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The Florida Dental Association's Official Electronic Newsletter
October 2007
In This Issue:
- October Member Voices Survey Question
- September Member Voices
- ADA House of Delegates meets
- Dr. Don Cadle Launches 2008 Campaign for ADA President-elect
- Board of Dentistry Finalizing Plan for Licensure Assessment
- Legislature Move to Reinstate PIP
- Breaking New Ground In Access-To-Care
- GKAS 2008 Already Underway
- Finishing Touches Being Made to FDA Well-Being Manual
- Professional Liability Rate Going Up Again? Call FDA Services for Relief
- FDA Seeks Information on Illegal Dental Equipment Sales
News Bites Archives
October Member Voices Survey Question
Should the Florida Dental Association print more peer-reviewed scientific dental articles in Today's FDA? We want to hear from you! Click here to take the survey.
September Member Voices:
Here’s What You Said Last Month About online courses:
A total of 26 people responded to the September Member Voices survey, which asked: “Would you find it useful for the FDA to provide practice transition information and courses online?” Of the respondents, 88 percent replied “yes” and only 12 percent said “no.”
Thank you, members, for your participation! Your opinion counts!
ADA House of Delegates meets
Earlier this week, the American Dental Association’s (ADA) House of Delegates (HOD) concluded its annual policy deliberations on a wide variety of subjects affecting every practicing dentist. Florida’s significant investment in this important process includes sending 42 delegates and alternate delegates plus two staff.
The HOD adopted revised sedation guidelines, rejected a proposed dental team membership category and, much to the chagrin of some, ratified the Board of Trustees’ (BOT) earlier settlement in a key federal lawsuit challenging federal authority over the delivery of dental care to Native Americans in Alaska. The HOD also adopted two key resolutions concerning dental amalgam, including redefining “dental best management practices” to include the use of amalgam separators. The HOD also established plans for the ADA to develop a new brochure on the safety and effectiveness of dental restorative materials. With respect to dental education, the HOD adopted a definition of the term “curriculum integrated format” but rejected a proposed investigation into requiring a year of postdoctoral clinical education, experience and/or clinical service for all new dental school graduates and reforming the current predoctoral curriculum model.
Florida’s delegation pushed several key initiatives, including a study into the possible effects of universal healthcare upon dentistry, the holding of a national access to dental care summit, the holding of a Medicaid provider symposium and collection of consolidated Medicaid data among all states. Florida also pressed for the establishment of clear policy towards group acceptance of international dentists and ADA “branding”.
Florida’s delegation to the ADA HOD is notoriously well organized and effective for a delegation its size. My warmest compliments for the tireless efforts of the entire 17th Trustee District for another incredible performance. Every dentist in Florida owes these men and women their deepest gratitude for having taken off many days from their practice without remuneration to attend a multitude of day long meetings and events culminating with the ADA HOD whose policies have a profound effect upon the manner in which dentistry is delivered and regulated throughout the country. Be sure to know and thank your district’s representatives to this important body. And special thanks to the delegation’s officers for 2007: Dr. Larry Nissen, chair, Dr. Kim Jernigan, vice-chair and Dr. Terry Buckenheimer, whip.
Dr. Don Cadle Launches 2008
Campaign for ADA President-elect
During the last session of the 2007 ADA House of Delegates, Florida proudly announced the candidacy of Dr. Donald I. Cadle, Jr., for election to the 2008 office of ADA president-elect. Dr. Cadle currently serves as 17th District trustee on the ADA BOT. In the year ahead, Dr. Cadle will travel extensively visiting with dentists throughout the country and speaking on a wide variety of issues affecting the profession.
Board of Dentistry Finalizing Plan for Licensure Assessment
The Board of Dentistry (BOD) officially published its proposed rule assessing all dentists a one-time fee of $250 to address the BOD budget deficit. The official notice of the assessment will be included in your licensure renewal notification expected to arrive in November. The standard license renewal fee is $305. The combined amount of $555 (the $250 assessment and the $305 renewal fee) will be due in February 2008. Anesthesia permits, dispensing permits and other items may add additional costs to your licensure renewal.
