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WMDDS 2010 Summer Bulletin
Citation preview
BulletinSUMMER ISSUE 2010
VOL. 42, NO. 5
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 1
Contents
President’s Message ..................................................................................................... 2
Editor’s Thoughts ........................................................................................................ 3
Who’s Walking Out the Door with Your Profits? ..................................................... 4
How You Can Make a Difference with Our Elected Officials .................................. 6
West Michigan Dental Foundation Golf Outing ....................................................... 8
GRCC News .................................................................................................................13
GRDHS News ...............................................................................................................14
MDA News ...................................................................................................................15
Trustee Report .............................................................................................................16
Classified Ads ...............................................................................................................18
Advertiser Index ...........................................................................................................19
New Member Profile ...................................................................................................20
Editor James Papp
Associate Editors Seth Vruggink Jeff Smith Aric Smith Larrisa Bishop Sheryl Jenicke
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 2009-2010 President Douglas Klein President-Elect Seth Vruggink Vice President Larissa Bishop Secretary-Treasurer Ryan Lebster Editor James Papp Immediate Past President
Doug Killian
Directors Tyler Wolf Christopher Morgan Samuel BanderArea Representatives
Kent County David Armbrecht Ionia-Montcalm
Kathleen Ellsworth
County Mecosta County Margaret Gingrich Ottawa County Thomas Phares
MDA IV District Norman Palm Trustees Brian Cilla
Big Rapids Dental Study Club Officers, 2009-2010President Erick Perroud Vice President Christa SternSecretary Christa SternTreasurer Erick Perroud
Holland-Zeeland Dental Society Officers, 2009-2010President Meredith Smedley Treasurer Robert Ankerman Secretary Immediate Past President
Ionia-Montcalm Dental Study Club Officers, 2008-2009President Chris Morgan Treasurer Kirkwood Faber
Kent County Dental Society Officers, 2009-2010President Brant Erbentraut Vice President David Armbrecht Secretary Lathe MillerTreasurer
West Michigan Dental Foundation OfficersPresident Donald Vander Linde Vice President Matthew Gietzen Secretary Devin Norman Treasurer Carl Kruyswyk
The Bulletin of the West Michigan Dental Society is published six times a year (the directory issue, fall issue, holiday issue, winter issue, SUMMER ISSUE, and summer 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, 4880 Cascade Road SE, Ste. B, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. 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.
© 2009-2010 West Michigan District Dental Society Bulletin
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
directory issue, fall issue, holiday issue, winter issue, SUMMER ISSUE, and summer issue.
Direct submissions or correspondences to:
Dr. James C. Papp • 4880 Cascade Road SE, Suite B • Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Phone: 616.940.9872 FAX 616.940.2854 • Email: [email protected]
Include “Newsletter” in the subject line
About the cover
Photos courtesy of Elaine Fleming, Executive Secretary, WMDDS.
he 2010-2011 operations year for the West Michigan
District Dental Society is in full swing and it has
already been a busy one. Having served on our
Executive Board for a number of years now, I was pretty sure
that I would be ready to go when it was my turn to grab the
baton this past May. Dr. Doug Klein did an excellent job with
the organization, and all I would have to do is keep things
rolling, right? Wrong! I could have never anticipated how the
level of involvement would ramp up as I took the position of
President. To give you an idea, I received twenty-seven emails
regarding WMDDS business prior to going to bed on the first
day of my term as fearless leader. The volume has slowed to
some degree, but my office staff has learned to put my phone
on vibrate for me, so they don’t have to be annoyed by the
constant sounds of incoming emails and text messages.
What I would like to do with the first of my reports is
give our members some idea of what they can expect from
our Board and some of our committees as the year develops.
We are very excited with what is happening from our Public
Relations Committee. Tom Kochheiser, Public Relations
Director with the MDA, recently met with our Executive
Board and our Public Relations Committee to help us develop
a strategy that would provide our members with the most
benefit for the buck. Dr. Suzanne Port is our new chair for the
committee and has things going on the right track. We should
be launching a mixed media campaign by the late Fall that will
target the general public about the importance of choosing
a member dentist. Dr. Port is also going to seek out specific
local events where the WMDDS can have an impact and make
our name known.
