the special needs category thisis true whether it is a medical condition, men-tal situation, or physical handicap. These per-sons may require a more individual treatmentscenario. Specialized equipment may be required.Sedation of some degree and possibly patientmanagement techniques are sometimes needed.Those persons with complicated medicalconditions and on certain types of medicationsmay in fact not be served adequately by atypical general dental office. Not many dentists,outside of our pediatric dentists, are trainedto treat or have the equipment to treat thesespecial needs.

As Commission on Dental Accreditationstandards have demanded competency inassessing treatment needs, schools are begin-ning to incorporate care for the developmen-tally disabled into their curriculum. This isimportant to eliminate dentists’ fear of treat-ing these individuals, or at least eliminatingtheir fear of examining and diagnosing theseindividuals so they can make an appropriatereferral. Eventually this will help erase onebarrier. But where will a dentist then refer apatient he or she feels needs care elsewhere?

A few years ago the state made budgetcuts that closed many of the regional hospitalfacilities capable of rendering dental care tothese persons. The current, dour economicclimate does not bode well for those few facil-ities left. The small number of equipped,staffed treatment facilities means long traveltimes. In addition, there is limited reimburse-ment available for care for the developmen-tally disabled on public assistance programs.As a whole, this population is more likely to bemarginally employed if employed at all, and

5GDA ACTIONMAY 2009

Not To Be Forgotten

Jonathan S. Dubin, DMD

editorialperspective

xx

EDITORIALContinued on page 6




they are less likely to have financial resources available to procuretreatment. Medicaid coverage for dental care is limited, andMedicare does not provide coverage at all. Those persons withsevere disabilities face even greater financial barriers and usuallyhave fewer resources, even those with family support.

This exceptionally vulnerable population appears to have thegreatest access issues. And as director of the Special SmilesProgram who has cared for these patients time and again, I can tes-tify that no mid-level provider, no Advanced Dental HygienePractitioner or Community Dental Health Coordinator can ade-quately address this population’s needs. These persons requirecare from a dentist.

There are dentists who dedicate much of their practices andtalents to caring for special needs individuals, such as Dr. Deidra

Rondeno and her DDD Foundation, but their efforts make hard-ly a dent on the treatment needs in our bustling state. What is theanswer? Not long ago, the GDA commissioned a task force, onwhich I served, to study this issue. We concluded that education,equipment, and most of all money were required before we couldaddress access issues for the developmentally disabled and specialneeds population.

Let’s educate ourselves to an even greater extent and let uscontinue to advocate for funding.

EDITORIALContinued from page 5



7GDA ACTIONMAY 2009

letters tothe editor

Dr. Dubin,

I am amazed that dental organizations in other states areshowing favor towards mid-level providers (President’sCommentary “Mid-Level Providers and Independent DentalHygiene Practitioners: They’re Here…What Now?” March 2009).Although we as dentists are certainly not all-knowing, our years ofeducation and experience surely give us an edge over someoneright out of high school with only a couple years training. We indentistry have been in the catbird seat watching as ourmedical colleagues have allowed their profession to fall into thehands of the “Big Brother” of managed care. Their many levels ofproviders are probably necessary for them to keep their headsabove water. So far dentistry has, for the most part, been able tosteer clear of that. How can the allowing of independent hygienepractice and other mid-level providers truly meet the needs ofthe people who need them? Think about it...the independentpractice of dental hygiene could not possibly be good use of tax(or out-of-pocket by the patient) dollars.

I greatly value the dental hygienists who work along with me.I trust their judgment and value their opinions. However, for the

population in need, would they be better served to haveclean teeth or have a dentist be able to treat the disease that isprobably there? Would they be better served by a teenager whocan barge in like Rambo or by a skilled professional who knowshow to handle unexpected complications?

It is my opinion that we as dentists should step up to the plateand fight against this. Our government is spiraling us towardsocialized medicine (or socialism altogether). Organized dentistryhas worked very hard through the years to establish our professionas a top-level provider in health care. We should not sit idly byand watch our own demise!

I did have one more question for the legislators voting on thisissue—whose chair do you want yourself and your family to sit in?

Sincerely,Dr. Alicia M. RixRome, Georgia

The Georgia Dental Association

will not publish unsigned letters

submitted to GDA Action,

or letters submitted under a name

the GDA office cannot verify.

The GDA Editor reserves the right

to edit all letters for clarity and

length. Unpublished letters will not

be returned. Opinions presented

in letters and commentaries are

the authors’ opinions, and

do not necessarily reflect the

adopted policies of the

Georgia Dental Association.

Questions, comments, and

submissions may be directed to

the GDA office by phone at

(404) 636-7553, by fax at

(404) 633-3943, or by email to

[email protected].



9GDA ACTIONMAY 2009

Access to care is a popular topic right now.States are pursuing several avenues to addresswhat they see as shortcomings in reaching outto low income, elderly, or other designatedpopulations. I wanted to offer some perspec-tives on how I decided to begin my dentalcareer helping a “special population.”

I did not initially think of working in therural public health arena. But during my sen-ior year of dental school at the MedicalCollege of Georgia in 2008 we were given theopportunity to do a rotation in a public healthsetting. I worked with Dr. Charles Roszel inRome, Georgia, at the Floyd County HealthDepartment Regional Dental Clinic, andlearned so much. I believe I am the fourthrecent dental school graduate who did a rota-tion at the clinic to choose a rural publichealth career. During and after my time thereI knew that was what I was meant to do. I hadfound my niche.

The facility where I work Mondaythrough Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. is thePrimary Health Care Center in Trenton,Georgia, a Federally Qualified Health Centerabout 15 minutes away from Chattanooga,Tennessee. The center’s mission is to providehigh quality, affordable, and accessible pre-ventive services, primary health care, and den-tal services to all individuals, regardless ofability to pay. Our service area includes thecounties of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, andWalker counties in Georgia; Jackson andDeKalb counties in Alabama; and Hamiltonand Marion counties in Tennessee. However,our services are available to the general pub-lic, regardless of income or whether theyreside in these counties. I stopped by the cen-ter when I was on a trip with my mother toNashville, Tennessee, to do an informal inter-view, and I really felt drawn to work there.Turns out they wanted me to work there too.

The services we provide in the dentaldepartment are mainly extractions and fillings.Many of the patients who come in have not

had access to dental care either in years orever. Many patients don’t have the money fordental care, or it just wasn’t a part of theirupbringing to put any emphasis on oralhygiene or care. In just one week this pastMarch, for example, I performed extractionson two patients—a 48-year-old man and a 60-year-old female—who had never been to adentist. Never. I also recently performed fullmouth extractions on a 26-year-old woman.So, I try to educate my patients on how toobtain and keep good oral health for them-selves and their families. And they do want tolearn.

