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ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MARCH 2011

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

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

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

2010-2011 Georgia Dental Association Officers John F. Harrington Jr., DDS, PresidentMichael O. Vernon, DMD, President ElectSidney R. Tourial, DDS, Vice PresidentJames B. Hall III, DDS, MS, Secretary/TreasurerJonathan S. Dubin, DMD, Editor

GDA/GDIS/PDRS Executive Office Staff Members

Martha S. Phillips, Executive DirectorNelda Greene, MBA, Associate Executive Director

Delaine Hall, Director of Communications

Skip Jones, Director of Operations (PDRS)

Courtney Layfield, Director of Member Services

Victoria LeMaire, Medical Accounts Manager

Melana Kopman McClatchey, General Counsel

Denis Mucha, Director of Operations (GDIS)

Margo Null, Property and Casualty Accounts Manager

Patrice Williams, Adminstrative Assistant

Phyllis Willich, Administrative Assistant

Pamela Yungk, Director of Membership & Finance

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

© Copyright 2011 by the Georgia Dental Association. All rights reserved. No partof this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Publicationof any article or advertisement should not be deemed an endorsement of theopinions expressed or products advertised. The Association expressly reservesthe right to refuse publication of any article, photograph, or advertisement.

8 Dentists Care: Rehoboth Clinic

Benefits Middle Georgia

10 Dental Medicaid: CMO Review

and Inaccurate State Data

12 End of an Emory Era:

Last Dental Dean Weathers Retires

18 How to Strengthen Your

Practice Financial Systems

20 GDA Annual Meeting Preview:

CE Courses for All

4 Parting Shots

5 Editorial

6 News and Views

7 Calendar of Events

21 Minutes

25 Classifieds

30 Breaking the Mold

There’s been some recent buzz that theOccupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) may ramp up inspections in dentaloffices as a means of raising money for ourgovernment’s depleted budget. Dentistryhas been off of OSHA’s radar for a longtime, so it’s hard to gauge how likely anincrease in OSHA dental inspections maybe. Either way, this is a good time to take afresh look at our OSHA programs and dosome spring cleaning—see page 15 formore.

ACTIONTHE JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION MARCH 2011

other features sections

on the cover

Member Publication American Association of Dental Editors

ACTION

V O L U M E 3 1 , N U M B E R 3 • M A R C H 2 0 1 1

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

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


4 GDA ACTIONMARCH 2011


Take a look at this web site:www.vdawantsyoutopaymore.com. (I’ll waituntil you come back.)

A little background—this site was createdby the Coalition for Affordable Dental Care, ashameless veil for a group of large insurancecompanies, in an attempt to block legislationin Virginia that prevents insurance companiesfrom capping the fees dentists charge for serv-ices that the insurance companies do notcover. I believe this capping tactic is not justplain wrong, but even anti-American. Cappingfees for non-covered services can be seen as aswipe at the free-trade system our country wasbuilt upon.

Some insurance companies have beguncapping non-covered service fees in the lastcouple of years within their preferredprovider contracts. Those contracts not onlyset fee schedules for services that the plancovers, but they also stipulate where dentistsmust set their fees for services not covered bythe plan. Typically, non-covered services thatare capped by the plan include such cosmeticelectives as veneers and tooth whitening.

Why would insurance companies cap feesfor non-covered services? Seemingly, theyinstituted this practice so that the companiescan market their plans to customers at theexpense of the private practicing dentist.Does that seem fair to anyone outside of theinsurance industry? It does not seem rightto me, especially if a dentist who is part of apreferred provider network practices in asmaller area dominated by a few largeindustries that only offer PPO insurance plansto their employees. What choice would thedentist have but to participate in the plan?

The insurance companies’ attempt tomake dentistry appear as the greedy party inthis arena failed in Virginia. Non-coveredservices’ legislation passed there as it has in 15other states as of this writing.

When I asked Dr. Terry Dickinson, theexecutive director of the Virginia Dental

Association, if that web site complicated theireffort at passing the legislation, he replied thatit was the VDA’s best recruitment tool. Thesite incensed so many VDA member dentiststhat it was easy to mobilize them to talk withtheir legislators and reason with them aboutnon-covered services. Many of those Virginialegislators were professionals and / or ownedtheir own small businesses much like most ofus dentists do. They were rightly offended bythis attempt to artificially control the marketplaceand passed the legislation necessary to ban thepractice of limiting non-covered services fees.

Thanks must go out to our LAW Dayparticipants, Contact Dentists, and GDAstaff members who are sharing the truthabout non-covered services with our Georgialegislators as our Non-Covered DentalServices bill (HB 189) winds its way throughthe legislature. The bill has successfully passedthrough the full House of Representativeswith only one dissenting vote, a huge step.The bill must still clear several hurdles beforeit becomes law. We must be vigilant andcontinue to educate our lawmakers as to theneed to protect our businesses from thelarge insurance companies.

In a perfect world, we would run ourpractices without interference, but thatenvironment does not exist. It would beeasy to stick our heads in the sand and avoidgetting involved in the political process. Timeand time again, the point keeps beingmade that if we fail to get involved, then werelinquish control of our own destiny. Getinvolved. Be involved.

Non-Covered Services:Your GDA Has That Covered

5GDA ACTIONMARCH 2011

Jonathan S. Dubin, DMD

editorialperspective



New dentists—considered by the AmericanDental Association as those professionalswho graduated from dental school anytimeduring or after 2001—are invited to attendthe 25th Annual ADA New DentistConference. Dentists can network andearn up to 15 continuing education credits.

Topics to be covered in the conference’scourses and break-out sessions includeleadership, social media marketing, effectivecommunication, public speaking, thefuture of dentistry, preparing for practiceownership, street drug dependency inpatients, ADA hot topics, dentures andimplants, the business of dentistry, andcreating a environmentally-sound practice.

This year’s conference theme is“Sweet Home Chicago,” and the event willbe held June 16-18, 2011, at Chicago’sWestin / River North. Dentists who register

by April 21 are eligible for an “Early BirdSweepstakes” with several great prizes. Forconference and hotel registration information,visit www.ada.org/newdentistconf.

The American Dental Association (ADA)is now offering three of its most populardental practice management publicationson the Amazon Kindle and Barnes andNoble Nook e-readers. The e-booksavailable are:

• The ADA Guide to Starting Your Dental Practice

• CEO Crash Course: A Dentist’s Guide to Practice Leadership

• Terminating Employment in a Dental Office

The price for the e-books is $44.95each. To order versions for the Kindle,

dentists should visit www.amazon.com. Toorder Nook versions, dentists should visitthe Barnes and Noble web site at www.bn.com.

All three books are also available ashard copies from the ADA Catalog atwww.adacatalog.com or by calling (800)947-4746. The hard copy editions of CEOCrash Course and Terminating Employmentin a Dental Office are $39.95 each for ADAmembers and $59.95 each for non-ADAmembers. The hard copy edition ofStarting Your Dental Practice is $49.95 formembers and $74.95 for nonmembers.

The New York Times reported in Februaryon a study that suggested faking a smile atthe office can be detrimental to yourhealth.

generalnews

NEW DENTISTSNew Dentist Conference

ADAADA Member Benefit

SMILESSmiling and Your Health

GDA and Alliance Visit with Gov. Deal on LAW Day

Thanks to Dr. Kathy Huber, GDA President Jay Harrington and Alliance Dental Spouse President Molly Bickford were able to meetGovernor Nathan Deal on February 2 during the Alliance and Northern District (Eastern Branch) LAW Day. Other LAW attendeeswho joined the presidents for the photo shoot were Dr. Janine Bethea-Freihaut, Debbie Torbush, Dr. Jack Bickford, Tammie Talbot,Dr. Jimmy Talbot, Jean Harrington, and Janelle Kauffman.



In the study, published in theAcademy of Management Journal, scientiststracked a group of bus drivers for twoweeks. The drivers were chosen becausetheir jobs require frequent interactionswith many people. The scientists foundthat on days when the drivers’ smiles wereforced, the subjects’ moods deterioratedand they tended to withdraw from work.Trying to suppress negative thoughtsmay have made those thoughts even morepersistent. But on days when the subjectstried to display smiles through deeperefforts—such as by cultivating pleasantthoughts and memories—their moodsimproved and their productivity increased.

Women seemed to be affectedmore than men. One researcher offeredthat women are socialized to be moreemotionally expressive, so hiding emotionsmay create more strain.

So, take a moment during times ofstress in the dental office to concentrate ona happy memory. You can improve yourmood, increase productivity, and spiff upyour smile to boot.