Another committee that has been busier than ever before is
our Legislative Committee. Dr. Steve Dater has taken over as
chair of the WMDDS Legislative Committee for this year and
has been responsible for a great deal of the traffic coming into
my inbox. When you are receiving messages from your com-
mittee chair as he is sitting in a tree stand in Alberta looking
for a bear, you know he is fully engaged in his task. Dr. Dater
has been working to motivate the membership to get involved
in the “Stop Insurance Bullying” legislation. As of writing this
article, the legislation was still in limbo, but I am optimistic
that the efforts of the committee and the MDA are going
to help things go in a positive direction. He has assembled
a contact dentist list for every legislator in our district. The
WMDDS has hosted a legislative breakfast for the state law-
makers within our district. Several WMDDS members have
organized fundraisers for candidates friendly to our position
as dentists. Dr. Dater and his committee are working tirelessly
to make sure that issues facing dentistry are being heard by
our lawmakers. As the legal issues facing our profession grow
in their breadth and depth, it is important that all of us get
into the game. Please read Dr. Dater’s piece in this issue and
make sure you are doing what you can to protect our profes-
sion from the assaults that appear to be on the horizon.
There has never been a more exciting or important time
to be involved in organized dentistry. Several years ago I was
a sole practitioner living out on the island that we as dentists
often find ourselves upon. I was asked to join a committee
with the WMDDS, then a board position and slowly I found
myself becoming part of a community of which I was previ-
ously unaware. The people whom I have been able to serve
with are now my friends. We talk about a lot more than den-
tistry, but it is invaluable to know the state of our profession
on a national scale and work to help protect it. We are always
looking for more people who would like to get involved in
the WMDDS. There is always room on some of our commit-
tees and there is always an avenue to voice your concerns.
Please contact me personally if you have any interest in get-
ting involved or any ideas on what we, as a society, should be
doing for our members. As I have already stated, I am used to
a full inbox and a pile of phone messages. My mail address is:
[email protected]. Office phone: 616.846.3230.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 20102
P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E
Off To A Running StartBy Dr. Seth Vruggink, WMDDS President
T
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 3
hat we don’t know can influence our practice
and most importantly our patients’ health. Issues
may become law without us being involved or
having a “say” about how we feel or express our professional
advice. That’s what I thought when I first came across an ad
from one of Michigan’s dental insurers as follows:
“Consumer protections for dental patients: Don’t Pull
em! Oppose House bills 5839-5842. If house bills 5839-
5842 (the non-covered dental services bills) pass, the cost
of dental care in Michigan will increase. Today, insurers
protect millions of Michigan dental patients from extra-
ordinary dental fees through their contracts with dentists.
These contracts save millions of dollars annually for dental
plan members. They also provided Michigan families with
peace of mind that dental fees they are charged are fair and
reasonable for all dental services, even those not covered by
their specific plan.… Michigan families are counting on
you to protect them from higher dental fees.”
Insurance companies protecting the public? Other people/
companies influencing fees? Saving millions to plan members?
There is a plethora of talking points the previous paragraph
ignites, but I want to try to keep this focused.
Dental treatment is an essential element, not a luxury, to
our patients’ overall health and well being. We as a dental
community know this and have known this for many years.
So why are we even talking about this? Well, it seems to be
that, in part, we have left a “gap” between us (the dental
professional) and the legislators that has not been maintained
well enough to get our message across. This “gap” has facili-
What We Don’t KnowBy Dr. James C. Papp, WMDDS Editor
E D I T O R ’ S T H O U G H T S
tated the proposed legislation. Don’t get me wrong, there are
dentists working very long and hard hours away from family
and loved ones to try to maintain our connection on the legis-
lative level, but it just isn’t enough. I am actually surprised we
are even talking about this, but, its here. Our dental profes-
sion needs to be heard from each one of us to our legislators.
Contact them this week. Because to be blunt, we are losing
the battle.
The West Michigan District Dental Society supports House
Bills 5839-5842 to stop insurance bullying.
While people have requested their Stop Insurance Bullying
Communication Action Kits, that’s not enough. There are more
than 5,000 dentists in Michigan who need to get involved and
throw their support to this initiative.
