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The Florida Dental Association's Official Electronic Newsletter
Monday, Aug. 7, 2006
In This Issue:
- Applying for a National Provider Identifier
- ADA Responds to Fluoridation Article
- Prepare for Onset
of Flu Season - August Issue of Today’s FDA Right On the Money
- For This Year’s Sourcebook, Less is More
News Bites Archives
Applying for a National Provider Identifier
By now, most dentists are aware the deadline for obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI) is May 23, 2007.
And though many understand what the NPI’s purpose is, many still are confused about the how to obtain one.
Obtaining an NPI is free. You don’t need to attend a seminar, or purchase any other “aids” to obtain an NPI. The average dentist will be able to apply for one online in about 30 minutes.
To obtain an NPI, visit https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov.
To apply, you will need the following 12 items: your name, Social Security number, date of birth, country of birth, state of birth (if born in U.S.), gender, mailing address, practice location address and phone number, taxonomy (provider type), state license information and the name, phone number and e-mail address of a contact person.
If you need help while filling out the online form, help is available by clicking “Help” in the top right corner of the page. If you need to talk to someone, you can contact the NPI Enumerator by calling 800-465-3203 or 800-692-2326 (TTY) or e-mailing customerservice@npienumerator.com.
You can find additional information on the NPI requirement at http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/npi.asp.
ADA Responds to Fluoridation Article
The cover story in the August issue of Prevention Magazine, "The Danger in Your Water," contains what the American Dental Association believes is misinformation about the safety of community water fluoridation. The article appears to misconstrue the findings of the recent National Research Council (NRC) report.
Prevention's story says an expert panel assembled by NRC "determined that the level of fluoride allowed in community drinking water in this country is too high."
But the NRC report did not focus on the process of adding fluoride to drinking water - community fluoridation – it focused on the amount of fluoride that naturally occurs in drinking water.
“Nowhere in the NRC report was the safety or effectiveness of community water fluoridation called into question,” the ADA told Prevention’s Managing Editor, Polly Chevalier.
The ADA has created several online resources for dentists who find themselves fielding questions regarding the article or fluoridation questions in general. For more information, visit the following sites:
Response to Prevention Magazine penned by ADA President Bob Brandjord and ADA Executive Director James Bramson. Visit http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/topics_fluoridation_preventionmag.pdf for details.
The ADA Web site’s Fluoride and Fluoridation topic page.
Prepare for Onset of Flu Season
The 2006-2007 influenza (flu) season is approaching. At the request of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Immunization (DOH-BI) has distributed a 2006-2007 Influenza Season Bulletin to health-care associations.
The CDC has developed two sets of influenza questions-and-answers to assist health-care professionals and consumers with planning for the upcoming flu season.
The first set of Q&As addresses vaccine supply in 2006-2007, and the second set addresses production, supply and distribution in the United States.
You can access the first and second sets of Q&As at: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaxprioritygroups.htm, and www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaxsupply.htm, respectively.
For additional flu information and resources, visit these sites:
The July issue of the National Immunization Program’s Immunization Works Monthly Update – http://www.cdc.gov/nip/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2006/200607.htm.
The CDC’s June 28 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) – www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr55e628a1.htm.
The MMWR report about the U.S. trivalent flu vaccine’s composition for 2006-2007 – www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5523a2.htm.
The DOH-BI Web site, which includes information on flu, including avian influenza – http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/immune/flu/.
August Issue of Today’s FDA Right On the Money
The August issue of Today’s FDA addresses tax-preparation tips for dentists and includes a summary of 2006-2007 FDA budget highlights.
The issue also contains an interview with Dr. Bernard Kahn, chairperson of the Council on Financial Affairs. In the interview, Dr. Kahn talks about the CFA’s goals, past accomplishments and how its work benefits each FDA member.
For This Year’s Sourcebook, Less is More
The 2006-2007 Today’s FDA Sourcebook is well underway and will go to the printer later this month.
When you receive yours in the mail, you’ll notice it’s a lot lighter. That’s because some sections that members access less frequently will be made available for download on the FDA Web site this year. The sections that will not be printed in the Sourcebook, but made available electronically are:
· Department of Health Dental Directors Listing
· Governmental Listings
· FDA Bylaws, Policies, Code of Ethics and Articles of Incorporation
· Laws and Rules
· Peer Review Manual
· Procedural Manual for Review of Violations of the Code of Ethics
If you’d like to order a CD ($3 handling charge)containing the sections of the Sourcebook listed above, contact Chris Mitchell at cmitchell@floridadental.org, or (800) 877-9922, Ext. 116.