WMDDS 2012 Fall Bulletin

FALL ISSUE 2012VOL. 45, NO. 1

Bulletin

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WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | FALL ISSUE 2012 1

Contents

President’s Message ..................................................................................................... 2

Editor’s Thoughts ........................................................................................................ 4

Notice of Election ........................................................................................................ 5

Trustee Report ............................................................................................................. 6

The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love ............................................................................ 8

Point of Light and West Michigan .............................................................................10

Technically Speaking ...................................................................................................21

Will 2012 See the End of Bush Era Tax Cuts? ...........................................................22

New Dentist Outing Treats the Farmers to Rain .......................................................23

Ad Council Launches Children’s Oral Health Campaign .........................................24

God Bless Integrated America .....................................................................................25

Classified Ads ...............................................................................................................26

Advertiser Index ...........................................................................................................27

The Buying and Selling of a Business .........................................................................28

About the Cover

A team of West Michigan students and dental professionals head down on a dental

mission trip to Guyana, South America in March of 2011. For more details of the

trip, please refer to the feature article on page 8.

Mission StatementThe Bulletin is the newsletter of the WMDDS and its mission is to inform the membership of

upcoming and recent events, state & local issues related to dentistry, and as a forum for its officers,

representatives, and members to discuss appropriate topics of interest to the membership.

Communication & Advertising PolicyThe Bulletin will publish submitted articles from members and others that relate to the practice of

dentistry, small business, social, or political issues affecting dentists, or other subjects of interest to

the membership. All published items are subject to space restrictions and the community standards

of the WMDDS. The editors reserve the right to reject any article or advertisement deemed

inappropriate and to edit submissions as they see fit.

Submission & Publication Policy: Articles and advertisements must be submitted no

later than the 1st of the month preceding publication date. The Bulletin has six publications:

the winter issue, spring issue, summer issue, directory issue, fall issue, holiday issue. Direct

submissions or correspondences to:

Dr. Jeffrey S. Smith • 3050 Ivanrest SW, Suite B • Grandville, MI 49418

Phone: 616.531.1554 FAX 616.531.6947 • Email: [email protected]

Include “Newsletter” in the subject line

Editor Dr. Jeff Smith

Associate Editors Dr. Seth Vruggink Dr. Derek Draft Dr. Aric Smith Dr. Brian Licari

Advertising Editor Elaine Fleming Executive Secretary WMDDS 511-F Waters Building Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 234-5605 [email protected]

West Michigan District Dental Society Executive Board 2012-2013 President Dr. Tyler Wolf President-Elect Dr. Margaret Gingrich Vice President Dr. Samuel Bander Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Kathleen Ellsworth Editor Dr. Jeff Smith Immediate Past President

Dr. Larissa Bishop

Directors Dr. Steve Conlon Dr. Leonard Bartoszewicz Dr. Brian MulderArea Representatives

Kent County Dr. Michael Palaszek Ionia-Montcalm

Dr. John O’Donald

County Mecosta County Dr. Erick Perroud Ottawa County Dr. Meredith Smedley

MDA IV District Dr. Brian Cilla Trustees Dr. Colette Smiley

Big Rapids Dental Study Club OfficersPresident Dr. Erick Perroud Vice President Dr. Christa SternSecretary Dr. Christa SternTreasurer Dr. Erick Perroud

Holland-Zeeland Dental Society OfficersPresident Dr. Meredith Smedley Treasurer Dr. Robert Ankerman Secretary Immediate Past President

Ionia-Montcalm Dental Study Club OfficersPresident Treasurer Dr. Kirkwood Faber

Kent County Dental Society OfficersPresident Dr. Norman Wilhelmsen Vice President Dr. Michael Palaszek Secretary Dr. Kathryn SwanTreasurer Dr. James Papp

West Michigan Dental Foundation OfficersPresident Dr. John Marshall Vice President Mrs. Wendy Mc Ginnis Secretary Mrs. Carol Klein Treasurer Mr. Joe Van Laan

The Bulletin of the West Michigan Dental Society is published six times a year (the winter issue, spring issue, summer issue, directory issue, fall issue, and holiday issue). The opinions expressed in The Bulletin are not necessarily the opinions of the West Michigan District Dental Society.

Contributions to The Bulletin are welcome and should be addressed to The Bulletin Editor, 3050 Ivanrest SW, Suite B, Grandville, MI 49418. Requests for purchase of advertising space should be directed to the Advertising Editor, Elaine Fleming, (616) 234-5605. The deadline is the 1st of the month prior to publication.

© 2012-2013 West Michigan District Dental Society Bulletin

ello again. I’m speaking to you today as I stand

atop my sturdy soap box. I’m not in the habit of

preaching, but I noticed something in a magazine

today that put me in the mood to do just that. If you’re curi-

ous, it was an advertisement placed by one of our own brethren.

Why would that prompt me to write an editorial about it? I’ll

get back to that…

Not-so-fun fact #1: The Gallup Poll for Honesty and

Ethics in Professions 2003 rated dentists at #5 with a 61% high

approval rating. In 2009, we dropped out of the top ten and

dropped to 57%. What’s further is that from 2006 to 2009

only one other profession dropped more than we did in the

public’s eye (state governors if you were wondering). Our

profession has not been included in the poll since.

Not-so-fun fact #2: An article’s title, written in our own

profession’s journal (JADA, September 1, 2011), asks the

question “Are Dentists Losing Their Status as ‘Professionals’?”.

Ponder that one a bit.

In my dental practice, I do something that I call the new

patient interview. It is my first contact with the vast major-

ity of my patients. In this process, I sit down at my desk and

“chat” with the patient before we do anything in the operatory.

Part of my routine is to talk about our team philosophy. I

talk directly about the fact that I consider myself “old school”

in terms of how I believe professionalism should be defined

and carried out. I have frank discussions about treating every

individual with the dignity and respect that they deserve.

Something that I feel is lacking more and more in our world.

This has to do with my personal code of ethics. These ethics

should coincide with the code of ethics that we all pledged to

uphold when we swore an oath upon graduation from dental

school. Part of this code of ethics covers how we market our-

selves and our profession to potential patients, as well as how

we compare ourselves to our peers in dentistry.

So back to this full-page ad that I viewed in our big city

magazine… It stated in no uncertain terms that this particu-

lar dentist had “earned a Degree in Cosmetic and Aesthetic

dentistry from (XYZ) University School of Dentistry.” Well,

as far as I was aware, there was no such thing as a recognized

specialty degree in cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry. Knowing

that we dentists are way to exacting, I’m convinced that the

word ‘degree’ was used both specifically and intentionally

to convey some sort of mastery of the craft that had been

bestowed by an institution of higher learning. Quite the sell-

ing point.… Yet as purposefully misleading as it is dishonest.

So…. Of course I called the (XZY) University Dental

School to inquire about this “degree” program, only to be told

by the confused administrator that no such program exists.

“We sometimes do continuing education courses on that

topic,” I was told, in her warm southern drawl. Not that this

was such a revelation, but only a confirmation.

So for what possible reason would this dentist produce

such a false statement and use it in his advertisement for all

of Grand Rapids to see? I mean, it couldn’t have been to woo

patients in his door or to make himself look more qualified

(read ‘better’) than his brethren…because THAT would be

unethical right?

Take a few minutes to let your fingers do some walking

through the local phone book or some clicking on the web….

You might be appalled at what you will read coming from

dentists that you may know – dentists that took the same

oath and should be operating under the same code that you

are. You may gain a better understanding of why the public is

losing faith in us.

Some examples that I have seen include:

• “Voted #1 Dentist in Michigan” (Billboard)

• “Voted Top Dentist in Grand Rapids”

• “… A Better Dental Experience”

• “Specializing in Cosmetics and Implants”

• “Secrets your dentist doesn’t want you to know.” (Local

Dentist’s Website Blog)

• “West Michigan’s Leader in…”

WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | FALL ISSUE 20122

P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E

Ethics in AdvertisingBy Tyler A. Wolf, DDS, WMDDS President

H


P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E

And don’t even get me started on the flood of “mercury fill-

ings” fear mongers. You know the ones that prey on patient’s

fears under the guise of being somehow more “biological” in

their delivery of dental care than the rest of us. But that’s for

a whole other article….

Now listen, I realize that this sort of thing is not as overtly

damaging as if another dentist slammed your past treatment

right in front of a patient during a second opinion appoint-

ment. I get that. However, it is very insidious what it does to

the moral and ethical fabric of our profession.