To make contact, its easy. Here are some things you can
do right now:
1. Make a quick, simple phone call to your legislator’s office,
telling them you support House Bills 5839, 5840, 5841 and
5842. You don’t need to “lobby” them or even talk to your
legislator. Just leave a message with the friendly staff mem-
ber who answers the phone.
2. Better yet, call and set up a quick one-on-one meeting with
your legislator in his or her district office. They’re glad to
meet with constituents and are used to these types of meet-
ings. Or, maybe you and a colleague can take the legislator
out for coffee or a meal.
3. At the very minimum, write a letter or send an e-mail
to your legislator asking for their support. Directions for
finding your legislator can be found at www.stopinsurance-
bullying.com.
Delta Dental and other insurance companies have been meet-
ing regularly with legislators. How about you?
W
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 20104
ould an additional 5% of revenue have an
impact on the bottom line of your practice?
The answer is yes, and not only would it impact
the bottom line, but it also impacts your cash flow and the
value of your practice. According to the recently released
2010 Report to the Nations (Report) from the Association of
Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the typical organization
loses 5% of its annual revenue to fraud.
The Report, which is based on 1,843 cases of occupational
fraud reported by the Certified Fraud Examiners who investi-
gated them, found that while there are a number of contribut-
ing factors that lead to fraud the most prevalent was the lack
of internal controls (47% of cases).
Too often we hear rationale from clients about how their
relationship with a long-trusted employee negates the need for
internal controls, or how internal controls are only for large
organizations that lack the personal relationship between
employees and ownership. The truth is that 50% of frauds are
committed by employees with more than five years of tenure,
and 31% of all frauds occurred in organizations with less than
100 employees, resulting in a median loss of $150,000.
When evaluating internal controls, it is important to realize
there are three basic items that must be present in order for
a person to commit fraud: opportunity, motivation, and the
ability to rationalize. While influencing an employee’s moti-
vation and ability to rationalize is difficult, if not impossible,
you can take practical steps toward reducing the opportunity
for asset misappropriation by implementing procedures to
help minimize risk. Suggestions include:
• Make sure you are paying for valid expenses. Documentation
must be included with each check to assure only valid pur-
chases are being made. You should only pay from original
invoices, not copies. Once an invoice is paid, it should be
marked “paid” to help prevent duplicate payments from
being issued for the same invoice.
• Implement strict vendor approval procedures. This will
help to prevent unauthorized or fictitious vendors from
being added and payments from being made.
• Carefully review your credit card statement(s) for suspi-
cious activity.
• Do not depend on just one person to handle your practice
accounting. Separation of duties is one of the most effec-
tive controls to prevent or detect the misappropriation of
assets. Supervision and financial review act as compensat-
ing controls where complete segregation of duties is not
possible; however, the same individual should never have
the responsibility for recording transactions involving
assets and have custody of the same assets.
• Review your bank deposit slip and make bank deposits
daily.
• Have bank statements and cancelled checks sent directly to
the doctor’s home.
• Reconcile your checking account on a timely basis.
• When hiring office employees, especially those who will
be handling cash, check references and do background
checks, including credit checks.
• Discuss your coverage for employee dishonesty with your
insurance agent and consider a policy rider if additional
coverage is needed.
• Ask questions and make sure your employees know you
are interested and monitoring the accounting.
• If you suspect an employee is engaging in questionable
activity, take immediate action and seek assistance from
your accountant and your attorney.
Asset misappropriation is a serious problem for many prac-
tices. By taking small steps now, you can greatly protect your
Who’s Walking Out the Door With Your Profits?By Rob Westdorp, CPA, Baker Spindler Holtz, CPAs and Advisors
W
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E
Reducing the Opportunity for Asset Misappropriation in Your Practice
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 5
business assets and avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Fraud
is not a victimless crime. It can destroy a practice and can
disrupt or ruin the lives of not just owners, but its employees
as well.
Contact information:
Robert W. Westdorp, CPA
Senior Accountant
BAKER SPINDLER HOLTZ, CPAs and Advisors
409-A Waters Building
161 Ottawa Ave NW
Grand Rapids MI 49503
PH: 616.458.1835
FAX: 616.458-1895
www.BakerSpindlerHoltz.com
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 20106
hen Seth Vruggink pulled me aside at the MDA
Annual session in April and said he had a favor
to ask of me, my first inclination was they needed
someone to pick up the bar tab! Next, I was thinking that
whatever it is – say no (something I promised my wife I
would start doing when it comes to the dental association).
