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Monday, Jan. 8, 2007

BOD Approves Increase in Pro-bono
Credit Hour Allowance

Dentists now can receive seven hours of continuing education (CE) credits each biennial licensure period by participating in the provision of pro-bono dental care to underserved persons under charitable programs approved by the Board of Dentistry. Project: Dentists Care is among those programs already approved in the rule.

Rule 64B5-12.013, (3),(e), which was amended through recommendations from the Florida Dental Association and PDC Board of Directors, increased the number of hours from five to seven and changed the ratio from one CE credit hour for every three hours of pro-bono service provided by a licensee to one CE credit hour for every hour of pro bono service provided.

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Apply for NPI Now to Avoid Reimbursement Woes

To ensure uninterrupted reimbursement, the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System urges providers, including dentists, to apply on or before Jan. 15 – one week from today.

Registering for an NPI doesn’t take long and can be done in one of two ways:

· Visit https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do, and follow the instructions; or

· Call (800) 465-3203 to request a paper application.

NPI registration is free. The NPPES recommends allowing about a half an hour for internet registration. Once you begin registering, you must finish the process – information completed during the online process cannot be saved.

Once implemented across the health-care industry, the NPI will:

· Be accepted by all dental plans as a valid provider identifier on electronic dental claims and other standard electronic transactions.

· Replace the multiple, arbitrary identifiers required by various dental plans, keeping dentists from having to remember which number to use with which dental plan.

· Standardize electronic transactions, and improve transaction acceptance rates.

Obtaining an NPI won’t change the way you prescribe medication. Neither federal nor Florida law requires NPIs on pharmacy transactions, so the new regulation won’t affect your ability to write prescriptions in Florida.

The National Provider Identifier (NPI) is the latest arm of the infamous Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

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Give Kids A Smile on Horizon

The fourth observation of Give Kids A Smile, the national dental access day falls on Friday, Feb. 2.

In 2006, FDA dentists donated more than half-million dollars to more than 2,100 children: about twice as much free dental care, to more than twice as many children than in 2005. GKAS also had twice as many dentists as in 2005.

In line with the 2007 GKAS theme “Million Dollar Smiles,” the FDA’s goal is to repeat this success in 2007, by doubling its donation to at least $1 million in free dental care for economically disadvantaged children, and by doubling participation.

Many FDA members already have signed on to screen underserved patients during GKAS in 2007, and are prepared to provide patients with an array of services ranging from cleanings and simple extractions to restorative and other follow-up care during February and the following months.

GKAS is the Florida Dental Association’s signature access to care program, and is celebrated during Children’s Dental Health Month, which is observed annually in February.

CDHM and GKAS complement each other: GKAS was designed to provide education, preventive and restorative care to low-income children who do not have access to dental care. CDHM’s purpose is to educate children, particularly kids from low-income families, about good oral health. Both programs fall under the Project: Dentists Care Umbrella.

Time’s running out. As soon as possible, dentists who are interested in participating should contact the FDA’s Dental Health Program Specialist Mary Lyons, at (800) 877-9922, Ext. 180, or mlyons@floridadental.org.

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