A lot of the patients are oblivious to whatis causing their teeth to deteriorate. MountainDew soft drink consumption is a huge prob-lem here, as is bottle caries—some parentspour the soft drink into the bottles. Some peo-ple drink 10 or 12 soft drink cans a day. Itaffects adults and teenagers, and evenyounger children. It’s painful to both me andthe children when I have to extract permanentteeth from someone still in elementary school.It’s not that my patients are trying to rot theirteeth out. It takes a lot of time just educatingthe patient. Then the patients tend to sendtheir whole families, neighbors, and friends toobtain dental care. The way I get 90% of mypatients is word of mouth. It feels good to seeyou’re making a difference.

I wondered when I accepted the job hereif I would develop the close bonds withpatients and their families that often getdeveloped by private practitioners. Luckily, Ihave been welcomed into this tightly knitcommunity. What has helped is that I live inthe community. I found a house in Trentonthe day I accepted the job here. I had neverlived in a rural area before. I am delighted athow I was accepted and feel like I’ve lived

Choosing a Public Health Setting for My Dental Career

Amelia B. Granberry, DMD

guestcommentary

GUEST COMMENTARYContinued on page 10



here my whole life. I love these patients. I love seeing them intown. I never expected to love my job as much as I do. The centeremployed perhaps five or six dentists in the last few years, and withthe turnover I think the trust level did not develop as it shouldhave. I hope I am addressing that.

While I enjoy the small town atmosphere, it is difficult to seeso many of these residents face tough circumstances. Someresidents don’t own cars or struggle to earn gas money. So manypeople have been affected by the downturn in the economy andits effect on the textile industry. For instance, Shaw Industriesrecently closed a plant in Trenton and 440 people lost their jobs,and there were no other employers to absorb those people. Andtheir lack of mobility prevents them from traveling distances forwork. We work on a sliding scale according to income, and mostof our patients qualify at $12,000 or below for a family.

I love the camaraderie and friendship with the otheremployees and health care professionals at the center. We all workthere for the same reason—we want to help those in need. It iswonderful to work with the dental and medical students fromMCG and the students who intern here. It is difficult however,because although the center receives federal money for caring foruninsured patients, it is not enough. We cannot do all the outreachI would like for instance. And with the number of formerly insuredpatients we have, we are losing money providing care. However, Ireally believe this center can address the access to care issue in thisarea. I feel our center can help break the cycle so the children ofthe parents we reach don’t end up in dentures by the time they’re30. There’s a lot of difference to be made. It is a matter of adequatefunding to bring dentists to these areas, proper education of theindividuals who are here, and earning trust from the patients.

There’s no glitz and glam but there are plenty of genuine,kind, wonderful people in this area who appreciate everythingyou do for them. I encourage all new dentists, all dentists really, toconsider working in the rural public health area. You can make adifference. I love what I do and I’m thankful to be where I am.


unanimously felt that the ADA should approach CMS and obtainclarification, including written agreement, that the ADA wouldassume the leadership role in this Alliance and have the ability todetermine if participation should continue. The Board agreed withthe consensus of the councils. At this time discussion is occurringwith CMS and the ADA is awaiting written confirmation of theterms for proceeding with a role in DQA. It is natural that this maytake time with the change in administration this year.

ADA Executive Director NamedLast, I want to mention the ADA’s search for an executive director.The Search Committee forwarded recommendations to the Boardand interviews were conducted in early January. There was a secondround of interviews held by the Board over the next several weeks.There were about 200 applicants initially, with the field narrowedto about 50 that fulfilled the qualifications set by the Board. Iam pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has selectedDr. Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, D.M.D., M.P.H, of Medford, Massachusetts,to serve as the next ADA Executive Director / Chief OperatingOfficer, effective June 1, 2009. ADA President Dr. John Findleystated about the selection that “Dr. O’Loughlin’s backgroundrepresents the right mix of experiences we sought in an executivedirector” and we certainly agree. I recognize that some may askwhy this process took so long—over 11 months. The Board felt thatdue to the importance of filling this job, we wanted to do duediligence to our responsibility. Here is some background on ournew executive director as prepared by the ADA executive office:

Prior to joining the ADA staff, Dr. O’Loughlin worked brieflyfor United Healthcare as its chief dental officer after having servedas a consultant to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine oncurriculum development in preparation for expansion of the

dental school facility and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacyand Health Science, Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene inpreparation for their 2009 Accreditation.

From 2002-2007, Dr. O’Loughlin served as president andchief executive officer of Dental Services of Massachusetts, Inc.(d.b.a. Delta Dental of Massachusetts) where, through her leader-ship, the company doubled its reserves, increased membership by400 percent and executed a successful five-year growth plan.

She also served as the president of the Oral HealthFoundation of Massachusetts (now called DentaQuestFoundation) and is an assistant clinical professor in the TuftsDepartment of General Dentistry. She is a member of the TuftsUniversity Board of Trustees.

For more than 25 years, Dr. O’Loughlin has been an activemember in the American Dental Association and theMassachusetts Dental Society (MDS). She is a member of theAmerican College of Dentists and editor of its New EnglandSection. Other memberships include the International Collegeof Dentists, the Santa Fe Group, Pierre Fauchard Academy,American Association of Women Dentists and the TuftsUniversity School of Dental Medicine Alumni Association.

She has served as a member of the ADA WorkforceModels National Coordinating and Development Committee,the MDS Council on Public Affairs, the Massachusetts OralHealth Advocacy Task Force and Health Care For All: For thePeople, campaign co-chair.

Dr. O’Loughlin also is a member of the boards of directorsof Oral Health America, Biomedical Science Careers programat Harvard Medical School, and the Children’s DentalHealth Project, Washington, D.C. She is married and themother of four.

I hope you will join with me in welcoming Dr. O’Loughlinto this important leadership position.

ADA COMMENTARYContinued from page 8

GUEST COMMENTARYContinued from page 9



11GDA ACTIONMAY 2009

Ferguson featured in NY Times story on economic conditions in West Georgia

membersin the news

Drew Ferguson IV, DMD, a generaldentist in Western District, also wears thehat of mayor of the town of West Pointnear the Georgia-Alabama border. The cityof fewer than 3,500 residents is welcomingthe opening of a Kia Motors Corporationautomobile manufacturing plant at the endof this year. The plant, the company’s firstin North America, will build the Sorentovehicle. The April 22, 2009, New YorkTimes ran a feature story on the town’ssunny jobs outlook in this time of economicgloom in which not only was Dr. Fergusonquoted, but photographed for an illustrationto the story.

While wearing his mayor hat, Dr.Ferguson, a 1992 Medical College ofGeorgia School of Dentistry graduate and2002 Western District president, is taskedwith managing West Point’s growth. Hetold the Times, “We’re the only place in thenation that is fixing to put between 7 and10,000 manufacturing jobs online. We arethe place that has the light at the end ofthe tunnel.”

The automotive plant is seen as alifesaver for this small town racked by theclosure of its mainstay textile mills. Kia hashired 500 people thus far, and is siftingthrough more than 43,000 applications itaccepted online last year. Eventually, thecompany will employ 2,500 people.However, the plant’s suppliers will employapproximately 7,500 people. Several retailestablishments, including Korean restau-rants, have already opened in the town toserve Kia administrators and constructionpersonnel, and the town is planning its firstnew subdivision in 25 years. These new

businesses are expected to generate manymore jobs.