We are better than that. We need to be the professionals

that our patients expect and deserve. We need to remain in

the footsteps of those who have walked before us and made

what we do great.

Let’s all take a higher road, please.

I would be remiss if I did not mention what the majority

Member FDIC

LocationsCascade Rd at Spaulding - SE

Northland Dr at Plainfi eld - NE

Monroe Ave at Louis - DowntownWilson Ave at 56th - SW

(616) 956-9030foundersbt.com

Born here.

Staying here.Growing here.

Our local bank proudly supports the dedicated West Michigan Dental Community.

of us already know. I am not referring to the most, but to the

few. We are a great and proud profession. We can and should

respect one another because we are doing very good things for

our patients in the name of their health. As that is the case, it

should anger you that such a small few can cause us to lose

face in the eyes of the public that we serve. It is my hope that

at least we can take pause and consider what our appropriate

message should be.

Our MDA and WMDDS Peer Review Ethics Committees

are well-versed in what constitutes borderline or over-the-line

advertising. I find a measure of solace in their vigilance. You

can help too by reporting any questionable content that you

may come across.

As always, my eyes and ears are open to any comments or

concerns that you may have. My office number is 457-4600,

and my email is [email protected].


his month’s message from Dr. Tyler Wolf is going to

be a tough act to follow, but as your new and very

green editor, I’ll give it

my best shot. Our profession

has, on occasion, been accused of

being more concerned with the

bottom line (i.e. the business end

of dentistry), than with the deliv-

ery of caring and compassionate

treatment to our patients, as well

as always looking out for what is

in their best interest (i.e. being

ethical health care professionals).

This conception/misconception

is exacerbated by another crowd

who would accuse our profession

of not “paying its fair share back

to society.”

One reason that dentistry

sometimes takes these hits is that

we don’t do a good enough job

of informing the public and

media of all of the time, money,

and personal effort we donate

to help others who are less for-

tunate, but are in real need of our services and care. Maybe

we don’t want to appear to be too braggadocious or self-

promoting, but the fact remains that many dental professionals

are often more than willing to sacrifice the bottom line for

the sake of their profession. One such example is the work

of Dr. Scott Hodges, who has been organizing mission trips

Just Why Are We In It?By Dr. Jeff Smith, WMDDS Editor

E D I T O R ’ S T H O U G H T S

in Guyana, South America, for the last ten years. The list of

other WMDDS members who routinely give freely is simply

too long to mention in an editorial this short.

It can be very challenging to break the flow of our daily

professional, personal, and family commitments and rou-

tines, but I would ask you to ponder this question: Which

stays longer in your heart and memory, the “thank you” and

appreciation you got from someone for doing something spe-

cial, or the income numbers from an especially good month at

the office? I would wager that it is almost certainly the former.

We will have an opportunity for two days in Saginaw on

the weekend of June 6-9 next year to participate in an event

that will help to meet some of the dental needs of thousands

of people in the State of Michigan.

This program will draw hundreds

of volunteer dental professionals

from around the Midwest, and

has gained national media atten-

tion when it has been organized

and put on in other cities in the

United States. This program is

called the “Mission of Mercy” or

MOM. It is a non-profit orga-

nization which provides, trans-

ports, and maintains all of the

equipment necessary for such an

undertaking. MOM also helps to

organize the volunteers, as well

as set-up, run, and tear down

all of the equipment after the

last patients have been seen. The

costs for this endeavor are pri-

vately raised by dental organiza-

tions in the state where the event

is held. Donations may come

in the form of funds, supplies,

meals/snacks, and other support items. Please stay tuned for

further information in coming issues of the Bulletin and

MDA Journal on how to register for and/or donate to next

year’s MOM event in Saginaw.

T“ Maybe we don’t want

to appear to be too

braggadocious or self-

promoting, but the fact

remains that many dental

professionals are often

more willing to sacrifice the

bottom line for the sake of

their profession.”


West Michigan District Dental Society Notice of Election

(Written mail-in ballots will be sent 30 days following this notice)

In accordance with the West Michigan District Dental Society by-laws, the Nominations Committee presents the follow-

ing slate of candidates for the positions of Alternate Delegates and Delegates for the 2013 Michigan Dental Association

House of Delegates and WMDDS offices for 2013-2014. By-laws require that a written notice of the names of the nomi-

nees for elective offices be published 30 days prior to the election. The election will be held by a mail-in ballot.

Five (5) of the following will be elected to a two-year term as a Delegate to the MDA House of Delegates and the remaining

eleven (11) will serve a one-year term as an Alternate Delegate.

Dr. Larissa Bishop Dr. Doug Klein Dr. Steve Conlon

Dr. Kevin Kross Dr. Matt Lieto Dr. Kevin Rebhan

Dr. James Hur Dr. Michael Nichols Dr. Lathe Miller

Dr. Ryan Lebster Dr. Aaron Clark Dr. David Armbrecht

Dr. Leonard Bartoszewicz Dr. Hany Boulos Dr. Trish Roels

Completing the delegation in accordance with the WMDDS by-laws are the following members:

Dr. Tyler Wolf, chair Dr. Margaret Gingrich Dr. Sam Bander

Dr. Seth Vruggink Dr. Doug Killian Dr. Kathryn Swan

(Drs. Wolf, Gingrich and Bander are automatic seats and Drs. Vruggink, Killian and Swan are serving the second year of

a two-year term as delegates.)

The Nominations Committee further recommends the following candidates to fill the following Society offices for

2013-2014:

Dr. Margaret Gingrich, President

Dr. Sam Bander, President-elect

Dr. Steve Conlon, Vice President

Dr. Kathleen Ellsworth, Secretary/Treasurer

Dr. Leonard Bartoszewicz, Third Year Director

Dr. Brian Mulder, Second Year Director

Dr. Lathe Miller, First Year Director

The Nominations Committee, shall include as a nominee for any of the above mentioned positions, the name of any

West Michigan District Dental Society member in good standing for whom a petition, signed by fifteen (15) active

members of the Society has been submitted. Petitions should be delivered by December 5, 2012 to the chairperson of the

Nominations Committee, Dr. Larissa Bishop, 4050 Del Mar Drive SW #B, Grandville, MI 49418.


lthough summer may feel long gone, I would like to

spend some time updating you on the activities and

decisions made at this year’s MDA Summer Board

meeting, as well as some other local news, too.

Access to CareDonated Care Research Project: The MDA Board has

approved funding for a study and report on the amount of

pro-bono work performed in private dental practices. This

study will also determine the amount of work that dentists

donate outside of the office – in community clinics, MOM

events, etc. The research is just beginning and the data should

be ready this Fall.

Kent County Health Department: The Kent County Health

Department recently received a $5000 grant from the ADA

Foundation Samuel D. Harris Fund for Children’s Dental

Health. Grants are given to non-profit agencies and organiza-

tions that sponsor oral health instruction for mothers/care-

givers to help reduce the incidence of early childhood caries.

Internet Coupons & Professional EthicsPrompted by questions from MDA members, the MDA’s

Committee on Peer Review/Ethics has been studying the issue

of dentists promoting their practices with internet coupons,

e.g., Groupon. MDA legal counsel has stated that review of

both the ADA and MDA Codes of Ethics shows practice pro-

motion via the use of internet coupons is unethical. “The offer

and award of referral gifts or Groupon discounts to patients

may violate certain ADA ethical rules, including the rule

prohibiting dentists from giving rebates and splitting fees.”

Fall 2012 Trustee ReportBy Dr. Colette Smiley, MDA Trustee

MDA-IFG & MDA ServicesAt the June Board meeting, we received great news from our

ever-growing subsidiaries, MDA-IFG and MDA Services.

Non-dues revenue from the subsidiaries returned to the MDA

the equivalent of $486 for each MDA active member. This

equates to MDA dues for 2512 members or 69% of the active

membership! This is a real hidden benefit to us all.

The MDA Services glove program is growing very rapidly;

interestingly, 67% of MDA Services glove business is outside

our own membership – 13 other state dental associations

and three medical associations endorse our product. MDA

Services is now using this same successful business model to

expand into facemasks.

If you haven’t tried the MDA Services glove program, give

it a try. You can order or request samples online or by call-

ing 877-484-6149. Every time you utilize an MDA-endorsed

program, you receive savings through product discounts.

And the MDA also benefits by receiving an additional source

of revenue, at no additional cost to you. This is a win-win

opportunity for MDA members.

MembershipThe MDA’s current membership market share is 74.7%. In

total, 98% of dentists have renewed their membership in

2012, which secures the MDA’s place in the top 10% of all

state associations in the country.

