Back to the table of contentsProgram || President's Message || MCDS Board of Trustees / Committee Reports
Treasurer's Report Detail || Announcements/Articles || Upcoming Course Registration Forms
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Sports dentistry is an unchartered territory for many dentists. There is a definite need for awareness amongst the general population as well as dentists who treat teenagers, young adults or any person involved in active or contact sports.
This lecture will address the concerns regarding sports-related dental trauma, its treatment options and the importance and functions of Sports Mouth-guards. The lecture will also focus on the topic of awareness, prevention and treatment of concussions.
Dr. Howarth has been practicing dentistry for more than three decades. He has been the team dentist for Rutgers University since 1999 and also for the New York Red Bulls soccer team since 2008. He has been fabricating custom mouthguards for a number of local high schools for over 20 years. Dr. Howarth is on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Sports Dentistry and a fellow as well. He has lectured on various topics related to sports dentistry and is also a retired LTC from US Army Reserve. He maintains a private practice in North Plainfield, NJ.
If you have watched television or read the newspaper over the past week, you have had no other choice but to be made aware of the tragedy in Haiti. I would like to start by saying that my thoughts and prayers are with all of the people of Haiti. One of the byproducts of the earthquake in Haiti is the outpouring of charity, especially from the United States. It seems that whenever there is a humanitarian disaster in the world that the U.S. is always the first to offer help. As dentists, charity and helping the underserved is not foreign to our profession. From Donated Dental Services (D.D.S.) to programs such as “Give Kids a Smile,” dentists are on the forefront of helping the needy and giving back to the community. For those of you who have not heard of the “Give Kids a Smile” (GKAS) program, I want to make you aware of it now. GKAS is a day that is coordinated by the ADA, once a year, which brings free dentistry to the underserved children throughout the country. This year, that day is Friday, February 5, 2010. On this day, dentists and dental auxiliaries donate their time and services at multiple sites, throughout the country, treating children who are in need of dental care. Some of these kids have never seen a dentist in their life and their oral health is extremely poor. In New Jersey, there are multiple sites that are participating in this program. From the clinics at New Jersey Dental School to the clinics of the dental residencies throughout the state to private dental offices that have volunteered their operatories; kids will receive important dental care that they would otherwise go without, free of charge. This just goes to show how dentists can give back to their community and help those who are not as fortunate. It also shows the public a glimpse of how the dental profession is willing to help those that are not as fortunate in the community. Even though this program will be taking place very soon, the NJDA is always looking for volunteers to donate their time and services at one of the many sites. If you would like to contribute your time and services to Give Kids a Smile, contact Eric Elmore, NJDA’s Director of Marketing & Education at (732) 821-9400 or at [email protected]. A little help from each of us can go a long way in helping those who need it most.
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-01/12/2010-
Attendance: Ashmen, Bernstein, Brunsden, Desai, Galkin, Glickman, Goldstein, Krantz, Mir Madjlessi, Modi, Prabhu, Rizzi, Savage, Silverstein, Stein, Villa, Vitale, Vora, Marlene Glickman
Acceptance of Minutes-vote unanimous.
President’s Report-Scott Galkin
We encourage all of our members to attend the 2010 Garden State Dental Conference & Expo in June at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. One of our own members, Dr. Richard Kahn, will be inducted as NJDA president at this conference. Also, we will be sponsoring Table Clinics that will feature free CE to our membership.
Treasurer’s Report-David Stein
See full report on page 3.
Editor’s Report-Bob Silverstein, Constantine Simos
There was a glitch in the processing of the email database, and some members may have not received the newsletter electronically. This should be fixed now.Just a reminder that the login for the web site will be changed after the January General meeting. The username is mcds and the password is mcds1912.
Give Kids a Smile-Cavan Brunsden
This years program will occur on Friday February 5th. There will be 82 sites in New Jersey including Middlesex County College Hygiene program and Robert Wood Johnson and John F. Kennedy Hospitals. Over 3,000 children will receive free dental examinations, cleanings and fluoride treatments, as well as sealants and emergency care where indicated. There are many opportunities available for volunteer dentists; please contact Eric Elmore at the NJDA.
NJDA Council Reports:
Annual Session-Nainesh Desai/Araceli Ziemba
“Change is hard, but change is here and is here to stay.” The Council on Annual session met on December 10th, 2009. This year the Garden State Dental Conference and Expo 2010 (previously called the NJDA Annual Session) is a weekend event at The Trump Taj Mahal (Atlantic City, NJ) to be held on June11-13, 2010. The 2011 and 2012 meetings will also be weekend events but the venue has been changed. The new venue is Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, NJ and contracts were signed for the same during last month. Component Presidents were contacted for $500 sponsorship for Table Clinics which are becoming increasingly popular. The next committee meeting is on February 11th, 2010. We may have expanded sponsorship from Benco and new sponsorship from Kuwata for 2010-2011. MCDS, Temple University and UMDNJ-NJDS will host a joint reception for their alumni on Friday, June 11th, 2010. On that same Friday and following Saturday, there will be drawings on the Exhibit Floor during the welcome reception with prizes totaling $1,500. Plans are being finalized to have a Glass Classroom, a Product-Demo Classroom and a High-Tech Vendor Fair on the Exhibit Floor. In 2011, Dr Carl Misch will be presenting a full-day course on June 24th, with sponsorship from BioHorizons. So mark your calendars and come to learn and have fun with us at the all new Garden State Dental Expo.