Dr. Ferguson’s father, Drew FergusonIII, was the chairman of the West PointDevelopment Authority that in 2005helped cement the land purchases andnegotiations that opened the way for thesigning of the Kia contract. Kudos tothe Ferguson family for their efforts inrevitalizing this part of Western District.

Dr. Drew Ferguson.




MCG dental students make splash at ASDA meeting

The American Student Dental Association held its annual sessionin March, and several ASDA members from the Medical Collegeof Georgia School of Dentistry made an impressive showing.Congratulations to William Bennett, who was elected by theASDA House of Delegates as one of two Vice Presidents. Mr.Bennett, a junior, previously served ASDA as a district trustee.Kudos as well to MCG sophomore Jack O’Neill, who was appointedas chair of the Legislative Grassroots Network Council, one of six

ASDA councils. As chair, Mr.O’Neill will supervise and directthe activities of the counciland facilitate council meetings.Council chairs assist the ASDAin identifying programs anddeveloping policies to meet theneeds and interests of dentalstudents and the profession. Inaddition, congratulations toMCG junior Darron Alvord,who was honored as theLegislative Liaison for the Yearfor all ASDA chapters. Darronhas been involved with manylegislative outreach initiatives,

and has attended the GDA Student LAW Day and the ASDANational Dental Student Lobby Day. Finally, MCG’s ASDAchapter received an Honorable Mention of Ideal Chapterfor Outstanding Advocacy and was recognized for havingthe highest percentage involvement in ADPAC for allASDA chapters.

(L to r): MCG ASDA Treasurer-Elect Ryan Fulchi, MCGASDA President-Elect Chris DeLeon, 2008-09 ASDA Councilon Membership Chair Dusty Janssen (Baylor), 2009-10 ASDALegislative Grassroots Network Chair Jack O’Neill (MCG), and2008-09 ASDA Vice President Matt Davis (Nebraska).

MCG junior William Bennettaddresses the ASDA Houseof Delegates as one of twoenwly elected vice presidents.




ADA laboratory tests find lead not released from dental crowns

Comprehensive testing and analyses by theAmerican Dental Association (ADA) foundno detectable amount of lead releasedfrom the 102 porcelain-metal dentalcrowns evaluated even under extreme lab-oratory testing conditions.

Scientists from the ADA Division ofScience and the ADA’s PaffenbargerResearch Center (PRC) laboratories inGaithersburg, MD, conducted the tests inresponse to concern over the safety ofdental crowns. The PRC laboratory analyzed44 porcelain powders—raw materials usedto make dental crowns—from differentmanufacturers and 102 finished porcelain-metal crowns produced by domestic andforeign dental laboratories.

Lead can be found in a number ofporcelain products such as dinner platesand figurines. Feldspathic porcelain is anatural mineral that is mined from theearth and refined for dental use. As such,porcelain will contain naturally occurringtrace elements of lead in varying concen-trations, depending on the source andrefining process.

In assessing for total lead content,ADA scientists dissolved the powders andfinished crowns, and measured the amountof lead remaining in the solution, finding onlytrace amounts of the naturally occurringelement. The results ranged from belowdetectable to 113 parts per million (ppm)in the 44 porcelain powders, and an averageof 46 ppm in the 102 porcelain dental crowns.

The researchers also tested the finishedcrowns for the release of lead (to test thepotential body exposure to the element) underlaboratory conditions far more extreme thancould occur in the mouth. This testingyielded no measureable lead escaping fromthe porcelain crown (with a limit of detectionat one ppm), even under accelerated acidicconditions at elevated temperatures.

“Based on all the information to date,both from our own testing as well as reportsof other analyses, we are confident that nomeasurable levels of lead are released fromdental crowns made from dental porcelaintypical of available sources,” explains CliftonCarey, Ph.D., administrative director, PRC.

He added, “Moreover, we intentionallyadded lead to a separate sample of dentalcrowns and found that even up to 500 ppm

of lead levels, no measurable amountwas released. This was a much highertotal concentration than any laboratory-fabricated crown tested.”

Questions were raised in February2008 about lead in dental restorativessuch as crowns and bridges when an Ohiowoman speculated in a news report thatthe problems she experienced with her bridgemight be because of its manufacture at adental laboratory in China. At a time whenother products from China were under

scrutiny, the local news station investigatedthe issue and sent the bridge to a locallaboratory for lead testing. The stationthen had several dental crowns manufacturedin China tested, and one crown reportedlytested positive for lead. At the time however,no accepted standardized method existedto measure lead content of dental materialssuch as porcelain, or whether lead isreleased from dental crowns in the mouth. (From www.ada.org)

The GDA extends sympathy to the family and colleagues of the following individuals.For full obituaries on these member dentists, visit www.gadental.org or call theGDA office.

In Memoriam

Paul R. Hauser, DMD, who died April1, 2009, at the age of 62. Dr. Hauser wasa member of the GDA through theNorthern District. He was a 1976 MedicalCollege of Georgia School of Dentistrygraduate and general practitioner. Hisdaughter, Dr. Jennifer Hauser Bisig, is aGDA member dentist.

Bruce H. Rice, DDS, PhD, who diedApril 6, 2009, at the age of 85. Dr. Rice,resident of Loma Linda, California, wasa founding faculty member of theMedical College of Georgia School ofDentistry. He served as professor andchair of the department of oral medicinefrom 1968 until his retirement in 1988.He graduated from the University ofSouthern California dental school in 1943.

Charles R. Stearns, DDS, who diedAugust 31, 2008, at the age of 67. Dr.Stearns was a member of the GDAthrough the Northern District. He grad-uated from the Chicago College ofDental Surgery (Loyola) in 1967 andserved in the U.S. Navy in Albany, GA,from 1967-1969. He later practiced inWinder and Lilburn, GA.

Past GDA President Rollin ElliottMallernee, DDS, who died April 13,2009, at the age of 95. Dr. Mallernee wasa member of the GDA through theNorthern District. Dr. Mallernee servedas GDA President in 1981.

Dr. Mallernee received his dentaldegree from the Atlanta-Southern DentalCollege (which later became the dentalcomponent of Emory University) in 1943.He served for five years as Chairman ofthe Department of Oral Diagnosis andRadiology at Loma Linda University inCalifornia. He was a member of the Georgiadelegation to the ADA House of Delegates,was a member of the ADA Council onJournalism and Council on Annual Session.He served for six years as Editor of theJournal of the Georgia Dental Association,and was a past president of the AmericanAssociation of Dental Editors. He wasan Honorable Fellow of the GDA and anADA Life Member. He was a member ofthe OKU Dental Honor Society, and aFellow of the American College ofDentists and the International Collegeof Dentists. He served as ICD Regentfor six years and in 1982 was President ofthe U.S. Section of the ICD.

Surviving are his wife, Betty Mallerneeof Dawsonville; and son and daughter-in-law, Rollin II and Karen Mallernee.




