the journal of the philadelphia county dental society volume 82 issue 2

July/August/September 2015

The Journalof the Philadelphia County Dental Society

July/August/September 2016

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THE JOURNAL of the Philadelphia County Dental Society ________________________________________________________________________________ First District of the Pennsylvania Dental Association July/August/September 2016 Vol. 82 No. 3 _____________________________________________________________________________________________

CONTENTS Important Information for Dentists and Staff .....................................2

PDA Takes UCCI to PA Insurance Commissioner ............................2

President’s Message ............................................................................32016 PCDS Scholarships Awarded .....................................................4PCDS Members at PA Dental Meeting ...............................................52016 Liberty CE Programs ..................................................................6Philadelphia Enacts Fair Criminal Screening Ordinance ...................8Philadelphia Fair Criminal Screening Poster ......................................9Newsbriefs..........................................................................................10HIPAA Audits May Be on the Horizon for Dentists.........................14Become a Mentor ...............................................................................15Medicare Opt In/Out Delayed until 2017 ..........................................15Membership Report ............................................................................16Health Watch ......................................................................................17Dental Dates.......................................................................................20Classified Ads ...................................................................................23Workplace Tips ..................................................................................24

The JOURNAL is published by the Philadelphia County Dental Society, One Independence Place, 241 South 6th Street, Unit #C3101, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3797.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author under whose name they appear and are not to be regarded as representing the views of the Philadelphia County Dental Society unless so indicated.

All advertising materials and correspondence, including classified advertisements and replies should be sent to: JOURNAL of the Philadelphia County Dental Society, One Independence Place, 241 South 6th Street, Unit #C3101, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3797.

The Philadelphia County Dental Society does not approve or disapprove any products or services advertised in the JOURNAL.

Articles for publication may be sent directly to the Editor electronically via e-mail to [email protected] Articles and classified advertisements should be submitted as Word documents; all other advertising should be submitted in .pdf format (Adobe 6.0 or higher). Contact the Society via telephone or e-mail if you require additional information. Deadline for copy is the first of the month PRECEDING the month of issue.

Subscription is included in the annual dues. The JOURNAL is published electronically 4 times a year, January through December. Single printed copies: $4.00. Standard postage paid at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Copyright 2016. The Philadelphia County Dental Society.

Saul N. Miller, D.D.S., '18Editor Stanley B. Toplan, D.D.S. Associate Editor Teresa F. RavertExecutive Director

OFFICERS Andrew J. Mramor, D.D.S.President Renee H. Fennell-Dempsey, D.M.D.President-Elect Judith A McFadden, D.M.D. Secretary A J. Chialastri, D.D.S.Secretary Emeritus Rochelle G. Lindemeyer, D.M.D. Treasurer Stanley B. Toplan, D.D.S.Historian

GOVERNORS Peter J. Carroll, D.D.S., '18Jay M. Goldberg, D.D.S., '18Kevin J. Klatte, D.M.D., '16Michael A. Koumaras, D.M.D., '16Stanley W. Markiewicz, D.D.S., '17Thomas P. Nordone, D.M.D, '16Jonathan Siegel, D.M.D., '17• • •Anand V. Rao, D.M.D., '17PDA TrusteeThomas W. Gamba, D.D.S., '16ADA First Vice President• • •EXECUTIVE OFFICES: One Independence Place 241 South 6th Street, Unit #C3101Philadelphia, PA 19106-3797215-925-6050 FAX: 215-925-6998 E-mail: [email protected] WEB: www.philcodent.org

THE JOURNAL OF THE PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETY2

Important Information for Dentists & StaffPennsylvania law requires clearances when interacting with or treating children

New provisions in Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law require individuals to obtain several clearances every five years if, in the course of their employment or volunteer activities, they have either:

o Direct contact with children because they provide care, supervision, guidance or control of children, or o Routine interaction with children defined as “regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person’s

employment responsibilities.”

To help determine which members of your dental office staff need certifications, you may want to consult with your insurance carrier or attorney. However, PDA advises members to err on the side of caution and have all staff having any contact with children obtain the certifications.

The following certifications are needed to comply with this law:o Report of criminal history from PA State Police o Child Abuse History Certification from PA Department of Human Services o Federal criminal history from FBI

Use these websites for instructions and links to apply for these certifications:Keep Kids Safe (http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov/clearances/index.htm)Child Abuse History Clearance Forms(https://www.dhs.pa.gov/publications/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm#.VyeP5JvZAgu)Child Welfare Information (https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home)You are required to keep copies of your certifications, and those of your employees. You must also require prospective employees to produce these documents prior to employment. Clearances obtained for volunteer purposes cannot be used for employment purposes, but employment clearances are acceptable for volunteer activities.To ensure that you are in full compliance with Pennsylvania’s child abuse laws, be sure to register for PDA’s custom designed CE course (Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Requirements for Dental Professionals) which is offered in multiple locations across the state for both members and your professional dental staff. This program will fulfill the two-hour training requirement and count toward the CE credit hours you need to renew your dental license in March 2017. (http://www.padental.org/Online/Events/Child_Abuse_CE.aspx).

Please email Marisa Swarney of the PDA government relations staff ([email protected]), or call (800) 223-0016, with any questions or concerns about child abuse clearances.

PDA Takes United Concordia Dentalto PA Insurance Commissioner

PDA recently announced to members that it has asked the PA Insurance Commissioner to investigate Un ted Concordia Dental (UCCI). In response to UCCI’s recent decision to reduce fees, PDA acted to aggressively protect members’ best interests by immediately pur-suing a state investigation of this highly ques-tionable action. Hearing members’ growing and serious concerns, PDA’s legal counsel sent a letter to the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance requesting an investi-gation of dental insurers’ unfair policies, arguing that the uneven playing field in which insurers dominate is detrimental to both dental providers and the patients they serve.

To read the letter, visit online at http://www.padental.org/Images/OnlineDocs/ResourcesPrograms/Insurance/letter.pdf (member log in required). PDA will continue to work on behalf of its members, making sure that policymakers understand how dental insurers’ egregious prac-tices impact dentists and their ability to render quality care, and the need to investigate and hold these insurers accountable. Stay aware of the latest on this issue by visiting PDA’s website at www.padental.org (member log in required – click Programs and Resources, then Insurance).

THE JOURNAL OF THE PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETY 3

President’s MessageAndrew J. Mramor, D.D.S.

Vacation time is upon us once again. On behalf of the Dental Society, I would like to wish you a safe and enjoyable summer. Please be sure to take along this edition of The Journal on your mobile device for some leisure reading. The 2016 Pennsylvania Dental Meeting (PDM) was held on May 19-21 at The Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA. Since the PDA House

of Delegates was dissolved two years ago, the format of the meeting continues to evolve. The core of the event is now focused on providing opportunities for membership with continuing education programs and an exhibit hall. The annual association business meeting also occurred, and it was an informational session open to all PDA members in attendance which included a question and answer segment. Some organizational business still happens behind the scenes and several officers from the Dental Society were there to represent the interests of the First District. Mark your calendar now for the 2017 PDM which will be held on April 21-22 at The Hotel Hershey. By the time that you read this, the 2016 MOM-N-PA will have happened on June 3 and 4 in Pittsburgh at the David Lawrence Convention Center. Organizers were expecting to provide free dental services to up-wards of 2,000 patients. Final details regarding par-ticipation outcomes will be made available once they are tallied. You can help with the 2017 Mission by volunteering your services or making a donation via the website at http://www.mom-n-pa.com/ A PDA New Dentist Event was held in Phila-delphia on May 4 at the Hilton Garden Inn. In atten-dance were New Dentists from First and Second Dis-tricts, along with local leaders from both districts and the President-Elect of the PDA, Dr. Bruce Terry. PDA staff and members of the New Dentist Committee organized the event to promote the numerous benefits of organized dentistry. The Philadelphia County Dental Society also recruited several New Dentists who are interested in serving and representing the First District on several committees, both locally and at the PDA. The Dental Society will be hosting a similar New Dentist mixer in the fall. We had hoped to hold it this summer but due to scheduling conflicts, we had to reschedule. Once the final details are hashed out, we will advertise the event. Early participation in orga-nized dentistry can be very beneficial to the profes-sional development of New Dentists, especially when new to living and practicing in Philadelphia. Becoming a volunteer member provides a great opportunity to network and receive mentoring from your colleagues. As previously noted in my first President's Message, that is exactly what I did when I moved to the city.