But then he asked me to chair the legislative committee for
the WMDDS. Seth is smart, convincing, and knew, since I
was already on the ADA Council of Government Affairs, I was
plugged into the legislative arena and would be perfect for the
job (and yes, I had had a few adult beverages). So I said yes.
My first challenge is how to build on the good work done by
the previous chairs and get WMDDS to be the premier dental
society in the state when it comes to legislative issues.
What has become abundantly clear to me in the state of
Michigan with term limits, is that it is even more important
that we have a personal relationship with our legislators in
both houses. When we have issues such as the MBT, tax on
procedures, MDA legislation, and yes, even healthcare in
general, we need to be the people our legislators turn to for
answers, not insurance companies or other healthcare profes-
sionals. You may ask, “Don’t we have a lobbyist at the MDA
that does that for us, and don’t we have local dentists that are
contact dentists?” The answer is yes we do, but when it comes
to issues that are important to us, our legislators want to hear
from the people that actually vote for them. If they only hear
from one dentist, and get fifty contacts from the UAW, MEA
and other groups (can’t think of any more letters to add), who
do you think they are going to support in a legislative effort?
So what can you do? First find out who your state sena-
tor and state representatives actually are. Go to the following
websites: www.senate.michigan.gov/ and www.house.michi-
gan.gov/find_a_rep.asp and click on the “find your senator/
representative” tabs. Next, visit the MDA website www.smile-
michigan.com and check out what legislative initiatives are
going on that pertain to dentistry. We have legislation right
now about non-covered services that we need people to con-
tact their legislator on. A personal call or meeting is best, but
e-mail works too. We need your help to educate our elected
officials on this topic. Here is a list of what to do and what not
to do when you contact a legislator from the MDA’s website.
Writing a Legislator Today’s legislative workload sharply limits the ability of the
legislator to stay in close personal contact with constituents.
Additionally, it is almost impossible for a legislator to be an
expert on the wide range of bills to be voted on. Letters from
home are fast becoming the primary source of constituency
views and voter contact. Below are some things to do and not
to do when it comes to writing your legislator.
What to Do• Be as timely as possible. Try to write your legislator while
the bill is still in committee and there is a chance for revision.
• Try to limit the letter to one subject. State the name of the
legislation and the bill number if possible.
• State the reason for writing and explain how the bill will
affect you, your family and business. Further explain your
own personal view or experience.
• Be constructive by pointing out what you believe to be a
better approach to dealing with the problem.
• Be brief, clear and accurate.
• Thank or commend your legislator when it is deserved.
• Ask for a reply to include your legislator’s position on the
issue.
• Write on your personal stationery and sign your name at
the end.
• Include your return address on the letter since envelopes
sometimes get thrown away.
How You Can Make a Difference with Our Elected OfficialsSubmitted by Steve Dater, DDS
L E G I S L A T I V E N E W S
W
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 7
What Not to Do• Don’t pretend to wield vast political influence. Your legis-
lator would prefer your own individual viewpoint.
• Don’t make threats or promises; it may cause an adverse
effect and hurt your case.
• Don’t be unreasonable and ask for the impossible.
Remember, your legislator represents an entire constituency.
• Don’t be insulting or abusive.
• Avoid stereotyped phrases and cliches. Don’t give the
appearance of a form letter.
It is time to not just sit on the sidelines and hope the issues
that impact our profession go our way. We need you to get
involved with a phone call or e-mail. Attend a fundraiser for a
candidate, it’s a great opportunity to meet the people that are
representing you. If you have any questions or concerns, I can
always be reached at [email protected]. Bill Sullivan, the
MDA’s legislative staff expert, can also be reached at bsullivan@
michigandental.org. If you don’t like what I have to say, no
problem – blame Seth!
L E G I S L A T I V E N E W S
The MDA office continues to receive more questions
about the handling, forwarding, and disposal of dental
records than almost any other topic.