For WMDDS, we have an 87% membership market share

– in the top 15% of components in our state. Congratulations

to WMDDS Membership Committee Chair Dr. Kathryn

Swan and her committee!

Strategic Planning Also at the Summer meeting, the MDA Board heard a presen-

tation by Dr. Michael Gallery, the MDA’s strategic planning

consultant. Dr. Gallery challenged the MDA to “Do a few

things well. As an association, we (MDA) try to do too much.”

Currently, about 50% of MDA’s revenue is from dues; Dr.

Gallery challenged the MDA to try and reduce dues down to

one third of the total MDA revenue.

The MDA is in the initial phase of studying its governance

system. No, our current system is not broken. The MDA

has excellent membership market share in a bad economy,

A

T R U S T E E R E P O R T


and we are about to pay off our building mortgage ahead of

schedule. The driving goal behind the governance study is to

make our Association more effective. It is important to have a

governance model that works as well as possible to move our

Association forward.

Thank you to Dr. Deb Peters and Dr. Kevin Rehban for

your service on the Governance Task Force!

Veterans CollaborationThe State of Michigan has the eleventh largest veteran’s popu-

lation in the U.S., and this population is not accessing the

federal funds available to them for dental care, other types of

health care, and energy costs.

To increase utilization, the MDA is partnering with the

Michigan Department of Veterans Affairs to produce a bro-

chure, explaining to veterans that they may be entitled to fed-

eral assistance. The brochure will contain a phone number for

the veteran to call and see if he or she qualifies for these funds.

This partnership is ideal. In some instances, the dentist

may be the first point of contact for a veteran. All it takes

from you is one question, “Are you a veteran?” The launch of

the program is scheduled to coincide with Veteran’s Day this

November. Look for the brochures in the mail.

Now, A PleaThis past May, 3750 emails were sent through the MDA’s

Capwiz site, encouraging members to contact their legisla-

tors regarding the expansion of Healthy Kids Dental. I am

happy to report that as of October 1, Healthy Kids Dental will

expand to ten more counties in our state, including Mecosta

and Montcalm counties in West Michigan.

Only 168 members responded to this email plea.

Interestingly, 2894 members opened the Capwiz alert, 516

then went to the Capwiz site, but only 168 responded.

Contacting a legislator through Capwiz required 3 clicks of

the mouse and an individual to know (or be able to find) his/

her ADA membership number. Our support of the MDA’s

legislative efforts only benefits us all – please participate!

And, A Thank YouI thank you for the privilege of being your Trustee. Please

be in contact with any concerns or comments you may

have, or if there is any way I can assist you. I can be reached

at 616.560.1104 or [email protected]. Send me a tweet

@smileycolette.

T R U S T E E R E P O R T


F E A T U R E A R T I C L E

r. Steve Hall, a dental school classmate and good

friend, had been bugging me gently, but semi-

persistently during our weekly “dental lunches” at

Arby’s for at least four or five years. He was part of a group of

West Michigan dentists, hygienists, assistants, students, and

lay people who had been

going down to Guyana,

South America, for a week

in March on a Christian

Dental mission trip. When

Steve first began asking

me, I was happy to make

a cash donation, but to

actually take a week off

from practice and fam-

ily, and travel down to

some hot, humid, and

unheard of country where

the mosquitos are prob-

ably the size of humming

birds (over active imagi-

nation at work), forget

about it!

Well, in a moment of weakness or perhaps lapse of reason,

I agreed to attend an organizational meeting at Dr. Scott

Hodges’ office for the upcoming trip in March of the next

year. About 30 of us were informed that while we would be

perfectly safe and well cared for, we would have to be cogni-

zant of the customs and sensibilities of the Guyanese, who

have descended from a fifty/fifty split of people from India

and Africa, and whose religious faiths tended towards Hindu

D

and Islam. Everything that we needed for the 8-day trip had

to fit in a carry on size case or duffel bag. That meant one half

of the bag was used for clean socks and underwear, and the

other half contained our scrubs and toiletries. (Smart phones

and iPads down there would be pretty much useless.) The

vast majority of the luggage space on the plane was composed

of over forty large suitcases and crates containing all of the

equipment and supplies necessary to treat anywhere upwards

of 400 people in a make shift clinic set up in an open church.

After leaving Grand Rapids around 11 am, we flew out of

Detroit Metro to JFK, and ultimately arrived in Georgetown,

Guyana, sometime around 8 am the next day. The weather

was warm and moderately humid, much like the sensation

you get upon arriving in Florida when you have been in

Michigan all winter. There was an air conditioned bus waiting

for us just outside the terminal and off we went on the 3-hour

trip to the small village of

Bath. About halfway there,

the bus broke down on

the main highway, which

is only two lanes and no

wider than the street in

front of your home. The

bus pulled over to the side,

all of our luggage, equip-

ment, and dental supplies

were removed from the

large pickup which had

been following, and we

made the rest of the trip

(all of us) standing in the

back of that open truck

going down the “highway”

in the wrong lane (previous British rule in Guyana) dodg-

ing cattle, dogs, bicyclists, and oncoming traffic. The locals

watching us seemed genuinely amused as we passed by. Many

smiled and waved. We were definitely an odd sight as the

number of our group was probably larger than the rest of

the white people within the country combined. (Maybe they

thought that this was the American version of mass transit.)

Late that afternoon we finally arrived at Bath, dropped our

stuff off in the home of the missionary, Andy and his wife,

The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love By Dr. Jeff Smith, WMDDS Editor

The local church is cleared out, and transformed into a functional dental clinic.


F E A T U R E A R T I C L E

Kathleen, and began assembling the clinic in the new but

growing village church. Scott Hodges did an incredible job

of assembling, and then later maintaining 16 “operatories”

tirelessly. All of the supplies and instruments were organized,

sterilized, and then dispensed around the dental units which

consisted of folding loungers for the patients, 5-gallon paint

buckets for the clinicians to sit on, and cardboard boxes with

mobile air and suction hoses which ran off of shop vacs and

generator-driven air compressors.

The clinic opened at 7 the next

morning, and there were people who

had been waiting in line since 4 am.

(Earlier the church pastors had told

the villagers that an American dental

team would be coming to provide

free dental care for 4 days). During

the day, hygiene students from Ferris

did prophies and screened patients,

many of whom had never had any

professional care. While there is a

state-sponsored dental program in

Guyana, it consists almost entirely

of extractions. Sugar is a major agri-

cultural crop in Guyana, and many

who harvest the sugar cane chew

on it all day while they work in the

field. We were told by some of our

patients that extractions done by

the local dentists (maybe 12 to 20

in the entire country) were usually

without anesthesia, since they typically saved the lidocaine for

their cash patients. The fact that we could actually save teeth

with restorations if they weren’t too bombed out, or extract

if necessary without pain, had people waiting for two or three

days to get in to the clinic. Between equipment failures, Dr.

Hodges was even able to get some root canals in. We would

try to close the clinic by 8pm, but we almost never got out

before 9 or 10. During the day, we would grab meals, snacks,

or breaks in shifts. When we finally got back to our mission

home, there was time for a shower, meal (almost always the

same food that the villagers eat, only in mass quantities),

and a group talk during which time anyone could share their

thoughts on the day’s events or how they were adapting/

holding up to the demands of the trip. Even though it was

always warm at night, I usually feel asleep as soon as my head

hit the pillow.

By the last day of clinic, we had changed from a group of

30 strangers and morphed into a tightly-knit team. Everyone

knew the names of their fellow team members and what

supplies or help their colleagues needed while they

were providing care. We were finally

“cranking out” dentistry and hygiene

because there was no tomorrow.

Many of the villagers came back into

the clinic with family and friends.

Some even brought gifts for mem-

bers of the team. Upon departure,

not only had some of us learned to

eat and enjoy iguana, but we had

formed new friendships and bonds

within the team, and also with the

pastors, their families, and many of

the villagers in Guyana as well.

Two days later, Sunday around

6pm, after 36 hours of travel, storm

delays, and immigration and cus-

toms officials, we were back home

again. We were hungry for family

and fast food, and were completely

exhausted. Many of us had to be

back to school or at the office the

next day. All I wanted after some

long hugs with my family was enough sleep to recharge

for the next day. After recounting the details of the trip to

family, friends, and anyone else who was polite enough to

listen, the recurring question was, “Are you glad you went on

the trip?” Without hesitation, my answer was and still is two

trips later, “As crazy as it might seem, ABSOLUTELY.”