April 1: GDA Strategic Planning TaskForce Meeting, GDA Office.

April 1: Liaison Meetings (with Specialty /Lab Groups), GDA Office.

April 1-2: ADA Membership Conference,Chicago. GDA districts are eachencouraged to send a representative.Email [email protected] for moreinformation.

April 2: GDA Board of Trustees Meeting,GDA Office.

April 2: GDA Oral Health in InstitutionalSettings Committee Meeting, GDAOffice.

April 10-12: ADA Board of TrusteesMeeting, Chicago.

April 12: Northern District CE Meeting,Villa Christina, Atlanta. “Clinical Tips,Tricks, and Techniques,” Dr. Wayne Kerr.

April 13: Northwestern District ExecutiveCouncil Meeting.

April 13: Transition Program, GeorgiaHealth Sciences University (GHSU).GDA staff speak to senior dental students about the benefits of GDAmembership.

April 14: CORPS Program, DartonCollege, Albany. During the CORPSvisits, GDA staff members talk to dental hygiene students about thevalue of joining the GDA associatemember program.

April 14-17: Georgia Health SciencesUniversity (MCG) HomecomingCelebration.

April 20: CORPS Program, AthensTechnical College.

April 22: GDA Office Closed at Noon forGood Friday Holiday.

April 26: CORPS Program, Clayton StateUniversity.

April 29-30: GDA Presidents ElectConference.

April 30-May 7: GDA President’s Trip to Europe. Sold Out!

May 2: GDA Officer Visit to NorthernDistrict, GDA Office.

May 2: CORPS Program, Georgia HealthSciences University, Augusta.

May 9-11: ADA Washington Leadership Conference, DC. GDA dentists attend to speak toGeorgia’s Congressional Delegationabout dental issues. Interested dentists should contact Dr. BruceCamp at [email protected].

May 11: Northwestern District GeneralMembership Meeting, MariettaConference Center.

May 12-15: Georgia Academy of DentalPractice Meeting, St. Thomas.

May 12: Central District MembershipMeeting.

May 20: GDA Officer Visit toSouthwestern District.

May 30: GDA Office Closed forMemorial Day Holiday.

June 5-7: ADA Board of TrusteesMeeting, Chicago.

June 16-18: ADA New DentistConference, Chicago.

June 18: GDA Board of TrusteesMeeting, GDA Office.

Upcoming Dental Events



The Dentists Care column features

charitable dental efforts created

or supported by GDA member

dentists. If you would like to suggest

a charitable dental event or

organization, email Delaine Hall

at [email protected].

What the Charitable Effort InvolvesThe Rehoboth Life Care Ministries, Inc.Volunteer Dental Clinic is a non-profitcharitable operation providing low-costdental care to uninsured residents of fourcounties in Middle Georgia (Houston,Peach, Crawford, and Taylor). To receivecare, patients must be uninsured (notcovered by a spouse’s insurance planor eligible for Medicaid, PeachCarefor Kids, or coverage through theVeterans Administration) and theirfamily gross income must be 150% or less

of the Federal Poverty Level. Patientsare pre-screened and must provide proofof income.

The clinic is staffed by volunteerdentists, dental assistants, and administrativepersonnel. Patients requiring dentalprocedures are scheduled for appoint-ments as volunteer dentists and staffmembers become available. Usually,volunteers see patients on the second orfourth Friday of every month unlessspecific times are set aside for a doctorand their staff members to volunteertheir time.

The Rehoboth Baptist Association ofWarner Robins is the clinic’s primarysponsor—the clinic is an expansion of an18-year-long ministry to the area’sHispanic and migrant worker population.

The Volunteers Who Make a DifferenceThe clinic is grateful for support from 15dentists within the community, as well asthe efforts of several dental assistants andother community volunteers. Thanks to

these dentists for their community spirit:Drs. Alex Bell, Sharon Bernardo, VinBhasin, Vincent Carey, Ken Colson,Shirley Fisher, Cameron Garvin, AmyLoden, Mike Loden, Marilyn Murphy,Charles Ross, Carl Shaw, CorrettaSpencer, Tamas Szakal, and Gene Waites.

Clinic Director Yesmin Wilson, R.N.,said that “the professional response fromarea dentists has been overwhelming. Thisclinic really does provide an outlet forthose dentists desiring to give back totheir community.” Mrs. Wilson notesthat several dentists have contributednot only their time and money but alsoequipment and supplies—for example,Dr. Alex Bell, one the clinic’s mostdedicated supporters, donated a digitalx-ray machine and handpieces.

“It has been such a surprisingexperience, how it all came together,” saidMrs. Wilson. “I believe God’s hand was init all. Now, it is a matter of keeping ourdoors open!”

The Impact of Dentists’ GivingThe clinic’s volunteers provided care for140 patients during the days when theclinic was open in 2010, donating morethan 600 hours of care. The value of thedonated care was approximately$39,951. “Our patients are asked for asmall, sliding scale fee or ‘co-pay’ whichaverages out to be $8.52 per patient visit,”said Mrs. Wilson.

The most common procedures performedat the clinic were extractions and restorations.Mrs. Wilson notes that volunteers providedseveral full mouth extractions for elderlypatients who were in need of dentures dueto recurrent dental infections affectingtheir overall health.

“Area dentists really appreciate ourability to see their referred patients whocannot afford the cost of a typical dentaloffice visit,” said Mrs. Wilson. “Now thereis a place to take care of many of the oralhealth care issues affecting MiddleGeorgians without those individuals hav-ing to run to the Emergency Room fortheir care.”

Volunteer Dentists, Community Funds Help Middle Georgia Clinic Expand

Dr. Sharon Bernardo (r) starting a procedure with a Rehoboth clinic patient.



How You Can Become InvolvedThe clinic receives its primary funding viagrants, fundraising events, and individualdonations. The clinic is grateful for twogrants that made the start-up of the dentalclinic possible—one from the CommunityFoundation of Central Georgia and theother from the Georgia Baptist HealthCare Ministry Foundation. Interesteddentists can assist the dental clinic by con-tributing via their GDA membership duesstatements. Tax-deductible contributionsmay also be sent to RLCM, Inc. c / o RBA,744 Lake Joy Road, Warner Robins,Georgia 31088.

“Our expanding overhead makesrunning a non-profit clinic like ours a‘God-trusting’ ordeal,” said Mrs. Wilson.“Much work in the fundraising area isstill to be done. We count the blessingsfrom our sponsors to help us keep ourdoor open.”

Dentists who are interested in volunteeringat the clinic may call Mrs. Wilson at (478)952-6590 or the clinic at (478) 953-7770.The facility is located at 3208 U.S.Highway 41 N. in Byron, Georgia. For moreinformation, visit www.careforlifeclinic.com.



Confusion and uncertainty continue toplague Georgia’s dental Medicaid program.An unstable dental Medicaid programwould have serious repercussions for thehealth of Georgia’s poorest citizens.

The initial state budget proposalfor Fiscal Year 2012 would have firedthree shots at dental patients as wellas providers. The proposal would:

• Remove funding for the bare minimumof dental services currently providedfor adults enrolled in dental Medicaid(primarily emergency extractions),

• Cut funding for the slightly wider arrayof services covered for pregnant womenenrolled in dental Medicaid, and,

• Institute a 1% provider rate cut for allhealth care providers, including dentistsbut excluding hospitals and home andcommunity based services. Fortunately,these shots were blocked in mid-Marchwhen the House AppropriationsCommittee voted to restore theadult and pregnant women dentalMedicaid coverage to the FY12budget, reduce the proposedprovider rate cut to 0.5%, and add12-month eligibility, which willreduce dental office administrativeburdens.

The full House voted on March 11 toadopt an $18.1 billion state budget thatincludes the dental Medicaid funding.The GDA will closely monitor the budgetas it moves to the Senate and throughthe legislative process to ensure thefunding stays intact.

Meanwhile, a GDA-supported SingleAdministrator bill was pulled fromconsideration for this year’s legislativesession. A similar bill passed in 2010 withonly five dissenting votes, but was vetoedby Governor Sonny Perdue. The billproposed to save the state money andensure the viability of the dental Medicaidprovider network by requiring the state to

contract with a single administrator fordental Medicaid benefits. The GDA’sstance: The elimination of each CareManagement Organization’s subcontractwith a dental benefits administratorwould remove a layer of bureaucracy,create significant savings in administrativefees and profit, help to ensure thatGeorgia’s dental Medicaid programremains viable, and help Georgia’schildren continue their access to qualitydental care.