There’s a complete section on dental records on the
MDA’s Web site at www.smilemichigan.com (dental
professionals area). Just click on “Professional Topics,”
then “Legal Services” and “Dental Records.” You’ll
find:
• the most-asked questions about dental records,
including ownership, access and release, retention,
and disposal;
• a reprint of an MDA Journal article summarizing
changes made in 2006 to the dental records law;
• a sample policy for protecting, maintaining, and
providing access to dental records; and
• what to do with dental records after you retire.
Get Answers to Your Dental Records Questions
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 20108
W M D F N E W S
West Michigan Dental Foundation Golf OutingSubmitted by Dr. Matthew Gietzen, 2010 WMDF Golf Committee Chair
arting skies, a beautiful course, and great camaraderie
were experienced by 106 golfers this year at Egypt
Valley Country Club for the West Michigan Dental
Foundation’s golf outing on June 4, 2010. The day started with
Davis Lab hosting lunch on the patio, and Scott Seifferlein,
PGA professional at Highlands Golf Academy, hosting a pre-
outing golf clinic. Golf commenced followed by hearty hors
d’oeuvres, a raffle, and silent auction which were well received
by the participants.
Thank you to the sponsors who made our outing a success.
Donations and participation increased this year!
P
Lunch Sponsor ($2,000)Davis Lab
Eagle Sponsors ($1,000)Delta Dental
Henry Schein Dental
Meade and Zolman Family Dentistry
OMSA of Western Michigan
Oral Surgery Associates
Studio 2 Digital Dental Design
West Michigan Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Birdie Sponsors ($500)DDS Integration
First Companies, Inc.
Founders Bank and Trust
Grand River Endodontics, PC
Grandville Dental Health Center
Grandville Endodontics, PC
Huyser Orthodontics
Dr. Bruce Jackson
Dr. Jacob Lueder
Mac Dental LabLining up a shot: Devin Norman and Matt Peal
Scott Van Timmeren, Greg Feutz, Brent Dingman, Cristin Zuiderveen
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 9
W M D F N E W S
MDA Insurance and MDA Services
Midwest Capital Advisors, LLC
T. Carson McLean-Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Norman Family Dentistry
Dr. Thomas Nykamp
Partners In Dental Care
Dr. Robert Payne
Dr. Mark Powell
Professional Consulting & Accounting Group
Paul Weston- Weston Financial
Major Patron ($250)Dr. John Bolthouse
Dr. Brian Cilla
Drs. Palm, Panek, and Billups
Vander Lugt, Mulder, DeVries & Elders
Volunteers playing an integral role in the success of the outing
include: GRCC dental assisting students; Carol Klein-OMSA,
WMDF Board Member; Betsy Haller, Bank of Holland;
Wendy McGinnis, Sue Rankin, and Brian Hofstra, Founders
Bank and Trust; Scott Seifferlien, Highlands Golf Academy;
Mike DeSmyter, Sean Heyboer, Jeff Gietzen, Midwest Capital
Advisors; Paul Spindler, Baker, Spindler, Holtz CPA’s.
Golf Committee Members: Larissa Bishop, Jim Ditta,
Mark Powell, Tim Meade, Ryan Zolman, Ken Mulder, Mike
Palaszek, Chuck Hoebeke, Elaine Fleming, and Matthew
Gietzen, Chair.
Outing Results:Winning foursome (with a score of 67): Andrew Van Haren,
Ryan Van Haren, Kevin Coe, Drew Racek
Men’s Medalis: Matt Gietzen (72)
Women’s Medalist: Andrea Konen (112)
Men’s Longest Drive: Dave Shafer
Women’s Longest Drive: Katie Van Haren
Closest to the Pin #5: Matt Bishop
Closest to the Pin #7: Arnie Baker
Closest to the Pine #12: Steve Dater
Closest to the Pin #16: Chuck Hoebeke
Putting Contest Winner: Jim Heidenreich: 13
E.K. Phares and Arnie Baker enjoying the day of golf.
Elise Boncher, Katie Swan, Heather Gietzen and Katie Van Haren
Andrew Van Haren, Kevin Coe, Drew Racek, Ryan Van Haren
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201010
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• MDA-Member Discounts • Multi-Policy Discounts • Claim-free Credits • Risk Management Credits • Part-Time Discounts
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Our Malpractice Coverage is Always a Safe Bet.
Enjoy outstanding service, numerous coverage options and tremendous savings.