Hygiene students from Ferris work tirelessly into the night.


ave you heard of the Points of Light program and

wondered what it is? Or are you familiar with

Points of Light but not really sure how to become a

Points of Light dentist?

The primary mission of

the Points of Light program

is to promote the first dental

visit by age one. Additionally,

the Points of Light program

provides an online database,

serving as a parent resource,

of participating dentists that

accept infants, Head Start

students, and children with

Special Health Care Needs.

In order to understand

the program better, I inter-

viewed some of the partici-

pating Point dentists in our

community. Thanks to Drs.

Stephanie Benton, Kathleen

Ellsworth, Ryan Lebster, Karen O’Rourke, Dan Peters, and

Scott Van Timmeren for their helpful input!

What motivated you to become a Points of Light provider?Practitioners interviewed wanted to provide the service of a

one-year-old exam to patients, primarily to educate parents

on their essential role in their child’s oral health, starting at

an early age.

In addition, this early counseling and intervention pre-

Points of Light and West MichiganBy Dr. Colette Smiley, MDA Trustee

C O M M U N I T Y O U T R E A C H

vents the need to treat decay later on. As one provider stated,

“A one year old dental visit is a heck of a lot easier than doing

fillings on a two-year-old!”

What were the challenges in implementing the one-year-old dental visit in your practice? Did you encounter any resistance from other dentists, staff, or patients?Providers stated their partners and staff readily recognized the

need for early intervention and implementation of the Points

of Light program into their practices went smoothly. “Once

you integrate infant oral health into your practice, it becomes

commonplace.”

“The old habit of a parent thinking the first dental visit

should be at the age of three

can be hard to break.” To

educate parents in the prac-

tice, and increase the per-

ceived value of a one-year-

old dental visit, a number

of practices put together a

packet of information spe-

cific to oral health for infants

and toddlers.

One of the goals of the Points of Light program is to optimize the com-munication between the pediatric medical community and dental providers, encouraging

coordinated, timely referrals from pediatricians or other primary care providers. Have you done any specific outreach in our community, informing others that you are providing this service?One Point dentist in a smaller West Michigan community has

spoken with local physicians, hospitals, clinics, day care pro-

viders, churches, and Head Start programs and reports posi-

tive, receptive responses. All providers noted it would be very

easy to provide information to other health care providers

in the form of a packet or even a brief introductory meeting.

H

Dr. Chris Smiley does age one-year exam.


Another practitioner noted, “I don’t really need to do any

specific outreach in the community. The young mom’s in my

practice are now creating a ‘buzz’, telling their friends about

this service I’m providing!”

Have you experienced any challenges as a Points of Light provider?It seems that both physicians and parents may not understand

the importance of the one-year dental check up. But after

presenting the literature and establishing a relationship, the

current Point providers all noted that physicians and parents

were firmly on board.

“It’s a simple thing to do and I love getting into parents

heads early. Assure dentists they only need to see the infants

in their own practice; they are not required to see anyone else.”

I have been doing one-year-old dental exams for several years. Why should I sign up as a Points of Light dentist online? It’s good for kids and it’s good for you! On the Points of Light

website, the Parent Resources page offers a zip code-driven

search function that enables parents to locate dentists in their

area that accept infants. In addition, on the website you can

specify the patient population that you desire to treat.

West Michigan POL WorkgroupAn informal Points of Light workgroup has come together

with the goal of increasing the network of West Michigan

practices willing to accept infants, Head Start children, and

children with Special Healthcare Needs.

Once a tipping point of Points of Light providers is

achieved, the group plans to approach the West Michigan

medical and Head Start communities to stimulate early refer-

rals. The oral and overall health of the community, starting

with the youngest members, will improve as a shift occurs

from a surgical caries intervention to prevention.

Looking for more information on the program, or ready to

sign on as a Point dentist? Go the Points of Light website:

www.pointsoflightonline.org.

Several Points of Light providers will be available at the

October 26 WMDDS meeting to answer questions as well.

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For 14 more Good Ideas from Hungerford, please email Rick Chrisman at [email protected], or call Rick at (616) 949-3200.

Good Ideain a series of 15

When it comes to building your practice,

experience matters. Hungerford’s

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Our understanding of the dental

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Catch the Spirit in Novi!

MDA 2013 Annual SessionSuburban Collection Showplace, Novi • April 17-20, 2013

Pre-Register Early!Online registration opens Dec. 20, 2012!

Join your colleagues for great social events, a variety of topics and speakers and nearly 200 exhibits.

New this year — one hour “Hot Topic” sessions —more information coming soon.

SpeakerS include:

Scott Benjamin, DDSJoseph Best, DDS, PhDM. Douglas Campbell

W. Choong Foong, PhDMary Govoni, RDA, RDH

Derek HeinTimothy Kosinski, MS, DDS

Glenn LombardiSusan Maples, DDSAlan Mead, DDS

Kenneth Myers, DDSWilliam Nudera, DDS, MsChristopher Smiley, DDS

Jon Suzuki, DDS, PhD, MBADomenica Sweier, DDS, PhD

Anastasia Turchetti, RDHStephen Ura, DDS

Kelli VrlaDaniel Ward, DDS

Plus keynote speakerCoNNie PoDeSTA

and others

Michigan dentistry’s Biggest ce event!

Keeping You Prepared

So you’re never SurpriSed

MDA programs are continuously reviewed to ensure your coverage needs are being met. MDA Insurance and MDA Services offer a wide range of programs including:

• ExaminationGloves• CreditCardProcessing• PayrollProcessing• ProfessionalLiabilityInsurance• PracticePropertyInsurance• IndividualandGroupHealthInsurance• LifeandDisabilityInsurance

Enjoy quality programs, group savings and lower dues.

www.mdaprograms.com www.smilemichigan.com

(800) 860-2272


* Malpractice insurance is underwritten by Professional Solutions Insurance Company, 14001 University Ave., Clive, IA 50325. Professional Solutions Insurance Company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best for financial strength and operating performance. A.M. Best ratings range from A++ to S. ©2012 PSIC NFL 9191 ALL

To learn more, call 1-800-718-1007, ext. 9191,or visit www.profsolutions.com.

Get competitive dental malpractice insurance coverage with protection you can trust

from an “A” (Excellent) rated* company—PSIC.

4th Annual

DENTAL APPRECIATION NIGHTPresented by

SMS/grgriffins @griffinshockeytext GRIFF to 88188for offers, info & more! griffinshockey.com1.800.2.HOCKEY

Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. VAN ANDEL ARENA The Grand Rapids Griffins invite your office to join us for all the fun and excitement of Dental Appreciation Night!

Last season, over 500 dental professionals, their families and friends enjoyed this special game.

This season’s Dental Appreciation Night will feature:• Special in-game promotions and $1 concession specials• Discounted tickets for your office• Ticket proceeds benefiting the West Michigan Dental Foundation For more info including discounted ticket pricing, please contact Andrew Rubinstein at 616.774.4585 ext 3023 or [email protected]


56 Grandville Avenue sw . Suite 100Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 . 616 235 5200

Your practice depends on the individualized service you provide each and every client. So does ours.With extensive hands-on experience in the healthcare industry, our team focuses on the financial and operational challenges you face everyday. We are committed to providing industry-specific expertise relevant to you, without compromising your patient focus.

For more information please visit BeeneGarter.com or contact Brian LaFrenier at (616) 235-5200.

Evolving your practice today for a healthier tomorrow.

Tax Planning and Preparation

Sales and Use Tax

Accounting Software Installation and Support

Bookkeeping and Assistance

Start-Up Consulting

Choice of Entity Analysis

Cash Flow Projections

Overhead Analysis

IRS Representation

Payroll Processing

Retirement Plan Design and Administration

Human Resources

Succession Planning

Business Valuation

Estate Planning and Wealth Management

Copyright © B

eene Garter LLP An independent m

ember of M

oore Stephens International Limited

2012 Directory Corrections & Additions

Changes indicated in bold

CorreCtions:

niCHoLs, MiCHAeL G826 PARCHMENT DRIvE SE, #200GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49546949-5290 FAX 949-5714

new MeMber:

Dr. rAHAf HALiMeH12662 riLey street #110HoLLAnD, Mi 49424616.399.3946 fAX 616.399.4774

Keystone Pharmacy, your accredited compounding experts! Using the latest technology and purest ingredients, we create custom medications for your patients, which are prescribed by you and conveniently delivered to your patient’s home. Call our pharmacist today!

creams & gels • gummies, lollipops & lozenges sterile medications • suppositories, sprays and more

KEYSTONE PHARMACYSpecializing In Your Health

4021 Cascade Road SEGrand Rapids, MI 49546616-974- 9792www.keystonerx.com

Happier Patients—One Compound at a Time

Your Fantastic Dental team, what makes it work?Presented by Dr. Rhonda Savage, CEO of Miles Global

January 11, 2013 | Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park | CE Credits: 7

This lively session outlines what Miles Global finds as a common thread among their top clients who have the

finest care along with a happy, productive work environment. But most of all, they also have a healthy bottom line.