How the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act COBRA Subsidy Affects DentistsThe following is an explanation of theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA) COBRA Subsidy and how it per-tains to dentistry. This federal legislationwas signed into law on February 17, 2009.There are two categories of coverage: (1)employers with 20 or more employees fallunder COBRA; (2) employers with 19 orfewer employees fall under the GeorgiaContinuation Law.

Currently under COBRA an employ-er must offer a terminated employee cov-erage at the employee’s expense for 18months and up to 36 months for theemployee’s dependents. Under theGeorgia Continuation Law a terminatedemployee can apply for GeorgiaContinuation Coverage for up to 90 days—

this, too, is at the employee’s own expense.Because most dentist employers will

likely fall into the “19 or fewer employees”category, we’ll limit our main explanationof the Act to that category. For this group,the effective date of coverage under theARRA begins with employees losing cov-erage after February 17, 2009, throughDecember 31, 2009. However, it isimportant to remember that to be eli-gible to elect Georgia ContinuationCoverage an employee must havebeen on the medical plan for a mini-mum of six months prior to termina-tion.

Under the ARRA, an employee invol-untarily separated from their job becomeseligible for premium assistance and is

referred to as an Assistance EligibleIndividual (AEI). The terminated employ-ee must be offered Georgia ContinuationCoverage at the time of termination. If theterminated employee chooses the GeorgiaContinuation Coverage option theemployer is obligated to pay 65% of theentire medical premium for this individualeven if they were not contributing any-thing prior to the termination. The individ-ual must pay the remaining 35%. The den-tist will receive reimbursement from thegovernment of the employer-paid 65% ofthe premium in the form of an offset in theamount of payroll tax due by the amount ofSubsidy reimbursement. The employer(dentist) must file a claim for reimburse-ment with the IRS when they submit their




payroll taxes. Note, however, that thisprocess is yet to be developed. AssistanceEligible Individuals earning more than$145,000 ($290,000 joint) will have theirincome tax increased by the total amountof the Subsidy they receive. Individualsearning more than $125,000 but less than$145,000 (more than $250,000 but lessthan $290,000 joint) will have their incometax increased by a percentage of their totalSubsidy received in that year. This recap-ture will occur when they file their person-al income tax return.

The Georgia Continuation Law onlyprovides coverage for three months. After90 days the person will have to find theirown coverage or become eligible underanother employer’s insurance plan. Allemployers (dentists) offering healthinsurance in their practices are affect-ed by this and MUST convey thesefacts to an employee at termination.Please note that all Georgia DentalInsurance Services (GDIS) medical plan

clients will receive specific information tohelp them provide appropriate notifica-tion.

This time there is an advantage tobeing a small business owner. Most dentalpractices employ 19 or fewer persons.Larger organizations that employee 20 ormore individuals are required to go backand cover terminated employees startingfrom September 1, 2008. Most dentalpractices will not be responsible for thecost for 18 or 36 months required underCOBRA elections affecting organizationsemploying 20 or more persons.

This program keeps with PresidentObama’s theme of providing universalhealthcare and is an attempt to keep morepeople off the uninsured rolls. Other ini-tiatives relating to universal healthcare areon the drawing table and will have to bemonitored closely.




Florida Court Strikes Down Dental Advertising LawAn April 3, 2009, Florida Circuit Courtruling has granted dentists the right toadvertise their membership in andcredentials received from organizationsnot recognized as specialty organizationsby the Florida Board of Dentistry. This Courtfound that a Florida statute restrictingadvertisement of such credentials violatedthe Florida Constitution’s guarantee ofthe right to be rewarded for industry orprofessional achievement as well as theFirst and Fourteenth Amendment of theUnited States Constitution.

Dr. Francis DuCoin along withseveral other Florida dentists filed the lawsuitagainst the State’s Surgeon General assertingtheir right to advertise their credentialsearned from organizations not recognizedby the American Dental Association (ADA).Just like many other dental boards, the FloridaBoard of Dentistry only acknowledgedcredentials issued by specialty organizationsrecognized by the ADA. In order to advertisesuch non-recognized credentials in Florida,dentists were required to include thefollowing disclaimer(s):

(Name of the announced area of dentalpractice) is not recognized as a specialtyarea by the American Dental Associationor the Florida Board of Dentistry

or

(Name of referenced organization) is notrecognized as a bona fide specialty accreditingorganization by the American DentalAssociation or the Florida Board of Dentistry.

At trial the Florida Board of Dentistryargued that the disclaimers were necessaryto reduce consumer confusion as well assafeguard consumers from mistakenlyplacing trust in organizations which maynot be credible. Florida Circuit CourtJudge Frank Sheffield found this contentionunpersuasive. His order concluded thatthe disclaimer was an unreasonable restrictionon commercial speech and “…did not actas an information guide for consumers butrather constituted a total denial of any effectivemeans of advertising valid credentials.”

In response to the news of this courtdecision, the ADA issued a statement:“The DuCoin decision concerns an

interpretation of Florida law, which isfirst a matter for Florida authorities tocomment on. The American DentalAssociation provides ethical guidance to itsmembers, but is not a regulatory agency.Whether an individual qualifies to practicedentistry and the rules governing dentalpractice are matters of state regulationflowing from the state’s obligation toprotect its residents.”

The Circuit Court’s decision permanentlyenjoins the Florida Board of Dentistryfrom enforcing the statute. At press time,it was not clear whether the Florida Boardof Dentistry would appeal this ruling.Keep in mind this ruling does not affectthe current laws and rules governingGeorgia’s dentists. The GDA will keep aclose watch on this issue and provideupdates as they become available.

This article is for informational purposesonly and is not intended to provide legaladvice. Dentists must consult with theirprivate attorneys for such advice.




Information for Dentists on the FTC Red Flag Rule

As previously reported in Action (October2008), the Red Flag Rule is a regulationissued by the Federal Trade Commission(FTC) requiring any business that mayprovide credit to customers to take certainsteps to guard against identity theft. Aftera six month delay, the rule was slated to gointo effect on May 1, 2009. On April 30,2009, the FTC issued a press releasedelaying the enforcement of the Red FlagRule for 90 days. This announcementcomes on the heels of zealous advocacy bythe American Dental Association to preventdentists from having to comply with thisFTC regulation. While this delay doesnot mean that the regulation willultimately be overturned, it does givethe ADA more time to challenge theapplication of this rule to dentistryand more time for dentists to deter-mine how to best comply with the rule.

For those dentists already implementinga Red Flag Rule program in their office,there is no reason to suspend the program.At this writing, rule enforcement is nowslated to begin on August 1, 2009. Thisarticle gives more information on the ruleas it is now written, details on how toobtain the ADA’s free sample “IdentityTheft Detection and Response Policy andProcedures” that can assist dental officeswith compliance with the current rule, andan overview of ADA advocacy efforts.

