Delta-Sierra Dental DigestDelta-Sierra Dental Digest

The Profit .................................................. 3

SJDS Golf Tournament ............................. 4

Justifiable Criticism .................................. 5

In Memory - Kenneth Fujii, DDS .............. 6

Revisions to Federal Law May Affect Dentists’ Calling or Texting ................... 6

ADA Announces Exclusive Student Loan Refinancing Offer with DRB ................. 6

Be Prepared for a Radiation Inspection ... 7

CDA Council on Peer Review Recognizes SJDS Peer Review Co-Chairs ............. 7

The Dental PPA Update ........................... 8

ADA Blog for New Dentists and Dental Students ............................................... 8

Thank You for Your Donation! .................. 9

Registering for an SJDS Event or Looking for Forms or Other Information ............ 9

Member Benefit Supports Practices’ Business Side ....................................... 10

Member Profile - Jose Fidel, DDS ........... 11

ADA Professional Product Review ........... 12

Report Employee Injuries Immediately to Avoid Complications ......................... 13

Prescription Drug Database Changes Looming ................................................ 14

CDA Tip of the Week ................................ 14

Good Staff Communication with New Patients is Vital ..................................... 15

Estate Planning ........................................ 16

Legislative Breakfast Meeting with Senator Cathleen Galgiani ................... 17

The Four Human Personality Types in the Dental Practice ............................... 18

Legislative Update .................................... 19

Departments

General Membership Meetings .............. 2Welcome New Members ......................... 4Thanks to St. Raphael’s Volunteers ........ 17Classified Ads .......................................... 21SJDS Activity Calendar ........................... 21

In this issue ... September-October 2015 Vol. 42, No. 5

President’s Message

As I sit to

write this ar-

ticle, a lot of

t h o u g h t s

cross my

mind. What

could I share

that I have

learned re-

c e n t l y ?

Would you

want a legis-

lative update? How about a rerun of what

SJDS has to offer our members! Then I

think about the events happening around

us. The terrible tragedy of the uncon-

trolled Butte fire in the hills (uncontrolled

as I pen this message) is taking up a sig-

nificant portion of my thought process.

We pray for the people affected by this

event. Praying that no dentist has lost their

livelihood in this fire. It makes us think of

‘Disaster preparedness.’

Be sure to have your property, con-

tents and patient records adequately in-

sured. TDIC has been providing us as

members some very competitive rates for

the last 3+ decades. A self-audit is never a

bad idea. We add new and remove old

equipment and may have missed adding it

to the policy. Call TDIC and get help with

any questions you may have to make sure

you have adequate insurance coverage.

Your board worked to give you an

easy to fill member survey. It should be

coming in the mail shortly. We historically

have only received 30% replies on this

survey. I request that you all kindly fill it

out in its entirety. This helps SJDS serve

you better. The information we gather

from this survey helps your Executive Di-

rector have your most current information.

The programs committee can bring to you

what you’d like see in CE classes. The

Editor can give you a well informed and

relevant Delta Sierra Dental Digest to

read.

October will be a very busy month

for your representatives at CDA. The

House Of Delegates will be held in Sacra-

mento from October 16-18, 2015. We

have 3 delegates and 4 alternate delegates

representing SJDS at HOD. Be sure to

look for all that went on at the House in

the next edition of your Delta Sierra Den-

tal Digest.

The annual GOLF TOURNAMENT

that we all have been waiting for is on Oc-

tober 9th at Brookside Country Club in

Stockton. Registration forms are on the

website at www.sjds.org. Hope to see

most of you there. Remember, the pro-

ceeds from the golf tourney go toward

serving the community for their dental

needs, e.g., GKAS, CDA CARES (Oct

2016).

CDA Cares is on Oct 2nd and 3rd,

2015 in Fresno. Hope some of you can

volunteer as the need is immense. Regis-

tration is on the CDA Foundation website

at www.cdafoundation.org.

Finally, don’t forget to register you

and your staff for the always popular

“Staff Appreciation Night” on October

22nd.

My thoughts and prayers will be

with the families, friends and everyone in

the foothills as they cope with the tragedy

that is unfolding.

Rommel Bal, DDS, President

Thoughts on My Mind ...

Page 2 September-October 2015

2015 ProgramsMark Your

Calendar

You Can Run But You

Can’t Hide! Conflict

Resolution and

Communication Skills

for Dental Professionals

Mary O’Neill, MA, MFTSpeaker

General Membership Meeting

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Hutchins Street Square125 S. Hutchins St., Lodi, CA

5:30-9:00 PM

2 Hrs. CE (20%)

Staff Appreciation Night

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Conflict is inevitable. Life will never be free of it. At somepoint in every relationship thoughts, feelings or needs arebound to “clash” with someone else’s. Left unchecked, ourdifferences and disagreements can become the biggestbarriers to achieving goals.

Once addressed, conflict encourages collaboration,generates excitement and promotes unity among teammembers. Enormous strides are made when team energy isfreed up to focus on building relationships and creatingpositive results, rather than taking positions or sides.

RESOLVE DIFFERENCES, RESTORE HARMONY!

Resolving conflict is simple. It just isn’t always easy.That’s where Mary O’Neill comes in. Mary shows you how toskillfully move beyond the emotional and psychologicalbarriers that create stress, impede productivity and spoilrelationships.

You’ll learn how to communicate more effectively, movethrough disagreements more easily and come to trust thevalue — and hidden benefit — every conflict offers.

Mary O’Neill is a speaker, trainer, and consultant offeringcoaching and training in the areas of leadership development,conflict resolution and team building for business profession-als. With two decades of experience as a licensed psycho-

Continued - Page 5This program will be teleconferenced for

regional members and their staff.

General Membership Meeting

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Stockton Golf & Country Club3800 Country Club Blvd., Stockton, CA

4:00-9:00 PM

California Dental

Practice Act*2 Hrs. CE (Core)

Infection Control*2 Hrs. CE (Core)5

*Mandatory courses for license renewal.

Nancy Dewhirst, RDH, BSSpeaker

California Dental Practice Act

Topics covered will include:• Highlights and updates of the Dental Practice Act• Scope of practice for dentists and allied dental health personnel• License renewal requirements, continuing education, laws

governing citations and fines• Laws pertaining to prescriptions• Dental record keeping• Acts in violation of the Dental Practice Act including

unprofessional conduct

Infection Control

Topics covered will include: • Dental Board IC Regulations (DPA Section 1005)

Nancy Dewhirst, RDH, BS, is a nationally recognized speaker,author and educational consultant and an experienced hands-oninstructor. She received her B.S.D.H. from University of SouthernCalifornia, where she was later a clinical instructor. After practicingclinical Dental Hygiene for 20 years, she trained and guided dentalfacilities, laboratories and manufacturers in the science and practiceof infection control. She is an active member of OSAP, Americanand California Dental Hygiene Assoc. and California DentalAssociation and the OSAP, CDA and ADA speaker’s bureaus. Ms.Dewhirst has had over 80 articles published in peer reviewedprofessional journals and presents at major meetings nation wide.Ms. Dewhirst presents a variety of topics such as: Diseases andInfection Prevention, Disaster Preparedness, Biofilms, BuildingContamination, Instrument Sharpening, and Ergonomics. Her livelypresentation style links science and practice, encouragesparticipation and interaction.

September-October 2015 Page 3

The People:

I have personally met many ex-

cellent dentists who are clinical and tech-

nical experts in their chosen career, yet

they struggle with private practice be-

cause they either have personal issues

themselves or fail to assemble a team of

dental professionals who allow their skills

and expertise to shine. Show me any

thriving and profitable dental practice and

I will almost always guarantee there is a

group of team members who are hard-

working, dedicated, loyal, and appropri-

ately compensated. Because our profes-

sion is dedicated to helping others, as-

sembling a team of people who share a

common vision and values is paramount

to any successful practice.

“I believe in people,

process, and product,

but people are the most

important thing.” –

Marcus Lemonis

The Process:

The systems and protocols of

any dental practice are also important.

Systems are vital for efficiency and prof-

itability. From the new patient phone call

to handling a medical emergency in the

office to maintaining proper inventories,

each and every situation in an office

should have a written protocol so the

team can have direction, purpose, and ac-

countability. Without a finely tuned plan

and system in place, good people will

struggle in their execution of the mission.

If your practice is in need of a revamping

or establishing best practices, a good

place to start is the CDA Practice Support

Center. There is a wealth of information

Editorial

Lyndon S. Low, DDS, MS

I am a fan of the TV reality show

The Profit which airs on CNBC. This

hugely popular show has a growing

viewership and is in its third season. It is

hosted by the chairman and CEO of

Camping World and Good Sam Enter-

prises, Marcus Lemonis, an entrepreneur,

inventor, and philanthropist with a net

worth of more than $150 million. His out-

door businesses generate more than $3

billion in revenue annually.