T – Time to Train and Teach: Patient education and verbal skills

E – Expectations, we all have them for ourselves & our team… communication is key!

A – Accountability provides for a successful practice

M – Motivation: When morale goes up, the practice goes up!

Attendees will learn:

How to attain clinical excellence through comprehensive treatment planning | How to attract and retain the ideal

dental team | The four best tips in scheduling | The key elements to effective communications | Systems of a

successful practice: hygiene, reactivation, accounts receivables | Build fun and excitement into your practice

After this inspiring and motivating full-day comprehensive course, you will get

back to your practice and be amazed at the difference. Experience a day with

your fantastic dental TEAM and find out how to make it work for your practice.

This is a full day presentation – ideal for the dentist and the entire team.West Michigan District Dental Society is an

ADA CERP Recognized Provider.

ThAnk yOu TO OuR SPOnSORS whO hAvE hElPED TO MAkE ThESE PROGRAMS AvAilAblE TO uS.

Supporting Sponsor:Platinum Sponsors:

NAME

ADDRESS

ADDITIONAL REGISTRANT(S) AT THIS ADDRESS

MDA-member dentist – $225

WMDDS retired member dentist – $100

1st staff member – $100

2nd-5th staff members – $90

6th-12th staff members – $85

13th staff member and over – $80

per non-member dentist – $450

TOTAL:

PAY BY CHECK: Make checks payable to: West Michigan District Dental Society. Remit to: Elaine Fleming | c/o WMDDS | 161 Ottawa NW | Suite 511-F, Waters Building | Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 | Questions? Call 616.234.5605 or email [email protected]

PAY BY CREDIT CARD: � VISA � Mastercard

CREDIT CARD # EXPIRATION DATE/SECURITY CODE

NAME ON CARD

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registration Form

One thing I am certain about is my malpractice protection.”

“Dentists are dealing withmany unknowns...

Professional Liability Insurance & Risk Management Services

ProAssurance Group is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best. ProAssurance.com • 800.292.1036

Many dentists are feeling the impact of lowered demand for dentistry due to the economy.Profi tability challenges and increased risk to meet those challenges contribute to an atmosphere of uncertainty and lack of control.

What we do control as dentists: our choice of a liability partner.

I selected ProAssurance because they stand behind my good dentistry. In spite of the maelstrom, I am protected, respected, and heard.

I believe in fair treatment—and I get it.


To:

Grand Rapids Dental Hygienists SocietyValerie Davis RDH2247 Valen1ne BLVD NEGrand Rapids MI 49525

ABOUT TH

E SPEA

KER:

GR

DH

S W

elco

mes

:

Amelia (A

my) Haz

elwoo

d, RDH, B

S

Amy Ha

zelw

ood, RDH

, BS ha

s bee

n prac9c

ing clinical hygiene

in

northe

rn In

dian

a an

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n for

over 30 ye

ars. A very ac9v

e co

mpo

nent m

embe

r of A

DHA, sh

e is also a na9

onally-‐fe

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autho

r an

d spea

ker. A Dis9

nguished

Alum

ni of Ind

iana

Unive

rsity

Sou

th

Bend

, Amy ha

s ove

r 30 ye

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expe

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e as a m

erit status part-‐

9me associate lecturer in

prev

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n9stry in

den

tal

educ

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at Ind

iana

Unive

rsity

So

uth Be

nd. Spe

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includ

e prev

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n9stry. Am

y is the lead

-‐hygienist in

a 3-‐den

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12-‐hygienist prac9

ce, a

nd brin

gs a

wea

lth of p

rac9

cal e

xperienc

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her a

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Amy has teamed up with Jillian

Michaels and been on The Doctor's

Show to help educate audiences on

topics in preven1ve den1stry!

!!"#$%&

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PRESENTS:

2012 FALL CONTINUING EDUCATION SEMINAR11/16/2012

Amelia (Amy) Hazelwood, RDH, BS

“Periodontal Disease, What Should We Be Telling Patients?”

To:

Grand R

apids Dental H

ygienists SocietyValerie Davis RDH2247 Valen1ne BLVD N

EGrand Rapids M

I 49525

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

GRDHS Welcomes:


Amy Hazelwood, RDH, BS has been prac9cing clinical hygiene in northern Indiana and Michigan for over 30 years. A very ac9ve component member of ADHA, she is also a na9onally-‐featured author and speaker. A Dis9nguished Alumni of Indiana University South Bend, Amy has over 30 years experience as a merit status part-‐9me associate lecturer in preven9ve den9stry in dental educa9on at Indiana University South Bend. Special interests include preven9ve den9stry. Amy is the lead-‐hygienist in a 3-‐den9st, 12-‐hygienist prac9ce, and brings a wealth of prac9cal experience to her audiences.

Amy has teamed up with Jillian Michaels and been on The Doctor's Show to help educate audiences on topics in preven1ve den1stry!

! !"#$%&'()'*+%+*,-%&($$#./-%.0%*%)'*12%3'(+%%

PRE

SENTS:

2012 FALL C

ONT

INUING

ED

UC

ATIO

N SEM

INAR

11/16/2012

Am

elia (Am

y) Hazelwood, R

DH

, BS

“Periodontal Disease, W

hat Should We B

e Telling Patients?”

About the Speaker:

GRDHS Welcomes


Amy Hazelwood, RDH, BS, has been practicing clinical hygiene in northern Indiana and Michigan for over

30 years. A very active component member of ADHA, she is also a nationally-featured author and speaker.

A Distinguished Alumni of Indiana University South Bend, Amy has over 30 years of experience as a merit

status part-time associate lecturer in preventive dentistry in dental education at Indiana University South

Bend. Special interests include preventive dentistry. Amy is the lead hygienist in a 3-dentist, 12-hygiene

practice, and brings a wealth of practice experience to her audiences.

Amy has teamed up with Jillian Michaels and has been on “The Doctors” television show to help educate

audiences on the topics in preventive dentistry.

Creative:

Account:

Production:

Proofreader:

Client: PNCCampaign: BBK Business Line Creative Dentistgyro job #: 431-041PNC job #: N/AAD #: BBK-DEN-OPPSDG #: IN25890HH

Date created: 7/27/12Pub: West Michigan District Dental

Society BulletinCover Date: TBDMaterials due: 8/1/12

Pages: FP non-bleedTrim: 7.5"x 9.75"Live:Bleed:Prod designer: LM

for the achiever in youSM

Having acceSS to caSH tHat allowS you tofinance your growtH.With Cash Flow Options

SM

from PNC and a dedicated Healthcare BusinessBanking team, we can help you take advantage of everyday untapped opportunities.Like helping ensure access to credit. So you can make improvements, expand,purchase or buy into a practice. For uncovering opportunities to help improve yourcash flow and to learn more about PNC Advantage for Healthcare Professionals,visit pnc.com/cfo, stop by a branch or call 1-855-PNC-4DDS.

AccelerAte receivAbles

improve pAyment prActices

invest excess cAsh

leverAge online technology

ensure Access to credit

All loans are subject to credit approval and may require automatic payment deduction from a PNC Bank Business Checking account.Origination and/or other fees may apply. PNC is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”). Cash Flow Options is a service mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. © 2012 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member fDic

T E C H N I C A L L Y S P E A K I N G


n each WMDDS Bulletin, I will be fielding your questions

about technology, its place in the dental practice, and

beyond. Send your questions to [email protected]

and I’ll answer them on my blog, facebook, and in each

Bulletin. Here’s a topic that many of you have questioned.

How can I loathe passwords less?Yeah I know. I don’t like them either. Want to know what I

like less? Stolen documents, stolen personal information, and

spam sent from my hacked email account. Believe me, every-

one is at risk, and a good password policy is important. Let’s

start with a test. How secure are your passwords?

Here is a fun test. Go to howsecureismypassword.net and

have a go using some of your common passwords. What are

you results? I’ll share. My email password is 1 million years.

My logmein.com password is 26 million years. Another com-

mon one I use is 35 sextillion years. I’ll offer $100 to anyone

who can guess it.