(800) 860-2272Online quote form available at:www.mdaprograms.com
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201012
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Get competitive dental malpractice insurance coverage with protection you can trust from “A” (Excellent) rated*
Professional Solutions Insurance Company.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 13
G R C C N E W S
s our academic year comes to an end, both the dental
hygiene and dental assisting programs have had a
successful year. We had 31 dental hygiene graduates
and 21 dental assisting graduates. Although the job market is a
bit tough right now, our graduates have an optimistic outlook
and are subbing and looking for full- and part-time positions.
Our full-time faculty has been working extremely hard, revis-
ing both curriculums over the past two years. We are ready
to start this new curriculum in the fall. We have moved some
classes around in the way we deliver the information, allowing
students more time to gain proficiency in the various tasks.
One of the exciting aspects of this revision is that we have
added local anesthesia and nitrous oxide administration into
our dental hygiene curriculum. So, for the next year, we will
be running three different curriculums: the “old curriculum”
for the current second-year DH class, “new curriculum” for
the first-year DH class, and the “new curriculum” for the DA
class. With the recent hiring of three new DH adjunct faculty,
this will help with the delivery of clinical instruction. We
are also grateful for our “retiree,” Bunny Bookwalter, who is
going to help us out this fall semester!!
We would also like to thank all of the dentists who support
our programs by encouraging current and future students.
Please continue to encourage them. If you have any questions,
please call Eve Sidney, Dental Auxiliary Programs Director, at
616.234.4240.
We want to thank the following dentists who graciously
accepted 21 dental assisting students into their offices this
past spring, many who accepted either more that one student
or had a student for two rotations. We find three different
office rotations, times 24 students each spring, so finding a
total of approximately 73 offices. Please consider having a
student in your office for the future. I will be calling, begin-
ning in February, for the April rotations. If you are interested,
please give me a call at 616.234-4542. The following dentists
“donated” approximately 6,200 hours:
Dr. Don Konen
Dr. John McMahon
Partners in Dental Care
Dr. Mark Powell
Dr. Paul O’Grady
Dr. Suzanne Port
Drs. Webb and Kragt
Drs. Armbrecht
Drs. Meade
Dr. Ralph Rader
Drs. Tysee and Eggleston
Drs. Bishop & Biersack
Dr. Matthew Lubbers
Dr. Joe Ellis
Drs. Hoekwater
Dr. Gary Mancewicz
Dr. Erick Rupprecht
Dr. Judd Carroll
Dr. Jim Lockwood
Dr. Gary Scott
Drs. Muscott & Cusack
Dr. James Eldersveld
Dr. Jeff Huisman
Dr. Jason Dew
Dr. Travis Harshman
Ionia Oral Surgery
Dr. Mark Johnston
Drs. Smiley and Benton
Drs. Herremans and Bosscher
Dr. Todd Brower
Dr. Brian Nylaan
Dr. Bruce Stewart
Drs. Hodge and Swan
Dr. Ed Young
Dr. Amy DeYoung
Dr. Richard Despres
Dr. Keith Combs
Dr. Scott Pirochta
Dr. Gary Cook
Dr. Sarah Palmer
Drs. Schultz, Erbentraut, Domin and Brooks
Dr. John Marshall
Dr. Tara Meachum
Dr. Brad Dykstra
Dr. James Papp
Drs. Huizinga & Lindhout
Dr. Christian VerMeulen
Dr. Jonathan Eagle
Holt Family Dentistry
Drs. Caldwell & Christopherson
A
What’s Happening at GRCCSubmitted by Julie Bera
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201014
G R D H S N E W S
GRDHS Schedule of Meetings/Speakers 2010-2011
September 16, 2010Dr. Ben Gillis
Digestive Problems
Schuler’s on Alpine
October 12, 2010Bonnie Nothoff
PA 161 Roadshow
GRCC
January 13, 2011Sara Hann
Nutrition
Partners in Dental Care
February 10, 2011Kay Verbrugge
Myofunctional Therapy
Schuler’s on Alpine
March 9, 2011Chris & Kelly Syverson
Traumatic Brain Injury
Partners in Dental Care
April 14, 2011Clinical Specialist
Oral DNA Labs
Location to be announced
Grand Rapids Dental Hygienists’ Society Officers 2010-2011Submitted by Cheryl Bentley
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Davis
Immediate Past President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Bentley
Recording Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maria Ellis
Membership Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikki Verhey
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JoAnne Hodder
MDHA Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Bentley
WMDF Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dawn Kamyszek
Board Members-at-Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Roos
Betty Wakefield
Dental Hygienists of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traci Beals
Janice Brouwers
[email protected] Committee. . . . . . . . . .Jan Brouwers and Traci Beals
GRCC Liaision . . . . . . . . . . .Valerie Davis and Cheryl Bentley
Newsletter Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pennie Lewis
Special Olympics/Special Smiles
Delegates to MDHA. . . . . . . . . Valerie Davis, Cheryl Bentley,
Pennie Lewis
Alternate to MDHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maria Ellis
with Dr. John GobettiNovember 6, 2010 | 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Save the date and watch for the flyer!
