April 2009 Newsletter

Program || President's Message || MCDS Board of Trustees / Committee Reports

Treasurer's Report Detail || Announcements/Articles || Upcoming Course Registration Forms

Staff Night Registration

For pictures and advertisements, see the newsletter in PDF format

Program:

April 21, 2009

“Single Tooth Implant for the Adolescent Orthodontic Patient”
Featured Speaker: Dr. Vincent Kokich

Doctor Kokich is a Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also maintains a private orthodontic practice in Tacoma, Washington. He has published 21 book chapters, 84 scientific articles, and 48 review articles. He has given over 850 presentations throughout the world. Doctor Kokich is Editor of Case Reports for the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Associate Editor of The Angle Orthodontist, Associate Editor of Practical Reviews in Orthodontics, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, and the Editorial Boards of the Journal of the American Dental Association, Seminars in Orthodontics, Clinical Orthodontics and Research, Dental Traumatology, and The Australian Orthodontic Journal.
Most patients and parents have already heard about implants. They are interested in single-tooth implants to replace congenitally missing maxillary laterals and mandibular second premolars. But these types of restorations are extremely technique sensitive. Several issues must be resolved before implants should be considered. The restorative team must prepare the implant site carefully. The timing of implant placement could be crucial. The aftermath of improper implant therapy could be disastrous. This presentation will discuss the orthodontic, restorative and surgical implications, when implants are planned as replacements for congenitally missing teeth in young adolescent patients.

President's Message - Dr. Mark Vitale

As you read journals and attend CE programs it is obvious that the profession of dentistry is moving forward, expanding and generating new opportunities to serve our patients better, serve the profession better and increase revenue. But, the US economy is stormy right now, and no one knows for sure what the future holds for dentistry or any other businesses. You may read one article that claims that we are recession proof, stating that as patients delay obtaining preventive care there is a resultant increase in emergency care and more expensive non-elective procedures being completed. Another article may place dentistry with every other business citing an increase in expenses and a simultaneous decrease in patient flow and revenue. My guess is that many of us are experiencing something in between; more root canals and fewer veneers. While the bottom may not be dropping out, we are seeing increases in office expenses; be it in taxes, supplies or services. Some of our patients are losing their jobs, and their dental insurance. These patients along with those who are still employed are cutting back in spending discretionary dollars; the dollars used to pay for dentistry. Many articles have noted the first area of the dental practice to be impacted is the hygiene schedule, followed by elective cosmetic procedures. Less expensive procedures are being used to replace the more expensive procedures. Patients who may have planned on doing a root canal and crown may now opt for an extraction and an edentulous space.
One might wonder what to do to maintain a viable dental practice during these trying times; how to turn down time into productive time. I have a few suggestions which may be of help to some; things that I am doing in my own practice.
Reevaluate you practice schedule and staffing, not to the point of cutting, but to the point of increased efficiency. You may want to reassign employee responsibilities and create incentive programs. When there is down time have your employees work on your continuing care program. Look through those unscheduled treatment plans. Tighten your inventory control. Update your office manual and check your OSHA and HIPAA compliance. If you don’t already do it, set up patient financing with companies such as Care Credit and Dental Fee Plan. Make dentistry affordable without giving it away.
Spend some time on marketing. If you don’t have a newsletter or website, now is a great time to develop them. Spruce up the office and make it more attractive to patients. If you have more time in between patients then spend more time with your patients cultivating a relationship that will result in referrals. Create in-office promotions that emphasize the health benefits of good dental care.
One last thing you can do is get involved in organized dentistry; attend meetings, join councils and committees, enjoy the camaraderie. Help to strengthen our profession which in the end will benefit you in your professional and personal life.
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MCDS Board of Trustees Report