Please contact the Dental Society if you have any interest in becoming more involved with First District. For any member with special interest in mem-bership issues facing organized dentistry, the PDA is hosting a Membership Summit on Friday, July 29 in Camp Hill, PA. Join your colleagues from across Pennsylvania to discuss members’ needs and expecta-tions and to generate ideas for programs and services that PDA can provide to satisfy members. Please contact Mary Donlin, PDA Director of Membership, at 800-223-0016, ext. 131, or [email protected] with ques-tions about the Summit or registration. The PDA has announced that it will be hosting a Speed Mentoring Event for dental students in the fall on September 15, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Inn at Penn. The event is open to Temple and Penn students, and all member dentists. Students will be placed into groups of three and have 15, five-minute mentoring sessions with member dentists. Dinner will be provided. We will need your help to make this event a success! Online registration will open shortly. Please contact Andrea Hoover at 800- 223-0016, ext. 123, or [email protected] with questions about this event. If you cannot attend the aforementioned event but you are looking for a mentor or want to become a mentor, consider direct enrollment in PDA’s Connec-tions Mentoring Program. Mentees are matched with mentors based on specific criteria like practice location, practice type and specialty. For 2016, mentors can receive $50 to help fund mentoring activities, like taking their mentee to lunch or a local meeting. To enroll, head to www.padental.org/mentoring On May 16, representatives from PDA and the Pennsylvania Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Sur-geons testified before the House Insurance Committee in support of HB 973, legislation requiring insurers to directly assign benefits to any provider, upon patients’ request, regardless of the provider’s participation with the insurance plan. PDA continues to aggressively lob-by for enactment of assignment of benefits legislation. We have spent several months working with Senate and House leaders and staff on language that satisfied their concerns about adequate consumer protection safeguards when patients need dental treatment in emergency situations. We are hopeful that the Com-mittee will vote in favor HB 973. Please consider making a contribution to PADPAC to help continue our lobbying efforts in Harrisburg. It has been a busy spring as usual, and I am looking forward to some rest and relaxation. However, remember that we at the Dental Society continue to work for you year round. If there is anything that you need, please don't hesitate to contact us.


2016 PCDS Scholarships Awarded Scholarships were awarded to two dental students on May 20, 2016 during the CE program at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue Hotel. The scholarship fund was initiated by the Board of Governors in 1992 to help dental students meet immediate financial needs. We know that the majority of graduates will leave dental school with overwhelming debt. In fact, the average debt now exceeds $247,000.00. So, the scholarship award is just one very small way in which we can encourage and assist them as they try to cope with studies, homes, families and jobs. The Scholarship Fund consists of voluntary contributions from members and friends of the Philadelphia County Dental Society. The Selec-tion Committee awarded a $500 scholarship to two outstanding applicants. They are members of the American Student Dental Association, have excellent grades and were highly and enthusiastically recom-mended by their teachers. In their applications for the scholarship, each of them made reference to their own experiences as new-comers to this country, their desire to be involved in community work and to maintain membership in our tripartite dental associations. Moreover, each of them conveyed a passion for dentistry and a sound commit-ment to patients, especially those with the greatest need.

Yassmin Parsaei. . . University of Pennsyl-vania School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2018. Yassmin is a graduate of Yale University, the first member of her family to attend college, with a degree in molecular, cel-

lular and developmental biology. Her family immigrated to America and she saw a lack of accessible, quality medical and dental care in her community. When her mother suffered a dental emergency, the family met with a dentist who understood their financial situation and extended care to her mother at a reduced fee. This gesture prompted Yassmin to think

seriously about a career in dentistry. At Penn, she was selected to participate in the Penn Dental Medicine Community Service Honors Program. A requirement of the program is to design and, upon approval, imple-ment a community service project. Yassmin developed and piloted an oral health care education program for homeless and underserved populations in Philadelphia. She was responsible for finding a site, developing appropriate programming, writing information pieces and recruiting volunteers. Every day, Yassmin is eager to create a lasting, positive impact on the life of her patients and the community she serves.

Hai Truong. . . Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2017. Hai arrived in the United States after grad-uating from high school in Vietnam. He began his college studies at Com-munity College of Phila-

delphia, while continuing in a full-time job. Due to his hard work and perseverance, he was offered a prestigious Dean’s Transfer Scholarship that allowed him to attend Drexel University. His first job as a licensed nail technician, his affinity for biology and chemistry and his hobby of paper-crafting (creating replicas of world-famous architecture) all combined to nurture in him a desire to become dentist. He is excited about interfacing scientific fundamentals with manual skills and providing caring, compassionate treatment for his patients. During his shadowing experiences prior to dental school, Hai learned that there is a great need in the Vietnamese community for medical and dental care due to cultural and language barrier issues and he looks forward to serving as a dentist for that community.

Dentistry will continue to be in good hands with the addition of these students as colleagues. Yassmin and Hai were the Society’s guests at the CE luncheon and were enthusiastically applauded by attendees for their achievements.


PCDS Members Attend PA Dental Meeting

In attendance at the PA Dental Meeting in Hershey, May 19 to 21 were: (l-r) PCDS President Dr. Andrew J. Mramor; PDA First District trustee, Dr. Anand V. Rao; and PCDS president-elect, Dr. Renee Fennell Dempsey.

Photos courtesy of Dr. Saul N. Miller.

PDA president, Dr. Wade Newman, presented the PDA Recognition Award to Dr. Susan M. Chialastri, associate professor and clinical scholar in periodontology at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry.

Dr. Susan M. Chialastri (c), with members of her family (l-r) sister, Jill Albaugh; father and mother, Dr. Gus and Dottie Chialastri, and PDA chief executive officer, Camille Kostelac Cherry. The PDA Recognition Award is given to a dentist “who has contributed original research, whose significant achievements and high standards have been of such character as to have materially aided and advanced the science and art of dentistry or whose public life and activities have been of such a nature as to reflect great credit upon the health profession.”

6 THE JOURNAL OF THE PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETY

The 2016 Liberty Continuing Education Seriesat the Philadelphia Hilton City Avenue Hotel

4200 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PATwo full-day programs remain in the 2016 schedule

(individual full-day courses, $175.00/PCDS Member Dentist)

CE 94 – Wednesday, September 21, 2016

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Thomas Viola, R.P.H., C.C.P. – The Most Frequently Prescribed Medications and Their Clinical Dental Implications and Patient Care Considerations in the Management of Dental Pain – With the recent explosion of new drug and treatment protocols, dental professionals may not be familiar with the therapeutics of medications used in disease state management. This program will provide an update of the most frequently prescribed brand name medications, especially those which impact dental therapy. Indications, adverse reactions, drug interactions, and dental considerations will also be discussed. Due to their potential for producing systemic adverse reactions, knowledge of the therapeutics of local anesthetics and analgesics is essential for their safe and effective use. Discussions will include local anesthetics, non-opioid analgesics and opioid analgesics, and pain management planning based upon a patient’s medical conditions. (7 CE credits)

CE 95 – Wednesday, October 26, 20168:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – John Nadeau – Dental Sleep Medicine Seminar – This presentation will include an analysis of patients' symptoms and how to screen for them, scripts for an effective patient interview, how to motivate the dental team to engage patients on the subject, the morphology of the airway, comorbidities to look out for, the effects to the systemic organs, the reimbursement strategy and insurance billing using dental and medical coding. The program incorporates an interactive hands-on approach with the attendees changing roles as simulated patients and providers. Diagnostic equipment and intra-oral sleep appliances will be provided for demonstration. The objectives of this unique program will be to: 1) provide attendees with the knowledge of patient screening, diagnosis and treatment modalities for Obstructive Sleep Apnea; 2) enable attendees to have a hands-on experience with OSA diagnostic equipment; 3. encourage and enable the continuation of education in sleep dysfunction in order to provide service to the millions of sleep apnea sufferers. (7 CE credits)

presented in cooperation with Sleep Group Solutions

PCDS Continuing EducationConvenient Relevant Affordable

Helping you meet your legal and ethical responsibilities.

Register online at http://www.philcodent.org/members/programs.aspx or complete the Reservation Form

Participating Partners for these courses include:Garfield Refining; PDAIS; PNC Bank; The Insurance Agency for Dentists. Visit the web

site at www.philcodent.orgfor updates on the list of principal sponsors and participating partners


Register online at the Web Site: www.philcodent.org Use a SEPARATE reservation form for each person - this form may be duplicated.