Each episode features Mr. Lemonis

offering struggling small businesses capi-

tal investment and his expertise for an

ownership stake in the company. The goal

of his participation is to make the busi-

nesses successful and ultimately make Mr.

Lemonis a profit on his investment.

Anyone who has watched the show

will know that Marcus Lemonis focuses

on the three P’s in any successful venture:

the People, the Process, and the Product.

He advocates that in order to be a success-

ful and profitable business, all three P’s

must be rooted in excellence and per-

fected with hard work.

Our dental practices can benefit by

modeling much of our small businesses af-

ter Mr. Lemonis’ premise of successful

ventures. By focusing on each of the

three P’s, we can be profitable and have a

rewarding professional life.

that new and more mature practitioners can

gather from trusted and reliable sources.

The Product:

The product we provide in den-

tistry is sometimes more difficult to define.

Yes, we are able to technically determine

whether a crown has met the standard of

care or whether a root canal has been filled

all the way to the apex, or whether a mal-

occlusion has been corrected to a class I

well interdigitated occlusion. However,

much of what we provide is service related

and the beauty of our work is in the eye of

the beholder. Our product is not only the

tangible part of dentistry but also the cus-

tomer service and experience we provide

to our patients. It is this part that will set

our private practices apart from the clinics

and impersonal services that continue to

erode professionalism by focusing on the

commoditization of implants, dentures,

Invisalign, braces, and a myriad of other

procedures we provide.

Our product is not only the results

that we produce in terms of a restoration or

a certain procedure but something that I

like to refer to as the fourth P is a success-

ful dental practice.

The Patient:

Ultimately our product is part of a

larger picture in that we not only treat teeth

and supporting tissues. We are caretakers

of patients. We provide services and have

professional relationships with our patients

and the trust that they have placed in our

hands makes them not just customers but

patients.

When we master at providing ex-

cellence in the four P’s of a successful

dental practice, we not only will have prof-

itability but something that can’t be mea-

sured in dollars and cents.

Page 4 September-October 2015

Don’t forget ...to plan your office

raffle prize for

StaffAppreciation Night

ThursdayOctober 22, 2015

Hutchins Street SquareLodi, CA

Raffle Prize Donation Form is onthe website at www.sjds.org

2015 Board of Directors

OFFICERS

Dr. Rommel Bal ......................... PresidentDr. Maria Stefan ............... President-ElectDr. Pankaj Patel ........................ TreasurerDr. John Reed ............................ SecretaryDr. Tom Bianchi ............... Immediate Past

President

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CDA Trustee:Dr. John Hall

Dr. Mircea MituDr. David NealDr. Chris ParkerDr. Lita RodriquezDr. Bruce Toy

Deadline to Submit Articlesfor the Next Issue - 11/20/15

EDITORIAL BOARD -SJDS Board of Directors

EDITORIAL STAFF

Lyndon Low, DDS, EditorKathy White, Managing Editor

Colleen Lee, Executive DirectorLaura Lomba, Secretary

Delta-Sierra

Dental Digest

Published by theSan Joaquin Dental Society

7849 N. Pershing Ave.

Stockton, CA 95207

Phone (209) 951-1311FAX (209) 951-1321

Website: www.sjds.orge-mail: sjds-exec@sbcglobal.net

All expressions of opinion and all statementsof supposed facts are published on the author-ity of the writer over whose signature they ap-pear, and are not regarded as expressing theview of the San Joaquin Dental Society unlesssuch statements or opinions have been adoptedby its representatives.

This publication solicits essays and articles ofinterest to the general membership. Articles(please include name and address) submitted tothe Editorial Board should be no longer than 1,000words. (All submitted articles are subject to ap-proval by the Editorial Board.)

Published or inserted advertisements donot infer that the San Joaquin Dental Society

endorses those companies or products.

Dr. Charles FeldmanDr. Jim GrabowDr. Kate LomenDr. Jennifer LowDr. Lyndon LowDr. Michael Moreno

A Warm Welcometo Our New SJDSMembers

MEMBER PUBLICATIONAMERICAN ASSOCIATIONOF DENTAL EDITORS &JOURNALISTS

FridayOctober 9, 2015

Brookside Country ClubStockton, CA

San JoaquinDental Society

Annual Golf Tournament

Registration:

10:30 AM -12:00 PM

Tee Time: 12:00 PM

Entry Fee Includes:w Green Fees/Cartw Tee Prizesw Boxed Lunchw One Mulliganw On Course Refreshmentsw Post Awards Dinner with Wine

Registration form is on thewebsite: www.sjds.org

Francisca Acuman, DMDGeneral Practice

1985 Graduate Southwestern

University, Philippines

2271 Grant Line Rd., #117

Tracy, CA 95377

209-836-1290

Tejdeep Rattan, DDSGeneral Practice

2010 Graduate College of Dental

and Oral, New York

477 W. Las Brisas Dr. (HOME)

Mountain House, CA 95391

937-369-7843

Manjeet Samra, DDSOrthodontics

2012 Graduate UCSF

2015 University of Pittsburgh

1110 W. Robinhood Dr., #200

Stockton, CA 95207

209-478-4666

Ramez Shaker, DDSGeneral Practice

2015 Graduate UCSF

2766 N. Tracy Blvd.

Tracy, CA 95376

415-786-0447

Charles Van Sicklen, DDSGeneral Practice

Transferring from San Francisco

Dental Society

2015 Graduate UOP

September-October 2015 Page 5

General MembershipMeeting

Thursday, October 22, 2015Staff Appreciation Night

-- Continued from Page 2

therapist, Mary is skilled at helping team mem-bers easily understand the often challengingcommunication and interpersonal issues thatarise among work groups everywhere.

Mary’s professional journey began with acareer in public relations on Madison Avenue,in New York City, working with renowned For-tune 500 companies such as DuPont, TonkaToys and Givenchy Fragrances. Early on inher travels and travails, Mary noticed thatsome people possessed a greater capacitythan others for building good relationships andfunctioning more effectively in the workplace.Her curiosity about the vital link between psy-chological hardiness and professional suc-cess, led her to obtain a Master’s Degree inCounseling Psychology from John F. KennedyUniversity and to later become a psychothera-pist in private practice in the San FranciscoBay Area.

Mary now combines her experience inthe business world with her understanding ofhow people and teams function - and uses thisknowledge to help individuals and organiza-tions thrive. She provides tangible, practicaltools and life changing advice aimed at bridg-ing the gap between your humanity and yourprofession. Mary challenges team membersand workshop participants to “awaken theleader within” by embracing change, takingrisks and developing and sustaining the skillscritical to our personal and professional suc-cess.

Our SJDS Mission ...

The mission of the San JoaquinDental Society, an organizationof local dental professionals, isto provide professional develop-ment and advancement for itsmembers. The Society is com-mitted to improving the commun-ity’s oral health through informa-tion, education and service whilemaintaining the highest stan-dards of ethics.

What should a dentist do when a

new patient presents with a restoration

that may be defective?

If it is a simple filling, probably

just redoing it is easy enough. If it is

more complicated, such as a fixed

bridge, more information should be

considered. Since the new dentist

doesn’t know the circumstances sur-

rounding the restoration, judging the

previous dentist for faulty treatment is

not appropriate, especially in front of

the patient or to colleagues. Determin-

ing the health of the patient, the age of

the restoration, the patient’s demeanor

and accessibility to the teeth in ques-

tion are important. Not knowing the

age of a restoration, it is impossible to

determine how it appeared when ce-

mented. Patients with health problems

may be taking medications that result

in dry mouth and depending on hy-

giene and diet, can damage the best

Guest Editorial

Justifiable Criticism

Alan Robb, DDS, Past Chair

Santa Clara County Dental Society

Peer Review Committee

restorations. If the treating dentist

chooses to contact the previous den-

tist, the treating dentist should explain

that he found an area of concern, not

that he determined that the restoration

was faulty from the beginning and re-

quires immediate retreatment.

We all have difficult situations.

Occasionally even the easiest restora-

tion becomes difficult, due to a pa-

tients lack of opening, gag reflex, sali-

vary flow, difficulty with bleeding, pa-

tient anxiety, etcetera. It is best to

keep this in mind when making in-

quires.

Because the subsequent dentist

can never know all the circumstances

present at the time of treatment as a

basic rule the new dentist should never

be judgmental in front of the patient

and certainly not without consulting

the original treating dentist first.

Page 6 September-October 2015

Dr. Kenneth Fujii,

91, was born on

January 23, 1924 in

Stockton, CA and

passed away on Au-

gust 19, 2015. He is

survived by his de-

voted wife of more

than 61 years, Alice Keiko, sons Dr.

Mark Fujii (Mika) and Dr. Robert Fujii

(Vivian), daughter Kathryn (Dr. Tho-

mas Yamamoto), granddaughters

Amanda Fujii, Alexis Fujii, Karisa

Yamamoto and Allison Yamamoto as

well as many other family members.