Dental Benefits-Devang Modi
The Council of Dental benefits met last Wed. January 6, 2010. Along with the NJ dental society component representatives, Mr. Jim Schultz and Assemblyman Gary Schaer were in attendance. The meeting and conversation with Assemblyman Schaer was very positive. Some key points were discussed but the objective of the meeting was to inform Mr Schaer that Dentistry is much different than Medicine. Dental insurance and its reimbursement is different than our Medical counterpart. The bottom line was to “do no harm” to Dentistry.
Several dentists gave examples of deductible in Medicine versus deductible and copayments in Dentistry; high overhead in Dentistry; we are more preventive service oriented; there is no separate bill to the patient for lab costs and other charges as in medicine; our fees for a procedure are not enormously high as they may be for medical procedures; we account for patients’ medical history in our dental treatment (oral cancer, diabetes and HTN link to perio disease, etc...). I think he came out more informed and educated and showed a real interest in our profession. He is on our side.
The bill that would require us to provide mandatory 30 hours of FREE dental care to the uninsured for re-licensure was NEVER intended to move forward. It was introduced for political reasons and will NOT repost.
Assignment of benefits will become LAW. It will be limited to managed care plans and physicians. This should not affect stand alone dental plans. This may apply to dentist who bill medical insurance and dental insurance for services (oral surgery, TMD, etc...).
Insurance companies want to set a CAP on a non covered service. In other words, you are a provider of dental plan x, they do not allow benefit for procedure y, but if you still performed procedure y you cannot charge the patient your actual fees. The insurance companies will set the fee for that procedure and how much we can charge. That is unfair and this point was made clear to Mr. Schaer. Please feel free to contact me if you need any further clarification on the above.
There is no news from Dr. McMurray from BCBS on some of the questions from last meeting and changing of the language on the EOB’s. Mary Moskal did reach someone at BCBS later that day and we will keep you informed.
1 new and 2 revision ADA codes were submitted.
A NEW Code for maintenance and cleaning of a CD/ RPD was submitted.
It was requested to REVISE 2 codes (2920, 6930) to include cementing of prefab./ cast post and cores before re-cementing a crown or FPD.
The agenda for the dental benefit course for June 2010 was discussed.
The morning session will consist of Dr. Arthur Bilenker speaking on general, basic information about dental benefits. This would be great for new practitioners. The afternoon session will be broken into 5-6 20min presentations and then 10 min. Q and A. Topics for the presentations include; legality, contract negotiations and pitfalls with insurance companies, coordination of dental benefits, evidence based dentistry, prompt payment regulations, complaint and claim resolution, coding and problems with coding.
Different dentists will be assigned these topics. The afternoon session will be conducted this way as per the feedback from last year’s meeting.
A request was made to include the claim resolution form in the component newsletters. [Editor’s note: I am working on posting this to our web site - most likely on the “Of Current Interest” page.] All dentists are encouraged to contact Mary Moskal with any insurance claim/ payment issues.
We hope to invite a representative from AETNA at a future meeting.
The next meeting will be on 4/7/2010.
Peer Review-Sandy Goldstein
There were no new cases assigned nor mediated in December 2009.
Committee Reports:
Mentor-Ethan Glickman/Amit Vora/Nima MirMadjlessi
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 4, 2010 at St. Peter’s Medical Center, New Brunswick. Dr. Sandy Goldstein will present the next mentor program on April 8, 2010. He will speak about: “Peer Review: The Good, Bad and Ugly” at St. Peter’s Medical Center, New Brunswick.
Our last Mentor Program in December was cancelled due to very few registrants.
Two CEU credits are awarded to the Dentists & staff members attending these 2-hour seminars. These seminars are available to our members & staff for $25/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 insert in this newsletter for additional information and registration for the Mentor program.