RESERVATION FORM / 2016 LIBERTY CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS

PCDS MEMBER NAME _________________________________________________________________ADA # ______________________ TEL # (_____)________________ FAX # (_____)_______________ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________________CITY/STATE/ZIP__________________________________E-MAIL _____________________________ATTENDEE’S NAME ___________________________________________________________________

PCDS FULL DAY PROGRAMS – indicate the CODE NUMBER for each course you choose [i.e., CE 91]

____ PCDS Member for 1 FULL DAY program: #____ $175.00

____ PCDS Member for 2 FULL DAY programs @ $175.00/per: #____ ____ $350.00

____ ADA Member Dentist, for EACH FULL DAY program: # ____ $250.00(Include a copy of your current ADA membership card)

____ Non-Member Dentist, for EACH FULL DAY program: # ____ $300.00

____ Staff employed by PCDS Member for EACH FULL DAY program: #____ $ 95.00

____ Staff employed by Non-Member, for EACH FULL DAY program: #____ $125.00

PAYMENT ENCLOSED IN THE AMOUNT OF ………………………………………… $______Method of Payment: Check Visa MasterCard American Express

Credit Card # _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exp. Date _ _ / _ _Signature (required for charge cards): ______________________________________

Billing Address for Card (required): ________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail to PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETYOne Independence Place – 241 South 6th Street – Unit #C3101 - Philadelphia, PA 19106-3797

TELEPHONE: 215-925-6050 FAX: 215-925-6998 (call to confirm our receipt of FAX)

Confirmation, Tickets & Instructions will be mailed to you approximately 10 days prior to each course.CE transcripts will be mailed to you each year in December. Each attendee is responsible for forwarding copies to the appropriate licensing or accrediting agencies (State Board, AGD, Specialty Boards, etc.).

CE Available Online through JADALicensed U.S. dentists can earn up to three CE credits each month through the JADA Online Continuing Education Program. To participate, go to http://jada.ada.org and choose the “CE” menu option. Credit for JADA CE is provided through the ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) and administered by Elsevier, JADA’s publishing house. ADA members will continue to receive JADA CE at a discounted rate. ADA members must be registered for ADA.org members-only content and have

an ADA.org password to receive discounted testing fees. Those who have never registered for members-only content will need to obtain a password by contacting the ADA at 800-621-8099 x 3553 or 312-440-2500 (weekdays 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Central Time), or sending an email to [email protected] (include your membership number in your email).


Philadelphia EnactsFair Criminal Screening Ordinance Effective March 14, 2016, all employers in the City of Philadelphia are no longer able to ask job candidates questions about previous criminal convic-tions or to conduct a criminal background check until after a conditional offer of employment is made. The updated ordinance (Bill #1l0lll-A) also specifically prohibits the use of a form that includes a question regarding criminal convictions – even if it instructs the candidates not to answer until after an offer of employment is made. There is also a mandatory new poster restating the major elements of what is now called Phila-delphia’s Fair Chance Hiring Law.” The ordinance requires that employers display the new poster “in a conspicuous place on the employer’s website and premises, where applicants and employees will be most likely to notice and read it.” (A copy of the poster is printed on page 9.) During the application process, employers will be able to notify applicants of the intention to perform a criminal background check following a conditional offer of employment, provided that the notice is con-cise and states that any consideration of the back-ground check will be tailored to meet the require-ments of the job. Once the criminal check has been processed, employers can only consider convictions within the preceding seven years. After obtaining the

results, the employer must determine if the criminal conviction has a bearing on the job sought and whether or not the applicant would present an unacceptable risk to the operation of the business, to co-workers or to customers. The job offer cannot be revoked unless the employer performs the individualized assessment and concludes that hiring the applicant would pose an unacceptable risk in the position applied for or the applicant fails to meet another legal or physical job requirement. If the conditional offer of employment is revoked, the employer must provide written notice of the decision and the basis for the decision, along with a copy of the criminal history report. The employer must also give the applicant ten business days to pro-vide any evidence of inaccuracy or to give an explanation. You are advised to check with your attorney and/or human resources department and carefully review your employment forms, application pro-cedures and screening processes for compliance before posting any future employment opportunities. Access and download the Bill at http://legislation.phila.gov/attachments/11330.pdf For more information and FAQ, visit http://www.phila.gov/HumanRelations/DiscriminationAndEnforcement/Pages/BanTheBox.aspx

October 20-25 – Denver, Colorado

Distinguished Speakers Series featuring Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala YousafzaiMs.Yousafzai, who has campaigned for the rights of girls to receive an education since she was 10, attracted international attention in 2012 after the then-15-year-old was shot by the Taliban in a school bus in northern Pakistan. Following the attack, she made a remarkable recovery and became well enough to return to school. She continues to campaign for the right of every child to go toschool, and has refused to be silenced.

The New Dentist ConferenceIf you have been out of dental school less than 10 years, you won’t want to miss this (includes customized CE track, and more.)

Continuing Education - October 20-23Hundreds of cutting-edge educational opportunities.Take advantage of hands-on workshops, lectures and seminars, the ever popular live patient Education in the Round and more.

October 20-22: Dental MarketplaceSee and learn about the newest materials, devices, products and technology for your dental practice.

To register for the Meeting and for more information about hotels and air fares, visit

ADA.org/meeting


*Some employers are exempt.

It is illegal in Philadelphia for employers* to ask about your criminal background during the job application process.

This means that:

Employers cannot ask about your criminal background on job applications or during any job interview. Employers can run your criminal background check ONLY AFTER a conditional offer of employment is made (final hiring depends on the results of your background check).

Criminal convictions can be considered ONLY if they occurred less than 7 years from when you apply (not counting time of incarceration).

Arrests that did not lead to conviction cannot be used in employment decisions.

If your background check reveals a conviction, the employer must consider: The type of offense and the time that has

passed since it occurred; Its connection to the job you are applying for;

and Your job history, character references, and any

evidence of rehabilitation.

Employers can reject you based on your criminal record ONLY if you pose an unacceptable risk to the business or to other people.

If you are rejected, the employer must send the decision to you in writing with a copy of the background report used to make the decision.

You have 10 days to give an explanation of your record, proof that it is wrong, or proof of rehabilitation.

WE CAN HELP! If you believe an employer has violated the law, you can file a complaint with the PCHR.

Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations 601 Walnut Street, Suite 300 South

Philadelphia, PA 19106 (p) (215) 686-4670 (f) 215-686-4684

email: [email protected] www.phila.gov/humanrelations

PHILADELPHIA’S FAIR CHANCE HIRING LAW

Starting March 14, 2016, stronger protections under the City’s “Ban the Box” law go into effect.

ENSURING PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TO WORK


NewsbriefsDOL Issues Final Overtime Pay Rule On May 18, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) published its final ruling on overtime pay, after gathering more than 270,000 comments. The ruling requires businesses to pay overtime wages to salaried employees making $47,476.00 or less per year, which is an almost one hundred percent increase over the previous threshold. The rule does not affect hourly workers. The rule will also:

Extend overtime protections to 4.2 million additional workers not currently eligible for overtime under federal law.

Update the salary threshold every three years, ensuring that it "is maintained at the 40th percentile of full-time salaried workers in the lowest income region of the country."

Allow bonuses and incentive payments to count toward up to 10 percent of the new salary level — as long as the bonuses are provided on at least a quarterly basis. The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) continues to believe that the salary threshold is set too high and that nonprofit employers, colleges and universities, retail and restaurants are among the entities likely to be hit especially hard by this rule. President Obama has signaled a willingness to veto any attempt to block enforcement of the final rule; thus any legislative solution is likely to be successful only if it has broad support from Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan issued a statement opposing the final rule. “This regulation hurts the very people it alleges to help,” Ryan said. “Who is hurt most? Students, nonprofit employees, and people starting a new career. By mandating overtime pay at a much higher salary threshold, many small busi-nesses and nonprofits will simply be unable to afford skilled workers and be forced to eliminate salaried positions, complete with benefits, altogether.” Responses in 2015 from the ADA's volunteer leaders suggest around thirty-nine percent of all dental offices have at least one employee in a salaried position. For more information, the Department of Labor has put together the paper, Guidance for Private Employers on Changes to the White Collar Exemptions in the Overtime Final Rule that may be helpful to you, your human resources department and your accountant (visit https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime/final2016/general-guidance.pdf

HIPAA Clarification onPatient Health Information On February 26, 2016, an article on ADANews.org by staffer Kelly Soderlund reported that the federal government clarified that the Health Insurance Por-tability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that requires covered dentists to use unsecure email to send infor-mation to a patient as long as the patient requested it be sent that way. The dental practice must also provide a warning that there is some risk the pro-tected health information could be read or accessed by a third party while in transit. If the patient still wants to receive their information through an unencrypted email, the dental practice must comply, as reinforced in new guidance issued by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The new guidance also confirmed that while covered dental practices are responsible for adopting reasonable safeguards, if the information is compro-mised during the transmission, the dental practice is not required to notify the patient or federal govern-ment that there has been a breach, because the pa-tient agreed to the risks of having their protected health information transmitted in an unsecure manner. The law does not permit a health care provider to require an individual to accept unsecure methods of transmission in order to receive copies of his or her health information. The OCR says it issued the new guidance to stress the importance of providing indi-viduals access to their health information. To read more, visit http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/access/index.html (Editor’s Note: Dentists may soon face HIPAA audits. See page 14 for more information.)