The bill was pulled because of anannouncement by Gov. Nathan Deal’soffice that the state Department ofCommunity Health (DCH) would beginconducting a global review of theCMO system. In order to perform theevaluation, the state will extend the cur-rent CMO contracts that expire in 2012 for

at least one year, through June 2013. Inessence, all changes and potentialchanges to the CMO system are onhold.

When this evaluation of the CMOsbegins, the GDA has some disturbinginformation to share. First and foremost,based on a recent survey of Medicaiddentists, the GDA believes that thestate and CMOs do not have accuratedata about the state’s currentMedicaid providers and the viabilityof the provider network.

To prepare for the recent Medicaidsurvey, in October 2010, the GDA requesteda list from DCH of all the active dentalMedicaid and PeachCare for Kids providersand pending applications for Medicaid andPeachCare for Kids dental providers.The list that DCH provided contained

While Battle over Medicaid Cuts Continues, GDAMedicaid Survey Reveals State Data Inaccuracies

CMO Program Under Global Review



2,297 names listed as active or pendingdental providers.

The GDA staff immediately registeredthat this initial list contained a largenumber of duplicate entries. Aftereliminating all the duplicate entries, 1,853names remained. The GDA further removed43 names with pending applications, fiveclinic names only (no dentist name), 80names with out-of-state addresses, and 37names that could not be found on eitherthe Georgia Board of Dentistry or theComposite Medical Board licensing sites.

After thoroughly cleaning the list,the GDA staff sent a survey to the1,688 dentists (GDA members andnon-members) who remained. Thissurvey was conducted between November29, 2010, and February 7, 2011, andgarnered 1,325 responses (a 78% responserate). Multiple attempts were made tocontact all dentists. Some 201 dentistssimply chose not to respond despite beingcontacted multiple times. There were afurther 61 dentists who were no longerat a previous location and could not beadequately traced. There were almost 100instances of wrong or disconnected

phone numbers associated with dentists onthe list.

Some facts of grave concern from thesurvey:

• 375 dentists (22%) reported thatthey are not currently a Medicaid orPeachCare for Kids provider, despitebeing listed as one by DCH, with 40of these dentists reporting they haveretired from practicing dentistryaltogether.

• Four dentists on the current providers’list were in fact deceased.

• Of those that responded that they arestill an active Medicaid and / orPeachCare provider, 116 dentists arepediatric dentists (six of whom are Feefor Service providers only); 72 are oralsurgeons (20 of whom are Fee for Serviceproviders only); and 70 are faculty atGeorgia Health Sciences University. Afurther two dentists are oral pathologists;one teaches oral medicine; three are oralradiologists; and two are EmoryUniversity faculty members.

• Three dentists noted that they treatpatients only in a hospital setting, not ina private practice.

• Three dentists reported that they onlytreat by referral.

• Four dentists only treat Medicaidpatients part time.

• One dentist works for the VeteransAdministration.

• Two dentists work exclusively in theprison system.

• One dentist only sees emergency cases intheir private office.

With these and other facts in hand,the GDA will seek an active role duringthe state’s global review of the CMOprogram. The CMOs’ history of failingto adequately support Georgia’s dentalpatients and the dentists who providetheir care must be brought to light.



Dwight Ronald (Ronnie) Weathers, DDS,MSD, recently retired from EmoryUniversity. Dr. Weathers served as deanthrough the transitioning and closing ofEmory’s dental school in 1984, and thenserved as a faculty member in the Schoolof Medicine. With his departure, a chapterin Emory’s history and the history ofdentistry in Georgia closes.

Emory: Center of StateDental Education in 1960sDental education in Georgia centeredaround the Emory University School ofDentistry when the GDA celebrated its100th anniversary in 1959. By then, Emoryhad absorbed Atlanta’s previous dentalinstitutions of higher learning SouthernDental College and Atlanta DentalCollege into a university School ofDentistry. Among the deans leadingSouthern Dental College and AtlantaDental College was one of its alumni, Dr.Thomas P. Hinman.

The first Emory dental dean, Dr.Ralph Byrnes, was succeeded in 1948 byDr. John Buhler. Under his watch Emory’sdental school achieved full accreditation.Dr. Buhler departed in 1961, but Emoryalready had Dr. Buhler’s successor on staff,in the person of Dr. George Moulton.Emory was also then home to anotherfuture dean—although Dr. Weathers wasjust completing work on his DDS degreein 1962 after receiving his undergraduatedegree from Emory. Upon graduation, heentered the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant,with a subsequent promotion to Captain.

“When an Emory student reported tohis commanding officer after he joined themilitary, and many did in the 1960s, hiscommanding officer always asked, ‘Wheredid you train?’ ” Dr. Weathers said. “Whentold he trained at Emory, the [commander’s]reply was always, ‘Thank God.’ AlthoughEmory was primarily a regional dentalschool, students came from many statesbecause of the school’s reputation and inspite of the high private school tuition.”

After his Air Force service ended in1964, Dr. Weathers returned to Emory tobegin a residency in Oral Pathology, wherehe benefited from the teaching andmentoring of Dr. Charles Waldron. “Thedental school was located 10 miles fromthe main campus of Emory in a buildingwith no air conditioning,” said Dr. Weathers.“That made working in the clinic in thesummer a real test of speed. The impres-sion materials would set up very fast and itwas impossible to cool the reversiblehydrocolloid sufficiently to make theimpression accurate.”

Acknowledging that the dental school’sfacilities needed updating, Emory’s trusteesapproved an application for a grant inSeptember 1963 and, near the end of 1966,received word that the U.S. governmenthad awarded the university $3.5 million tohelp fund construction of a new $6.8 milliondental school building on the main Emorycampus (complete with air conditioning).Plans called for construction to be completedand for the building to be occupied inSeptember 1969—the same time that theMedical College of Georgia School ofDentistry in Augusta welcomed its firstclass of students.

Weathers WitnessesEmory’s Highs, Lows, andDental School ClosureDuring the next 10 years, the new Emoryfacilities successfully trained scores ofyoung dentists. But as the 1970s and 1980srolled along, Emory’s applicant pool, alongwith that of other dental schools, declined.

“Georgia’s surrounding states beganbuilding their own dental schools underthe same federal grants that allowedEmory to build its new dental building,”Dr. Weathers said. “In the 1980s, the fearof AIDS and the expectation that fluoridewould eliminate caries helped makedentistry a less attractive career. Thenumber of applications to Emory felldramatically. Although the quality ofapplicants remained high, the universityleadership doubted that the dental schoolcould sustain itself, especially since the

End of an Emory Era:Last Dental Dean Weathers Retires

Dr. Ronnie Weathers (r) with Emory University President James Wagner in 2007as Dr. Weathers received the Emory Medal. Dr. Weathers has now been named DeanEmeritus at Emory.



tuition of a private school was highcompared to state-supported schools.”

Dr. Michael Fritz, who succeeded Dr.Waldron as dean, initiated a transition indental school education, placing greaterinterest in research. Eventually, however,Emory bowed to the inevitable. Facedwith the prospect of the dental school pos-sibly receiving fewer and less qualifiedapplicants, the anticipated financial losseseach year by the dental school, and otherfactors, the Emory Board of Trusteesmade the decision to close the School ofDentistry in 1985.

“Unlike other dental institutions thatcompletely closed their doors during thistime, Emory’s dental school was phased-out over three years,” Dr. Weathers said. “Iwas selected to assume the deanshipfollowing Dean Fritz, and was faced withthe sad task of overseeing the phasing outof the school. It was my alma mater andthe only school and career I had ever known.”

Shepherding Emory into a DentalPostgraduate PhaseThe last class of new dentists graduated in1988, but Emory’s contributions to dentistrywould continue. Following the decision toeliminate the university’s DDS program,the trustees and the administration shiftedthe focus of the dental program toresearch and transformed the dentalschool into the nation’s only institutiondevoted exclusively to postgraduate dentaltraining. The school also continued to offerseven postgraduate dental residencyprograms in advanced education ingeneral dentistry, general practiceresidency in cooperation with theVeterans Administration Hospital, oralpathology, oral surgery, orthodontics,periodontics, and prosthodontics.

“This new school was known as theEmory University School of PostgraduateDentistry and received approval by theAmerican Dental Association,” Dr. Weatherssaid. “While the undergraduate componentwas phased out, the postgraduate portionwas geared up. The postgraduate schoolcontinued until 1992 when the school wasunable to become financially self-supporting.At that point, oral surgery was transferredto the School of Medicine as a Division ofSurgery. Oral Pathology was transferred tothe Department of Pathology. The activities

of these two divisions continued under theumbrella of the Office of Dental Programswhich I directed.”

