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to the table of contentsPresident's Message | MCDS Board of Trustees / Committee Reports | Treasurer's Report Detail
NJDA State Board of Trustees Report | Articles | Announcements
As this issue of the Dental Newsletter was going to press, we were informed of the passing of a man who dedicated his life to the Middlesex County Dental Society, Dr. Sy Symanski. For many years, Sy was the Middlesex County Dental Society. The majorityof the functions he took care of alone are now performed by an Executive Council of over a dozen people.
The recent growth in membership as well as the advances in the quality of services that this organization delivers to its members is a direct result of Sy's work in building MCDS's reputation throughout this century. Neither time nor space is available at this time to go into the many fitting tributes deserving of this great man. A befitting tribute will be presented in the next issue of the Dental Newsletter.
Dr. Symanski was a dental assistant in the U.S. Army in France during World War I, and, after completing his dental degree at Columbia University in 1923, achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Dental Corps during World War II. He helped create dental clinics at Army facilities throughout the country and was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Edison Lions Club. He was an active member of ADA, NJDA and MCDS for 74 years and served as Chairman of the Credentials Committee and as Sergeant at Arms for NJDA. He opened an office in Jersey City then moved to Perth Amboy to become a Public Health Dentist for the Perth Amboy Schools for 33 years.
NJDA named it's Lifetime Achievement Award for Sy in a ceremony last year and he was honored with a resolution adopted by the New Jersey General Assembly last year as well.
Many would not know that Sy first became Secretary of MCDS in 1927 while rising up the various offices to become President of MCDS in 1936 and also served on the NJ State Board of Dentistry. As longtime Secretary for the past 51 years and Newsletter Editor of MCDS, Sy set the standard for dedication and devotion to both the profession and the member constituents he served.
Surviving are his two sons, Phillip P. and Theodore E.; a daughter, Sally Bishop; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Masonic Home of New Jersey, 902 Jacksonville Rd., Burlington, NJ 08016.
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-March 10, 1998-
Attendance: Brunsden, DeSciscio, Fertig, Fromkin, Glickman, Kahn, Klein, Krantz, Perlmutter, Ross, Schambra, Silverstein, Villa, Weiner
Acceptance of Minutes-2/10/98-Correction: Under Treasurer's Report, there was a net income of $12,761.71, not expense.
Treasurer's Report: Previous Balance $34,675.26
C. Bloom, Treasurer Income + Expenses + 8,885.02 Current Balance $43,560.28
NJDA Council Reports:
Peer Review- W. Fromkin
Dr. Fromkin has been the chairperson of this council for the last fifteen years, and will be stepping down at the conclusion of this year. He will, however, remain a MCDS representative of the council. Dr. Fahsbender will be nominated as new chairperson. The committee is seeking individuals to hear peer review cases. The required course will be given again in October for those interested.
State Board of Dentistry-D. Krantz
Two nominations for the Board need to be submitted to the Government Affairs Council.
MCDS Committee Reports:
President's Report-C. Brunsden
There have been about 30-40 telephone contacts in the last month, mostly hang-ups. Of those that left messages, primary inquiries were relating to 1) Homebound care, 2) Fees that callers were charged by their dentist, 3) Information about their dentist regarding membership and if they were rated in any way, 4) Laser dentistry and laser bleaching, 5) Looking for dentists that had relocated.
Life members of the ADA were recognized at last month's meeting. The ADA and NJDA's program for recognition of these members is lacking. MCDS wants to design their own program to award these distinguished members. The membership will take on the task of recognizing these members as well as retiring members. The presentation may take place at either NJDA officer's night or at Staff Night.
Editor's Report-M. Weiner
A meeting/discussion will be held with the printer. The typeset proofs are being returned riddled with errors and omissions that did not exist in the original copy that is provided to them. This is creating a tremendous amount of additional work for the editor, who has already proofread all the material, and additional stress in meeting timely deadlines. The next issue will be monitored, and then our options will be discussed from there.
Membership Committee-N. Villa
There are sixteen new members this year. There will be two tables reserved for guests/new members. Dr. Kahn and Dr. Krantz have volunteered to meet/greet/eat with these special guests.
There are four dues waiver requests this year, and there will be a meeting to process these requests.
Children's Dental Health Month-C. Brunsden
188 schools have been sent invitations for “Nurse's Night”. The program will be “Saliva Borne Diseases in Children”. The nurses will be bringing the selected posters for the poster contest on this night. The selected posters will be judged, and the awards will be given during a special presentation on Sunday, April 26th at East Brunswick High School. Table displays will be set up in the lobby of the school, and interested parties should contact Dr. Brunsden.