If you have a result like “Your password would be cracked

almost instantly” you have a little work to do. How can we

make it a little easier?

My first trick is a program called Keepass. Think of this

as the digital version of the password sheet you keep in your

desk drawer. All of your passwords are stored in this program.

It requires one password to open it, which means you only

need to come up with one really great password. Keepass can

run on Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Droid Phones and tablets,

iPhones and iPads, and a few other mobile platforms. It really

is pretty slick. It even generates passwords for you if you want

something really secure. I honestly don’t even know my bank

passwords thanks to this program.

My second trick is to modify words that are easy to remem-

ber. For example, if you use your dog’s name, rover, our test

above tells us that your password could be cracked instantly.

We need to add some capital letters, numbers, and symbols.

Easy. Change the “O” to a Zero and the “e” to a Three. R0v3r.

Still looks like rover right? Now we need a symbol and lets add

some more numbers. I like the @ sign, and using digits from a

familiar phone number. We end up with R0v3r@3421. We’re

up to 58 years to crack it, nice!

I guess that’s it. Two tricks. You can do that! Please, get rid

of your password cheat sheet and switch to Keepass or some-

thing like it and beef up your passwords a little bit.

What are your thoughts? What are your password tricks?Comment on our blog or facebook article. We’d love to hear

your opinions on passwords or any other topic.

Facebook: facebook.com/ddsintegration

Blog: ddsintegration.com/blog

Tech Q & ASubmitted by Greg Feutz, President, DDS Integration

Greg Feutz is President of

DDS Integration, a

Grand Rapids based dental

technology company.

I

West Michigan District Dental Society is now on Facebook

Check us out and we’re sure you’ll “Like” us!

Creative:

Account:

Production:

Proofreader:

Client: PNCCampaign: BBK Business Line Creative Dentistgyro job #: 431-041PNC job #: N/AAD #: BBK-DEN-OPPSDG #: IN25890HH

Date created: 7/27/12Pub: West Michigan District Dental

Society BulletinCover Date: TBDMaterials due: 8/1/12

Pages: FP non-bleedTrim: 7.5"x 9.75"Live:Bleed:Prod designer: LM

for the achiever in youSM

Having acceSS to caSH tHat allowS you tofinance your growtH.With Cash Flow Options

SM

from PNC and a dedicated Healthcare BusinessBanking team, we can help you take advantage of everyday untapped opportunities.Like helping ensure access to credit. So you can make improvements, expand,purchase or buy into a practice. For uncovering opportunities to help improve yourcash flow and to learn more about PNC Advantage for Healthcare Professionals,visit pnc.com/cfo, stop by a branch or call 1-855-PNC-4DDS.

AccelerAte receivAbles

improve pAyment prActices

invest excess cAsh

leverAge online technology

ensure Access to credit

All loans are subject to credit approval and may require automatic payment deduction from a PNC Bank Business Checking account.Origination and/or other fees may apply. PNC is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”). Cash Flow Options is a service mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. © 2012 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member fDic


re you ready for 2013? Taxes are increasing. Plan on

it. The Bush era tax cuts from ten years ago are set to

expire at the end of 2012. Congress may act to pre-

vent some of the increases, but can we really count on that?

You need to know how this will affect you and your practice,

and prior to year end you should explore any strategies that

might ease the heavier tax burden.

Consider the following:The effect of the Bush era tax cuts expiring will be:

• The Federal income tax rates for individuals will increase

in 2013. We will go from six brackets (10%, 15%, 25%,

28% and 35%) to five (15%, 28%, 31%, 36% and 39.6%).

• The capital gains rate will increase from 15% to 20%.

• Dividends will be taxed at ordinary rates instead of 15%.

• The temporary 2% reduction in payroll taxes will expire at

the end of 2012.

Not to mention, other breaks that go away:• Estate and gift tax provisions will change significantly. The

amount of an individual’s estate that can be excluded from

estate and gift tax drops from $5 million to $1 million, and

the top rate increases from 35% to 55%.

• Itemized deductions and dependency exemptions will

again be subject to phase outs.

• The threshold for itemized medical deductions will increase

to 10% of adjusted gross income.

• The Child Tax Credit will decrease from $1,000 to $500.

Also be aware of new taxes that take effect in 2013 as a result of health-care reform:

• The Medicare portion of payroll taxes will be increased

by 0.9% for individuals with wages exceeding $200,000

($250,000 for married).

• There will be a new 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on

unearned income of high-income individuals.

What will congress do? It’s an election year. It’s anybody’s guess. Although there

continues to be discussion about extending the expiring pro-

visions, nothing is certain. Both political parties are calling for

an extension of the Bush era tax cuts. The disagreement seems

to center around whether the tax breaks get extended for

everybody, or just those earning $200,000 or less ($250,000

for married couples). Many expect that there will not be any

resolution until after the November election.

Some planning opportunities to consider:Even with all the uncertainty, it’s a good time of year to talk to

your CPA about planning opportunities. There still is time to

implement strategies before year end that will improve your

situation. Multi-year tax projections should be made before

implementing any of the following ideas. Determine what

actions should be taken in 2012 and what can wait for next

year. You worked hard for that money. You want to keep as

much of it as possible.

• Take advantage of the $5 million gift exemption before the

potential decrease in 2013.

• Accelerate passive income to minimize the 3.8% Medicare tax.

• Accelerate bonuses to minimize the 0.9% Medicare tax.

• Accelerate itemized deductions to avoid limitations.

• Accelerate medical expenses to avoid the increase in threshold.

• Consider reallocating your portfolio to minimize passive

income.

• Consider harvesting capital gains in 2012 versus 2013.

• Consider accelerating the sale of your business.

• Consider not electing the installment method on sales.

• Pay dividends from closely held C corporations.

Your plan of action:There are a lot of changes coming our way. It would be wise

to be proactive and make the effort to understand how the

changes will impact you. Then do what you can to minimize

the effect. The political and economic uncertainty needs to be

considered, and this will make planning all the more difficult.

You should meet with your trusted advisors in the near future

and determine a plan of action that works for you.

Richard L. Chrisman, CPA, MST is the Managing Shareholder of

Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols and Carter PC, a Tax, Auditing and Business

Consulting firm with offices in Grand Rapids and Greenville, MI. The firm

is celebrating 70 years of helping local businesses, including many area

dental practices.

Will 2012 See the End of Bush Era Tax Cuts?Submitted by Richard L. Chrisman, CPA MSTHungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & Carter, PC

F I N A N C I A L N E W S

A


uail Ridge Golf Club in Ada hosted another New

Dentist Golf Outing on July 27, 2012. The course

was beautiful, the turnout wonderful, and the rain

was wet. Golfers were able to complete 9 holes before the skies

opened up and encouraged everyone back to the clubhouse.

Good food and camaraderie followed, along with a great raffle,

highlighted by a 60″ flat screen TV donated by Davis Dental

Lab and an iPad contributed by Studio 2 Dental. Contest

prizes were deferred and will add to the haul for next year – so

plan on attending! The Dr. Robert Mitus Scholarship fund at

the West Michigan Dental Foundation was still a big winner

for the day as the recipient of the largest contributions to date

– thank you to all who participated.

A thunderous applause goes to the many generous spon-

sors who made this day a successful fundraiser and gave

everyone a chance to leave with one of the great raffle or door

prizes. Next year we will put someone else in charge of the

weather!

Please offer your thanks and support to:

Presenting/Grand Prize SponsorDavis Dental Lab

60″ LD TruSlim Flat Screen TV

Gold Level SponsorHenry Schein Dental – Hole in One Sponsor: $25,000

Founders Bank and Trust – Beverage Cart

Patterson Dental – Mac Dental Lab

Studio 2 Dental Lab - iPad

Hole Sponsors & Raffle SponsorsBank of Holland | Great Lakes Financial Insurance Agency

Grand Ridge Orthodontics | Brian Cilla Periodontics

First Companies Construction | Dixon Architecture

Dentsply North America | Air Techniques | Adec

MDA Ins and Financial Group | Norman Camera

DentaChoice On-Site Repair | Dental Art Lab

Valleau & VanDeven Pediatrics | OMSA

Cathy Oglesbee (Patterson Dental)

A Special Thank You to our VolunteersBetsy Haller of The Bank of Holland

Candice Grinwis of Schein Dental

Dawn Norman of NFD

Brian Rhodes and the staff of Quail Ridge Golf Club

New Dentist Outing Treats the Farmers to Rain Submitted by Dr. Devin Norman

N E W D E N T I S T F O R U M N E W S

Q

Brian Mulder, Craig Start, Mike Bennett, Joe Vaughn

Kurt McNulty, Skip Reath, Steve Dumas, Doug Klein


including Tooth, the tooth fairy, from the upcoming Dream

Works Animation film “Rise of the Guardians.”