Dr. Weathers also notes that the Ina T.Allen Dental Clinic is active at WesleyWoods Geriatric Center. “This dental clinicis one of the few in-house geriatric dentalcare units in the country,” said Dr. Weathers.“It was begun and supported by a gift fromDr. David and Beverly Allen in honor ofDr. Allen’s mother, a former patient at WesleyWoods. It is now a self-sustaining projectwhich provides quality dental care for thein-house patients in Wesley Woods as wellas other out-patient geriatric populations.”

Emory RecognizesWeathers for Lifetime of School ServiceDr. Weathers received Emory’s highestalumni honor, the Emory Medal, in a formalceremony in 2007 in recognition of servingas a distinguished champion of health careand medical education at the university.He has now in 2011 been granted the titleof Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus

by the Emory Board of Trustees. Thedistinction of Dean Emeritus is a uniqueand special honor reserved for only themost outstanding individuals who haveretired but left an indelible memorybehind.

Although retired as of August 2010,Dr. Weathers will continue to work withthe dental alumni in the capacity ofDirector of the Office of Dental Programsto help support and strengthen theremaining dental programs at Emory:Oral pathology, oral surgery, and theIna T. Allen Dental Clinic. “I will con-tinue to be the link between the dentalalumni and their dental school,” Dr.Weathers stated.

Thanks to Dr. Weathers and the deanswho served before him, the Emory Schoolof Dentistry leaves a legacy of nearly 4,000alumni who provide outstanding dentaltreatment to patients throughout Georgiaand the United States.



There’s been some recent buzz that theOccupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) may ramp up inspections in dentaloffices as a means of raising money for ourgovernment’s depleted budget. Thanks toour wonderful former Congressman (anddentist) Charlie Norwood (and the factthat dentistry does such an excellent job atinfection control), dentistry has been off ofOSHA’s radar for a long time. However, Iwouldn’t be surprised if this rumor is true.

Either way, I do know it’s better to besafe than sorry, so it’s time for all of us totake a fresh look at our OSHA programsand get ourselves up to date.

What an Updated OSHA Program Looks LikeHere’s a general overview of what’s includedin a current, updated OSHA program.Unfortunately, none of us can “OSHA-proof”an office, so there’s no way to guaranteethat an inspection wouldn’t result in finesor violations. However, following thesegeneral recommendations by the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) andOSHA can help reduce your exposurein the event of a visit from an OSHArepresentative.

• First, make sure you have an OSHAmanual and make sure everyone knowswhere it’s located and how to accessthose materials. The manual should containa current exposure control plan, a currenthazard communication plan, and docu-mentation of annual training as requiredby OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.There should also be information abouthow waste is handled and disposed of inthe office, what to do in the event of anexposure incident (who to report theincident to, where to go for testing, whatprocedures to follow, what documentationto complete, etc.), how to process instruments,and schedules and procedures for officeand equipment cleaning and disinfection.

• Remember, waterlines must be properlymaintained so that any water that goesinto patients’ mouths is at least drinkingwater quality.

• The office must follow standardprecautions, meaning that all bodyfluids must be treated as potentiallyinfectious. All patients, all instrumentsand surfaces, and anything else that maybe potentially contaminated must betreated as infectious.

To offer protection from exposureto these infectious materials, personalprotective equipment must beprovided and employees must use it.In the average dental office, employeesmust wear jackets with long sleeves,gloves, masks, and eye protection anytime they are performing a duty thatmay expose them to potentially infectiousmaterials. If more exposure is likely, animpervious gown might be necessaryinstead of a jacket. Personal protectiveequipment must be maintained, cleaned,changed, and replaced as needed.

• Employees must receive training thatcomplies with OSHA’s BloodbornePathogens Standard and the CDC’s2003 dental infection control guidelines.Training must be done at the time of initialemployment and at least annually afterthat. Also, at the time of initial employment,all employees should have a TB test torule out active tuberculosis infection.Employees who will be exposed topotentially infectious materials mustimmediately receive a hepatitis vaccine,or offer proof of vaccination.

• Medical records for each employeemust be maintained and, for privacyreasons, must be kept separate from the restof the OSHA materials. The records shouldshow evidence of HEP B immunization,along with any other immunizationrecords, and documentation of any testingfollowing an exposure incident.

• Dentists should complete an annualTB risk assessment to ensure that youroffice is still considered to be a low-riskenvironment. The completed paperworkmust be filed in your OSHA notebook.

• Once a year, you must also, along withother relevant employees, perform an

evaluation of devices with sharpssafety features. If you choose not to usethe devices with the safety features, youmust document why you chose a specificdevice. So, for example, if you evaluate asafety syringe and determine that thecurrent standard syringe you use is actuallysafer, you must explain your rationaleand place the relevant documentation inyour OSHA notebook.

• You must use engineering and workpractice controls to reduce the likelihoodof exposure to potentially infectiousmaterials. Engineering controls actuallyisolate you from hazards; items like thickgloves while handling instruments,sharps containers, needle recappingdevices, and ultrasonic baskets are allexamples of engineering controls. Workpractice controls change the way youperform a procedure to make it safer.One-handed needle recapping methods,placing sharps containers where they’reused, and using forceps to removeinstruments from a sink are all examplesof work practice controls.

• Instruments must be handled carefullyto avoid injury and processed carefullyto ensure proper sterilization. Thickgloves should be worn whenever handlingdirty instruments and all instrumentsshould be carried to the sterilization areaon a closed tray or in a cassette to preventinjury during transport.

• Sterilization areas must be set up sothat clean and dirty areas are completelyseparate to prevent the possibility ofcross contamination. As a general rule,any item that goes in a patient’s mouthshould be sterilized or thrown away; ifit’s an item that is heat sensitive, followthe manufacturer’s recommendation fordisinfection.

• Instruments must be cleaned beforesterilization, preferably with an ultrasonicso that hand contact is minimized.

OSHA’s Back . . . Are You Ready?Laney Kay, JD

OSHAContinued on page 16



Ultrasonic solution should be changeddaily, or any time the solution becomestoo “chunky.” All instruments should bewrapped or bagged, including individualinstruments, and a heat sensitive indicatormust be placed on both the inside andoutside of the pack to ensure that theinstruments reach the correct heat andpressure. Once they are sterilized theyshould be placed in closed drawers orcabinets to ensure that the packagingremains intact. All sterilizers must betested weekly with biological indicatorsto make sure that they are working optimally.

• Housekeeping surfaces (walls, floors,sinks, etc.) and clinical surfaces mustbe kept clean. Cleaning schedules mustbe established and the cleaning frequencymust be determined by the type of surfaceand the degree of contamination. Clinicalsurfaces must be disinfected betweenpatients and / or barriers over these surfacesmust be changed. If a barrier is intact atthe end of the procedure and the surfaceunderneath is not contaminated, furtherdisinfection is not required; just changethe barrier.

• Contaminated waste is controlled byOSHA while inside the office. Once itleaves the office, it’s controlled by theGeorgia Department of NaturalResources Environmental ProtectionDivision. Generally, only sharps andblood / saliva saturated materials areconsidered to be hazardous andmust be disposed of in a specificmanner. In the average practice this isonly about two percent of all the wastewe generate. While in the office, however,any waste that is contaminated with anypotentially infectious materials must beplaced in containers prominently labeledwith a “biohazard” label and employeesmust wear personal protective equipmentwhile handling it.

• Make sure you have an eyewash station(in a clean sink).

• Ensure you have a proper fire evacuationplan.

• Make sure chemicals out of their originalcontainer are properly labeled.

• Ensure you have a current chemicalinventory and corresponding MSDSforms.

• Your office must be maintained in asanitary, clean condition with all exitsclearly marked.

• Nitrous and oxygen tanks should besecured and inspected to make surethey are functioning properly.

• The correct number of fire extinguishersshould be mounted on the wall andbe in good working condition.

OSHA and the CDC have greatpublications to help with compliance, andorganizations like the American DentalAssociation and the Organization forSafety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP,also known as the dental infection controlgurus of the universe) offer checklists andother resources you may find useful. Finda list of resources on the GDA web site.

The best way to handle OSHA and thepossibility of an inspection is to get yourpaperwork current, get your materials inorder, establish policies and procedures toensure the safety of your patients andemployees, make sure your people aretrained, and stop worrying about it.