When Might Dental Offices BeSubject to the Red Flag Rule asCurrently Written?Dentists who meet the definition of acreditor under the FTC’s rule and have atleast one covered account are subject tothe Red Flag Rule. Unfortunately, thedefinition of creditor is so broad that adental practice is a creditor under the ruleif the practice:

(a) Sends a bill to a patient for servicesalready rendered;

(b) Agrees to accept installment payments;

(c) Arranges for a patient to obtain creditto pay for services through a third partyfinancing company such as CareCredit; or

(d) Accepts insurance where the patient isultimately responsible for payment.

Additionally, a covered account is onewhich a dentist offers or maintains forpersonal, family, or household purposesand that involves multiple payments ortransactions, or any other account that thedentist offers or maintains for which thereis a reasonably foreseeable risk to patientsof identity theft.

What is a Red Flag? A red flag is a pattern, practice, or specificactivity that could indicate identity theft.One example may be an individual whofalsely claims to be someone else knownto the office staff. Another examplecould be a new patient who identifies thedate of birth on a form and this date doesnot match the date of birth on his orher driver’s license. These are twoexamples of possible red flags which maymake requesting further proof of identityappropriate.

How Does a Dental Office Comply with the Red Flag Rule as Currently Written?If a dental office is a creditor with at leastone covered account, the office mustadopt a written policy and proceduresdesigned to:

(1) Identify Red Flags relevant to thedental practice;

(2) Explain how Red Flags will be detected;

(3) Respond to Red Flag incidents that aredetected; and

(4) Establish procedures to administer theprogram as well as ensure that the programis reviewed and updated periodically.

While each written identity theftprevention program should contain thefour fundamental elements listed above,the FTC has indicated that one sizedoes not fit all and that dentists are freeto create a program which best suitstheir practices.

ADA Offers Assistance to Dentists on ComplianceThe ADA has worked diligently to persuadethe FTC to exclude dentists from the RedFlag Rule. The ADA believes that therules were never intended to apply todental practices, because identity theft hasnever been a serious problem in dentaloffices. The ADA believes that the rulewould have very little benefit, but wouldadd unnecessary costs to the delivery ofdental care. In fact, the ADA believes thatcompelling dentists to comply with therule could lead to serious conflicts withHIPAA privacy provisions. Therefore, the90-day delay was welcome. As a memberdentist benefit, the ADA has developed acomprehensive guide to help dental officescomply with the Red Flag Rule alongwith sample policies and procedures.The guide is available at no charge tocurrent members, and can be printedfrom the ADA web site www.ada.org(http://www.ada.org/prof/index.asp).

This article is meant to provide memberswith helpful tips. This information is notintended to provide or to be used as legaladvice. Each dental practice must appro-priately respond to the Red Flag Ruleincluding making a decision about whetherthe ADA’s information is appropriate fortheir office after careful consideration andadvice from their personal legal counsel.

Melana Kopman McClatcheyGeneral Counsel




Communications and the History of the Georgia Dental Association

October 1899The Dental World was published to giveGeorgia State Dental Society members ajournal of scientific thought and dentalopinion. (The Society became the GDA in1932.) The first issue featured articles onfilling materials, crowns and bridges, com-bination fillings, the appointment of a den-tist for the Georgia State Sanitarium, andthe advancement of dentistry. It also con-tained the proceedings of the 31st AnnualConvention in Lithia Springs in June 1899.The publication had three editors—Dr. H.Herbert Johnson, Dr. Thomas P. Hinman,and Dr. W.H. Weaver—and was publisheduntil 1903, when it merged with DentalHints, a product of the Teague SupplyCompany of Augusta. That publicationmerged in 1905 with The AmericanJournal of Dental Science, which expiredin 1909.

March 1928The Society permanently established theBulletin of the Georgia State DentalSociety. The publication was edited by Dr.Delos L. Hill of Atlanta.

1932The Bulletin of the Georgia State DentalSociety was renamed as the Journal of theGeorgia Dental Association in 1932, whenthe Society changed its name to theGeorgia Dental Association.

January 1950The GDA journal ran a “convention inpictures” spread to commemorate the 81stAnnual Meeting, the first such photo-graphic spread to appear in a GDA journal.

October 1961The largest advertising spread in the historyof the GDA journal, eight pages, waspurchased by Atlanta Dental SupplyCompany. The first ad from the companythat is archived at the GDA office is onefrom the 1928 Bulletin of the GeorgiaState Dental Society. The company is thelongest-term advertiser with the GDAjournal—they still advertise today.

April 1968The GDA journal published its first two-page photos, through the courtesy of S.S.

Swilling Dental Technicians, whose adver-tising message would have normally filledthe space. The photos conveyed publichealth messages, with children pictured onthe left pages “posing” questions to dentistspictured on the right pages.

October 1969Dr. Paul Brown resigned as GDA editorafter 19 years of service, the longest termof service by any GDA editor before or since.

Winter 1972The GDA journal featured a four colorcover for the first time. The subject matterwas the Medical College of Georgia Schoolof Dentistry building, used to illustrate afeature article on the November 1972Recognition Day held at the school. TheGDA journal also began listing thegraduates of the state’s dental hygiene

In 2009, the GDA journal will examine various aspects of the GDA’s 150-year history. This month’s article looks at the history of the jour-nal you are holding, as well as other communications vehicles the GDA has utilized. Do you want to read more about GDA history ingeneral? Visit www.gadental.org to purchase the newly published GDA history book Sesquicentennial for only $25!

HISTORYContinued on page 20



schools, along with their desired areas ofpractice, and encouraging members to hirea new graduate. At this time, pictures ofeach graduate were included. The practiceof listing the graduates continues in thejournal today, but the number of namesprecludes the inclusion of pictures.

Winter 1974The GDA journal began to accept paidclassified ads for the first time, for a chargeof 50 cents per word.

June 1979The GDA elected to publish starting in1980 two journals in February and August

and four quarterly newsletters in April,June, October, and December as a betterway to communicate with members. Theintent was to produce a newsletter (theones published were around six pageslong) that could be compiled and printedmore quickly than journals.

January 1981The GDA elected to publish 12 monthlynewsletters (still entitled Journal of theGeorgia Dental Association) and one jour-nal as a way to communicate with mem-bers. The GDA also renamed the “jour-nal,” calling it GDAction. The newslettersvaried in length from 12 to 20 pages.

September 1982The GDA continued to distribute monthlynewsletters to members. In September,

the GDA redesigned the GDActionnewsletter, and called it a publication ofthe GDA instead of a journal. Wherethe previous newsletter had beenprinted on tan stock, the redesignedpublication was printed on glossy whitestock. This newsletter varied in lengthfrom 12 to 28 pages.

July 1985The first full color feature appeared inthe GDA journal—a California DentalAssociation reprint on “The Diagnosis ofAIDS and AIDS-Related Complex inthe Dental Office.” GDA EditorRobert Gilbert made a side note to“not glove with every patient—dentistryis a touching profession,” a view widely heldat the time.

HISTORYContinued from page 19




June 1987The cover of GDA Action wasredesigned. The GDA Action nameplatebecame larger, and was centered on thefront cover instead of being placed in theupper right corner of the journal’s cover,and that look remains on the cover today.