ADA Launches New Dentist Web Portal In February 2016, the ADA launched a new Web portal, ADA.org/newdentist – designed to provide a one-stop shop for new dentists seeking information, ranging from finding a job and managing finances to better understanding employment agreements and compensation. The portal provides new dentists easy access to a variety of new dentist-specific ADA resources and benefits, including the ADA job board, reduced dues program, details on the New Dentist Conference, and the New Dentist News and New Dentist Now blog. The Web page will be regularly updated with new and noteworthy information and resources. For more information, visit ADA.org/newdentist or contact the ADA New Dentist Committee at [email protected]

(continued on page11)

Newsbriefs (cont’d.)ADA Urges CMS to Exempt DentistsFrom Medicare Opt In/Out ADA staffer Jennifer Garvin wrote an article for ADA.org on April 26, 2016 reporting that the Associ-ation is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to exempt dentists from the proposed rule that would require health care providers who order, certify, refer or prescribe any Part A or Part B service to be enrolled in Medicare or opt out. Enforcement of the enrollment has been delayed by CMS until February 1, 2017. The enrollment requirement was designed to pro-tect CMS from fraud and abuse. However, because Medicare covers very few dental items and services, the Association is concerned that the proposed rule, “will impose an unreasonable burden with negligible corresponding benefit to CMS, and asks CMS to exempt dentists from the scope of the proposed rule,” wrote ADA President Carol Gomez Summerhays and Executive Kathleen T. O’Loughlin in comments to CMS On April 25, 2016. Historically, dentists have faced unique burdens when attempting to enroll in Medicare. These enroll-ment difficulties – which include confusing provider enrollment forms – “could compromise patient safety and quality of care if Medicare beneficiaries are unable to obtain needed items and services due to a dentist’s unenrolled status,” wrote Drs. Summerhays and O’Loughlin. “Additionally, financial hardships can result if beneficiaries, providers and suppliers are unable to obtain reimbursement where their claims are rejected because the ordering, referring or pre-scribing dentist was not properly enrolled or formally opted-out.” The ADA is also concerned that requiring dentists to obtain national provider identifiers will put them at increased risk of fraud. The proposed rule also requires providers and suppliers to disclose certain direct and indirect affilia-tions, which the Association believes will “burden honest providers” with paperwork. There is also concern that a recordkeeping requirement will make it difficult for some dentists to comply simply because they do not have control over the relevant documents. Finally, the ADA expressed concern that the “true cost” of the rule cannot be justified. CMS has esti-mated that doctors will average 10 hours obtaining and furnishing the information necessary to en-roll. ”Today’s dentists, who are increasingly mobile and who work in increasingly complex practice environments, will likely need more than ten hours to research and gather the necessary information,” they wrote.

Another HIPAA Settlement A biomedical research institute has agreed to pay a $3.9 million settlement to the federal government after an investigation determined that a stolen laptop contained the electronic protected health information of approximately 13,000 patients and research par-ticipants. According to the U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR), a New York-based medical research group filed a breach report under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) when, in 2012, a laptop computer was stolen from an em-ployee’s car. According to the OCR, the protected health information included the names, addres-ses, birthdates, Social Security numbers, diagnoses, laboratory results, medications and medical infor-mation of approximately 13,000 patients and research participants. During the investigation, the OCR discovered that the institute’s security management process was limited in scope, and incomplete and insufficient to address potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity and availability protected health information. The OCR also said that the institute lacked policies and procedures to govern the receipt and removal of laptops with electronic protected health information coming in and out of its facilities. It also noted that the company failed to safeguard electronic equipment procured outside of its standard acquisition process as required by HIPAA. “Research institutions subject to HIPAA must be held to the same compliance standards as all other HIPAA-covered entities,” said Jocelyn Samuels, OCR director.

CDC Releases New Guide on InfectionPrevention in Dental Settings The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new guide titled Summary of Infection Prevention Practices for Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care, which includes a checklist for dental providers to “evaluate adminis-trative policies and clinical infection prevention practices.” Dr. Elliot Abt, chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, said the CDC’s checklist “may help streamline the process of infection control in a dental practice.” Among its guidelines, the CDC noted the “importance of having one person in every dental of-fice assigned as the infection prevention coordinator.” The guide may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/infectioncontrol/guidelines/index.htm

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Newsbriefs (cont’d.)Final Ruling on Amalgam Separators Delayed Until December The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the ADA that it will delay releasing a final amalgam separator rule until December 2016. The agency had previously announced that it would release the rule in June 2016. In 2015 the Association said it was “encouraged” by the EPA’s willingness to work with the profession as it develops its rule. In February 2015, the Associ-ation commented on a draft of the rule by noting that the ADA’s support “is contingent only on the final rule complying with nine common-sense principles” and reaffirming its “support of a pretreatment rule that requires amalgam separators consistent with these nine principles.”

More Fluoridation Success Stories As reported in various articles, citizens in a number of American cities were the “winners” in successful votes for community water fluoridation. The Downingtown (PA) Municipal Water Authority board voted in May to continue water fluoridation for this borough. The water authority, which serves about 3,500 customers, had notified the public in March that it intended to cease fluoridation. After Dr. Karin Brian, of Downingtown, notified the Dental Society of Chester County and Delaware County about the notice, “a member awareness campaign ensued,” Dr. Brian said. The society encouraged local dentists to contact the water authority and share facts about the safety and benefits of community water fluoridation. Members of the dental team also attended water authority meetings. “I believe water authority board members considered the letters and emails that were received, which were more in favor of keeping the fluoride in versus removal,” Dr. Brian said. “The board of directors realized the benefit of water fluoridation to the community, despite the cost to residents to maintain and upgrade the system.” In Rutland, Vermont, with a population of about 16,500, voters overwhelmingly agreed to continue water fluoridation. In an advisory ballot question on whether the local commissioner of public works should continue to fluoridate the city’s water supply, voters overwhelmingly said “yes” – 2,817 to 1,813. “Voters heard the positive messages from the dental community in many different ways and saw the commitment of the dental profession to the public’s oral health,” said Dr. Judith Fisch, ADA First District trustee. The city has been fluoridated continuously since 1982

In Fort Smith, AR, residents began receiving the benefits of community water fluoridation on March 7, 2016. Fluoride was added to the drinking water thanks in part to a grant from Delta Dental Foundation that covered capital costs needed to fluoridate the city’s two water plants, which serve about 160,000 people in Arkansas and parts of Oklahoma. The City Council of Lake City, FL, unanimously voted to reinstate community water fluoridation. Lake City had been fluoridated for more than two decades until 2007, when a new water treatment plant was built, according to the Florida Dental Association. The city council voted 5-0 to restart fluoridation after hearing from local dentists, Florida Dental Association representatives, and state and county health workers. The action will benefit more than 17,000 community water system users, said Dr. Johnny Johnson, who advocated for the measure on behalf of the Florida Dental Association. An initiative aimed at removing supplemental fluoride from the water on Marin County, CA, failed, because people listened to their dentists. “We heard that . . . the group gathering signatures for the anti-fluoridation ballot issue was having a very difficult time getting people to sign and a very common reason was ‘because my dentist told me not to,’” Marin County Dental Society President Dr. Rita Lanphier and trustee Dr. Alan Cascio said. Those opposing fluoridation in the county of about 260,000 residents needed to collect 11,000 signatures in order for the local water district to stop using fluoride in water until the water district provided to its customers a list of all chemicals in the water and “a written statement verifying the fluoridating chemical’s safety for ingestion, once introduced into the water supply.” The fluoridation opponents were about 2,500 signatures short, according to the Marin County Dental Society. Thanks in part to local dentists and physicians sharing the value of fluoridation with the public, commissioners in Collier County, FL, voted 4-1 to maintain community water fluoridation. The question of whether to remove fluoridation came after a citizen petitioned the commissioners to stop the practice, launching a months-long discussion among county leaders, dental and medical professionals and residents. (continued on page 13)


Newsbriefs (cont’d.)DDS Safe Helps Secure Patient Data DDS Safe, a managed online data backup and recovery solution endorsed by ADA Business Re-sources, provides a three-layer protection system that backs up all patient data online, to a workstation and on an in-office drive – ensuring patient records are not lost after disasters such as floods and fires. DDS Safe helps ensure that dental practices are meeting Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards. “Data is encrypted using a 256-bit advanced encryption standard, plus we have two SAS-certified data storage centers,” said Steve Newton, Digital Dental Record vice president. The software is compat-ible with both Mac- and Microsoft-based systems, he said. Dr. Ryan Braden, Wisconsin Dental Association president, was taking a hard drive with backed-up patient data back and forth to the office, and it never seemed like the right solution for keeping his practice’s records safe. “I have enough things on my plate. I don’t need to be worrying about 20 years’ worth of patient data,” said Dr. Braden. “What if one of the hard drives was stolen or was lost? And HIPAA requires covered dental practices to have a system in place to keep patient records secure, so I decided to look for a better solution.” “We have been a paperless office for many years,” Dr. Braden said, “So it’s crucial to know our data is backed up and I don’t have to worry about it. If something were to crash at our office the DDS Safe team is in place to get it back.” ADA members are eligible to receive one month free of online data backup and recovery. For more information, visit dentalrecord.com or call 1-800-243-4675.