Not all of the videos are directly related to healthy teeth.

These videos feature Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry stories,

along with entertainment by Dream Jam Band, to entice their

children to spend a full two minutes brushing their teeth.

Parents are encouraged to have their children watch the

videos on a smartphone or computer while they brush their

teeth. Since kids are accustomed to using their electronic

devices throughout the day, it’s a great way for the kids to use

them for something as productive as brushing their teeth.

Many people do not know that tooth decay is the most

common chronic childhood disease, with more than 16 million

kids suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S. The

mouth is the gateway to a person’s overall health, and an

unhealthy mouth can be associated with obesity, diabetes,

oral cancer and other medical conditions.

“We find that many people are surprised to learn that oral

health problems cause kids to miss 51 million schools hours

and their parents to lose 25 million work hours each year,”

said Wolf. “We hope this campaign’s simple message will raise

the overall awareness of the importance of good oral health

and its impact on total health.”

Wolf also reminds parents that in addition to brushing and

flossing at home, it’s important to eat healthy foods and have

a regular dental check-up.

t’s bedtime and your six-year-old daughter can’t wait to

brush her teeth. The struggle that you’ve come to expect

over brushing teeth seems to be easing. Can it be true?

Just in time for new back-to-school routines, the Ad

Council, along with the American Dental Association, has

launched Kids’ Healthy Mouths to teach parents and children

about the importance of oral health.

It’s part of The Partnership for Healthy Mouths Healthy

Lives, a coalition of leading oral health organizations commit-

ted to improve children’s oral health so that they can develop

into healthy, productive adults.

The Kids’ Healthy Mouths website, 2min2x.org, features

fun facts for parents and children, lots of helpful resources

and links to 14 two-minute videos produced by Cartoon

Network and My Kazoo.

According to a survey conducted by the Ad Council, 60

percent of parents with children ages 12 or younger report

that they do not regularly help their child brush their teeth

or check to make sure they’ve done a good job. Also, close to

one-third (31%) report arguing with their kids at least once a

week about brushing their teeth.

This new public service campaign stresses the importance

of brushing for two minutes twice a day. Parents report that

their child usually wastes over two hours each day playing

video games, texting or watching an online video. The cam-

paign highlights the necessary balance of children’s time: If

your child spends hours on playtime, why shouldn’t they

spend two minutes taking care of their teeth?

“The dental profession hopes that this simple message will

have a positive and long-lasting impact on children’s oral

health and overall health,” according to local dental society

president Tyler Wolf, D.D.S.

“Most oral health problems are preventable, using steps

that can easily become a part of every child’s daily routine,”

said Wolf. “This campaign will help parents learn how easy

it is to protect their children, give them healthy mouths and

help them lead healthy lives.”

Sesame Street has created a 30-second television spot based

on its “Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me” campaign featuring Elmo

singing to kids, reminding them to “Brushy Brush” their teeth

every day. There is also a 30-second TV spot with characters,

T H E G R A N D R A P I D S P R E S S H E A L T H S E C T I O N A R T I C L E

Ad Council Launches Children’s Oral Health Campaign: Brush Your Teeth for 2 Minutes, Twice a DayReprinted from The Grand Rapids Press, September 2, 2012

I


ebruary 1973, Chungryangri, North Korea – A two-

week old baby girl was found abandoned in a ditch.

She was sent to the City Baby Home and eventually

to a foster family while awaiting her adoption through Holt’s

Children’s Services. She weighed five pounds and had an eye

infection and bronchitis. If not for the love and care of her

foster mother, who fed this baby every three hours around

the clock for four months, she probably would have died. She

came to us when she was five months old – a scrawny, olive-

skinned, nine-and-a-half pound baby with black hair.

Thus began our journey into “integrated America.” My

husband, two sons (ages seven and nine) and I nurtured

her with faith, food and lots of love. In 1973, we lived on a

quarter-mile long street of “all-white families.” Amidst the

neighborhood children, our daughter definitely looked differ-

ent. I remember one neighborhood youngster asking if, when

our daughter grew up, she would look like the rest of the kids

on the street. But as the neighbors all welcomed her and began

to see beyond the color of her hair and skin, we watched as she

grew from that helpless baby to a friendly, out-going, beautiful

girl. Her best friend, born the same year on our street, was

blond and blue-eyed and we called them, “East (Asia) meets

West (America).” Still best friends today, they are both mar-

ried, mothers, and their children are friends, too. Outside the

neighborhood, when she would accompany me on shop-

ping trips, little kids would get in her face and ask their moth-

ers why her (slanted Asian) eyes looked like that. Thirty-nine

years ago there were not as many Asian adoptions as there are

today. There are a lot of Life Lessons I could write about

those thirty-nine years.

Fast forward to 2012: On this same street, a few years

ago, one of the new young families adopted two little boys

from Ethiopia. There is a Mexican family living nearby. In

churches and schools, in stores and restaurants, in the parks

and workplaces, on television and in movies, on billboards

and in the newspapers we see people of all colors. My daugh-

ter teaches third grade to an integrated class of children.

America has become “integrated.”

It is just like the hymn: “America, America, God shed his

grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea

to shining sea.”

(Note: I realize that “Integration” is not limited to just the color

of one’s skin, but those are other life lessons.)

God Bless Integrated AmericaSubmitted by JoAnne Hodder, RDH, BS

L I F E L E S S O N # 9

F

Mission Statement: An organization dedicated to the improvement of oral health through the financial support of

education and service programs to address the needs identified by the dental profession and the communities it serves

in Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Mecosta and Montcalm counties.

MARK YOUR CALENDARwest Michigan Dental foundation

Annual Golf outing

friday May 31, 2013 egypt Valley Country Club

watch for more information about this event!


C L A S S I F I E D A D S

Established Dental Office Space – 2003 Burton SE (between Breton and Plymouth). End unit with 720 sq. ft. and a full basement, on-site parking, adjacent 3 spaces occupied by estab-lished dentists. Great traffic counts on Burton in an established residential area. Call Bruce at 942.9492.

General Dentist Seeking Associate Position in Grand Rapids area – General dentist residing in the Grand Rapids area is seeking an associate position for 1-2 days per week in the Grand Rapids and surrounding area. If you are looking for an associate for your practice, please call 616.975.2870. REF # GR Associate.

Office Space for Lease – Up to 6900 S.F. available; will divide. Basement storage available. Newer class A building. Great visibility! Located at 1151 East Paris Ave SE (across from Bonefish Grill). Owner occupied. Call Dr. Sam Bander 616.949.5980 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit www.drsambander.com to take a look.

Equipment for Sale – Two Belmont Pro II patient chairs, wing back style for sale. Model 037S. Better than good condition. Two casting units for sale and a porcelain oven for sale. Call 616.633.8132.

Seeking Employment – General dentist with several years of experi-ence seeking part-time employment in the West Michigan and surrounding areas. Proficient in all areas of general dentistry. A team player. Please reply to [email protected].

Dental Office for Lease – Why spend $250,000 in dental build-out costs? Beautiful dental suite is now available for lease in Class A contemporary three-story brick and glass building located off of East Beltline Avenue in Grand Rapids Township. This ten-year old modern dental office includes 3 private ops, 4 chair open bay area, is plumbed for nitrous, air, water, power, CAT-5, vacuum, wet/dry lab and x-ray. The building is a contemporary 3 level with ample parking, 4 bathrooms, staff lunch area, private doctor’s office with restroom and shower, reception desk for check-in and out, and has a heated storage area if needed. Immediate oc-cupancy. $16.25 per square foot, triple net. Please contact Scott Morgan at Colliers International at 616.292.3455 to schedule your visit.

Current student at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry – graduating May 2011, looking for full-time or part-time position in a private practice as an associate in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Please contact 954.562.1122 or [email protected].

Dental Office for Lease – Time to move up? Busy northeast area dental suite at 1750 Grand Ridge Ct. NE, 3295 SF, ten-year old modern dental office available. 3 pvt ops, 4 chair bay area, plumbed for nitrous, air, water, power and vacuum, lab, x-ray, staff area, pvt. office, reception, storage available. Former pedo practice obtainable Jan. 1st 2011. Contact Dr. John Monticello 616.364.1700 or [email protected]

The classified ad rate is $10.00 up to and including 30 words; additional words 15¢ each. Space permitting, WMDDS members may

place ads free of charge as a membership service. Ads should be submitted in writing and sent with payment to Elaine Fleming,

WMDDS, 511-F Waters Building, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Telephone numbers and hyphenations count as two words, abbrevia-

tions count as one word. Ads received after the first of the month prior to publication may appear in the following issue.