Continuing Education Committee-P. Engel
Dr. Steven Seltzer's continuing education course has been scheduled to Wednesday, May 20, 1998. Registration forms are in the newsletters. There will be 4-8 vendors that will have booths for this course. Dr. Schambra will obtain all necessary AV equipment for the seminar, and Dr. Brunsden will produce camera-ready advertisements for other component newsletters to advertise this event. Mark Milstein at NJDA will also be placing an advertisement for this course in the NJDA Capsule.
Program-P. DeSciscio
A response form for “Staff Night” is included in the newsletter. This event is open to all members, regardless if they bring their staff. Everyone is encouraged to come for this entertaining event. Dr. Sy Symanski asked to come to staff night. Arrangements will be made to have medical transportation for him.
Mentor-E. Glickman
On April 28th there will be a course presented on medical savings accounts. Another OSHA program, as well as an Internet program, are being scheduled.
Old Business
The dental video library located at JFK hospital has been getting some usage by members. A comprehensive listing of titles can be found on the MCDS web page. Videos can be renewed by phone with the library.
New Business
Budget
The finance committee will be meeting for the 1998-99 budget.
Nominations
The Board of Trustees nominates the following individuals for vote by the general membership:
President Elect Dr. Mark Schambra
Vice President Dr. Charles Bloom
Treasurer Dr. Peter DeSciscio
Secretary Dr. Sy Symanski
The Program Chairperson is an appointed position by the incoming President.
Good & Welfare
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Schambra, DDS
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April 1, 1998
Treasurer: Charles Bloom, D.M.D.
Previous Balance
(3/1/98) $43,560.28
Income / Expenses
(3/1/98 - 3/31/98) $ 4,297.76
Current Balance -4,683.16
(3/31/98) $43,174.87
PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
8/1/98 Through 3/31/98
INCOME:
Total ................... $ 4,297.75
EXPENSES:
Newsletter .................. 1,829.71
Pines Manor . . . ............... 2,293.95
Speaker ...... . . 500.00
Phone ....... 47.72
Name Badges . . 11.78
TOTAL EXPENSES $ 4,683.16
TOTAL INCOME/EXPENSE . . . $ -386,41
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Components societies are no longer allowed to separately post minutes of the State Board of Trustees Report. You can now find the reports at http://www.njda.org/member/board_minutes/index.html.
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National Data Bank Questions & Answers
ACCESSING THE DATA BANK
1. Who will have access to the information in the Data Bank?
Only the following entities will have access to the Data Bank:
a. Hospitals that are screening applicants for medical staff appointments or granting of clinical privileges, must request information on those applicants. Hospitals must request information every two years for physicians, dentists or other health care practitioners on the medical staff who are granted clinical privileges. Hospitals may also request such information as they deem necessary.
b. State licensing boards may request information as they deem necessary.
c. Other health care entities that are screening applicants for medical staff appointments or granting of clinical privileges, or that have entered into or may be entering into an employment or affiliation relationship with a practitioner, may request information. For the purposes of reporting to and requesting information from the Data Bank, health care entities include hospitals or entities, other than hospitals which provide health care services and engage in professional review activity through a formal peer review process for the purpose of furthering quality health care. A health care entity such as a health maintenance organization (HMO), or a group or prepaid medical or dental practice, that provides both health care services and engages in professional review activity through a formal peer review process, would meet the eligibility requirements for reporting to and requesting information from the Data Bank. However, a medical school, physician group practice, or a preferred provider organization (PPO) which either does not provide health care services or does not have a formal peer review system would not meet the definition of a health care entity, and therefore, would be ineligible to report to or query the Data Bank.
d. Professional societies of dentists, physicians, or other health care practitioners which engage in professional review activity through a formal peer review process for the purpose of furthering quality health care, may request information from the Data Bank.
e. Dentists, physicians, and other health care practitioners may request information regarding their own files.
f. Plaintiffs attorneys and plaintiffs not represented by counsel, who have filed a medical malpractice action or claim in a state or federal court or other adjudicative body against a hospital, may access the Data Bank when evidence is submitted which reveals the hospital failed to make a required query of the Data Bank on the practitioner also named in the action or claim. Such information may be used solely with respect to litigation resulting from the action or claim against the hospital. Professional liability insurers may not request information from the Data Bank.
2. Will I be able to find out whether the Data Bank has any information about me?
Yes. You will receive a Practitioner Notification Document every time a report is filed with the Data Bank concerning you. If you have never received a Practitioner Notification Document, there should be no information on file in the Data Bank about you. You can request information about yourself (self-query) from the Data Bank at any time. You may query the Data Bank by using a Request for Disclosure Form. There is no fee to make a self query. Forms can be obtained by calling the Data Bank Help Line at (800) 767-6732.
What can I do if the information reported about me to the Data Bank is inaccurate?