Review and Renew Wills / Health CareWishes If you decide to change something in your living will or health care power of attorney, the best thing to do is create a new one. Once the new document is signed and dated in front of appropriate witnesses – and notarized, if necessary – it supersedes your old directive. The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Law and Aging suggests re-examining your health care wishes whenever any of the following "five d's" occurs:

1. Decade: When you start each new decade of your life.

2. Death: When you experience the death of a loved one.

3. Divorce: When you experience a divorce or other major family change. (In many states, a divorce

automatically revokes the authority of a spouse who had been named as agent.)

4. Diagnosis: When you are diagnosed with a serious medical problem.

5. Decline: When you experience a significant decline or deterioration from an existing health condition, especially when it diminishes your ability to live independently. Once your new document has been signed, make sure anyone with a copy of your old directive returns it to you so you can destroy it. Then distribute the new one. Take the time to discuss the changes with your doctor and your health care agent to be sure everyone is clear on what has changed. Make sure a copy of your revised advance directive gets filed in your medical records, especially if you're planning on entering an assisted living facility or nursing home. A growing number of states are creating medical regis-tries in which you may record your directive so that it will be directly available to health care providers when needed. If you move to another state, check that your advance directives are still valid. Although states may be legally required to honor any advance direc-tive that clearly conveys your wishes, it's best to verify that your form meets the requirements specific to that state.

CMS Offers Online CE on Infection Control Three new courses from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) aim to teach health care professionals about infection control and injection safety. Infection Control: Environmental Safety; Infection Control: Injection Safety and Infection Control: Hand Hygiene are web-based training courses offered on the Medicare Learning Network. Continuing education credit is available for participating. In the environmental safety course, dentists can learn about proper cleaning practices in health care facilities; categories of environmental surfaces; and turnover cleaning versus terminal cleaning. The injection safety course will discuss safe injection prac-tices; single dose/single use versus multi-dose medi-cations; and injection safety scenarios. Dentists can also learn about hand hygiene in patient care zones and nearby administrative areas; appropriate methods for maintaining good hand hygiene; and how to recognize opportunities for hand hygiene in a health care setting. Visit https://learner.mlnlms.com/Default.aspx You may set a required login and password to access these courses.


HIPAA Audits May Be on the Horizon for Dentists According to a March 24, 2016 article in the ADANews, written by staffer Kelly Soderlund, the federal government has begun auditing some health care providers, including dental practices, to ensure they are complying with patient privacy laws and health care information security laws. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced in March that it has begun its second phase of audits of covered entities and their business associates to assess their compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Account-ability Act Privacy (HIPAA), Security and Breach Notification Rules. The OCR will review whether the policies and procedures adopted and employed by the groups meet selected standards and implementation specifications of the law. “We want dentists to be aware that this is hap-pening and to take HIPAA compliance seriously,” said Dr. Andrew Brown, chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice. “There are steep consequences for health care providers that don’t comply with the law and we don’t want to see any dentists having to pay tens of thousands of dollars in a penalty.” A dental practice is considered a covered entity if it uses electronic dental claims. Paula Tironi, senior associate general counsel in the ADA Division of Legal Affairs, said, “If a dental practice receives a communication from the OCR that they’re to be audited, they may only have a few days or weeks to send documentation demonstrating that they’re comply-ing with HIPAA, such as security risk assessment, poli-cies and procedures, training records and business asso-ciate agreements.” The OCR will begin the audit process by emailing covered entities and their business associates to request them to send their contact information and answer a pre-audit questionnaire in order to gather data about the entity’s size, type and operations. Those who don’t re-spond to the government’s request to verify its informa-tion may still be selected for an audit or subject to a compliance review. Communications from the OCR will be sent via email and may be incorrectly classified as spam, so health care providers should check their junk or spam folders. “It would be prudent to have documentation demonstrating HIPAA compliance ready and up to date should a dental practice be audited. If an audit deter-mines a dental practice has not been complying with the law, the government may initiate a compliance review,” Ms. Tironi said. “It can be a lot of work and may be difficult to gather all the required documentation if a practice is caught unprepared.”

The OCR will post updated audit protocols on its website closer to conducting the 2016 audits. To learn more about the second phase of audits, visit hhs.gov/hipaa

An online cheat sheet is available on what the federal government will look for and require during its HIPAA compliance audits of health care providers, health plans and clearinghouses including dental practices.

On April 1, 2016, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published its revised audit protocol, which will tell health care providers:

What kinds of questions they may be asked by auditors.

What evidence of compliance efforts auditors will be looking for.

Where to focus compliance efforts if a covered entity’s leaders do not feel good about their compliance program’s current state.

To read the full protocol, visit hhs.gov and search for “HIPAA audit protocol.”

The ADA has a number of resources to help dentists become HIPAA compliant. Dentists can help protect their practices from HIPAA violations by purchasing and implementing the concepts in the ADA Complete HIPAA Compliance Kit (J598), available at ADACatalog.org ($300 for members). Free HIPAA resources are available at ADA.org/hipaa and ADA members can access exclu-sive HIPAA tips on the ADA Center for Professional Success website at Success.ADA.org For covered dental practices that are seeking a secure, encrypted email solution, ADA Business Resources endorses PBHS Inc. as a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act secure email and collaboration system provider for ADA members. PBHS Secure Mail can help member dentists, specialists, staff and patients easily communicate within a secure environment. ADA members can choose this HIPAA-compliant email solution that starts at $10 per month or purchase an upgraded package that uses the even higher standards of direct messaging. For more information, contact PBHS at 1-855-WEB-4ADA or visit pbhs.com/securemail The ADA’s Standards Committee on Dental Infor-matics has developed a technical report to walk dentists through the guidelines for the secure transmission of protected health information. Technical Report No. 1085 – Implementation Guidelines for the Secure Trans-mission of Protected Health Information in Dentistry is available at no cost for member dentists in the ADA Catalog.


Become a Mentor: It’s a Good ThingKevin J. Klatte, D.M.D. & David A. Tecosky, D.M.D.Co-Chairs, PCDS Mentoring Program Dr. Louis Rossman, immediate past president of the Foundation for Endodontics and past president of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE), spoke to a group comprised mostly of second year students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine on April 25, 2016. Approximately thirty students attended a 70-minute presenta-tion. All of them were engaging and asked intelligent questions. As part of the presentation, Dr. Rossman asked for a show of hands regarding ASDA membership – all of Penn’s students belong to ASDA; the school in-cludes the application fee in the tuition. He en-couraged them to invest in membership in the tri-partite dental associations upon their graduation and told them of some of the reasons why membership is so important. He reviewed the graduated dues structure for recent graduates and the ADA’s newest membership benefit that is helping students reduce the impact of their dental school loans. Interestingly, none of the students were aware of this program but were eager to obtain more information. He spoke about the AAE and the ADA as an um-brella protecting dentists and then compared the notable strength of the ADA’s tripartite membership system to the AMA, which does not require local, state and national membership. He encouraged the students to become actively involved in our dental associations and give back to the profession, and he reminisced about his early involvement in the Philadelphia County Dental Society as chair of the Women’s Luncheon Committee

for the Liberty Dental Conference back in the early 1980s, and later as coordinator of the Endodontic Seminars for the General Practitioner that were part of the Conference for a number of years. Dr. Rossman has also volunteered many years of service to the AAE. Those stories of his own personal involvement in giving back to the profession, he said, seemed to resonate with the students, and they got it. Thanks to Dr. Rossman for his willingness to share! You can become a mentor – no continuing education or extra training necessary. Every dentist has the ability to relate his/her experiences and observations to the next generation. Each of us can provide a spark of extra incentive to a young person who aspires to be a part of our profession. Both the PCDS and the PDA receive requests from students who want to shadow in dental practices. Some are already in dental school and some are planning to enter dental school in the next year or two. This is a “good deed” you can accomplish without even leaving the office. Why not invite a student to spend time in your office – providing first-hand information about the daily activities of the dentist and his/her auxiliary staff, both professionally and business-wise? Share your insights and encourage the student in his/her quest. If you are willing to mentor a dental student or a college student contemplating dentistry as a career, send your contact information to us at [email protected] Become a mentor – it’s a good thing!