January 1997At the House of Delegates meeting,President Jim Hall debuted the GDA Website, a small handful of Internet pages hostedon the Mindspring Internet providerservice (www.mindspring.com/~gadental).Though primitive by today’s standards,the site was state of the art at the time,and provided a valuable way for mem-bers and the general public to get infor-mation about the GDA and its activities.

March 2001The GDA Web site received its firstsignificant re-design since 1997. There-design was featured on the frontcover of GDA Action.

September 2006GDA Action became a full-color publicationfor the first time since regular publicationof a GDA journal began in 1928, 78years prior.

September 2007The GDA rolled out a redesigned Website. The site featured a high energycolor scheme as well as increased func-tionality. New features included asearchable member directory that con-tains all the information you would findin a printed GDA directory, legal arti-cles, GDA Action articles, meeting min-utes, member news, leadership and staffcontact information, a GDA calendar,and a legislative update section. TheGDA offered secure online dues pay-ments for the first time beginning inOctober 2007 for active, full dues payingmembers. As of December 5, 2007, 126members had paid dues online. TheGDA offered secure online AnnualMeeting registration in Spring 2008.





GDA Members Learn Valuable Lessons at ADA Workshop

This year 140 people representing 30states, the Alliance dental spouses group,and the National Dental Associationattended the ADA Annual Conference onMembership Recruitment and Retention.This year’s theme of “Reaching Out:Contact, Connect, Convert” focused onthe importance of networking, buildingrelationships, and communicatingvalue to help organizations increaseADA membership.

As chair of the GDA Recruitment andRetention Committee, I was honored toonce again represent Georgia at this con-ference. Others from the GDA who attendedwere GDA Director of Membership PamYungk and Committee members Dr.Wendy Mitchell (Northwestern), Dr.Amanda Merritt (Southwestern), and Dr.Roy Lehrman (Central). Kudos to theCDDS, NWDDS, and SWDDS for seeingthe value of sending a representative tothis workshop to be energized throughinnovative speakers and hands-on seminars!We all join in praising this conference forproviding practical information and ideaswe can implement at the district and / orstate level.

ADA President Dr. John Findleywelcomed the attendees and immediatelygave us a new member benefit: a guide forcompliance with the new Federal Red FlagRule. This guidance is also now available tomembers in the “members only” area ofthe ADA web site www.ada.org. Theguide contains sample identity theft detec-tion and response policy and proceduresinformation that members may downloadand personalize for their offices. This benefitalone may save members $600 in costs toimplement and manage the Red Flag Rule.

As personal communication is thekey component of the ADA’s membershipoutreach strategy, Susan RoAne, the “MinglingMaven” kicked off the 2009 conferencewith her presentation “Connecting throughConversations.” She shared her secrets ofsavvy networking and how to minglememorably to help us become morecomfortable with networking face-to-face

in order to make contacts, create connections,and build the relationships that contributeto membership success.

Information is our most valuedresource and the Tripartite MembershipExchange session provided the opportunityto share successful and innovative projectsand activities—the best practices inMember Recruitment, Retention, Recognition,Diversity, or Volunteer Recruitment andRetention from around the country.Twelve states were invited to come to themicrophone to share the “best practices”that have helped them reach out tomembers and potential members. Georgiapresented the Northwestern District’s“Thanks a Latte” member recognition /retention activity. The district prepared144 coffee cups for a 2008 meeting as away to thank returning and new members.Each cup was printed with theNorthwestern District logo and “thankyou” language and contained biscotti andtruffles as well as a Starbucks or DunkinDonuts gift card. Each gift card was worthat least $5, although there were $10, $15,and $25 cards scattered around, and two$50 ones just waiting for two lucky members.

Dr. Susan Doroshow, chair of theADA Council on Membership unveiledthe ADA’s new membership outreachstrategy, “MC2: Membership Contact andConnections.” The intent is to rebrand,reposition, and reinvigorate the Tripartite

Grassroots Membership Initiative (TGMI)and more accurately reflect the program asan ongoing strategy for membershiprecruitment and retention. This approachwill reinforce that strong connections mustbe made before organized dentistry canconvert potential members to membership.

Can Facebook, YouTube, Ning, blogposts, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other socialmedia outlets be used by dental societies inreaching out and connecting to membersand potential members? A panel discussioncalled “Reaching Out through SocialNetworking” presented real-life scenariosfrom three dental associations that havealready tapped into these tools.

The Michigan Dental Associationlaunched its Facebook group in June 2008and has experienced a substantial returnon investment from the endeavor. Theirinitial reasoning behind starting theFacebook initiative was to meet the expec-tations of today’s dental students—namelythat legitimate organizations that theywant to be a part of would be taking partin such communication mediums. Afterrelatively little promotion, the group hasgrown to more than 170 members. It hasgiven the MDA the ability to betterconnect students to the association and toone another.

The three panelists at this discussionagreed that the most challenging aspect ofthe venture is keeping the sites fresh and

Karyn Stockwell, DMD

ADA membership conference attendees from Georgia (l to r): GDA Recruitment andRetention Committee Chair Dr. Karyn Stockwell, Dr. Wendy Mitchell, Dr. Roy Lehrman,GDA Director of Membership Pam Yungk, and Dr. Amanda Merritt.




engaging. One of the major pitfalls withsocial networking / media projects is thelack of up-keep and maintenance that endsup making a site stale and uninviting.Social networking has become a primarysource for connecting with others but it isimperative to know what networks are rightfor an association’s members. Beforedeciding which social media site to use anassociation must listen, research, and supplywhat’s in demand.

The discussion “Reaching Out Duringthe Economic Downturn” presented per-spectives on how the economy may impactthe profession and organized dentistry andhow communications can be a critical strategicmanagement tool during challengingeconomic times. Two rounds of BreakoutSessions featured a variety of topics toassist with membership outreach efforts.

After an awards reception that com-memorated the ADA’s 150th anniversary,our Georgia contingent held a dinnercommittee meeting. We discussed our newmember orientation progressive dinner /tour of dental offices idea, ideas for honoringcertain membership anniversaries thatmembers reach, and the potential involve-ment by the GDA in social media outreach.

On Saturday we learned how to make

effective recruitment and retention calls,handle objections, and build telephonescripts to use for non-members and membersat risk in Jim Rosas’ presentation “Takingthe Chill Out of the Membership OutreachCall.” The conference wrapped up Saturdayafternoon with an energetic “Cruisin’Through Life at 35 MPH” workshop withBrian Blasko who invited us to discoverand maximize our own personal potentialby learning how to gain some “fuel” for ourinternal gas tank…we all left with “gas”!

The 2010 Annual Conference onRecruitment and Retention will beMarch 19-20, 2010, in Chicago. I’dlike to strongly request that eachdistrict fund a representative to attendthis informative conference. Our goalis for 100% district representation! I can’temphasize enough how very helpfulattendance at this workshop is to help gaina national perspective, to network withother states, to share successful programs,to refocus and hone our recruiting effortsof new members and volunteers, and tokeep the momentum going when wereturn to our districts. There is no cost forthe workshop which includes breakfastFriday and Saturday and a lunch and areception on Friday. The district would

only need to budget for airfare to Chicagoand 2 nights’ accommodations. With sucha sweet deal how can you not send anattendee in 2010? Districts are welcome tocontact me at [email protected] or PamYungk at [email protected] for moreinformation.