Good luck!

This information is provided for infor-mational purposes and is not legal advice.Questions about state regulations andrequirements should be directed to theproper state and federal agencies andspecific questions should be directed toyour personal attorney.

Author Laney Kay, JD, has been writingand speaking on technical and regulatorytopics and women’s issues since 1989.Her expertise is in taking complex, and / orboring topics and making them funand informative. She has writtennumerous articles for state and nationaljournals and has lectured at manydozens of national, state, and local dentalmeetings. Visit www.laneykay.com foradditional information.

OSHAContinued from page 15



There are 44 systems at work in everypractice that keep the practice runningsmoothly on a daily basis. Some of themost important are the five or six financialmanagement systems. The financialmanagement systems are the ones thatcontribute to the revenue engine of thepractice and include financial arrangements,insurance claims management, pre-determination management, treatmentplanning, and accounts receivable.

The backbone of the financialmanagement systems is the writtenfinancial policy. Unfortunately, manypractices that have a financial policymay not be including the right optionsand the right level of detail, and arenot using the policy to enhancepatient communication. Without awritten financial policy and teamcollaboration and understanding of thedifferent options patients have to pay fortheir dentistry, it is challenging to achievepatient clarity regarding your paymentexpectations and the case acceptance that’spossible. But, when there is a consistentpolicy that everyone can communicate,there is less stress, less leniency, andless chaos.

Let’s take a look at what an effectivefinancial policy should include and how itshould be used.

An Effective Financial Policy Should Provide SpecificsIn basic terms, a financial policy is a list ofthe different ways patients can pay forcare, clearly communicating paymentoptions and responsibilities. But to maxi-mize patient understanding, clarity, andcase acceptance, the financial policyshould be very specific. First, your finan-cial policy should list all payment optionsavailable. One of the biggest benefits of awritten financial policy is it immediatelyshows patients all their choices and makesit easy for them to see you have a solutionthat will serve their needs. The moretime they have to focus on cost, the

harder it will be for you to addresstheir concerns. So, you would list cashand checks and include an accountingreduction for prepayment if allowed byyour state law. You would also list all themajor consumer credit cards you acceptsuch as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, andAmerican Express. If you allow paymentby appointment, be sure to provide detailon payment expectations and your cancel-lation policy. Remember to list all of yourpatient financing programs along with thespecific plans available.

An Effective Financial Policy Should Placed Into UseA financial policy cannot do its job asone of the most important financialsystems within the practice if it’s left tolanguish in a drawer. Again, the sooneryou communicate to patients you havefinancial solutions that help them get thedental care they need, the more they willregard you as their oral health advocateand have greater satisfaction with yourpractice. So, put a copy of your financialpolicy in your new patient welcome kitsand post one in your office. The only placeI recommend not posting your financialpolicy is on your web site. I believe a pay-ment conversation should only take placewhen there is a relationship built on trust.We have a relationship with patients whenthey call a dental office, not when they areseeking information on our site. What youshould include on your web site, however,is a statement of your commitment to find-ing both clinical and financial solutionsthat enable patients to enjoy oral health.

Most importantly, when a treatmentplan is created and the patient is taken to aprivate environment to sit down and dis-cuss the investment that’s associated withthe recommended dentistry, it’s our obliga-tion to inform before we perform. One ofthe top three breakdowns in patientrelationships is improper explanationof fees when the patient is in anupright and coherent state. One of the

best ways we can ensure patient under-standing is using a written financial policyduring the treatment and fee discussions.This allows patients to both hear and readtheir payment choices, enhancing learningand information retention. Remember,85% of adult learning is done visually.

An Effective FinancialPolicy Should Include a Patient PaymentAgreement FormOnce the patient has committed to thedentistry and has chosen his or her pre-ferred payment option, documenting theconversation with a patient paymentagreement form is critical. This formensures the patient understands what heor she is agreeing to and is meant to pro-tect both the patient and the practice. Thepatient payment agreement form shoulddetail the payment option chosen and thepatient’s payment responsibilities includ-ing amounts and the dates payment isexpected. Patients should sign the agree-ment form and keep a copy for theirrecords. The other copy should be filed intheir patient file. In the unlikely event thata patient is reluctant to sign the patientpayment agreement form, the practiceshould not move forward with care. One ofmy favorite phrases in dentistry is, “we willwait with you:”

“Mrs. Jones, I understand there are timeswhen saying ‘Yes’ is just not possible. Ifanything changes in your life before we seeyou again, please don’t hesitate to call. Weare happy to wait with you until the timefor care is right.”

An Effective FinancialPolicy Should Benefit the Patient and PracticeThere are many ways a written finan-cial policy benefits your patients andpractice. First, there is more clarity incommunication, so patients are happier.There are fewer unanswered questions.

How to Strengthen Your Practice Financial SystemsLisa PhilpPresident, Transitions Group


Patients don’t have to try to “remember”what you said and what they committed toafter they’ve left the practice because theyhave it in writing. Second, a financial poli-cy demonstrates to patients that you arecommitted to finding a way for them to getthe care they need. For your practice, afinancial policy will make dentistry afford-able, increasing case acceptance. You willalso have more consistency, and fewer“special cases” where patients are allowedto pay in a manner that is not beneficial tothe practice because they are “friends” ofone of the team members or because oftheir particular circumstances. You’ll alsofind you’ll have lower accounts receivable.

If you currently do not have awritten financial policy and patientpayment agreement form, it should beat the top of your “to do” list. Get theteam involved and pay attention to detail.There are some great resources availableto help you. For example, CareCredit* hasa customized financial policy and patientpayment agreement form available topractices that offer their program. Visitcarecredit.com/financialpolicy.

Your financial policy is the backboneof your financial systems. When you andyour team create and use a strong financialpolicy you not only keep your practicehealthy, but keep your patients happy andhealthy.

Ms. Philp, a Certified ManagementConsultant and CEO of Transitions Groupworks daily with dentists and their teamsto solve problems and streamline systemsand processes within dental practices.

* The GDA House of Delegates voted toendorse CareCredit and its services, andCareCredit provided this article to theGDA for publication. However, perCareCredit, the opinions expressed in thisarticle are those of the author and not nec-essarily the views or opinions ofCareCredit, this publication, or the GDA.

This article is provided as information onlyand is not legal advice.



board minutes

President Jay Harrington called the Houseof Delegates to order at 9:05 a.m. onJanuary 9, 2011. Dr. Donna ThomasMoses gave the invocation and led thepledge of allegiance to the flag.

Recognition of GuestsDr. Harrington recognized Dr. Don Seago,Fifth District Trustee; Dr. Connie Drisko,Dean of the MCG School of Dentistry; Dr.John Harden, Jr., President of the Emile T.Fisher Dental Education Foundation;Fisher Foundation Scholars Jared Carter,Mallory Dawson, Anthony Didato, DavidForrest, Carlos Griswold, Brittany Jones,Meaghan King, Erika Lentini, BeckyPaquin, Emily Parks, Shivani Patel,Kimberly Peters, Genifer Rouse, JasonStrever, and Bart Wilson; and ASDA rep-resentatives Andy Benfield and AnnaSchultz.

Speaker of the HouseDr. Harrington introduced the Speaker ofthe House, Dr. Doug Torbush. Dr.Torbush appointed Dr. Jimmy Talbot asParliamentarian and Dr. Dave Mason andMr. Andy Benfield as Sergeants at Arms.