Medicare Opt In/Out Delayed until 2017 The federal government has once again delayed the deadline for dentists who prescribe Part D covered drugs to Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in the program or opt out. Dentists have until February1, 2017, to take action, otherwise Part D prescription drug claims for Medicare eligible patients will not be covered. If dentists want Part D plans to continue covering drugs prescribed for their Medicare patients, they must either enroll as an ordering/referring provider by filling out form 855O or enroll as a Medicare provider through form 855I. Otherwise, they must opt out of the program. CMS encourages health care providers to submit their Medicare enrollment applications or opt-out affidavits to their Medicare administrative contractors before August 1 to allow time for processing. This is the fourth time CMS has delayed the deadline. Visit CMS.gov for more information and to access forms 855O and 855I. The ADA Center for Professional Success also has links to the forms and a video tutorial on the process at Success.ADA.org/practice/Medicare/Medicare


MEMBERSHIP REPORTMAY 10, 2016

We welcome the following to membership in the Philadelphia County Dental Society

ACTIVE MEMBERDr. Ingrid M. BabinerTemple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, 2011

Dr. Thomas C. BrunsState University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine,2005

Dr. Dennis R. FeeUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 1992

Dr. Bekir KarabucakUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 1998University of Pennsylvania (endodontics), 2014

Dr. Meetu R. Kohli University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 2005University of Pennsylvania (endodontics), 2005

Dr. Mazharul H. ZaimDemontmorency College of Dentistry, 1974

RECENT GRADUATEDr. Meeta ChawlaUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 2015

Dr. Sabrina Y. DadaIndiana University School of Dentistry, 2015

Dr. Jilesh R. GandhiNew York University College of Dental Medicine, 2015

Dr. Kari R. HexemUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 2015

Dr. Chizobam N. IdahosaNew York University College of Dentistry, 2010University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine(oral medicine), 2015

Dr. Mimi M. JeonUniversity of Maryland College of Dentistry, 2014Veterans Medical Center, Philadelphia (GPR), 2015

Dr. Shu-Zhen KuangTemple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, 2012Lehigh Valley Hospital (GPR), 2013

Dr. Arnav R. MistryTemple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, 2011Temple University (endodontics), 2013

Dr. Archana Nadig KasiHarvard University College of Dental Medicine, 2012University of California, San Francisco (endodontics), 2015

Dr. Lisa Marie PriceTemple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, 2015

Dr. Bilal M. SajidIndiana University School of Dentistry, 2015

Dr. Adil SalikUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 2015

Dr. Vincent J. ScaringiNew York University College of Dentistry, 2014Maimonides Medical Center (GPR), 2015

Dr. Kate C. ShustermanMidwestern University College of Dental Medicine, 2015

Dr. Maheshkumar SolankiUniversity of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry, 2014

Dr. Ayesha SultanWestern University College of Dental Medicine, California, 2015

Dr. Brian M. ZebrickUniversity of Maryland College of Dentistry, 2013Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry (orthodontics),2015

MILITARY MEMBERDr. Rachael K. ConaboyUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, 2011VA Medical Center, Philadelphia (GPR), 2012

GRADUATE STUDENT/RESIDENTDr. Swati MalhotraBoston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 2005Brooklyn Hospital Center (GPR), 2006University of Pennsylvania (endodontics), 2017

Dr. Katherine M. PeckTemple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, 2014Temple University (pediatric dentistry), 2016

Dr. Kaitlyn M. SchielsUniversity of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, 2015Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry (orthodontics), 2017

Dr. Kevin C.V. SweeneyUniversity of Washington School of Dentistry, 2011University of Pennsylvania (oral & maxillofacial surgery), 2017


Health WatchSteps to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

While there are no surefire ways to prevent Alzheimer's, physicians at Harvard Medical College offer the following five steps that may lower your risk for this disease — and enhance your overall health as well.

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Cut back on calories and increase physical activity if you need to shed some pounds.

2. Check your waistline. To accurately mea-sure your waistline, use a tape measure around the narrowest portion of your waist (usually at the height of the navel and lowest rib). A National Insti-tutes of Health panel recommends waist measure-ments of no more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.

3. Eat mindfully. Emphasize colorful, vitamin-packed vegetables and fruits; whole grains; protein sources such as fish, lean poultry, tofu, and beans and other legumes; plus healthy fats. Cut down on unnecessary calories from sweets, sodas,

refined grains like white bread or white rice, unhealthy fats, fried and fast foods, and mindless snacking. Keep a close eye on portion sizes, too.

4. Exercise regularly. This simple step does great things for your body. Regular physical activity helps control weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, biking, rowing) can also help chip away total body fat and abdominal fat over time. Aim for 2 1/2 to 5 hours weekly of brisk walking (at 4 mph). Or try a vigorous exercise like jogging (at 6 mph) for half that time.

5. Keep an eye on important health num-bers. In addition to watching your weight and waistline, ask your doctor whether your cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and blood sugar are within healthy ranges. Exercise, weight loss if needed, and medications (if necessary) can help keep these numbers on target.

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Practice Sales & Purchases Over $3.2 Billion1-800-232-3826 www.AFTCO.net

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Christopher J. Wahlers, D.M.D.

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THE DENTAL SOCIETY OF CHESTER COUNTYAND DELAWARE COUNTY, PAproudly presentsDKU ContinuingDental Education

DENTISTS KEEPING UP

All meetings will be held at the Springfield Country Club on Route 320, Springfield, Delaware County, PA. Registration for all courses 8:15 AM. Lecture 9:00 AM – 4:15 PM. Continental breakfast and lunch included for all DKU courses.

Delco and Chesco Society Members - Entire Series - $695, Individual Courses - $210, 3 Courses - $560, 4 Courses - $655Other ADA Members - Entire Series - $745 Individual Courses - $225, 3 Courses - $600, 4 Courses - $695Non-ADA Members - Entire Series - $815, Individual Courses - $240, 3 Courses - $635, 4 Courses - $755Staff members accompanied by a doctor will be $110 per course per person with reservation at least one week in advance, $130 per course per person at door.Cancellations and Refund Policy - No refunds will be made without notice of at least one week prior to course date. (A $25 administrative fee will be deducted.)For information please contact: DKU • c/o Barry Cohen, DMD • 4750 Township Line Rd • Drexel Hill, PA 19026 • 610-449-7002 • [email protected]

FEES

Springfield Country Club,Delaware County

Each course 6 CEU Lecture

Friday September 30, 2016David Little, DDS – San Antonio, TX – “Implant Dentistry...enhancing diagnosis, case acceptance, and restorative outcomes using the latest technology” This course equips clinicians with practical knowledge about the tools required to successfully incorporate implant services into the general practice, whether for single tooth restorations or the fully edentulous case. Topics include how to identify implant cases, methods for gaining patient acceptance for implant procedures, and establishing an action plan for incorporating implants into the practice. Participants will examine how to utilize new technologies, such as CT scans, planning software and state-of-the-art restorative materials, to deliver esthetic and predictable restorations, as well as how to perform abutment level and fixture level implant impression techniques. Additionally, attendees also receive instruction in immediate provisionalization and final prosthesis delivery. Learning Objectives include: Formulate a blue-print to integrate implant services into a general practice and incorporate proven techniques to gain patient acceptance; Diagnose and treatment plan cases using advanced technologies, whether for single tooth or full arch cases; Outline the proper protocol for achieving predictable implant restoration. Dr. Little has a private practice in San Antonio, Texas, and is an international speaker and serves on the editorial board of Contemporary Esthetics. This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab, Hayes Handpiece and PNC Bank.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016Paul Feuerstein, DMD – Chelmsford, MA – “Technology In Your Dental Practice- A Review of Current Products and a Look Into the Future” In an overview of the latest high tech products being integrated in today’s practices, learn about products in the following areas: Road to chartless practice, cameras-digital and intraoral; digital radiography; caries and oral disease detection; computer imaging, shade taking, patient education; new ConeBeam CT technology, software and implant planning; new 3D intraoral digital impressions and CAD systems; and the latest tech products. Specific examples, many which are used in Dr. Feuerstein’s private practice, will demystify many products and help you make intelligent design and purchase decisions. There will also be a look at several interesting new products that have recently come to the marketplace and some that have not yet arrived. If you have already “gone digital’ there are plenty of tips and tidbits for you. If you have not gone yet, this course is a must. Learning Objectives: Learn about the newest high tech products; Receive information to help make informed purchase decisions for the practice; See how the products are used clinically in a typical general practice. Dr Feuerstein is 1972 graduate of UNJMD. He maintains a general practice in Massachusetts. He is now the Technology Editor of Dentistry Today after 14 years with Dental Economics. This program is great for the entire clinical team. This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab, Carestream, Hayes Handpiece and Solutionreach.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016Robert Lowe, DDS – Charlotte, NC – “Practical Aesthetic Dentistry for the Restorative Practice” In today’s ever-changing economic environment, the dentist must continue to provide quality service to the patient, yet remain profitable. Effective use of emerging technologies in dentistry will help to differentiate your practice in the marketplace. In this technique filled seminar, Dr. Lowe will teach you the skills you need to refine your restorations to a level that will help you create consistent quality. New technologies and techniques will be discussed along with how implementation of these technologies can help the “bottom line” of your practice. A discussion regarding the latest dental materials and delivery modalities will help in treatment planning even the most difficult functional and aesthetically challenging cases. This technique-oriented seminar is geared toward delivering useful clinical information that can be implemented immediately having a positive impact on the “bottom line” of your practice! Topics will include the following: Advances In Direct Composites.; World Class Crown and Bridge Techniques; What’s New In Aesthetic Dentistry? Dr. Lowe received his DDS degree from Loyola University in 1982, has maintained a full time practice for 30 years, and is a world recognized teacher and clinician. A great course for the restorative staff. This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab and PNC Bank.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017DeWitt C. Wilkerson DMD – St Petersburg, FL – “BEST PRACTICE, PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS: The Integrative Dental Medicine Model” The opportunity to succeed in Dentistry has never been greater for those who apply “Best Practice” Principles. Dentistry is a medical specialty, a science, and an art–it’s time to replace guesswork with confident solutions. Checklists for Success provide easy to follow systems that result in predictability, profitability, and fun! Create Predictably Beautiful Smiles = Esthetics • Create Predictably Stable Bites = Occlusion • Protect the Comfort of the Joints & Muscles = TMJ • Establish a Healthy “Culture” = Bacteria • 5. Maintain Open Airways = Sleep Apnea • Counsel an Anti-inflammatory Diet = Nutrition. Learning Objectives: The participants will understand Dentistry as a medical specialty; The participants will receive checklists for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment; The participants will leave the seminar with new ideas to implement that will increase practice success both clinically and financially. Dr. Wilkerson joined the Peter Dawson private practice group in 1982, where he actively practices today. He serves as a Senior Lecturer/Director of Dental Medicine at the Dawson Academy, and Adjunct Professor, University of Florida College of Dentistry. This presentation serves as a one day concentrated learning experience for the whole dental team. This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab, and Hayes Handpiece.