Thank you for the opportunity toserve on this committee, and thank you toPam Yungk and all of our Committeemembers who are planning to put ourgood ideas to work—Drs. Kara Moore(Central), Roy Lehrman (Central),Matthew Elder (Eastern), Daren Becker(Northern), Wendy Mitchell (Northwestern),Gerald Kramer (Southeastern), AmandaMerritt (Southwestern), and Jeff Serff(Western). We will continue to work hardto let Georgia dentists know about thevalue of membership.




Seventeen Georgia Alliance members plusthree spouses recently attended theAlliance of the American DentalAssociation (AADA) 2009 Conference inBaltimore. The conference co-chaired byGeorgia members Shari Carter and MaryPercy was “over the top.” Every detail wascarefully attended to from the variousactivities, meeting rooms, speakers, foodselection, flower arrangements, and spe-cial gifts from Mary’s frequent trips toChina (silk scarves, purses, shoe bags,pearl bracelets, and many wonderful doorprizes). The Georgia Alliance was proud tosupport the conference and both Mary andShari by being a Bronze Sponsor.

Thirty two Alliance members andspouses, twelve from Georgia, started witha pre-conference tour of Washington, DC.Debbie Torbush, along with a local tourcompany and several staff members fromU.S. Representative John Linder’s office,including Alliance member DerrickCorbett, helped put together the day’sactivities. We toured Washington, stoppedat several monuments, were surroundedby the Presidential motorcade not oncebut twice, and were fortunate to have Rep.Linder schedule a photo op with us and avisit to the U.S. Capitol.

The 2009 conference started with aWelcome Event where the Georgia atten-dees stood out in special silk scarves.Throughout the three days, we heard somegreat speakers, participated in wonderfulworkshops, attended several social events,including a reception at the NationalMuseum of Dentistry, and renewed anddeveloped many friendships.

Kick-off speaker Sheryl Roush gavean upbeat presentation entitled “Sparkle-Tude: Communication with Confidence.”

Her talk fit in perfectly with the newlyformed AADA Membership Councilwhich has been charged with creatingideas for retention and recruitment ofmembers. Communication is critical inretaining members, and the MembershipCouncil surveyed and discussed with cur-rent members what they want from theAlliance, gathered testimonials, and solicit-ed help in establishing a list of “How To”projects such as Georgia’s WandaWondersmile puppet show, all during anetworking lunch. Mary and Shari sup-ported the Council’s Theme of “Find theShoe that Fits” by providing all attendeeswith silk shoe bags and the council mem-bers with silk shoe design scarves.

Fortunately the Georgia Alliance contin-ues to be the largest in the country, whichhelps to support many of our award win-ning projects.

The Legislative Advocacy Breakfastand Workshop fired everyone up about theimportance of participating in local, state,and national politics, and joining both yourstate PAC and ADPAC. Mike Dunn pre-sented many tips for developing relation-ships with politicians, which he called the“Gold Standard of Politics.” He empha-sized the importance of involvement andstated many times that the Alliance is acritical component of establishing thoserelationships. If you were not involved inpolitics or a PAC member before Mike’s

Alliance of the Georgia Dental Association Shines in BaltimoreDebbie TorbushAADA District III Trustee

District 3 Members in Baltimore (l to r): Telia Anderson, Linda Broderick (GA), JanelleKauffman (GA), Molly Bickford (GA), Jean Harrington (GA), Mary Percy (GA), FranBrown (GA), Rose Marie Dougherty (GA), Gigi Kudyba (GA), Dr. Janine Bethea-Freihaut (GA), Helaine Sugarman (GA), Susan Rainwater (GA), Peggy Rives, MaryMiller (GA), Nancy Ferguson (GA), Debbie Torbush (GA), Sherry Kendrick (GA), andDebi Stewart. Not shown: Georgia’s Shari Carter and Deena Attia.

alliance




talk, I am sure everyone wanted to bewhen they arrived home. We are fortunatein Georgia with what I feel is a well-oiledlegislative machine, with our numerousLAW Days thanks to the GDA staff ledby Executive Director Martha Phillips.Among AADA states, the Georgia Alliancealways has the largest percentage of statePAC members, but we were also recog-nized at the breakfast for the most ADPACmembers!

Georgia member Gigi Kudyba, theAADA Dental Health Education CouncilChair (DHE), hosted the afternoon ofDHE presentations. A presentation by Dr.Bill Smith reminded us that even educatedindividuals may have difficulty with oralhealth literacy. Two final presentersencouraged our joint participation with theAmerican Medical Association Auxiliary inthe “Screen Out” campaign which isdesigned to help eliminate smoking inyouth-oriented movies. The AADA web

site (www.allianceada.org) has manylinks to information regarding legislativeadvocacy, DHE, and the “Screen Out”Campaign.

Award presentations are always ahighlight, and Georgia was well-represent-ed at Conference 2009. Molly Bickfordwas awarded the Beulah K. Spencer NewMember Service Award, while DeenaAttia, Jean Harrington, and SusanRainwater were awarded First TimeAttendee Conference Grants.

We are delighted that both Mary andShari will continue as AADA ConferenceChairs for 2010, and I hope that Georgiawill again have the largest group in atten-dance and be the recipient of numerousawards. We would love to have you join us,both as an Alliance member and at the2010 Conference!

Georgia Alliance members with U.S.Representative John Linder: Back row, lto r: Mary Percy, Rep. Linder, DebbieTorbush, Mary Miller, Gigi Kudyba,Janelle Kauffman, and Dr. JayHarrington. Front row, l to r: Shari Carter,Molly Bickford, Dr. Janine Bethea-Freihaut, Linda Broderick, Rose MarieDougherty, and Jean Harrington.




classified ads

DENTAL RELATEDSERVICES

X-RAY SAFETY CERTIFICATION fordental assistants. Complies 100% withGeorgia law. This six-hour course has cer-tified over a thousand x-ray machine oper-ators. Send $139.99 per registrant withname(s) to: Dr. Rick Waters, 385Pinewood Circle, Athens, GA 30606. Visitwww.acteva.com/go/laser for next daydelivery, credit card payment, or theNEW! online version. Call (706) 255-4499for more information.

DENTISTS AVAILABLEFOR FILL IN WORK /LOCUM TENENS

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

Let your office PROFIT through con-tinued PRODUCTION and PEACE ofmind while you are away: Experiencedlicensed & insured dentist with over 20years of private general practice availableduring vacation, maternity leave, disability,family emergencies, attending CE coursesor unforeseen illness, or medical leave. Whethera day or a month, or on short term notice,I can help. Please contact me at (770) 552-7075 or via georgiatempdent.com todiscuss your special needs.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE / LEASE

Sirona Orthophos Plus Panorex with Ceph.Film based with 16 pre-programmed func-tions. Bought new in 2003. $8500 in excel-lent condition. Please call (706) 265-1700or email [email protected].