Roll CallDr. Sidney Tourial, Vice President, calledthe roll for delegates and alternatedelegates and declared a quorum. Thefollowing persons were present: CENTRAL(delegates) Drs. Shirley Fisher, PaulFraysure, Lindsay Holliday, Ty Ivey,Kendrick Mathews; (alternates) Drs. AmyLoden, Mike Loden, Deena HollimanSmith; EASTERN (delegates) Drs. LeeAndrews, David Brown, Celia Dunn,Brian Hall, Carole Hanes, Grant Loo,David Perry, Craig Taylor (for RhodaSword); (alternates) Drs. Andy Allgood

and Erik Wells; NORTHERN (delegates)Drs. Chris Adkins, Daren Becker, DonaldBrown, Greg Marks (for Brian Carpenter),Chris Childs, Max Ferguson, Tom Field,James Granade Jr., Brad Greenway, EvisBabo (for Kathy Huber), MarieSchweinebraten (for Tom Jagor), BenJernigan Jr., Jeff Kendrick, Paul Kudyba,Matt Mazzawi, Roy McDonald, BobO’Donnell, David Pumphrey, DavidRemaley, Richard A. Smith, TroySchulman, Richard Weinman, MarvinWinter, Carol Wolff; (alternates) Drs. NeilBrowning, Brook Corbett, JonathanDubin, Hank Goble, Grady Parrish, RandyPhillips, Richard Sugarman, Victor VanGreuningen, Rebecca Weinman;NORTHWESTERN (delegates) Drs.Bruce Camp, Nelson Conger, David Drew,Stan Halpern, Jim Hutson, Howard Jones,Ben Knaak, Terry O’Shea, Jason Oyler,Robin Reich, Wilkie Stadekier; (alternates)Drs. Celeste Coggin, Casey Hart,Elizabeth Lewis, Stuart Loos, DaveMason, Kumar Patel, Peter Shatz, JimmyTalbot, Neely Thornton, Jason Young;SOUTHEASTERN (delegates) Drs.Mark Dusek, Jay McCaslin, TomBroderick (for Walker Pendarvis), MattRosenthal, Julie Ann Routhier; SOUTH-WESTERN (delegates) Drs. KeithCrummey, Chris Hasty, Amanda Merritt,Steve Sample, Jeff Singleton; (alternate)Dr. Jay Phillips; WESTERN (delegates)Drs. Matt Adams, Robert Carpenter, MarkLawrence (for David Fagundes); (alter-nates) Drs. Nancy Gallagher and JayHarris; ASDA Ms. Anna Schultz, delegate;Mr. Andy Benfield, alternate.

Resolution 2011-01 Minutes (Passed):Passed by general consent: Resolved thatthe minutes of the July 22, 2010 House ofDelegates meeting be approved.

Resolution 2011-02 Members Emeritus(Passed): Passed on motion by generalconsent: Resolved that the followingpersons be designated MembersEmeritus of the Georgia DentalAssociation without dues: Central: W.Craig McCroba; Eastern: Steven Adair,John W. Dickey; Northern: C. SamiGraham Jr., Anne C. Mazzawi, LawrenceSheber; Northwestern: Gordon T. Austin,Phillip W. Bracken, Roddie Crouch;Southeastern: D. Stephen Acuff, WestonFortson.

Board of Trustees Resolution 2011-03Position Papers (Passed): Passed onmotion by Dr. Jay Harrington: Resolvedthat the House of Delegates approves theposition papers as presented andapproved by the Board of Trustees withthe editorial change concerning the newguidelines for fluoridation of communitywater systems.

Resolution 2011-04 Actions of theBoard of Trustees (Passed): Passed onmotion by Dr. Jay Harrington: Resolvedthat the actions of the GDA Board ofTrustees as reported in the minutes ofthe August 14 and November 13, 2010meetings are ratified by the House ofDelegates.

Constitution and Bylaws Resolution2011-05 Policy Manual, Fisher FoundationLiaison (Passed): Passed on motion byDr. Robert O’Donnell: Resolved thatthe GDA Policy Manual be amended asfollows to reflect the addition of a GDA

Unofficial Minutes of the January 9, 2011,House of DelegatesOnly the persons present and resolutions produced are printed here. Full minutes are available at www.gadental.org in the member’s onlysection, and can be provided upon request to those members without access to the Internet. Call (800) 432-4357 or (404) 636-7553.

MINUTESContinued on page 22



permanent liaison to the Emile T.Fisher Foundation for Dental Educationin Georgia as a part of the PublicRelations Committee.

The Public Relations section of thePolicy Manual will be amended as follows:item 3, add “the Emile T. FisherFoundation for Dental Education inGeorgia” so that item 3 reads, “3. TheCommittee shall assist in developing andmaintaining relationships with other den-tal organizations. These include, but arenot limited to the Medical College ofGeorgia School of Dentistry, dental spe-cialty organizations, the Academy ofGeneral Dentistry, the Hinman DentalSociety, the Emile T. Fisher Foundationfor Dental Education in Georgia and anyallied dental organizations.”

Nominating CommitteeDr. Harrington reported on the followingslate from the Nominating Committee.The committee offered the nomination

of Dr. Marshall Mann for GDA vicepresident. Voting will occur at the July 22,2011, GDA Business Meeting at the AnnualMeeting. The Nominating Committeereceived the nomination for the ADAAt-Large alternate delegate position(term expires 1/15) and accompanying CVfrom Dr. Jay Harrington, who is a memberin good standing. Since there were nonominations from the floor, Dr.Harrington was elected by acclimation.

Resolution 2011-09 Board of Trustees(Passed): Passed on motion by Dr. JayHarrington: Resolved that the followingcandidates be approved for a three-yearterm of office on the GDA Board ofTrustees effective July 24, 2011: Dr. ErikWells, Eastern District (term expires 7/14);Dr. Byron Colley, Southeastern District(term expires 7/14); Dr. Ben Jernigan,Northern District (fill unexpired term ofRichard Weinman, expires 7/12).

Resolution 2011-10 ADA Delegation(Passed): Passed on motion by Dr. JayHarrington: Resolved that the followingcandidates be elected to the ADA

Delegation: Dr. Jim Reynierson (EasternDistrict Delegate, term expires 1/15—finalterm); Dr. Annette Rainge (EasternDistrict Alternate Delegate, term expires1/15—second term); Dr. Doug Torbush(Northern District Alternate Delegate,term expires 1/15—second term); Dr. TomField (Northern District Alternate Delegate,term expires 1/15—second term).

Resolution 2011-11 Georgia Board ofDentistry (Passed): Passed on motion byDr. Jay Harrington: At-large position (termexpired 8/1/10, currently held by HenryCook): Nelson Conger, Delores Hubbard-Brooks, Alda Underwood-Hall, LeoBerard; At-large position (term expires8/1/11, currently held by Clark Carroll):John Bowman, Carol Wolff, Craig Taylor,Clark Carroll; Central District (termexpires 1/4/13, held by Steve Holcomb):John Bowman, Tom Woodcock, DonBenton, Clark Carroll; Eastern District(term expires 8/1/13, held by LoganNalley): Logan Nalley, David Brown,David Perry, Craig Taylor; NorthernDistrict (term expires 8/1/14, held by TomGodfrey): Tom Godfrey, Chris Childs, Tom

MINUTESContinued from page 21



Felcher, Chris Adkins; NorthwesternDistrict (term expires 3/15/14, held byBarry Stacey): Barry Stacey, NelsonConger, George D. Mason, Wade Diab;Southeastern District (term expires 8/1/12,held by Clyde Andrews): Clyde Andrews,Julie Ann Routhier, Ben Duval, BethSheridan; Southwestern District (termexpires 3/15/14, held by Becky Carlon):Becky Carlon, Timothy Fussell, JayWilliams, Parker Westbrook; WesternDistrict (term expires 1/4/13, held by IsaacHadley): Leo Berard, Jim Lopez, DonCampbell, Gerald Adams.

Awards CommitteeResolution 2011-06 Award of Merit(Passed): Passed on motion by Dr. MarvinWinter: Resolved that the Georgia DentalAssociation hereby presents the 2011Award of Merit posthumously to MarkS. Ritz, DDS, to recognize all that heaccomplished on behalf of organized den-tistry, his profession, and his patientsbefore his untimely passing in 2010.

Resolution 2011-07 Honorable Fellows(Passed): Passed on motion by Dr. MarvinWinter: Resolved that the Georgia DentalAssociation hereby confirm the followingdentists as Honorable Fellows torecognize their distinguished serviceto the Association: Bradley O. Adams, DMD(Southwestern); Russell D. Clemmons, DDS(Southeastern); Wade A. Diab, DMD(Northwestern); Benjamin Duval, DDS(Southeastern); David K. Fagundes, DMD(Western); Christopher W. Harman, DMD(Western); S. Michael Loden, DMD(Central); Zachary J. Powell, DMD(Northern); Troy H. Schulman, DDS(Northern); Rebecca C. Weinman, DDS(Northern).

Resolution 2011-08 Community ServiceAwards (Passed): Passed on motion by Dr.Marvin Winter: Resolved that the GeorgiaDental Association hereby confirm thefollowing dentists as Community ServiceAward honorees in 2011: Edwin R.Burnette, DDS (instrumental in foundingthe charitable Green Warren Dental Clinic

in Gainesville and currently serves asdental director); Stanley D. Satterfield, DMD(instrumental in founding the dental cliniccomponent of the charitable Mercy HealthCenter in Athens and currently serves asclinic director).