Thursday, April 6, 2017Stanley Malamed, DDS – Los Angeles, CA – “10 Minutes to Save a Life: Emergency Medicine in Dentistry” Life-threatening emergencies can occur anytime, anywhere and to anyone. Such situations are somewhat more likely to occur within the confines of the dental office due to the increased level of stress that is so often present. In this course Dr. Malamed will discuss the areas which are considered vital to a proper understanding of emergency medicine: prevention, preparation, recognition and management. The first session will encompass a discussion of preparation involving the office and staff; including a thorough review of the office emergency kit (drugs and equipment). The second session will encompass the recognition and management of specific emergency situations and includes the management of unconsciousness, respiratory distress, seizures, drug-related emergencies and chest pain, including cardiac arrest and use of the AED. Doctor Malamed, a dentist anesthesiologist, graduated from the NYU College of Dentistry in 1969 and then completed a residency in anesthesiology at Montefiore Hospital. He is Emeritus Professor of Dentistry at the Ostrow School of Dentistry at U.S.C in Los Angeles. Dr. Malamed is a Diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology. This course is designed for all members of the dental office staff, not just the doctor and chairside personnel. Everyone should be prepared! This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab, Health First and Hayes Handpiece.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017Kirk Behrendt – Overland Park, KS – “The top 7 secrets to make your practice thrive and inspire your team!” Some Dentists and Team members are working harder than ever for the same result. Bring your team to this inspirational lecture to see powerful secrets that you and your team can use for more opportunities to produce more dentistry and reduce the amount of open chairs in your office today. The future of dentistry will belong to practices that grow, adapt, build value and attract new patients with the right internal and external marketing tactics. Bring your team to this valuable lecture where we will show you what some of the best dental practices in the country are doing to attract more high quality patients with simple marketing tactics that are really working this year. Learn the 5 ways to significantly reduce cancellations in your schedule. See how great practices are keeping case acceptance high in this economy. See at least 42 different marketing tactics that have worked for dentists in this economy. Examine how social media and the internet can be a valuable asset. Explode the number of new patients in your practice without breaking your bank. Kirk Behrendt is the Founder of ACT Dental, a customized coaching company for dentists. He has invested his entire professional life studying the top dental practices in the world and their leadership. Kirk has been recognized as one of Dentistry Today Top Leaders in Dental. Dr. Peter Dawson called him “THE best motivator I have ever heard.”This course is a must for the entire office team! This course is supported by educational grants from Dodd Dental Lab, and PNC Bank.

2016/2017DKU is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. DKU designates this activity for 30 continuing education credits. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to ADA CERP at www.ada.org/cerp.

Registeron -line atDKUdental.com

Approved PACE Program Provider FAGD/MAGD credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provin-cial board of dentistry or AGD endorse-ment. The current term of approval extends from 3/1/2013 to 2/28/2017. Provider ID #217995


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Health Watch (cont’d.)Perfection and Anxiety

Perfectionism may be a strong suit or a stumbling block, depending on how it’s channeled, writes Harvard Medical School associate instructor of psychology Dr. Jeff Szymanski on Harvard’s online publication, Health-

beat. “The core of all perfectionism is the intention to do something well,” says Dr. Szymanski. “If you can keep your eye on intention and desired outcome, adjusting your strategy when needed, you’re fine. . . But when you can’t tolerate making a mistake, when your strategy is to make no mistakes, that’s when perfectionism starts veering off in the wrong direc-tion.” In its most severe form, perfectionism can leave you unable to complete any task for fear of making a mistake. To help prioritize the projects and activities that mean the most to you and keep your personal strategy in line, Dr. Szymanski has shared the following exercise: Think about your current goals and projects, and assign them priorities. Use the letters “ABCF” to help.

For example: A (100% effort): This is reserved for what’s

most important to you. For example, if your career is most valuable, your goals might be to impress the boss, make sure clients are happy, put out good products at work.

B (above average, maybe 80% effort): Per-haps you like playing golf or tennis or want to learn a new language. You enjoy these activities, but have no plans to go pro.

C (average effort): Perhaps having a clean home is important, too. But how often does your home need to be cleaned? Could you just clean up on the weekends? Or focus on a few rooms that get the most traffic?

F (no effort): Time-consumers that don’t ad-vance your values or bring you pleasure. Do you have any tasks that, upon reflection, don’t really matter – you’ve just done them one way for so long that you’re on autopilot? These deserve to be pruned.


Dental Dates

The JOURNAL welcomes news concerning activities of your dental study club or other bona fide dental associations. Send information (as formatted below) to the Philadelphia County Dental Society via email: [email protected] or fax: 215-925-6998. Deadline for publication is the first of the month prior to publication (September 1 for October/November/December issue), and information will be published on a space-available basis.

JULY12 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – Northeast – 6:30 p.m. Dinner meeting

(Gallo’s Restaurant) featuring Martin Trope, D.M.D., “Expanding Role of Vital Pulp Therapy.” For infor-mation, contact Vickie Fisher at 215-732-4450 or visit www.PhilaPerioImplants.com

19 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – Center City – 6:30 p.m. Dinner meeting (Doubletree Hotel) featuring Martin Trope, D.M.D., “Expanding Role of Vital Pulp Therapy.” For infor-

mation, contact Vickie Fisher at 215-732-4450 or visit www.PhilaPerioImplants.com

SEPTEMBER7 NE DENTAL IMPLANT/PERIODONTAL PROSTHESIS STUDY CLUB – Dinner meeting at the Buck

Hotel, Feasterville, at 6:00 p.m., featuring Robert Marus, D.D.S., A.A.A.C.D., Advanced Cosmetic and General Dentistry, Yardley, PA, “Mastering the Restoration of the Anterior Fractured Tooth and More.” For information, contact Paula Chernoff at 215-677-8686 or email at [email protected]

14 GREATER PHILADELPHIA DENTAL HYGIENE STUDY CLUB – 6 to 9 p.m. Featuring Kathy Malone, R.D.H., E.F.D.A., C.D.A., “Radiology Review for the Dental Professional.” For information, contact Maggie Rutherford, R.D.H. at [email protected]

15 PDA SPEED MENTORING EVENT – The Inn at Penn, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Help mentor students from Temple and Penn. For more information, contact Andrea Hoover at 800-223-0016 (ext. 123) or [email protected]

21 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETY – Continuing Education Program at the Philadelphia Hilton Hotel, City Avenue, Thomas Viola, R.C.P., C.C.P. “The Most Frequently Prescribed Medications and Considerations in the Management of Dental Pain.” Register online at www.philcodent.org

23-25 CHESAPEAKE DENTAL CONFERENCE – Ocean City, MD. For information, call 410-964-2880 or visit www.msda.com/cdc-at-a-glance.html

27 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – Joint program in Northeast – 6:30 p.m. Dinner meeting (Gallo’s Restaurant) featuring Edgard El Chaar, D.D.S., M.S., “Trabecular Metal and

Breakthrough Concepts in Dental Implants.” For information, contact Vickie Fisher at 215-732-4450 or visit www.PhilaPerioImplants.com