Dr. Fujii attended Stockton High

School until his family was relocated

and interned at Rohwer, Arkansas dur-

ing World War II. Upon graduating

high school from Rohwer Relocation

Camp, Dr. Fujii worked on a farm in

St. Louis, MO prior to pursuing a

higher education. He enrolled in

Loyola University in Chicago, IL and

later attended the Loyola University

School of Dentistry. After earning his

Doctor of Dental Surgery degree, Dr.

Fujii volunteered his services in the

U.S. Army during the Korean War,

where he was promoted as a Captain.

After the war, Dr. Fujii came back to

Stockton, where he opened his dental

practice in 1953.

In Memory

Kenneth Kenzo Fujii, DDSJanuary 23, 1924 - August 19, 2015

Active in the community, Dr.

Fujii was a Life Member of the Ameri-

can Dental Association, the California

Dental Association and the San Joaquin

District Dental Society, where he

served as a member of the Board of Di-

rectors. Dr. Fujii was President of the

Stockton Buddhist Temple, President

of the Stockton Japanese American

Citizen League and President of the

Stockton Nisei Veteran Club. Dr. Fujii

was a past chairman of the Northern

California District Council of the Bud-

dhist Churches of America. He was

also a Life Member of the Veterans of

Foreign Wars as well as the Japanese

American Korean War Veteran Asso-

ciation.

In his spare time, Dr. Fujii loved

to camp, hike, fish, travel, and read.

He traveled the world with friends and

family and visited Japan and China and

cruised to the Baltic and Mediterranean

Sea, Mexico and Alaska. One of his

favorite places was Lake Tahoe, where

he made many happy memories with

his family at their cabin year after year.

Dr. Fujii was predeceased by his

parents, Kaneko and Shizuma Fujii,

and brothers, Mike, Dick, Masaaki, and

George.

Services for Dr. Fujii were held

on Saturday, September 5, at 2:00 pm

at the Stockton Buddhist Temple.

Bites ofBites ofBites ofBites ofBites of

Revisions to Federal Law

May Affect Dentists’ Calling

or Texting Patients

Recently enacted amendments toFederal Communications Commission(FCC) rules, which are intended toaddress the problem of unwantedtelemarketing communications, may alsorestrict the ability of dentists and otherhealthcare providers to communicateelectronically with their patients. In orderto avoid liability and penalties underfederal laws such as the TelephoneConsumer Protection Act (“TCPA”),dentists under certain circumstances mayneed to obtain prior written consent andtake certain other steps when contactingpatients via phone or text. The ADACenter for Professional Success hasinformation to help dentists comply withthe law at http://success.ada.org/en/practice/operations/regulatory/follow-the-rules-when-phoning-patients

ADA Announces Exclusive

Student Loan Refinancing

Offer with DRB

Student debt is a serious concern formany ADA member dentists. Togetherwith the Board of Trustees, New DentistCommittee, Council on Membership andstudents, we sought out a way to helpmembers manage their debt, resulting inan exclusive deal with DRB (DarienRowayton Bank), an industry leader indebt consolidation. The ADA’s exclusiveendorsement allows ADA memberdentists the opportunity to save tens ofthousands of dollars, on average, byrefinancing existing federal and privateundergraduate and graduate schoolloans at a lower interest rate. Qualifyingmembers can refinance existing federaland private undergraduate and graduateschool loans at a rate 0.25% lower thanDRB’s already low rates. Learn more athttps://student.drbank.com/ADA/.

September-October 2015 Page 7

CDA Council

on Peer Review

Recognizes

SJDS Peer Review

Co-Chairs

The Council on Peer Review recog-

nized Drs. Ron Wihlidal and Dan

Dozier of San Joaquin Dental Society

for the “Chairs of the Year” award on

Friday, September 11. Dr. Wihlidal

and Dr. Dozier work tremendously

well together in oversight of the peer

review committee activities in San

Joaquin Dental Society. Their expe-

rience allows them to recognize new

trends in peer review cases, and they

actively engage the council to discuss

new issues as they arise. Dr.

Wihlidal began as Peer Review Chair

in 1978, and mentored Dr. Dozier,

who joined Dr. Wihlidal as co-chair

in 2007. Dr. Wihlidal and Dr. Dozier

actively engage in recruiting and pro-

vide ongoing training to committee

members with each case. The San

Joaquin committee completes its re-

views in an average of 45 days. Con-

gratulations to Drs. Wihlidal and

Dozier!

L-R - Dr. Ron Wihlidal and Teresa Yang,

DDS, the chair of the Council on Peer

Review. (Not pictured, Dr. Dan Dozier)

Recently, one of our members un-

derwent a radiation inspection. Below is a

“checklist” that may be helpful to you in

preparation for an inspection.

Document Review - Have thefollowing items available:

1. Radiation Protection Program: Each

California radiation machine registrant

must develop and implement a radia-

tion protection program that is suitable

for the scope of its work. The pro-

gram must be sufficient to ensure com-

pliance with all regulations to ensure

protection from radiation of workers,

the public, and the environment. Re-

fer to http://www.cdph.ca.gov/

pubsforms/forms/Documents/RHB-

GuideRadProtectionProgram.pdf.

2. Personnel Exposure Records: Require-

ments for personnel monitoring and

limits on radiation doses are found in

Title 17 CCR which is incorporated,

by reference, in Title 10, Code of Fed-

eral Regulations, Part 20 (10 CFR 20).

3. Licenses and Certificates: License

Numbers for Registered Dental Assis-

tants (RDA) and Registered Dental

Hygienists (RDH). Dental-approved

certificates for Dental Assistants and

Dental Hygienists (DH).

Be Prepared for a Radiation Inspection

Postings - Have the followingposted at your facility.

1. A current copy of Title 17 CCR and 10

CFR 20. Refer to http://www.

cdph.ca.gov/prorams/Pages/RHB-

Regulations.aspx

2. A current copy of “Notice to Employ-

ees” (RH 2364). Refer to http://

www.cdph.ca.gov/pubsforms/forms/

CtrldForms/rhb2364.pdf

3. “Safety Operating Procedures:” Restric-

tions of the operating techniques re-

quired for the safe operation of the par-

ticular X-ray machine.

4. “Caution X-ray” signage: Posted in ar-

eas where X-ray radiation is produced.

Note: you are required to submit a “Radia-

tion Registration Form” to the California

Department of Public Health - Radiologic

Health Branch if there have been any

changes to your registration information.

Refer to: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/

P a g e s / R H B - R a d i a t i o n M a c h i n e

Registration.aspx.

More information can be obtained through

the CDA Practice Support Center at

www.cda.org/member-resources/practice-

support.

Information contributed by

Maria Stefan, DDS

Page 8 September-October 2015

The Dental PPA ...

A Better Way

The Dental PPA Update

Articles submitted by the Dental PPA do not

represent the opinion or policy of SJDS.

The Mission of the Dental PPA is to provide quality dental care for a reason-

able reimbursement, to provide our patients with the freedom to choose their

own practitioner, and to accomplish these objectives at a cost savings to the em-

ployer whenever possible.

PRPRPRPRPROJECTS & SOLOJECTS & SOLOJECTS & SOLOJECTS & SOLOJECTS & SOLUTIONSUTIONSUTIONSUTIONSUTIONSInstallation, Configuration and Consultation of:

Practice Management

- Dentrix

- SoftDent

- Eaglesoft

- PatientBase

X-Ray / Intraoral

- DXImage

- Dexis

- Gendex

- Trophy

Call us today for a Free Consultation

Tel. (209) 922-8703 or (209) 257-3368

www.projectsandsolutions.com

Since our last Dental PPA Update,we have continued to make stridesin helping to get the word out aboutThe Dental PPA to employers andemployees concerning the benefitsof receiving top quality dental carefrom your trusted long term dentist.The Dental PPA can provide thisexcellent care with a 10-20% costsavings through a self-insured planoverseen by a third party adminis-trator and still provide fair and rea-sonable reimbursement to the den-tist. Be looking for monthly halfpage ads in the Stockton Chamberof Commerce Ports of Call, as wellas an interview with Doug Dinjian inthe Central Valley Business Timesand further press releases. For thenext six months, we will be target-ing employers in San Joaquin

County who would like to have theiremployees be able to choose theirown practitioner, but at a significantcost savings during these challeng-ing economic times. Lynne Ander-son, our executive secretary, isworking with offices to make surethat your current fees are updatedand questions are being answered.Please notify us of any employers,especially ones from your practice,who are looking for a better choiceby calling 1-866-241-6646 or email:Thedentalppa@onekate.com. Also,please check our website atwww.thedentalppa.org. We trulyappreciate your support.

Save the Date ...

Stockton Event

SaturdayFebruary 20, 2016

ADA Blog for New

Dentists and Dental

Students

New dentists have issues andconcerns unique to them. Thatis why ADA’s New Dentist Com-mittee has developed the blogNew Dentist Now to supportyoung professionals as theynavigate their new careers.