-03/10/2009-


Attendance: Ashmen, Bernstein, Brunsden, Galkin, Goldstein, Kahn, Krantz, Mir Madjellsi, Prabhu, Rizzi, Savage, Silverstein, Simos, Stein, Villa, Vitale, Vora, Weiner
Acceptance of Minutes-vote unanimous.
President’s Report-Mark Vitale
Kim McMahon from the UMDNJ Dental Assisting Program notified me that the legal department of UMDNJ has revised the agreement for dentists who wish to participate in the dental assistant externship program. Instead of naming the University on their liability policy, participating dentists will simply need to provide a copy of their insurance certificate. Kim will attend one of MCDS’ general meetings to describe the program to our membership and recruit dentists for the program.
UMDNJ is investigating the possibility of instituting a mentoring program with MCDS that would allow senior dental students to spend time shadowing us in our offices on a one to one basis.
Treasurer’s Report-Robert Ashmen
See full report on page 3.
Give Kids a Smile-Cavan Brunsden
The 2009 program was a great success with 3,980 children seen at 74 sites throughout the state.
NJDA Council Reports:
Dental Benefits-Mark Vitale
The next council meeting is scheduled for April 1.
The CODB will hold a course at the NJDA Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, entitled “Getting Paid-Practical Dental Insurance Management”.
It will take place on Wednesday June 3 at 9am. This course will be presented as a member benefit and no tuition will be charged.
There is a misprint in the preliminary program book listing tuition as $25. This will be corrected in all subsequent mailings.
Membership-Tara Savage
The next membership council meeting is scheduled for April 16, 2009.
The next MCDS study club meeting is scheduled for March 26, 2009 at 6:30pm at the Crowne Plaza in Edison. Pam from Snap-on Smiles will be giving a presentation. 2 CE credits will be awarded. The study club is a member benefit available to all MCDS members. Please contact Marlene Glickman, our Executive Secretary, at 732-238-1255 for additional information and registration in advance.
Peer Review-Sandy Goldstein
There was one new case assigned and successfully mediated during the month of February.
Committee Reports:
Mentor-Co-Chairmen: Dr Amit Vora, Dr. Nima Mir Madjlessi & Dr. Ethan Glickman
Kim Iannotte from the Aftco Company will present the next Mentor program on April 30, 2009. She will speak about:
“Analyzing Practice Numbers, Adding an Associate, Practice Mergers & Practice Transition Options” at St. Peter’s Medical Center, New Brunswick.
Our bi-annual OSHA program that satisfies the OSHA standard on Occupational Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens, which is required annually for dentists and staff, will be given on June 11, 2009 at St. Peter’s Medical Center, New Brunswick.
Two CEU credits are awarded to the Dentists & staff members attending these 2-hour seminars. These seminars are available to our members & staff for $20/pp as a member benefit of MCDS.
A very big “Thank You” to Dr. Joe Fertig, Director of Dental Services - St. Peter’s Medical Center, for arranging all our room accommodations for the MCDS-OSHA-Mentor programs at St. Peter’s Medical Center in New Brunswick.
Please see the inserts in this newsletter for additional information and registration for the OSHA & Mentor programs.
Please contact Marlene Glickman, our Exec.Sect’y for MCDS, at # 732-238-1255 for additional information and registration in advance for the programs. Thank you...
Oral Cancer Screening Report-Arpan Nandra
We have confirmed the April 23rd date for the Oral Cancer Screening in Middlesex at RWJ Medical Center. Advertising will be taken care of by the the Middlesex Health Dept. and Delta Dental. We need volunteers, general dentists and oral surgeons.
Dental Hygiene Study Club-Alyssa Bernstein
The Central New Jersey Dental Hygiene [CNJDH] Study Club met on Wednesday March 4, 2009 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Rte 27 South, Edison NJ. Sponsored by Middlesex County Dental Society, Dr. James Albani lectured on Periodontics from the Hygienists perspective.
Two CEU credits were awarded to the 35 Hygienists that attended this meeting. The next CNJDH meeting will be May 6 and the speakers will be Drs.Prabhu and Panzarino, they will be speaking about Endodontics from the Hygienists Perspective. Two CEU credits will be awarded for this seminar.
This CNJDH study club is available to our hygienists as a Dentist-member benefit of MCDS.
Please contact Marlene Glickman, our Exec.Sect’y for MCDS, at # 732-238-1255 for additional information and registration in advance for the program. Thank you.
New Business
There will be a committee formed to organize a formal corporate sponsorship program for the 2010-2011 year and beyond. Drs. Ashmen, Vora, Stein and Prabhu have volunteered for the committee.
Good & Welfare
Dr. Silverstein and his staff are happy to be in their new office on World’s Fair Drive.
The board congratulates Dr. Nainesh Desai on the acquisition of Dr. Schwartz’s prosthodontic practice in East Brunswick.
Respectfully Submitted,
Constantine Simos,
Secretary

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Treasurer's Report

Dr. Robert Ashmen

2/29/08 1/31/09 2/28/09
Checking $1,994.22 $ 2,238.42 $ 21,143.46
Savings $4,096.08 $11,293.98 $11,302.64
CD (3.46% matures 12/28/08)
$25,979.64 $25,000.00 $25,000.00
PayPal $7,881.22 $1,650.95 $2,312.71
TOTAL: $25,979.64 $40,183.35 $59,758.81
P&L STATEMENT CHECKING ACCOUNT
(1/31/09-2/28/09)
INCOME
CONT. EDUC 1,115.00
CORP SPON 1,500.00
DUES 19,790.00
INTEREST 0.48
MENTOR COMM 40.00
TOTAL INCOME 22,445.48
EXPENSES
CONT. EDUC 280.00
DINNER MEETINGS 4,066.97
EXEC COMM DINNER 598.76
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 408.00
MEMORIALS AND GIFTS 12.00
TELEPHONE 174.71
TOTAL EXPENSES 5,540.44
TRANSFERS
FROM PAYPAL 2,000.00
OVERALL TOTAL 18,905.04
P&L SAVINGS ACCOUNT
(1/31/09-2/28/09)
INTEREST INCOME 8.66
OVERALL TOTAL 8.66
P&L PAYPAL MONEY MARKET
(1/31/09-2/28/09)
CONT EDUC INC 2,623.52
MENTOR COMM INC 38.24
TRANSFER TO CHECKING -2000.00
OVERALL TOTAL 661.76

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Announcements/Articles

MCDS Newsletter Online
If you would like to receive the newsletter electronically in lieu of receiving a printed copy, please visit our web site. Click on the “Member” link, then the “Of Current Interest” Link. By registering, you will be able to view the newsletter about a week before it would get to you in the mail, and this will also be saving us money.

Congratulations to Dr. Ethan Glickman, who was recently awarded an ADA Golden Apple for individual achievement in Mentoring. Dr. Glickman has been the Chairperson of our Mentor Committee for many years, and has spearheaded numerous programs that benefit our membership, including the annual OSHA seminars and a multitude of CE courses. MCDS congratulates Dr. Glickman on his well deserved recognition of his contributions to this Society!