OCTOBER5 NE DENTAL IMPLANT/PERIODONTAL PROSTHESIS STUDY CLUB – Dinner meeting at the Buck Hotel, Feasterville, at 6:00 p.m., featuring Alfonso F. Pineyro, D.D.S., Prosthetic, Implant and Restorative Dentistry, Bellevue and Monroe, WA, “Restoratively Driven Implant Failures.” For information, contact Paula Chernoff at 215-677-8686 or email at [email protected]

5 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – R.D.H./E.F.D.A. invited also. Joint program in Northeast – 6:30 p.m. Dinner meeting (Gallo’s Restaurant) featuring Samuel B. Low, D.D.S.,

M.S. Med., “The ‘New’ Periodontal Disease: Inflammatory and Risky.” Sponsored in cooperation with Perio Sciences. For information, contact Vickie Fisher at 215-732-4450 or visit www.PhilaPerioImplants.com

20-25 AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION – 157th Annual Session, Denver, CO. For information, visit the web site at www.ada.org/meeting

26 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY DENTAL SOCIETY –Continuing Education Program at the Philadelphia Hilton Hotel, City Avenue, featuring John Nadeau, “Dental Sleep Medicine Seminar.” Register online at www.philcodent.org (continued on page 21)


Dental Dates (cont’d.) NOVEMBER2 NE DENTAL IMPLANT/PERIODONTAL PROSTHESIS STUDY CLUB – Dinner meeting at the Buck Hotel, Feasterville, at 6:00 p.m., featuring Markus B. Blatz, D.M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Restorative Den- tistry, Chair. Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, “The Ceramic Update in Esthetic Dentistry.” For information, contact Paula Chernoff at

215-677-8686 or email at [email protected]

9 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – Joint program in Northeast – 6:30 p.m. Dinner meeting (Gallo’s Restaurant) featuring Howard Fraiman, D.M.D., topic to be announced. Spon-

sored in cooperation with NobelBiocare. For information, contact Vickie Fisher at 215-732-4450 or visit www.PhilaPerioImplants.com

16 GREATER PHILADELPHIA DENTAL HYGIENE STUDY CLUB – 6 to 9 p.m. Featuring Sheryl Radin, D.D.S. and Ross Levine, D.M.D., “Pediatric Dentistry from A to T.” For information, contact Maggie Rutherford, R.D.H. at [email protected]

19 CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE – for R.D.H. – (Saturday) 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., featuring Tom Viola, “Making Anesthesia Stick.” Request a registration form prior to October 1 at [email protected]

27 – Dec. 2 GREATER NEW YORK DENTAL MEETING – Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York. Meeting: November 27 to December 2; Exhibits: November 29 to December 2. For information, visit www.gnym.com or call 212-398-6922.


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Classified AdsClassified Advertisement Policy. The Society reserves the right to accept, decline or withdraw classified advertisements at its discretion. The Society believes the advertisements that appear in these columns are from reputable sources; the Society neither investigates the offers being made nor assumes any responsibilities concerning them. Every precaution is taken to avoid mistakes, but responsibility cannot be accepted for clerical or printer’s errors. Requests to run advertisements “until further notice” cannot be accepted; the advertiser is responsible for renewals. Names of box number advertisers cannot be revealed. The JOURNAL reserves the right to edit copy of classified advertisements. Classified ads will not be taken over the telephone. DOCTOR, ARE YOU SEEKING EMPLOYMENT? Call the Philadelphia County Dental Society at 215-925-6050 or Fax 215-925-6998 to have your name listed on our employment referral list. Monday thru Thurs-day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DOCTOR, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ASSO-CIATE or for a dentist to work in your practice? Call the Philadelphia County Dental Society at 215-925-6050 or Fax 215-925-6998 for the list of dentists seeking employment. Monday thru Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HOMEBOUND PATIENTS NEED CARE: If you have time in your schedule, why not consider pro-viding care to homebound patients? Many patients need dental care, and most pay for the services. For more information, call Dr. Glenn Goodhart at 215-635-0200.

PRACTICE TRANSITIONS – We specialize in Practice Sales, Appraisals and Partnership Arrange-ments. Ask about our free guides for Sellers and

Buyers. For information on services and listings, con-tact Philip Cooper, D.M.D., M.B.A., American Practice Consultants, toll free 1-800-400-8550, or www.ameriprac.com

FOR SALE – Dental practice with great potential. The University City area of Philadelphia is booming. Universities and hospitals are expanding and new luxury apartment buildings are going up. This is one of the last individually owned Dental Practices in the area. Already paperless with digital x-rays. Call Henry Lazarus at 215-382-5126 or email: [email protected]

DENTAPPRAISE™ NATIONWIDE DENTAL PRACTICE APPRAISALS since 1992. Pre-sale, purchase, estate, mediation. “Ballpark Edition” ap-proximate estimate, “Premier Edition” comprehen-sive market value. Information brochure: POLCARI ASSOCIATES, Ltd. 1-800-544-1297 or [email protected]

Have a Safe and Happy


Workplace Tips Ragan Communications, publisher of corporate communications, public relations and leadership development newsletters, as well as other sources offer the following workplace tips through several of its online publications. Although targeted to corporate environment, these can be adapted for your practice and your personal life.

Explore Your Options before Termination When an employee causes problems in the work-place, the first instinct might be to terminate him or her as quickly as possible. But hiring and training a replace-ment takes time and effort that you could invest in more worthwhile tasks. Try salvaging the situation first with this advice: Have you accidentally slipped into an adversarial “me vs. you” role? If you’re insisting that you are right and the employee is wrong, you could be overlooking potential solutions. Does the employee feel unsuited to the job, or wrong for your organization? If you don’t ask, you’ll waste time trying to solve the wrong problem. Try to determine if the employee might feel more comfortable and perform better in a different position – if one is available – or if he or she is completely unhappy working in your office. Think about how other employees may view your actions. People will be watch-ing how you handle the situation. If they think you’re not being fair, they will remember it. the employee’s resources. Does the em-ployee have all the tools and training needed to do the job? If not, frustration can turn a formerly enthusiastic worker into a difficult one. Talk to the employee, and to others who work in similar jobs. The employee may not be aware of all the resources available.

Moonlight in the U.S. Moonlight is romantic, but moonlighting at a second

says that about 7.39 million Americans held more than one job in November 2015. Moonlighting has risen and dipped over the years, from 6.5 percent of working Americans in November 1996 to 5.6 percent during the recession that started in 2008. Women tend to be more likely to hold two or more jobs – 5.5 percent of working women, compared with 4.7 percent of working men. Among younger workers ages twenty to twenty-four, 5.8 percent worked multiple jobs in 2014, compared with 4.4 percent of workers fifty-five years or older. Almost 90 percent of today’s moonlighters plan to keep working two or more jobs during 2016. A survey cited by the U.S. News & World Report website found that although some are dealing with changing family situations or exploring other careers, more than half maintain a second job in order to meet living expenses.

Cultivate a Mindset for Innovation Innovation is crucial to success at work and in life. In their book, Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Cre-ative Potential within Us All (Crown Business), Tom and David Kelley explain how to nurture and support an attitude of innovation: Keep looking for ways to do things better, faster, and more effectively. If you’re always on the lookout for improvement, you will be able to spot opportunities better. Don’t be afraid of failure. That doesn’t mean being reckless, but being willing to try something new even if it’s not guaranteed to succeed. new things and making needed changes. Get into the habit of taking action as soon as you get a new idea. You don’t have to work on innovation

-minded people who share your desire to improve things and move forward.

Are You Losing Your Leadership Edge? challenged and motivated. The pace of your work can sometimes hide the need for a fresh start or a recharging of your enthusiasm. Keep an eye out for these clues that you need a career jolt: Do the same problems keep coming around again and again? Even though the details may be different, do you have the feeling that you’ve handled most of your major tasks before? Have you stopped looking forward to working on your assigned tasks? Do you spend your time just trying to keep up? Do you no longer have time for your own professional development and personal needs? Are your decisions based mostly on what you’ve done in the past? Do you look back on how you handled similar problems instead of seeking new, fresh solutions? Has consistency become more important to you than creativity? Are you more concerned with maintaining the status quo than bursting out ahead? Is strategic planning more of a tech-nical exercise now, instead of an opportunity to look for new directions and ideas?

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American author; developer of courses in self-improvement

American Practice Consultants, a full service Dental Practice Broker

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Am Pract Philad Cty 10/2/12 12:03 AM Page 1

Sponsor a new PDA member, get $100!Help PDA increase its market share of dentists in Pennsylvania by sponsoring a new

member! When you sponsor a new member, you’ll not only be contributing to your professional association, but you’ll receive $100 as thanks for your efforts!

For more information visit www.padental.org/100.

the journal of the philadelphia county dental society volume 82 issue 2

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