The blog features resources fornew dentists and dental stu-dents as well as news and in-sight on the dental professionand beyound. New dentistsand students can learn abouttips for working with their dentalteam, leadership opportunitiesand overall insight into life as anew dentist.

New Dentist Now

Find this new dentist blog athttp://newdentistblog.ada.org/

September-October 2015 Page 9

Phil Abeldt*Ray AngeliTony Arredondo*Rommel Bal*Gary Baughman*Tom Bianchi*John Blades*Mark BuchmanFred Bunch*Michael Carl*Frank ChenTamara Clauson*Richard CrumJames Decker*Dan Dozier*Charles Feldman*Kevin Fleming*Doug Fong*Michael Foster*C. Paul George*Randy GordonJames Grabow*Ed Graham*Joseph Gums*Abhijit GuneJohn Hall*Donald Huang*Jeff Huston*

Existing Dental

New Dental

ExpandedBoard Room -Board RoomTable with

Thank You for Your Donation!

Thank you to all the members listed below who so graciously donated to-

wards the Condo Expansion fund and towards replacing worn out items

in the condo. Total donations were $63,353. A plaque bearing all the do-

nors’ names now hangs in the office.

*Diamond Sponsors

Michael Jory*Brian Kanegawa*Keith Kanegawa*Noble KeddieScott KeithleyJohn Kellen*Brad Louie*Caressa Louie*Jennifer LowLester LowLyndon LowWilliam Marweg*Lance MatsuneKyle McDonaldBonnie Morehead*Michael Moreno*Calvin MulhollandDarin NakamuraRobert NakamuraDwayne NashKen Natsuhara*David Neal*Dorene Neri*Howard Nguyen*Mike Panzer*Chris Parker*Pankaj Patel*Daryl Payne*

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Registering for an

SJDS Event or Looking

for Forms or Other

Information?

Use this QR Code to open the SJDS

website with your smart phone.

Don’t have a QR Code app? They are

free from your app store!

www.sjds.org

Friday, October 9, 2015

SJDS Annual Golf Tournament

Website: Home Page

CPR Courses

Website: CE, SJDS Events, Calendar,CDA & ADA Meetings tab

General Membership Meetings

Website: CE, SJDS Events, Calendar,CDA & ADA Meetings tab

St. Raphael’s

Website: Dental Health tab

Practice Interruption Guidelines

Website: Membership, Practice SupportCenter tab

Practice Update Form to Submit

Website: Membership tab

Keeping in Touch Form to Submit

Website: Membership tab

Membership Directory, Archived

Newsletters and Classified Ads

Website: Newsletter, Membership Directory & Classified

Auxiliaries Seeking Employment

Website: Employment Opportunities

New DentalSociety Office

New ReceptionArea

New Staff Offices

ExpandedBoard Room -

Tables andChairs

Existing Dental Society Office

Page 10 September-October 2015

topics such as practice management, em-

ployment practices, dental benefit plans

and regulatory compliance. In addition,

members can contact a practice analyst

over the phone or through email.

CDA Practice Support was created

as a direct result of member-driven re-

search and feedback, and was intended to

be an “extension of the dental office.”

CDA has fulfilled that goal over the last

six years by building it into a vast reposi-

tory of more than 600 practice manage-

ment resources, including fax forms for

medical releases, consent forms, new pa-

tient forms and scripts on how to talk to a

patient about their financial agreements.

Most recently, Ortega has been call-

ing CDA Practice Support for advice on

the new sick leave law (employers had to

begin providing mandatory sick leave to

all employees on July 1, or on the first day

of employment for new employees —

whichever is later.)

“I think CDA Practice

Support is the best thing

that’s happened in a long

time to CDA membership,”

Ortega said.

Since its launch in 2009,

the number of calls/emails

from members to CDA

Practice Support has in-

creased from 6,100 annu-

ally to more than 24,000 in

2015. Further, visits to the

website (www.cda.org/

practicesupport) have in-

creased from 51,000 in

2009 to nearly 100,000 in

2015.

Mireya Ortega, DDS, thought she

had taken all of the necessary steps in the

insurance approval and billing process for

her patient. But despite doing everything

according to the insurance policy standard

(getting preauthorization, confirmation of

coverage and billing exactly what services

were provided) she was sent a letter in the

mail informing her she needed to return

all of the money she had received for the

treatment because the patient in fact did

not have coverage.

Ortega stood to lose thousands of

dollars. When she called the insurance

company she was told she couldn’t obtain

details of why the claim was rejected after

it was initially approved because of pa-

tient privacy issues. After three to four

months of back and forth, Ortega knew

she needed help in resolving this issue.

“I called the CDA Practice Support

Center and they were instrumental in help-

ing me with this,” said Ortega, who has

been a general practitioner in South Lake

Tahoe since 1999 and a CDA member

since she graduated from dental school.

A CDA Practice Support analyst

sent her templates for letters she could

send the insurance company and informed

her of a court case that protected her in

such a situation. This put the onus on the

insurance company to determine why cov-

erage was initially approved and then re-

jected after the treatment occurred.

“Once I sent the letter that CDA

Practice Support supplied the template

for, the insurance left me alone and

stopped asking me to refund the money,”

said Ortega, who has been utilizing CDA

Practice Support since its launch in 2009.

“I had been trying to resolve that for three

to four months and CDA helped me end it

within about a month.”

There are countless stories just like

this of CDA members who regularly take

advantage of CDA Practice Support,

which is an exclusive member benefit and

includes hundreds of online resources

geared toward the dentist who needs gen-

eral support with running the business side

of a practice. Resources are available in

Member Benefit Supports Practices’ Business SideAt cda.org/practicesupport, mem-

bers can find sample business plans to

help detail and document a dentist’s vi-

sion for their practice as well as step-by-

step checklists for opening, transferring

ownership of or closing a practice. Den-

tists in the job hunt can find advice on

how to write job descriptions and create

applications. Dentists already working at

a practice can find information on how to

place help-wanted ads, set meal breaks,

establish alternative work schedules and

terminate an employee.

“It can be difficult for dentists to

juggle all of the things that go into run-

ning a successful practice, and that is

where CDA Practice Support comes in,”

said Scott Szotko, DDS, chair of the

Council on Practice Support.

The 2015 Sample Employee

Manual, which can be customized to any

practice, is the most popular resource in

2015 (in 2009, the most popular resource

was the Starting a Practice Checklist).

Junie Baldonado, DDS, recently

purchased a practice and has been using

CDA Practice Support for everything

from employee relations to regulatory

compliance and employee manuals. What

he has learned from these resources and

his interactions with CDA Practice Sup-

port analysts has helped him in his transi-

tion from being an associate to a first-

time practice owner.

“We learned very little about run-

ning a business in dental school. CDA

has really helped me out,” Baldonado

said.

Baldonado had been dealing with

the fact that he wasn’t allowed to talk to

the practice’s current patients or staff up

until a few days before the deal closed,

which was May 1 — the same day he

opened.

“Most acquisitions occur in such a

way that hinders or blocks the buyer from

meeting the current staff and patients of

the practice until right before or after the

Continued - Page 12

Practice

Support

September-October 2015 Page 11

SJDS Member Profile

Jose Fidel, DDS is the longest active

full time practicing member of the San

Joaquin Dental Society. He joined the

San Joaquin Dental Society in 1962 and

has been practicing for 53 years! He is a

Past President of the SJDS and has served

on the board of directors. After graduat-

ing from dental school in 1959, Dr. Fidel

practiced in the US Army for two years.

He then moved back to Stockton and im-

mediately joined the dental society. I re-

cently had the awesome opportunity to

visit with Dr. Fidel as he shared with me

some of his amazing journey.

Please share with us where youwent to school and how you be-came interested in dentistry.

I am a native Stocktonian and a

product of the public school systems and

attended local grammar schools and then

graduated from Edison High School. I at-

tended Stockton College and then gradu-

ated from the University of California at

Berkeley with degrees in psychology and

zoology. Go Bears! I did not know what I

wanted to do when I started at Cal, but

was exposed to dentistry through some

friends who shared what it was all about.

I then went on to my professional gradu-

ate program at Creighton University and

graduated from the Boyne School of Den-

tistry in 1959. I have always been inter-

ested in the health sciences and love the

interaction and contact with people. Den-

tistry is always a challenge and

I continue to learn from my

patients.

Do you have any hobbiesoutside of dentistry andcan you share some ofyour most favorite placesto visit?

I enjoy playing golf (al-

though not very well!) and

traveling. I like to visit the

coast and the Sierras. I am a

49er’s fan and also root for the

San Francisco Giants! I love

to read and have done a lot of

eclectic reading over the years. I think the

most interesting place I have visited

would have to be Switzerland. I have also

enjoyed visiting many of the great places

here in the vast State of California.

As a “well seasoned” member ofSJDS, what have been the threebiggest changes in the professionyou have seen over the years?