Legislature Move to Reinstate PIP
The Florida legislature voted today to reinstate Florida’s No Fault Automobile Insurance Statute. The statute is what created Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which ceased to exist on October 1. The bill fully reinstates PIP in January of 2008. For the purposes of dentistry, the bill was amended to treat those licensed dentists serving in emergency rooms and trauma centers and hospitals equally with their medical physician counterparts. A $5,000 set back for trauma care reimbursement and some ability to collect up to 80 percent of UCR was applied to dentistry. Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Ft. Lauderdale) and Sen. Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) were invaluable in our efforts to ensure that dentistry received equal treatment.
Breaking New Ground In Access-To-Care
FDA fiscal year 2007-2008 is proving to be a time of growth for new dental access-to-care programs and clinics. New programs include:
- Project: Dentists Care (PDC) volunteers in Pinellas County as well as PDC Coordinators Dr. Chris Wujick and Dr. Matthew Burton are providing pro bono care for eligible kidney dialysis patients of the Kidney Group of Clearwater.
- Hillsborough County Dental Association’s PDC program began seeing patients in April 2007 for its Smile Fridays program, providing pro bono care and education materials at the Hillsborough Community College Dental Hygiene Clinic, Dale Mabry Campus for financially disadvantaged patients.
- Dr. Robert Ettleman, a FDA member from Hillsborough County is launching Gulf Coast Dental Outreach Inc., a PDC associate member clinic, by the end of this year for residents in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties.
- In Highlands County, Samaritan’s Touch Care Center is establishing an adult dental clinic with the help of PDC Coordinator Dr. Stephen Hulen.
- Gainesville Community Ministry Inc. recently came on board as a PDC associate member providing a variety of dental care options for low-income residents of Alachua County.
- The Christian Community Care Center, serving residents of Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach Counties with emergency dental care, fillings and extractions, opened its doors in 2007.
- The Samaritan Dental Clinic, a health care program of the Barnabas Center Inc. (a PDC associate member) opened in St. John’s County in May 2007. PDC grant funding to the center is providing dentures for senior patients.
- The Polk County Dental Association’s PDC volunteer dentists generously provide their services through the Polk County Volunteer Network.
GKAS 2008 Already Underway
The FDA Dental Care and Health Department, Marketing and Membership Department and Communications Department are already gearing up for Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) 2008 during February’s Children’s Dental Health Month. Keep an eye out for information about next year’s event in Today’s FDA articles, or contact Mary Lyons at mlyons@floridadental.org to find out how to participate.
Finishing Touches Being Made
to FDA Well-Being Manual
Per the House of Delegates approval, the FDA Well-Being program will make its debut this fall after the Subcouncil on Well-being approves the official manual at its November meeting. The manual is being designed assist components and affiliates in researching a wide array of local well-being resources. Additionally, components and affiliates will be encouraged to organize their own practice assistance committees to assist dentists who are unable to cover their practices while seeking treatment. In its final form, the information will be made available on the FDA Web site and through brochures for all members to access and utilize.
Professional Liability Rate Going Up Again?
Call FDA Services for Relief
In the next few months, you may get a notice from Fortress Insurance that your professional liability rates are going up – again. According to information filed with the Florida Department of Insurance, Fortress Insurance is seeking to increase rates for professional liability coverage issued to dentists in Florida. If you would like to look for other opportunities for coverage, call FDA Services at (800) 877-7597.
Unlike some of its competitors, the FDA’s professional liability program with First Professionals Insurance Company (FPIC) has not had a rate increase in 18 years. In fact, since the inception of the FDA’s Professional Liability program in March of 1989, FPIC has actually lowered its rates by about 55 percent.
FDA Seeks Information on Illegal
Dental Equipment Sales
The FDA is seeking information from members who know about dental supply houses selling teeth whitening equipment and supplies to non-dentists. The Florida Board of Dentistry recently announced that teeth whitening constitutes the practice of dentistry such that anyone offering to perform (or actually performing) the service must be a licensed dentist. The board’s action is partially in response to complaints that dental supply houses are selling teeth whitening equipment and supplies directly to non-dentists. Such sales are viewed as aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of dentistry, a criminal matter. FDA members who are aware of dental supply houses selling teeth whitening equipment and supplies directly to non-dentists are urged to report it to the FDA Department of Legal Affairs at (850) 681-3629.