AdjournmentBeing no further business, the House ofDelegates adjourned at 12:25 p.m. Thenext meeting is scheduled for Thursday,July 21, 2011, 8:30 a.m. at the MarriottResort and Spa, Hilton Head Island, SouthCarolina.



CE Opportunity

CE Opportunity: Fishing / Perio-ImplantSeminar—6 approved credits in the beautifulOntario Northwoods, September 6-10.Great accommodations, food, fellowship,and of course GREAT FISHING! Fish 2per boat with guide for trophy muskie,northern pike, walleye, and smallmouthbass. $1,859 total all inclusive except for Airfareto International Falls, Minnesota. [email protected] for details.

Dental Related Services

X-RAY SAFETY CERTIFICATION forassistants is required by Georgia law.This up-to-date take-home course haseffectively certified thousands of x-raymachine operators. Send $149.99 perregistrant with name(s) to: Dr. RickWaters, 285 Pinewood Circle, Athens, GA30606. Visit www.gaxray.com for creditcard payment or to use the immediate-access online version. Call (706) 255-4499for more information.

Are you concerned about your onlinereputation? What have patients postedabout you online? Dr. Rick Waters workswith just one dentist per community toinvestigate and correct misinformation.Don’t trust just anyone … Let a DENTISThelp fix your online reputation. Myexperience includes a $10,000 / monthGoogle grant awarded to a Georgianon-profit; I know how online activityworks. www.practicereputation.com.

HIPAA Webinars: TMC offers greatmonthly webinars that provide Dentalpractices with regulation updates and themost current compliance information onHIPAA & HITECH, Business Associates,Covered Entities, Breach, & more.Call us at 1-888-862-6742 or go towww.shopTotalMedicalCompliance.comfor more info and to register today.

Dentists Availablefor Locum Tenens

Dentist will fill in for illness, vacation, orcontinuing education. Licensed, insured,DEA #, call (404) 786-0229 or [email protected].

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

DENTIST: Need Part Time Fill In?Vacation, Illness, Maternity? GENERALDENTIST SOLD LONG ESTAB-LISHED PRACTICE. GA & DEALICENSED. (Available Expanded AtlantaArea.) Cell: (404) 219-4097. Home: (404)842-1196. Jesse Hader, DDS.

Dentist available during emergencies,vacation, CDE courses. I have a currentlicense, DEA certificate and insurance.Contact me at (706) 291-2254 or cell (706)802-7760. I hope I can be of service to you.Patrick A. Parrino, DDS, MAGD.

Equipment For Sale

Upper Storage Cabinet—Adec 42” (Mfr#5731-42). Brand new, still in the shippingcrate. Best Offer (770) 393-9450 [email protected].

For Sale: Panoramic & Cephalometric(Planmeca Proline) 2002-2009, convert-ible to digital, boxed and ready to ship—$10,000 OBO. Used AT 2000 FilmProcessor—$800.00. Used PerioPro filmprocessor with Daylight Loader—$600.00.2 Safelights—$20.00. 3M ESPE EliparFreelight and Freelight 2—$300.00 each.Kerr Optilulx 501 curing light—$300.00.Inquiries call (706) 863-7351 or [email protected].

classified ads

How GDA members canplace classified ads

AD FORM: Submit all ads on a GDA ClassifiedAdvertisement Form. To obtain aform, call Courtney Layfield at (800)432-4357 or (404) 636-7553, or [email protected]. (Note: The GDAmay accept or reject any ad for any reasonand in its sole discretion.)

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

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

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

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

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

Continued on page 26



Equipment Wanted

Wanted: Supplies, instruments, andequipment to be donated to new dentalclinic at African Bible College in Lilongwe,Malawi. Needs to be new or almost newbecause of expense to transport and lack ofrepair facility. Contact Dr. BuzBeauchamp in the evenings at (229) 246-2686 or [email protected]. Thanks.

Positions Available

Part Time Associate Position Available.We specialize in Implant, Cosmetic, andReconstructive Dentistry. This is a won-derful job opportunity. We are a paperlessoffice and use state-of-the-art technology.Applicant should have at least 3 years ofclinical experience; must be a team playerand a leader. Salary BOE, great benefitsavailable, fantastic team. Email resume [email protected].

We have an outstanding Full-Timeopportunity for a Pediatric Dentist inour successful, well-respected, quality-ori-ented private pediatric dental practice forthe right candidate. We are seeking a spe-cial, motivated, personable individual tojoin in our success. We are a boomingpractice with tremendous growth andearning potential. We offer in-office seda-tion. We offer excellent compensation andbenefits. For more information, pleasecontact Amanda Moseley (678) 352-1090 /(770) 720-0079 / (678) 429-9931.

Exceptional Opportunity for AssociateDentists. Join Dr. Mark Shurett’sAssociate Team to provide treatment tochildren throughout Georgia. Wellequipped and maintained offices.Positions include F/T, P/T, and LocumTenens. Multiple locations available.Friendly staff with no daily office / over-head challenges. Contact Tina Titshaw [email protected], call (678) 413-8130,or fax resume to (770) 760-1375.

Experienced Orthodontist needed forbusy multi-location practice. Must bekind and humble and dedicated to the bestcare of our patients. Interested? Submitinquiries to [email protected].

Full time associate dentist needed inthe Acworth area. Established practiceoffers a great opportunity for a motivatedprofessional. High tech office includinglaser and digital radiography. Very welltrained and welcoming staff. Please emailresume to: [email protected].

Associate Dentists—Opportunities availablein several areas of North Carolina in state-of-the-art, digital general practices treatingunderserved children and young adults. Adesire to work in a positive, team orientedenvironment a must. Full-time positions ina number of our seven NC locations. Excsalary / benefits package. Signing bonusesavailable in select locations. Contact RogerWalters, SmileStarters (704) 395-6000 oremail [email protected] grads encouraged, a great place tostart your career!

CLASSIFIEDSContinued from page 25



Practices /Office Space Available

Buckhead: Prime established practice inbeautiful office condo. Doctor is lookingfor a buyer who wishes to enlarge his / herpractice in this location as doctor phasesout. Interested buyers should send theirname and contact phone number oremail address to GDA Box #2 at fax (404)633-3943 or email [email protected].

Toombs County: Dental Practice forSale. Four fully equipped operatoriesready for dentist to start immediately. ALLinstruments, handpieces, computers,furniture, and supplies too numerous tomention are included. Just move in andstart practicing. Excellent location andvery reasonable rent. Priced to sell at$150K. Contact Beth for more info at (912)537-8508.

GWINNETT COUNTY / SUWANEEAREA: Beautiful Orthodontic suite availableimmediately to Pediatric Dentist or DentalSpecialist to share space / rent. Spaceincludes four equipped open bay operatories,panoramic and cephalometric x-rayequipment, business office, and receptionarea. Excellent location in a fast growingcommunity offers a unique opportuni-ty for a satellite office or solo or sharedpractice. Call (678) 617-8409 or [email protected] for more information.

Specialist Wanted: Ideal opportunity inone of Georgia’s fastest growing communi-ties. Great schools and neighborhoods.1200-3600 SF of Class A office space in adental complex. Existing 50+ year oldgeneral practice with on-site cone beamtechnology; Pediatric and Orthodonticpractices. Competitive rent, generousbuild-out allowance, and existingopportunity for subletting vacated spacethrough March 2011. Any inquiries call(770) 235-2288.

Looking for an upscale, quality officein which to see your patients? Newoffice with operatories to spare forPart-Time Dentist, one with kids or onelooking to avoid hassles of ownership.Duluth / Suwanee. Dr. Bob Finkel—(770)497-9111.

Duluth, GA. Modern Pediatric DentalOffice Space—2620 sq ft and lots of stor-age. With Lease Hold Improvements,Equipment, Furnishings. Easy start upwith min. costs. High traffic area nearGwinnett Place Mall. Available August2010. Tammy or Fran at (770) 497-9111.

SPECIALISTS: North Georgia Mountains.Space available for rent in growing area.Five operatories plumbed and wired readyfor your equipment. Eye-catching twostory glass building in high-traffic area.One general dentist and a governmentagency already in building. Great forsatellite office, solo or shared, or full-time.(706) 745-6848.

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North GA Mountains: Well-establishedPRACTICE for sale in beautiful consistentlygrowing area. Modern equipment. Computersin all operatories. Mountain views.Enthusiastic cross-trained staff. Ideal forsolo or group practice. Also for sale ten yearold eye-catching glass professionalBUILDING available separately or withpractice. National recognition for officedesign. 10,000 square feet housing thispractice plus a state agency. Highly traveledhighway frontage. The best of a big-citypractice in a relaxed country atmosphereand a warm, friendly patient environment.(706) 745-6848.