I would have to say the utilization of

the world of technology and how that has

changed the delivery of care to our pa-

tients is one of the biggest changes. There

Jose Fidel, DDSInterviewed by Lyndon S. Low, DDS

have also been great advancements in den-

tal materials and their use in cosmetic

dentistry which has been driven by the in-

terest from the public. Finally, our profes-

sion has become involved in the political

health care arena for the delivery of dental

care to the underserved of our communi-

ties. Our role in public health is very im-

portant and it is vital that our opinions be

heard.

What advice would you have for anew young practitioner looking toget the most out of his or her ca-reer?

I would tell them to be prepared to

work hard and continue to learn and al-

ways approach professional opportunities

with an open mind. Do not let financial

gains or security be your ultimate goal.

What would you do differently inyour career if you could go back intime?

I would not make any drastic

changes, maybe just re-evaluate a few of

my goals or priorities. I have really en-

joyed dentistry and IT’S BEEN A

PRETTY GOOD 55 YEARS!

Life After Dentistry?Retirement, Transition, Practice Sales,Mergers, and Acquisitions. Are you ready?

THE ONE PLACE for pre-transition practicedevelopment, retirement planning, andpractice sales.

Call Jay - cell 209-406-6314, ore-mail drjay@jayhislop.com.There is LIFE AFTER DENTISTRY!

Jay M. Hislop, DDS, Esq.

Attorney at Law

Page 12 September-October 2015

deal closes — this was my situation,”

Baldonado said. “Therefore, there is very

little to no transitional period for the

buyer to get to know the nuances of the

practice, making it difficult for everyone

involved.”

Purchasing a practice is just one of

the many topics discussed in the “Ask an

Expert” section of www.cda.org/

practicesupport. Here, dentists can ask

questions to a CDA Practice Support ex-

pert, such as, “How do I create a

cellphone policy for my office?” or,

“Where can I find the latest OSHA posters

to post in my break room?”

CDA President Walt

Weber, DDS, encourages

more members to take

advantage of what CDA

Practice Support has to

offer online and by pick-

ing up the phone and

calling a CDA Practice

Support analyst.

“There are issues that may arise in

your practice, whether it be hiring or fir-

ing an employee or getting all of the de-

tails on the latest regulatory requirements,

that come up unexpectedly and you don’t

want to have to worry about these types of

things because what you really want to fo-

cus on is simply providing good oral

health care for your patients,” Weber said.

“CDA Practice Support can be your help-

ing hand when it comes to making your

business function smoothly.”

To learn more about CDA Practice

Support, visit the website www.cda.org/

practicesupport.

-- Continued from Page 10

Member Benefit Supports

Practices’ Business Side

A compilation of unbiased, scientifi-

cally sound and clinically relevant product

analysis and evaluation, the full Review is

published online. Readers can access is-

sues dating back to 2006 at www.ada.org/

ppr.

Professional Product Review has

been ranked fifth highest overall as a val-

ued member benefit.

The core value has been to provide

information that members like to know

about and to therefore be a strong member

benefit.

Archives by Topic

w Adjunctive Detection Devices for

Carious Lesions

w Alginate Impression Materials

w Amalgam Separators

w Apex Locators

w Bisphenol A (Overview)

w Bonding Agents

w CAD/CAM Systems

w Carbide Burs

w Communicating with Your Lab:

Components for Success

w Core Materials

w Curing Lights

w Dental Amalgam Separators

w Dental Therapeutics

w Dental Unit Waterline Cleaning

Products

w Denture Base Polymers

w Desensitizing Agents

w Digital Impression Systems

Are you taking advantage of this ADA member service?

w Digital Radiography Systems

w Elastomeric Impression Materials

w Electric Handpieces

w Electric Handpiece Systems

w Electric vs. High-Speed Air Turbine

Handpieces

w Electrosurgical Systems

w Endodontic Filling and Sealing

Materials

w Endodontic Handpieces

w Endodontic Posts

w Flowable Composites

w Glass Ionomer-Containing Cements

w Glass Ionomer-Containing Restor-

atives

w Gloves

w High-speed Air Turbine Handpieces

w Intraoral Cameras

w LED Curing Lights

w Local Anesthetic Delivery Systems

w NiTi Rotary Endodontic Instruments

w Percutaneous Injuries

w Pit & Fissure Sealants

w Polishing Systems

w Polyvinyl Siloxane (VPS)

w Posterior Composite Resins

w Reline Materials

w Resin-based Cements

w Restorative Materials

w Shade Guides

w Steam Sterilizers

w Surface Disinfectants

w Water Quality Monitoring Kits

w Whitening Systems

w Xerostomia

Member Get a Member

Recruit a new member, get $200

September-October 2015 Page 13

Risk Management

Workers’ compensation covers a

broad and multifaceted legal spectrum,

but a few essential practices can help den-

tists manage an employee injury at work.

Key considerations include report-

ing the injury right away, authorizing

medical care, avoiding judgment about the

injury, maintaining open communication

with the injured employee and treating the

injured employee fairly.

Some policyholders mistakenly be-

lieve that not reporting employee injuries

to the insurance company is a good busi-

ness decision.

“Many times employers do not re-

port claims on a timely basis,” said

Deborah Boyd, workers’ compensation

claims manager with The Dentists Insur-

ance Company. “The law requires indus-

trial injuries to be reported as soon as the

employer has knowledge of an injury.”

When reporting an employee in-

jury, be prepared with as much informa-

tion as immediately possible, including

the name of the employee, date, time and

location of the injury as well as a descrip-

tion of what happened.

While workers’ compensation laws

vary from state to state, statutes generally

require employers to give a workers’ com-

pensation claim form to the employee

within one working day after the work-re-

lated injury or illness is reported. State-

specific workers’ compensation informa-

tion is available on the U.S. Department

of Labor’s website at dol.gov/owcp/dfec/

regs/compliance/wc.htm. Request immedi-

ate return of the form from the employee

and forward the claim form, along with a

report of occupational injury or illness, to

the insurance claims representative within

one working day. Employers are required

to authorize appropriate medical treatment

and make medical care available to in-

jured employees.

-- Continued - Page 14

Report Employee Injuries Immediately

to Avoid Complications

By TDIC Risk Management Staff

TDIC advises dentists to report

workers’ compensation claims, even if

they dispute the injury.

“TDIC only has 90 days to investi-

gate and issue a denial, if appropriate, for

a disputed claim,” Boyd said, noting that

it is not up to the dentist to discern if the

injury is real or credible. “If an employee

reports an injury, report the claim. You

are required to make medical treatment

available and provide a claim form to the

employee.”

If you dispute that an injury oc-

curred, report the claim and tell the

claims representative you are disputing

the injury.

“We will conduct the appropriate

investigation,” Boyd said. “If our investi-

gation reveals that no benefits are due, we

will deny the claim. While the employee

will have recourse to overturn the denial,

a late report may preclude us from being

able to defend a claim denial.”

Similarly, employers are advised

that workers’ compensation is “no fault”

and that an injured employee is covered

even if the employer thinks the injury was

caused by employee behavior. Generally,

workers’ compensation in all states pro-

vides coverage for medical bills and lost

wages for workers who are injured on the

job, regardless of fault. In exchange,

workers are not able to sue an employer

for a work-related injury.

After filing a workers’ compensa-

tion claim, the insurance company will

begin to administer benefits according to

regulations. If an employee is off work

due to the injury, TDIC recommends that

dentists maintain communication during

the period of disability. The employee

should keep the dentist advised about the

date that he or she expects to return to

work.

TDIC recommends that dentists ad-

dress “out-of-office” status in their office

policy.

“In other words, have an office

policy that is clear and tells the employee

what is expected anytime they are out of

the office on leave,” Boyd said.

Fair and equal treatment of an in-

jured employee is important to avoid alle-

gations of retaliation or discrimination

against the employee. Workers’ compen-

sation laws are state specific, but most ju-

risdictions have antidiscrimination laws

protecting employees from retaliatory ac-

tion when filing a workers’ compensation

claim.

For employers, the key to avoiding

liability is to treat an employee filing a

workers’ compensation claim or returning

to work after an injury the same as other

employees. Boyd said to be aware of rep-

rimands or disciplinary action to an em-

ployee with an open workers’ compensa-

tion claim. A record of dates, times and a

brief description of incidents will keep in-

formation straight in the event of a claim.

A reasonable effort needs to be

made to accommodate temporary work re-

strictions and provide transitional work

(light duty) while the employee heals from

the injury, and employers are encouraged

to document these efforts.

Termination of an employee with

an open workers’ compensation claim is

risky and may cause the employee to file a

claim seeking additional compensation for

discrimination. Dentists are strongly ad-

vised to consult an attorney before any

consideration of dismissing an employee

who has filed a workers’ compensation

claim.