Entities and individuals are responsible for the accuracy of information which they report to the Data Bank. To ensure the accuracy of information in the Data Bank, each submitted report is held for 30 calendar days after receipt. During this period, a Report Verification Document will be sent to the reporting entity to ensure that Data Bank files accurately reflect the information reported. A Practitioner Notification Document is simultaneously sent to the practitioner who is the subject of the report. This document provides the subject practitioner with the contents of the report provided to the Data Bank concerning him or her. It also informs the practitioner how he or she can dispute the accuracy of the information contained in the report.
The practitioner has up to 60 days from the process date shown on the Practitioner Notification Document to initiate a dispute with the Data Bank if the practitioner believes the information is inaccurate. If discussions with the reporting entity fail to resolve the disagreement(s), the practitioner may request the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review the accuracy of the disputed report. The Secretary will then make the final decision. While the report is being investigated, it will be carried in a "disputed" status in the Data Bank, and inquirers will be so informed.
4. Will information about me ever be purged from the Data Bank?
Yes, in certain instances, information in a report may be "voided". Voided information is retracted in its entirety and is treated as though it were never submitted. Generally, information will be voided if it is information that never should have been reported to the Data Bank.
Any questions or comments: Fax Dr. Fromkin at (732) 821-1904
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National Children's Dental Health Month Campaign
This is MCDS's answer to a local public dental health awareness campaign. 188 elementary schools received a dental health packet including poster contest information, nurses continuing education, and an opportunity to participate in the MCDS dental health fair and awards program.
- APRIL 26 -
MCDS Health Fair and Awards
East Brunswick High School
STAFF NIGHT IN MAY OPEN TO ALL!
Staff Night, always a well attended and entertaining evening, is
sometimes looked at as a "Doctor's with staff only"
event. In reality, Staff Night is open to ALL of our members,
regardless of whether they bring their staffs or not.
Staff Night has and always will be an opportunity for everyone to
come together for a non-academic entertaining event.
We hope you can attend on May 19, 1998.
A MCDS Special Event
STAFF NIGHT
Tuesday, May 19
- An Evening of Fine Food and Entertainment-
A Murder Mystery will be Presented
by the Acclaimed
Actors Mystery Tour
This event is provided for ALL members, regardless of whether they bring staff members or not. In the best interests of proper organization based on the large turnout of this event, pre-registration will be Mandatory this year. A financial incentive will be provided to encourage prompt return of reservations.
MCDS STAFF NIGHT REGISTRATION FORM
Doctors Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Names of Staff Members ________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________
________________________________ _________________________________
I wish to sit with Dr. ________________________________________and staff. (Note: There are 10 seats to a table. When reserving a table alone or with another office, there must be 10 or fewer seats occupied. Seats cannot be added to a table to accommodate more than 10).
MCDS Member Dentists No Charge
Staff Members: $30. p.p. by April 1st. $32. p.p after April 1st (No Exceptions!)
TOTAL # of Staff Attending: _____________
TOTAL Remittance: __________________
CUT-OUT AND SEND CHECK FOR TOTAL PAYABLE TO MCDS TO:
DR. PETER DeSciscio 283 High Street Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
NORTHWESTERN DENTAL SCHOOL CLOSING After a delay of several weeks' the University Trustees voted unanimously to close the 106 year old dental school after the current first year students graduate in May 2001. This will be the 8th private dental school to close since St. Louis University in 1969. This includes Oral Roberts University, 1986, Emory University, 1988, Georgetown University, 1990, Farleigh Dickinson University, 1990,
Washington University, 1991 and Loyola University, 1993.
Special Olympics Campaign results underwhelming: Only 3 percent of NJDA members participated (153 members) with an average contribution of $245. The funds generated were not sufficient enough to buy leverageable media.
The following is a direct quote from our District IV ADA Trustee, Dr. Hank Finger, in his report on the Feb. 15 -, 17, 1998 ADA Board of Trustees meeting:
"The Board also addressed the campaign cost and recommended a dues increase structure to fund the $30 million per year over a period of three years.
. . . The proposal is as follows:
I was strongly opposed to this but it passed by one vote. We did direct the Membership Council to look at this proposal and recommend changes. I do not believe the Federal Dental Services, students or retired members should have to support a campaign for which they will not receive benefit and I did indicate to the maker of the above resolution that this tactic was probably an effort to defeat the entire campaign. The final decision on who will pay and how much will be decided by the House of Delegates if they approve the campaign, so don't be too concerned about these proposed increases at this time."
The Council on New Dentists
will be sponsoring
a course by
DR. ROBERT NIXON
on
Advanced Esthetics and
Laminates
at the NJDA Annual Session
on
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD
A reduced fee of $90 for the full day course will be granted to dentists who have graduated from dental school within the past ten years who pre-register.
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