Associate position wanted – Newly graduated dentist from UDM looking for full time position as an associate of progressive dental practice in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Please call 616.617.9725 or email [email protected].

General Dentist – Looking to pur-chase a practice along the lakeshore (Grand Haven, Holland, Saugatuck area) or Grand Rapids area. Please contact [email protected].

Dental Office for Lease – with imme-diate availability. Near the “medical mile” on primary road with high traffic count and super visibility. Has been a dental office for over 40 years. Very good lease terms/rates. Would make awesome start-up or satellite. For more info, email [email protected].

General Dentist – Looking to purchase a practice or pursue transition in Grand Rapids area. Three years of experience. Please email to: [email protected].

For Rent – An upstairs air-conditioned dental office, approximately 1440 square feet in downtown Greenville, Michigan, 40 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. The office consists of 3 opera-tories, a private office, 2 laboratories, and a reception area. The office build-ing has ample free parking. $800 per month.

For Sale – Lab Master Foster Model Trimmer, Model # MT115, like new $600. ESPE Pentamix 2, $100. Contact 616.949.7510.


C L A S S I F I E D A D S

Office Space for Lease AND Building for Sale –Dental suite available in great location! 1350 SF located in Ridgepark Professional Building at 2426 Burton St. SE. Fully equipped and furnished, 4 operatories, lab, private office, reception, business office, full basement. Call Dr. Sam Bander 616.949.5980 or e-mail: [email protected]. The building is also for sale. Great income opportunity.

For Sale – Adec Continental Units (2); Belmont Prosthodontic Chairs (2); Dental Ez J Chair; Sirona X-rays (2); Adec Post mount light; Pelton Crane Post mount light; Adec Hygiene Unit; Osada XL-030 Lab Handpiece; Triad 2000 Curing Unit; Buffalo Model Trimmer; Baldor Lathe; Assistants Stools (2). Please call 616.633.8132.

For Sale – Adec Continental Units (2); Belmont Prosthodontic Chairs (2); Dental Ez J Chair; Sirona X-ray; Adec Post mount light; Pelton Crane Post mount light; Adec Hygiene Unit; Osada XL-030 Lab Handpiece; Triad 2000 Curing Unit; Buffalo Model Trimmer; Baldor Lathe; Assistants Stools (2); DentalEZ HDX X-ray; 8 reception room chairs; Porcelain oven; AcuCam intraoral Camera; Whip Mix combination unit. Please call 616.633.8132.

Seeking employment – General den-tist with eight years of experience seeking part-time employment in West Michigan area. Enjoys practicing most areas of dentistry. Please email: [email protected].

Seeking employment: General den-tist with eight years experience seek-ing part time employment in West Michigan area. Enjoys practicing most areas of dentistry. Please email [email protected].

General Dental Practice in Grand Rapids Area – Established practice with gross receipts in excess of $600,000 with a healthy recall pro-gram, paperless office, 6 fully equipped operatories. For additional informa-tion please call 616.975.2870 or email [email protected].

For Sale – Sirona Cerec 3D Acquisition unit 3.8 updated software, MCXL Mill-ing Machine with wireless interface. Excellent used condition. Less than 100 units milled. Transfer owner with Patterson, includes vita blocks and wall mount block board, $40,000/obo.Other used dental equipment for sale: 2 Royal and 3 Dental Eze chairs, 5 Pelton Crane pole mounted chair lights, 2 Adec and 2 Marus dental units, 1 Biotec unit, 1 Panorex J Morita Versa View, 5 ceiling mount arms and 3 wall mount arms for computer mon-itors, 1 Porter portable nitrous delivery system, 1 Aribex Nomad Handheld X-ray. Please call for more info, prices, or photos 616.634.0605.

For Sale – Several items from ortho-dontic office. Siemens 10E Pan/Ceph x-ray, Ritter PA x-ray, treatment chairs and stools. Call 616.538.3545 anytime for more information.

The Bulletin wishes to thank our valued

advertisers who support organized

dentistry by helping to defray the cost

of printing and mailing.

Advertising in the Bulletin is seen

by over 90% of the dentists in the

West Michigan District. This includes

five of the fastest growing counties

in the state: Kent, Ottawa, Ionia,

Montcalm and Mecosta.

For information on advertising rates,

call Elaine Fleming, WMDDS Executive

Secretary at 234-5605. Target your Market

– advertise in the Bulletin!

Beene Garter ......................................16

DDS Integration .... outside back cover

Davis Dental

Laboratory ............... inside front cover

Founders Bank & Trust ......................3

Great Lakes Financial Insurance ........7

Henry Schein ............inside back cover

Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols &

Carter, PC ..........................................11

Keystone Pharmacy ..........................16

MDA IFG ...........................................13

PNC Bank ..........................................20

ProAssurance.....................................18

Professional Solutions ......................14

A D V E R T I S E R I N D E X


here’s no question that running your own practice

entails risks that dentists and oral surgeons in hospital-

based practices may never face, from buying your

own equipment and space to attracting and building a roster

of loyal patients. Yet for those with an entrepreneurial streak,

there are also significant benefits to being in business for

yourself: setting your own hours, making your own business

decisions and deciding for yourself how much time to spend

with each patient.1

One way to mitigate some risks of establishing your own

practice is to buy one that’s already established and thriving

– whether you’re a junior member looking to take over the

practice where you work, or are coming in as an outside buyer.

In any sale such as this, just about all of the terms may be open

for negotiation. While the specifics vary widely from deal to

deal, here are some of the main points to be worked out.

What Are You Buying?Taking ownership involves purchasing either stock in the

practice or purchasing its assets. Sellers may prefer to sell

stock for the tax advantages of paying capital gains versus

ordinary income taxes. But keep in mind that a stock pur-

chase means you acquire not just the assets of the practice but

also liabilities such as payables, money owed to employees,

or even malpractice suits.2 Buyers often find it simpler to buy

just the assets. If the seller insists on stock, you may be able to

negotiate concessions elsewhere.

Protect Your Competitive EdgeIn a dental practice, “assets” mean more than just tables,

chairs, equipment and supplies. Perhaps the most important

are the dentists themselves. Because patients can be very loyal,

you’ll want to secure an assurance that your seller doesn’t

close the deal and open a new office down the street having

lured away half of your newly acquired patient list. Negotiate

restrictions that prevent the seller(s) from practicing in the

same geographic area for a mutually agreed upon period after

the sale.3

Resolve the ReceivablesMaintaining steady cash flow can be tricky during the tran-

sition process. One of the main questions is whether the

buyer owns the seller’s accounts receivable or borrows them.

Purchasing means that you as buyer keep the money that

comes in after the sale is complete. Of course, no payment

is certain until you’ve got it in hand, so it’s vital to have a

clear picture of receivables and, potentially, to negotiate an

after-sale reduction in price to reflect delinquent payments.

Borrowing means you collect and pass along those receivables

to the seller. But since transactions have costs, you might con-

sider negotiating a fee for this process.

Purchasing a practice is likely to be one of the biggest and

most exciting events of your career. Be sure to get expert

advice from attorneys and financial managers with experience

in dental practice transactions. The more homework you do

up front, the better chance you’ll have of proving the adage

that practice makes perfect.

1 Caffarini, Karen. “Staying in Private Practice Pffers its Own Rewards,”

American Medical News, July 18, 2011. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/

2011/07/18/bica0718.htm

2 Cohen, Jeffrey L. “What to Expect When Buying a Practice,” Medical

Economics, May 25, 2012. http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/

nxtbooks/advanstar/medec_20120525/index.php#/44

3 Greenbaum, Peter A. “Nuances of Purchasing a Medical Practice,” New

Jersey Lawyer, June 2, 2008.

The Buying and Selling of a BusinessPart one: Maximize your purchase power

Submitted by Scott Hoag, Vice President, PNC Healthcare Business Banking

P R A C T I C E M A N A G E M E N T

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WEST MICHIGAN DENTAL SOCIETY

511-F Waters Building

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Prsrt stDUs PostAGe

PAiDGrAnD rAPiDs, Mi

PerMit # 657

Documents

WMDDS 2012 Fall Bulletin