Page 14 September-October 2015

“While workers’ compensation is

the exclusive remedy for workplace inju-

ries, and your employee can’t sue you in

civil court for damages, your employee

can sue you in civil court for wrongful ter-

mination or disability discrimination,”

Boyd said. “Civil employment lawsuits

are costly to defend. In addition to pay-

ment for damages, claimants can recover

their attorneys’ fees in these types of ac-

tions. Therefore plaintiffs’ attorneys are

often motivated to take these cases to trial

even if the actual damages aren’t particu-

larly large.”

Also important is that the defense

of a workers’ compensation discrimination

claim and any associated penalties im-

posed by a judge are not covered by work-

ers’ compensation insurance policies.

Some workers’ compensation insurance

policies explicitly exclude workers’ com-

pensation discrimination claims, and there

is no duty to defend them.

TDIC’s Risk Management Advice Line can

be reached at 800.733.0634.

Report Employee Injuries Immediately to Avoid

Complications -- Continued from Page 13

All dentists who are authorized to

prescribe, order, administer, furnish or

dispense controlled substances must regis-

ter for the Controlled Substance Utiliza-

tion Review and Evaluation System

(CURES) by Jan. 1, 2016. All dispensed

controlled substance prescriptions are re-

corded in CURES, which allows prescrib-

ers to look up a patient’s controlled sub-

stance current usage and past history.

The Jan. 1 requirement was part of

a bill enacted in 2014 (SB 809

DeSaulneir), which requires the Depart-

ment of Justice (DOJ), in conjunction with

the Department of Consumer Affairs

(DCA) and certain licensing boards, to,

among other things, develop a streamlined

application and approval process to pro-

vide access to the CURES database,

which is also referred to as the California

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

(PDMP), for licensed health care practi-

tioners and pharmacists.

Dentists who plan to register before

Jan. 1, and even those dentists who are al-

ready registered, should be aware of

changes to the system that are currently

underway.

The DOJ and the DCA recently an-

nounced that a new CURES 2.0 went live

on July 1. This upgraded prescription drug

monitoring program features a variety of

Prescription Drug Database Changes Looming

performance improvements and added

functionality.

In order to ensure a smooth transi-

tion from the current system, CURES 2.0

will be rolled out to users in phases over

the next several months, beginning with

early adoption by a select group of users

who currently use CURES and meet the

CURES 2.0 security standards, including

minimum browser specifications. The

DOJ is currently identifying prescribers

and dispensers who meet these criteria

and will contact and coordinate their en-

rollment into CURES 2.0. For all other

current users, access to CURES 1.0 will

not change and no action is needed at this

time.

Re-registration for CURES 1.0 us-

ers will not be required. Currently regis-

tered users, when migrated to CURES 2.0,

will simply be asked to reset their pass-

word and update their user profile infor-

mation.

CURES 2.0 users are required to

use Microsoft Internet Explorer Version

11.0 or greater, Mozilla FireFox, Google

Chrome or Safari when accessing the sys-

tem. According to the DOJ, CURES 1.0

will continue to be available until Jan. 1

for users with noncompliant browsers, to

provide ample time for the browser up-

grade required for CURES 2.0

Dentists should begin to prepare

for universal adoption of the system by

January, at which point all users will be

required to meet CURES 2.0’s security

standards. (Go to https://pmp.doj.ca.gov

to register.) If dentists have any questions,

they can email cures@doj.ca.gov.

CDA Tip

of the Week

“Be sure your practice has a written

Injury and Illness Prevention Plan.

A frequent Cal/OSHA citation for den-

tal practices is the failure to have this

plan.”

“The X-ray machine owner is respon-

sible for reporting the purchase, trans-

fer, sale, or disposal of radiographic

equipment to the state Department of

Public Health. A form plus evidence of

the purchase, transfer, sale, or disposal

must be provided to the department.”

“Refund demands from dental plans

always stem from perceived overpay-

ments - the plan paid something it

shouldn’t have paid. Overpayments

may come from a billing error on the

part of a dental office or when the den-

tal plan has made a payment in error.

While some refund demands are legiti-

mate, some may be appealed.”

Are you aware that CDA provides

helpful, bite-sized practice manage-

ment guidance called Tip of the

Week? The tips you see above are just

a tiny sampling of the practice support

available to you as a member of SJDS.

You may access Tip of the Week any-

time.

For more tips of the week, visit

www.cda.org/practicesupport.

Practice

Support

September-October 2015 Page 15

When new patients call a prac-

tice, it is typically with the hope of identi-

fying their new dentist. They want some-

one who is confident and competent guid-

ing them through their first appointment,

explaining benefits and framing their next

appointment effectively. Most likely, they

are still looking for a dentist because they

have not found an office that has been

able to accomplish this. When it comes to

communication, dentists and their staff

need to be ready to confidently anticipate

and manage the patient’s expectations, ac-

cording to CDA Practice Advisor Sarah

Gargani.

“Preparing for new pa-

tient calls to your prac-

tice starts long before

you pick up the phone.

Your team needs to be

knowledgeable, capable

and ready to attract new

patients,” Gargani said.

“Most likely, this patient

has found you through a

personal referral or

through their insurance

and one of the first ques-

tions patients often asks

is, ‘Do you take my den-

tal insurance?”

Gargani, who has more than 12

years of experience working with multiple

practices both large and small, and has

knowledge with financial analysis and hu-

man resources practices, said it is essen-

tial for dentists to know how their team is

responding to a question like this.

Good Staff Communication

With New Patients Is Vital“If the response is anything other

than, ‘We take all PPO insurances,’ you

may be starting out on the wrong foot. It is

important that your prospective patient is

aware that you want them in your practice

and are capable of managing their benefits

with ease,” Gargani said. “They may then

ask if you are a contracted or preferred

provider, and if you are, great. If not, it

needs to be clear that you serve many pa-

tients with their insurance and are able to

bill for them. “

After the initial details are out of

the way and the patient is ready to book

their appointment, the most important part

of the call begins. Gargani said the team

should know the dentist’s schedule and the

next available opening. The staff member

taking the call is responsible for determin-

ing the type of visit the patient wants and

directing them to the soonest opening.

Dentists should ask themselves these

questions about their team when they are

speaking to new patients on the phone:

w Do they sound engaging and happy?

w Do they ask questions about the

patient?

w Do they ask how the patient heard

about the practice?

w Do they ask when the last time they

saw a dentist was?

w Are they asking them what they hope

to achieve during their visit with the

dentist?

w Do they ask if treatment makes them

anxious?

w Do they ask if there is anything they

feel the dentist needs to know about

them before being seen?

“Your team not only has to navigate

details for the patient visit, they have to be

prepared to market you as the dentist,”

Gargani said.

Once an appointment has been

made, the dental team should set clear ex-

pectations about the visit and collect in-

surance information in advance to prepare

ahead of time. Sending new patient paper-

work or letting them know how early they

need to arrive to complete it is important

as well.

“Give them an idea of what their

first visit will entail; how long it will take,

who they will be seeing (if known), the

cost, etc. If questions about finances arise,

it is critical that your team is very com-

fortable and confident with what your fi-

nancial policies are and how they can

make them work for the patient in the fu-

ture,” Gargani said.

This interaction is one of the most

influential points of contact this patient

will have with the practice. If it is nega-

tive, or the patient feels like their needs

are not met, they may never come in, and

if they do, they will already be skeptical.

“A positive experience sets the tone

and as they say, you never get another

chance to make a first impression,”

Gargani said.

After the patient’s first visit, there

are several ways to follow up.

“The most effective practices make

the process personal,” Gargani said.

“There is something very powerful

about a quick phone call or a hand-written

note from the dentist. Whatever avenues

you choose, make it personal. A happy pa-

tient is the best referral source you will

find.

In the end, communication is the gateway

to developing long-lasting and trusting re-

lationships with patients for years to

come.”

For more tips on patient communication,

visit www.cda.org/practicesupport.

Practice Management

Page 16 September-October 2015

Brett L. Tholborn, CPA

If you own as-

sets that you would

like to leave to a

loved one, you have

an estate. But with-

out a plan, your

state of residence

will choose your

heirs — not neces-

sarily the result you

intended. How can

you ensure your intentions will be under-

stood? Start by understanding the basics

of estate tax.

How Estate Tax WorksEstate tax applies to the excess

of your gross estate over the sum of your

allowable exclusion and deductions. Your

gross estate is the current value (not the

cost) of everything you own. The allow-

able Federal exclusion for 2015 is

$5,430,000, and deductions consist of the

following:

w Assets left to a surviving spouse,

without limitation.

w Assets left to qualifying charities.

w Mortgages, debts, and administrative

expenses and losses.

Because property in your estate is

valued at current market value, your heirs

can benefit from a “step-up” in basis.

Here is an example: say the basis in your

home is $120,000. If the value is

$320,000 when the house passes to your

heir, your heir’s basis becomes $320,000.

That means if your heir later sells the

house for $400,000, the taxable gain is

limited to $80,000 ($400,000 less

$320,000).

Planning Steps to TakeNo matter what the size of your

estate, your plan should begin with a will.