Dental Hygiene Study Club-Alyssa Bernstein
The study club met on Wednesday January 6, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Rte 27 South, Edison NJ and was sponsored by MCDS The speaker was Dr. Tom Viola, a pharmacist and pharmacology professor. His lecture was titled “Dental Considerations in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease.” Two CEU credits were awarded to the 28 hygienists that attend this meeting. The next CNJDH meeting will be on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison. The speakers will be Drs. Mary Powderly and Catherine Cimini speaking on hormones, menopause and their effects in the mouth and body. 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- The Board approved the following slate for 2010-2011:
Board Of Trustees
President Elect – Robert Ashmen Vice President – Constantine Simos Secretary – Nainesh Desai
Treasurer - David Stein ADA Delegate – Richard Kahn ADA Alternate Delegate – Daniel Krantz
NJDA Trustee - Mark Vitale NJDA Alt Trustee - Mitchell Weiner
NJDA Delegates
Robert Ashmen, Cavan Brunsden, Nainesh Desai,Richard Kahn, Scott Galkin ,Daniel Krantz, Maya Prabhu (chair), Arnold Rosenheck, Robert Silverstein, David Stein, Constantine Simos, Nancy Villa, Mark Vitale, Mitchell Weiner
NJDA Alternate Delegates
James Courey, Peter DeSciscio, Joseph Fertig, Sandy Goldstein, Joel Leizer, George McLaughlin, Nima Mir Madjlessi, Arpan Nandra, Ira Rosen, Tara Savage, Mark Schambra, Amit Vora, Araceli Ziemba, Alyssa Bernstein.
Respectfully Submitted, Constantine Simos, Secretary
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Dr. David Stein
December 31, 2009
| 12/31/08 | 10/31/09 | 12/31/09 | |
| Checking | $925.32 | $6,685.54 | $1,162.97 |
| Savings | $13,283.79 | $14,391.29 | $35,709.28 |
| CD (2% matures 12/10/09) | |||
| $25,000.00 | $25,000.00 | $0(Closed) | |
| PayPal | $1,229.77 | $1,357.21 | $1,444.30 |
| TOTAL: | $40,438.88 | $47,434.04 | $38,316.55 |
| P&L STATEMENT CHECKING ACCOUNT | |||
| (11/1/09-12/31/09) | |||
| INCOME | |||
| CONT. EDUC.-INC | 1,890.00 | ||
| CORP SPON-mtngs | 1,350.00 | ||
| CORP SPON-c.ed. | 1,500.00 | ||
| INTEREST | 1.36 | ||
| MENTOR COMM-INC | 1395 | ||
| TOTAL INCOME | 6,136.36 | ||
| EXPENSES | |||
| CONT. EDUC | 6,781.05 | ||
| Dinner Dance Expense | 135 | ||
| Dinner Meetings | 5,078.20 | ||
| EXEC SECRETARY | 1425 | ||
| Insurance | 377.66 | ||
| MCDS Board Member Expense | 116.1 | ||
| Memorials and Gifts | 80.54 | ||
| Mentor COMM-EXP | 515.87 | ||
| Office Supplies | 935.85 | ||
| Telephone | 213.66 | ||
| TOTAL EXPENSES | 15,658.93 | ||
| Transfer From Savings MCDS | 4,000.00 | ||
| OVERALL TOTAL | -5,522.57 | ||
| P&L SAVINGS ACCOUNT | |||
| (11/1/09-12/31/09) | |||
| INTEREST INCOME | 25.86 | ||
| Transfer From CD-7 Month 2009 | 25,292.13 | ||
| Transfer to Checking | 4,000.00 | ||
| OVERALL TOTAL | 21,317.99 | ||
| P&L PAYPAL MONEY MARKET | |||
| (11/1/09-12/31/09) | |||
| CONT EDUC INC | 87.09 | ||
| OVERALL TOTAL | 87.09 |
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Web Site Password Change
Our web site hosting company was recently purchased by another company. This new company does not allow 2 character passwords (“sy”), so based on the password requirements, the password changed to “mcds1912” (the year that MCDS was chartered) effective 1/22/10.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING STAFF NIGHT FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
As you all know, economically, last year was one of the toughest years. 2010 is expected to be better than that. It is important for our member dentists to know that the board of trustees is mindful of the economic times and as such, we are trying to scale down our expenses as well.
Staff Night is greatly enjoyed by our staff but it is THE biggest expense of the year. As per our budget, it was nearly 35K last year which was about 30% of our total expense.
In trying to defray the cost somewhat, we are working to institute a few measures. First, we are hoping to get corporate sponsorship for staff night but that remains to be seen. Second, we are making minor changes in our menu at Pines which will help us save some more. There is one more thing that we are planning to change. Up until now, the attendee doctors were not charged a fee for coming to staff night, which is what is about to change. Please look out for information in the newsletters as our plans materialize.
Our goal for staff night is to continue to provide an evening of fun and entertainment to our deserving staff however the ultimate objective is to do what is best for the member dentists and as always, we are working on it.
MCDS is pleased to announce that we are making a $500 donation to sponsor the Table Clinic presentations at the 2010 Garden State Dental Conference & Expo (formerly the NJDA Annual Session), which runs from June 11th to 13th. These table clinics offer free CE to our members and are presented by dental students, hygiene students, assisting students, or interested dentists from throughout the state. This sponsorship will help cover the costs of running the Table Clinics; including set-up charges and prizes. We encourage all of our members to attend the Garden State Dental Conference & Expo, which takes place at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, and see these presentations first hand.
Niether of the Life Member inductees for 2010 were able to attend the meeting. MCDS again congratulates Dr. Stephen Kahn and Dr. Robert Lapinski on their accomplishments!