Coastal Georgia: Opportunity for buyerof general practice in the Golden Isles area.Owner will stay for transition. Fourequipped operatories. Office is in medical /dental area. Cosmetic, implant, andrestorative dentistry. Boating, fishing, golf,and other activities in this beautiful area.For more info email [email protected].

FULLY FURNISHED PREMIERDENTAL SUITE—AVAILABLE FORIMMEDIATE MOVE-IN. ExclusiveHigh End Location: Glenridge area nearNorthside Hospital & Scottish Rite (3,722sq. ft.). Leasehold improvements available.Amenities: Four fully furnished operatoriesw/ x-ray units and inventories, PlanmecaPanoramic ProLine XC, fully equipped lab,sterilization room, private office, businessoffice, equipment / supplies & computersincluded. Contact: Liz Galazka (678) 471-8341.

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. Well estab-lished practice currently open 4 days perweek. This practice is loaded with patients;accepts all insurance. Practice collects$550K per year. 7 equipped operatories.Seller is retiring and flexible with transitionplans. For more information call (678) 482-7305, email [email protected] visit www.southeasttransitions.com.

HOSCHTON / BRASELTON, GA:20,000 square foot dental office buildingfor lease w/ option to purchase in the #4most economically developing area in thecountry! In the design phase and slated tobe opened in June 2011 (perfect timing forgraduating residents). Great lease rates &TI allowance available. Goal is to create a“one-stop” dental facility in the fastestgrowing area around! ORTHO alreadycommitted … Looking for PEDO, ENDO,PERIO, ORAL, PROS, etc. in a highlyvisible area where NO specialists are locatedat this time! Be the first in the area for apromising long term career location.Whether you want 1,500 or 5,000 squarefeet, space will be tailored to eachindividual’s needs. Perfect location for anew practice startup or a 2nd satellitelocation! Close to the newly approvedsatellite location for Northeast GeorgiaMedical Center. Demographics are offthe charts and schools are unbelievable… literally one of the most sought afterlocations around! Priority will be given on afirst come/first serve basis. Please email:[email protected] more information.

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LAKE HARTWELL AREA: All FFS /PPO practice is located in a free standingbuilding with 4 ops; real estate is for salewith the practice. This well-establishedpractice of over 30 years is collecting $600Kper year. Terrific hygiene department producing35%! For more information call (678) 482-7305, email [email protected] visit www.southeasttransitions.com.

Available: ALPHARETTA: Beautiful,new, 4 ops, satellite 2 days/week. GWINNETT:Grossing $823,000, 8 operatories. TUCKER:Grossing $500,000. NORCROSS: Grossing$500,000, 4 operatories. SNELLVILLE:Merger into beautiful new facility.MERGER OPPORTUNITIES: Buckhead,Duluth, Gainesville, Midtown, Norcross,Peachtree City. Contact Richane Swedenburg,New South Dental Transitions: (770) 630-0436.Check new listings: www.newsouthdental.com;[email protected].

Practices for Sale: ATLANTA #8558—Gross Collections $785,966; 4 days; 6operatories; 2780 sq. ft. ATLANTA#8108—Gross collections $666,077; 4days; 5 operatories; 2200 sq. ft. officespace. ATLANTA #6276—Gross collections$240,015; 4 days; 3 operatories; 926 sq. ft.office space. ATLANTA #8575—Grosscollections $456,922; 4 days; 5 operatories;1,838 sq. ft. office space; additionalplumbed but unequipped operatory.ATLANTA #8765—Gross Collections$1.45M; 4 days; 6 operatories; 2780 sq. ft.AUGUSTA #8747—Gross collections$1.22M; 6 days; 7 operatories; 5000 sq. ft.office space. CARROLL COUNTY#8428—Gross collections $619,384; 4days; 4 operatories; 2,000 sq. ft. officespace; additional plumbed but unequippedoperatory. SOUTHEASTERN GEORGIA#8172—Gross collections $752,638; 4days; 5 operatories; 1,732 sq. ft. officespace. NW GEORGIA #8562—Grosscollections $670,375; 4 days; 6 ops; 2881

sq. ft. office space. NW GEORGIA#8193—Gross collections $785,000; 4days; 5 ops; 1800 sq. ft. office space Forinformation, call Dr. Earl Douglas, (770)664-1982 or email [email protected].



breaking the mold

Friends encourage friends to play leaguepool. At least, that was the case for Dr.Sarabess Baumrind of Atlanta.

“My parents had a pool table while Iwas growing up, but I never really playeduntil last year,” said Dr. Baumrind, whopractices dentistry with her father, Dr. JeffBaumrind. “Then, at the urging of a friend,I joined a team. The experience wasgreat! Now, I am taking billiard classes,participating in more tournaments, andmeeting a great mix of new people.”

Dr. Baumrind plays in the AmericanPoolplayers Association (APA) league inAtlanta, which boasts 300 teams and 2,500active members competing weekly in thenorth metro area. “We are not a professionalleague, although some professional playerstake part in our events,” said Dr. Baumrind.“Games are friendly and there is a handicapsystem. It is sort of like golf, except thehigher your handicap the better player youare. Each team can play a certain numberof handicap points per night, and there isroom for players of all levels. There areother balances in place for teams withlower handicap players.”

Even with minimal experience inplaying billiards, Dr. Baumrind can alreadylay claim to a win. “I recently won a 9-balltournament,” said Dr. Baumrind. “The objectthere, roughly, is to pocket balls in numericalorder, ending with the 9-ball. The more familiar8-ball format is played with 15 billiard balls.The object there is to pocket your sevenstriped or solid balls and then the black 8-ballbefore your opponent can do the same.”

Dr. Baumrind’s APA team, 3 Racks of HighSociety, holds league matches on Mondaynights at The Independent in midtown Atlanta.The neighborhood bar, bistro, and billiardshaunt (which features the memorable menutagline “If We Can Fry It, You Can Buy It”)also hosts tournaments on Thursday evenings.

“The tournaments there rotate weekly,”said Dr. Baumrind. “One week is 8-ball,the next is 9-ball, then Scotch-Doubleswith a partner, and then Player’s Choice(you choose 8-ball or 9-ball). Teams consist

of five to eight players. Our tournamentyear is divided into three sessions, witheach session running between 13 and 17weeks. So you can easily find a playingschedule that fits your work schedule.”

Although she spends as much time asshe can playing pool in Atlanta, there is abilliards spot in Marietta that is also a frequentstop for Dr. Baumrind. She willingly makesthe commute so she can sharpen her gameand play in tournaments.

“The Marietta Billiards Club is an amazingpool hall owned by Johnny “The Scorpion”Archer and Kim “Kimmer” Davenport,” saidDr. Baumrind. “The club’s owner also endorsesthe Georgia Billiard Academy where I takebilliard lessons from Chris Niksch. He iscertified as an instructor by the Billiard Congressof America. This is a great, family-friendlyplace with the latest equipment. Theyeven offer a digital video analysis of yourplaying technique.”

Whenever Dr. Baumrind practices or playspool, she uses a pool cue made by McDermott.Her custom purple-handled cue weighs19 ounces and is, according to the firm’s website, formed from the “finest kiln-dried,hand-selected, North American hard rockmaple and turned 11 times.”

“Most people at least have their ownplaying cue,” said Dr. Baumrind. “Somehave additional break-cues. You don’t wantto break the initial set-up of billiard ballson a table with your playing cue becauseyou could damage it. I typically just use thehouse cue for breaking. I only own my onecue, and I love it!”

As Dr. Baumrind improves her billiardplaying skills, there is always the lure of bigtournament prizes. All APA teams have thechance to advance to the APA’s NationalTeam Championships, which featurethousands of dollars in prize money. Thereare also chances to play for big cash prizesin Atlanta. But for now, what attracts Dr.Baumrind to the game is more low-key.

“I love the strategy of the game,” shesaid. “Playing can be something like anintense chess match with lots of defensivemoves. Plus, I love meeting new people. Iwas surprised to find an eclectic mix ofpeople involved in billiards, ranging fromgrad students to engineers, lawyers, andparalegals, to retired military and teachers.Playing pool really is a great hobby on a lotof levels.”

Strategic Thinking, Fellowship, and Fun: Billiards Has Multiple Draws for Dr. Sarabess Baumrind

Dr. Sarabess Baumrind of Atlanta takes a break from practicing with her prizedMcDermott pool cue at the Marietta Billiards Club.


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