Your will lets you distribute property to

your chosen beneficiaries, designate

guardians for your dependents, and make

charitable contributions. You can also use

your will to establish trusts, another im-

portant part of estate planning. Trusts can

be used for asset management, distribu-

tion timing, and protecting the inheritance

of heirs who cannot adequately manage

their own affairs. In addition, trusts can

Estate Planning be useful to bypass the complexities of

probate, the state court system governing

distributions.

Another initial planning move is to

update your beneficiary designations.

Some assets, such as life insurance pro-

ceeds and IRAs, bypass your will and go

directly to the designated beneficiaries.

Long-term Care CostsPart of your estate planning, as

you age, should address long-term care

costs. According to the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, nearly

70% of people turning age 65 will require

long-term care, such as assistance with ba-

sic personal activities during their life-

times. With costs of this care ranging

from $6,000 to $10,000 a month or more,

planning early to address that risk is a

smart move.

One solution is long-term care in-

surance. A policy can protect your estate

against the impact of extended medical or

rehabilitation services. However, the cost

of insurance may have you considering

“taking your chances” and letting Medi-

care or Medicaid step in once your re-

sources are depleted. But what happens

when either you or your spouse requires

the assistance of a nursing home, assisted-

living facility, or home health care while

the other is healthy and living indepen-

dently?

Purchasing long-term care insurance

has drawbacks. For one, if you never

need long-term care, the premiums you

paid are wasted. You may be able to miti-

gate this somewhat by choosing a flexible

policy with life insurance benefits.

Another drawback: You face the

risk that the insurance company you select

will go out of business. Choosing an in-

surer that is highly rated for financial

strength can ease your mind.

On the plus side, long-term care in-

surance offers tax benefits. When you

itemize deductions on your individual in-

come tax return, all or part of the premium

for qualified plans are deductible as health

care costs. Depending on the type of

policy you buy, benefits paid are generally

not considered taxable income.

If you think long-term care insur-

ance is right for you, remember that the

younger you are when the policy is writ-

ten, the lower your costs will be. Premi-

ums can also be based on your health.

Another cost-saving move to consider is a

“shared-care” policy with a combined

pool of coverage that you and your spouse

share.

Your tax professional should work

with you and legal counsel in preparing

your estate plan. Don’t put it off any

longer!

Brett L. Tholborn, CPA

Brett L. Tholborn is a managing partner at

Tholborn, Ostrowski & Crane, LLP. These

Accountants and Consultants are located at

4525 Quail Lakes Drive, Suite B, Stockton,

CA 95207. If you have any questions or

comments, please call Brett at 209-474-3375

or e-mail him at Brett@TOCaccounting.com.

For more information, visit www/ada.org/NDC.

Have you been out of dental school for 10 years or less?

Attend the New Dentist Conference at the ADA 2015 Conference

November 5-8, 2015 - Washington, DC

November 5-10, 2015

Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit www.ada.org/en/meeting/attendee-information.

* * *

Attend the ADA Annual Meeting in Washington, DC

September-October 2015 Page 17

On September 18, the Legislative Committee met with Senator Cathleen

Galgiani who was elected to the Senate for the 5th District in 2012 to discuss

current issues affecting the San Joaquin county area. In attendance were (left

to right) Colleen Lee, Executive Director, Dr. Bruce Toy, Dr. Rommel Bal,

President, Senator Cathleen Galgiani and Dr. Mike Panzer, Legislative Chair.

Legislative Breakfast Meeting with

Senator Cathleen Galgiani

SAVE THE DATE

CDA Cares Coming to Stockton next year!Friday & Saturday, October 15-16, 2016

Watch for volunteer registration to sign up. If you are interestedon being on the local committee, contact either

Drs. Bruce Toy or Brad Louie.

St. Raphael’s Dental Clinic is in

GREAT need of volunteer dentists. If youcan give 1/2 day per month, every othermonth, or more often, the staff and pa-tients and other volunteers would reallyappreciate it.

Contact St. Raphael’s (467-0703) tosign up, or find out who might be volun-teering on a day you’d like to volunteer, soyou can work as a team.

Volunteers Needed!

A Hearty Thanksto Our

St. Raphael’sDental ClinicVolunteers

Our thanks to the following mem-ber volunteers who gave of theirtime and talents in June and July2015 at St. Raphael’s DentalClinic:

You can’t change the world in four

hours, but volunteering 4 hours

per month or every other month at

St. Raphael’s Dental Clinic is a

start. Call Mary Ann at the clinic

to sign up (467-0703). For ques-

tions call Dr. Lester Low (474-

3333).

Tony Arredondo

Luisa Bermudez

Clifford Bradshaw

Allen Corey

Daniel Dozier

Paul George

John Kellen

Kuy Ky

Roger Lang

Brad Louie

Caressa Louie

Lester Low

Dax Martin

Bonnie Moorehead

Ken Natsuhara

Jeffrey Payne

Lita Rodriquez

Charles Van Sicklen

Nicolas Veaco

Page 18 September-October 2015

The degree to which others see a

person’s behaviors as being forceful or

directive.

The degree to which a person’s be-

haviors are seen by others as being emo-

tionally responsive or expressive, or emo-

tionally controlled.

These are things that may not be

considered on a day-to-day basis in the

dental practice, but it could be beneficial

to dentists and the rest of the staff to be-

gin to analyze such personality traits.

The ability to understand and rec-

ognize different personalities can be

something that helps with patient treat-

ment acceptance and relationship issues

with co-workers said Michael Perry,

DDS, CDA director of practice manage-

ment. Perry has identified the main per-

sonality types that can be present in the

dental practice based on the Myers-

Briggs Type Indicator, which was created

from science developed by Swiss psy-

chiatrist Carl Jung.

Specifically, Perry says there are

four types of personalities in the dental

practice: Driver, Intuitive, Stabilizer and

Calculator (DiSC). Below is a breakdown

of what each personality type includes.

Driver —Blends a high level of emotional

self-control with a high degree of

assertiveness. Task-oriented people who

know where they are going and what they

want. They get to the point quickly and

express themselves succinctly. They are

typically pragmatic, decisive, results-ori-

ented, objective and competitive. They

are usually independent, willing to take

sound risks and valued for their ability to

get things done.

Intuitive —Tends to integrate a high level of

assertiveness with much emotional ex-

pression. Looks at the big picture, and of-

ten takes fresh, novel approaches to prob-

Practice

Management

The Four Human Personality Types in the Dental Practice

lems. Generally willing to take risks in or-

der to seize opportunities and realize

dreams. Their ability to charm, persuade,

excite and inspire people with a vision of

the future can be a strong motivating

force. They tend to decide and act

quickly.

Stabilizer —Combines higher-than-average re-

sponsiveness with a comparatively low

level of assertiveness. Tends to be sympa-

thetic to the needs of others and are quite

sensitive to what lies below the surface

behavior of another person. Of all the

styles, they are most likely to use empathy

and understanding in interpersonal prob-

lem solving. Their trust in others often

brings out the best in their customers,

friends and coworkers.

Calculator —Combines a high level of emotional

self-control with a low level of

assertiveness. Tends to take a precise, de-

liberate and systematic approach to work.

Usually gathers and evaluates much data

before acting. Generally industrious, ob-

jective and well organized.

Perry said most dentists are a mix

of the calculator and stabilizer personality

types. This, according to Perry, can some-

times become a problem if describing

treatment to patients too technically. The

same goes for other members of the den-

tal staff such as dental assistants and hy-

gienists who are also often oriented to-

ward technical detail.

“Most dentists are great at micro-

surgery, but communication can be a chal-

lenge,” Perry said. “No personality type is

better than another personality type, but if

you own a practice and fall under the cal-

culator personality type and you have a

dental assistant or hygienist that has a cal-

culator or stabilizer personality type, you

will have to understand and adapt to their

characteristics for the betterment of the

practice — I like to say dentistry is 80 per-

cent treatment and 20 percent psychol-

ogy.”

Perry encourages en-

tire dental teams, not just

dentists, to study and un-

derstand the various per-

sonality types. When a

patient calls for an ap-

pointment, for example,

the staff member who re-

ceived the call can at-

tempt to understand what

category that patient

falls under. By the time

the patient comes in for

his or her appointment,

the staff member will be

able to inform the rest of

the team what to expect

out of that patient’s per-

sonality.

Perry warns not to

rely on the system too

much, however, because

it isn’t a be-all and end-

all.

“Some people are easier to judge

than others, some will fall into a specific

category and some will be in the middle.

It’s just a tool. Personalities are not always

a measurable thing,” Perry said.

For more practice management

and support information, visit www/

cda.org/practicesupport.

September-October 2015 Page 19

There has been a lot of activity in theCapitol, starting with legislative leadershipchanges. The Senate Republicans made JeanFuller (SD 16 – Bakersfield) their new leader inplace of Bob Huff (SD 29 – LA/Orange County)months ahead of the already scheduled transi-tion to Fuller in November (Huff terms out nextyear). Meanwhile, the Assembly Republicansannounced that Chad Mayes (AD 42 – YuccaValley) will take over for Kristin Olsen (AD 12 –Modesto) in January (Olsen also terms outnext year).