Plan Meca 2002 CC panoramic x-rayunit. Makes excellent images. AirTechniques A/T 2000 processor. Bothin good condition. Best offer. (404) 352-1911 or [email protected].

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Pediatric Dentist Needed in a busymulti-specialty practice including orthodontics.Located in the metro Atlanta area for 25years. Full-time employment is available;however, part-time will be considered.Great benefits and salary with monthlybonus. Well-established practice thatprovides pediatric and sedation dentistry.Please fax resumes to (404) 349-8459.

How GDA members canplace classified ads

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLASSIFIEDSContinued on page 28




We have an excellent opportunity for atalented Associate to join our rapidly growing,well established Family and Cosmetic officein Johns Creek / North Fulton County. Wehave a new facility with modern equipmentand a large patient base. This full time positionis available immediately. Please email yourresume to [email protected] fax it to (678) 957-0778.

Part-time / Full time Motivated Associateneeded in a well-established, busy familydental practice, located West of Atlanta.Large patient base will keep you busy fromthe day you start, supported by a dedicatedteam of staff. Excellent compensationpackage. New graduates welcome to apply!Bring a smile of professionalism and qual-ity of dentistry and start today! Sendresume / CV to [email protected].

Top Atlanta cosmetic practiceseeking associate dentist for restorativework in a thriving Buckhead practice.Requires five years’ experience. Must havefriendly chair side manner and excellentclinical skills. Guaranteed $200K peryear plus bonuses. Please send resumes [email protected].

Atlanta: Associate / Ownership positionsimmediately available in several practicescollecting $520,000-$1.6 million. Newgraduates welcome. Income potential$180,000-$360,000 year 1. E-mail my staffat [email protected].

East Metro Atlanta—Associate Dentist.Established dynamic practice offers aunique opportunity for motivated profes-sionals. No empty chairs…No insuranceclaim problems…With career high incomepotential. New graduates welcome…Nodebt and no initial practice setup. ContactTina Titshaw at [email protected] call (678) 413-8130 or fax resume to(770) 760-1375.

PRACTICES / SPACE /LOTS FOR SALE / LEASE / SHARE

Ortho space for lease in Smyrna,Marietta, Austell. Low start up cost & /or satellite office space. Open bay withmurals along with some referrals. CallMegan at (770) 333-9952 for more information.

CLASSIFIEDSContinued from page 27




2500 +/- s.f. space available for a GPor specialist in A class professional centeroff of I-85 and Clairmont road in Atlanta.Also dental space available in Hiram, GA.Upscale center has other health profes-sionals and general dentist. Ideal forOrthodontist / Pediatric dentist.Intersection of Hwy 278 & 120. Please call(770) 590-4884 (o), or (678) 640-5466 (c).

N. Fulton / CRABAPPLE – DENTALOFFICE CONDO: 3-4 operatories, 1675sq. ft. New in 2001 SAVE – NO costlyleasehold improvements / build out. Leaseor Purchase @ $2350 per month (ownerfinance). Contact [email protected].

Dental Office Building: For sale or lease3200+ square feet, one acre lot, privateparking lot. Henry / Clayton county line(Mt. Zion Road) very close to I-75 exit.High traffic count. Attractive brick build-ing, excellent condition. Seven treatmentrooms, all wired for computers, N2O. Call(404) 550-3817.

SANDERSVILLE, GEORGIA: Freestanding building with 4 fully equippedoperatories. Beautiful, efficient T.H.E.design. Priced below Southeast Transitionsappraisal. Partial owner financing avail-able. Ideal start up practice or satellite /specialist opportunity. Walk into a well-established practice of 27 years in a nicefamily-oriented small town. Owner is retir-ing but will stay to introduce. (478) 552-1230 Day, (478) 552-2289 Evening.

North Georgia Mountains: Well-estab-lished practice for sale in beautiful, con-sistently growing area. Modern equip-ment. Computers in all operatories.Mountain views. Enthusiastic cross-trained staff. Ideal for solo or group prac-tice. Also for sale eight year old eye-catch-ing glass professional building availableseparately or with practice. Nationalrecognition for office design. 10,000square feet housing this practice plus adental specialist and a state agency. Highlytraveled highway frontage. The best of abig-city practice in a relaxed countryatmosphere and a warm, friendly patientenvironment. (706) 745-6848.

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Dental Practice / Office Condo,Jonesboro, GA. Southern Regional Hospitalarea. Attractive office space, 1100 sq. ft., 3operatories plumbed / 2 equipped, largelab, and private office with shower. Payyourself rent. Move right in. Buy practiceor real estate only. Close to interstate andshort walk to public transportation.Contact Dean Cox (678) 584-4477.

MANY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES NOWAVAILABLE: Smyrna: gross $340K;Gainesville: gross $430K; Duluth: gross$700K; Commerce: gross $1.1M;Buford: gross $500K; Cumming: gross$850K. Call Southeast Transitions at (678)482-7305 or email [email protected] or visit www.southeasttransi-tions.com for more details on those andother opportunities.

PRACTICES FOR SALE—for moreinformation, call Dr. Earl Douglas,ADS South, (770) 664-1982: ATLANTA#8557: Gross $770,141; 4 days 3 operato-ries; 1,131 sq. ft. office space. CARROLLCOUNTY #8428: Gross $609,663; 4 days 4operatories; 2,000 sq. ft. office space.Additional plumbed but unequipped oper-atory. DULUTH OFFICE SPACE &EQUIPMENT FOR SALE #8393: Five(open-bay) operatory office with aPlanmeca pan/ceph. Equipment willinclude 4 chairs, 5 delivery units, 10 com-puters, and misc. office equipment. LIL-BURN #8516: Gross $1.07 Million; 5 days8 operatories; 3,000 sq. ft. office space.RIVERDALE #8517: Gross $836,285; 4days 8 operatories; 4,030 sq. ft. officespace. Two additional plumbed butunequipped operatories. SOUTHEAST-ERN GEORGIA #8172: Gross $796,640;4 days 5 operatories; 1,732 sq. ft. officespace. ALSO ASSOCIATE POSITIONSAVAILABLE, contact Vikki Howard (910)523-1949.

SEEKING ASSOCIATESHIP /JOB (DENTISTS) / WANT TO BUY PRACTICE

Georgia licensed dentist & Emory grad,with over 24 years of private general prac-tice, seeks a position in a GreaterAtlanta fee-for-service practice. I enjoycomprehensive dentistry involving bothchildren and adults, with an emphasis oncosmetic and implant restorative dentistry.Please contact Dr. Victor Maya at (404)543-4380 or email at [email protected].

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

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ACTIONInside This Issue

• How the ARRA COBRASubsidy Affects Dentists

• FTC Delays Red Flag RuleImplementation Until August 1

DATED MATERIALPLEASE DELIVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE



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