The Save Lives CA coalition had a busyweek. A press event and lobby day at theCapitol, which included Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) announcing the official introduc-tion of a new tobacco tax bill for the speciallegislative session on health care. New fieldpoll results also came out showing 67 percentof voters are in support of increasing the taxby $2 per pack and the governor’s administra-tion also publicly signaled its support for theproposal.

The coalition is generating steadyearned media coverage, including an editorialfrom The Sacramento Bee and continues tomove forward with its online advertising cam-paign and is collecting petitions from support-ers to keep the pressure on the Legislature.We encourage you to sign the petition.

Our co-sponsored Virtual Dental Homebill, AB 648 by Asm. Evan Low (D-San Jose),passed in the Senate Appropriations Commit-tee. This is a significant hurdle to havecleared, as many bills die in the AppropriationsCommittees due to their costs. The bill will betaken up for a vote of the full Senate thisweek.

Changes in legislative leadership contin-ued in early September. The Assembly Demo-crats announced that Anthony Rendon fromsouthern LA County (AD 63 – Lakewood) willbe the next Assembly Speaker. He is expectedto officially take over for current Speaker ToniAtkins (AD 78 – San Diego) in January (Atkinsterms out next year). Rendon was elected in2012 and will be the first speaker elected un-der the new term limit rules, which allow him toserve until 2024.

Legislative Update

From the Desk of Peter DuBois, CDA Executive Director

With Chad Mayes of San Bernardinotaking over as Assembly Republican leader inJanuary, Jean Fuller of Bakersfield as the newSenate Republican leader and Kevin DeLeonof Los Angeles as Senate president pro tem,all four legislative leaders will be from thesouthern half of the state.

While the efforts of the Legislature andthe administration to find funding for the billare very encouraging, the funding source theyidentified is operated by an entity outside ofthe Department of Public Health, which wassupposed to oversee the program originally.This has raised some administrative complexi-ties that need to be resolved for proper imple-mentation of the program. Given that this Fri-day, September 11th was the deadline for theLegislature to complete its regular session forthe year, unfortunately there wasn’t enoughtime to bring the necessary parties together toresolve these issues. However, we will beworking on them over the fall, the bill will re-main active, will be taken up again next yearand we remain confident that it will move for-ward.

While the Friday, September 11th dead-line does not technically apply to the speciallegislative sessions on health care and trans-portation, many discussions around the fund-ing issues in those areas will continue thisweek to try to make progress before legisla-tors head home to their districts.

There was no lack of excitement or sus-pense in the final week of the legislative ses-sion, which didn’t end until 12:30 a.m. on Sat-urday, Sept. 12. It turned out to be a toughweek for the governor and legislative leaders,as negotiations failed not only around man-aged care organization (MCO) tax reform, un-fortunately, but also around transportationfunding and legislation to reduce carbon emis-sions, which were top priorities. With the lackof momentum on these fronts and with the to-bacco industry lobbying with full force allweek, the package of special session tobaccobills also faced very uncertain prospects. As aresult, the Assembly did not convene the spe-cial session on health care in the final days, sothe tobacco bills were not taken up. The spe-cial session can be extended, but without hav-

ing made progress last week it’s unclear whenthat will occur. The tobacco fight is not doneand will continue next year.

The Brown administration is very frus-trated with the lack of movement on MCO taxreform, and reminded the Legislature lastweek that without fixing it to preserve the fed-eral matching dollars, the administration willhave to propose a new budget in January thatcuts over $1 billion from Medi-Cal.

As these issues were set aside, themost contentious fight in the Capitol in the finaldays unexpectedly turned out to be over a billdealing with balance billing by out-of-networkproviders, and we are pleased to report a ma-jor victory. We had been closely monitoring AB533, authored by the Assembly Health Com-mittee Chair Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), but hadnot taken a position prior to last week. Butsome very problematic amendments wereadded to the bill at the start of the week thatwould limit payment to Medicare rates for out-of-network providers who provide care at anin-network facility (which raised lots of ques-tions because Medicare doesn’t cover manydental services), require those providers to gothrough a poorly defined dispute resolutionprocess to collect any additional payment,broaden the types of providers the bill wouldapply to and require a three-day waiting periodbefore a patient could get care from an out-of-network provider.

The amendments forced us to take anactive oppose position, joining several otherprovider groups that were opposed, while thebill was supported by a formidable coalition ofconsumer and labor groups and health plans.We share the goal of wanting to avoid surprisebilling amounts for patients, but the timing ofthe amendments hadn’t left enough time tofind a workable solution. It came down to avote on the Assembly floor on Friday, with in-tense lobbying all day on both sides and CDAmembers calling legislators to ask that theytake more time to work on the issue. The billwas taken up for a vote several times but ulti-mately only got 38 votes — three short of themajority vote needed. We will continue work-ing on this issue with the stakeholders overthe fall.

Page 20 September-October 2015

September-October 2015 Page 21

Policy: No display advertising is accepted in this section. All orders must be submitted in

writing, typewritten, by mail, fax or e-mail. The advertiser must also notify the publisher in writ-

ing about each renewed advertisement. No orders will be accepted by phone. The publisher

reserves the right to decline, withdraw or edit copy at its discretion.

Classified ads are free to SJDS members. To renew your ad, please notify the Society

office no later than the deadline for articles noted on page 2 of this newsletter.

Classified Ads

October 20151 Board of Directors Mtg. (6 PM)9 SJDS Golf Tournament12 Columbus Day16-18 House of Delegates22 Staff Appreciation Night (5:30 PM)27 Executive Committee (6 PM)29 CPR Recertification (4 PM)

November 20153 Election Day5-10 ADA Annual Mtg. (Washington, DC)18 CPR Recertification (4 PM)19 General Membership Mtg. (4 PM)20 Deadline for Newsletter Articles26 Thanksgiving27 SJDS Office Closed

December 201510 Board of Directors Christmas Social17 CPR Recertification (4 PM)25-Jan. 1 - SJDS Office Closed

SJDS Activity Calendar

Associate Dentist needed in state ofthe art general dental practice to pro-vide high quality dental care to our pa-tients. Our well-established practice islocated in a great area of Stockton,CA. We accept only PPO dental plansand cash patients. Compensation in-cludes $600 daily guarantee or per-centage from production, whichever isgreater, plus additional benefits. Prac-tice is open 6 days/week. Part-timeposition is available immediately. Full-time position will be available startingNovember 2015. Please submit yourresume to: myebox1970@gmail.com

Looking for an associate for our of-fice in Modesto, FT/PT. Pay rate to bedetermined. Please contact officemanager at (209) 204.7203.

Associate wanted, FT/PT, Mon -Thurs, plus 2 Saturdays per month.Contact Adrianne at El Portal DentalGroup (209) 385-1479 or fax to (209)728-7087

Associate needed. 1, 2, or 3 daysper week; ownership possibility. Lodioffice. Please call (209) 483-8430

Associate wanted with Buy-In Op-tions. Full time. General Practice inSonora. Excellent compensationpackage. Send resume tosonoradentist@mlode.com or call(209) 533-9630

Associate wanted. P/T, Monday,Wednesday, Friday. Please contactDr. Amr Enaya, (209) 744-9955, (209)744-8374 fax, or dentist@galthealthysmile.com

Associate wanted, P/T, Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday. Contact:Le@mantecadentistry. com

Space to Share: Hyung G. Kim, DDS,MSD, Prosthodontist, 4637 Quail LakeDr, Stockton, CA 95207,(209) 235-7207

Associate Dentist position for thedental office of Dr. Jeffrey Phen.Please email resume tojeffreyphen@sbcglobal.net.

CDA Presents(Formerly CDA Scientific Sessions)

May 12-14, 2016 ......................... AnaheimSeptember 8-10, 2016 ....... San Francisco

ADA Annual MeetingsNovember 5-8, 2015 ..... Washington, DCOctober 20-23, 2016 ..................... DenverOctober 19-22, 2017 ..................... AtlantaSeptember 27-30, 2018 ...San Francisco

w CDA - Jillian Andolina - 800-232-7645 or email WellBeing@cda.org

w Northern California - Curtis Vixie, DDS - 530-310-2395

w San Francisco/Bay Area - Regional Toll Free Line - 866-430-0922

wwwww Southern California - Diane White, DDS 714-814-7732William Slavin, DDS 818-437-3204

w San Diego - Irene Stone, DDS - 619-275-7180

For more information about this program, please download resources at CDA Compass.

CDA Well-Being Program FAQThe Well-Being Program serves as a resource to the dental community in identifying

and assisting individuals who may suffer from alcohol and/or chemical dependency.If someone you know or maybe even yourself may have an alcohol or chemical de-

pendency problem, contact CDA or a regional well-being committee near you for confiden-tial assistance.

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