Grand Rapids Dental Hygienists’ Society Annual Seminar
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 15
WESTON FINANCIALServing the Dental Community Since 1994
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M D A N E W S
Does Your License Expire This Year?Is your dental license expiring this year? One-third of all den-
tal licenses expire on Aug. 31.
Dentists receive just one license renewal notice from the
state, 60 days prior to the license expiration date. Yet many
dentists overlook these notices, or put off the renewal process.
Don’t let that happen to you!
Without a current license, you cannot legally practice den-
tistry. A late renewal, even for a brief period, may subject you
to the loss of thousands of dollars in income. Insurers will
deny claims for any treatment provided while your license
was expired. Malpractice coverage will not apply if you prac-
tice without a license. And, you may be forced to pay a late
renewal penalty by the state.
Sixty hours of acceptable continuing education is required
for every three-year license renewal period, so make sure
you’re up to date on your CE as well.
If you’re among the one-third of dentists whose license
expires this year, make sure you renew your license. Online
renewal is available at www.michigan.gov/mylicense.
Two Great Ways to Keep InformedWant to stay up-to-date with all the latest developments
and breaking news from the MDA? It’s simple: Just sign up
as a fan on the MDA’s Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.
com/MichiganDentalAssociation. Updates from the MDA’s
Facebook page will automatically appear on your Facebook
news feed. Or, you can even sign up for updates so that MDA
news alerts come direct to your phone.
And don’t forget about the RSS feed feature at www.smile-
michigan.com. You’ll get all the latest postings on the MDA
Journal’s online news section, delivered directly to your e-mail
address. See the Journal’s news page on www.smilemichigan.
com for sign-up information.
Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep up with the
latest. And the MDA is using new technology to make it
easier and faster than ever. Getting started is easy. Ques-
tions? Contact the MDA’s Jeff Mertens at 517.346.9460 or
800.589.2632, ext. 460.
New Oral Health Director NamedThe Michigan Department of Community Health announced
the appointment of Christine Farrell as the new oral health
director for its oral health program, effective June 1.
As oral health director, Farrell will oversee and promote
the state’s oral health program. Her duties include educating
the public about oral health issues as well as implementing
preventive activities to improve oral health.
Farrell is a registered dental hygienist and formerly served
as a policy specialist in the Medicaid program. She is a former
president of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Keeping You Informed
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201016
T R U S T E E R E P O R T
Summer 2010 UpdateBy Dr. Brian Cilla, MDA Trustee
s I write this latest trustee report the weather has been hot and humid. Summer is officially under-way. World Cup Soccer recently finished with the Spanish as the final victors and the Tour de France
peloton is nearing the Pyrenees Mountains. As is the usual protocol, the MDA Board of Trustees (BOT) held their sum-mer meeting at the end of June. This year it was held at Crystal Mountain Resort. At this session, the most significant topics pertained to access to care and non-covered services (NCS) activities. A number of additional agenda items were dis-cussed and the most important are summarized as follows:
• A PEW Charitable Trust representative, Ms. Rebecca Alderfer, presented an overview of PEW activities and initiatives. It was apparent that this group takes the issue of advocacy for dental access issues seriously. They have a keen understanding of the political process and the finan-cial resources to aggressively pursue their objectives. Some issues, like community water fluoridation, are aligned with the concerns of our profession. On the other hand, PEW is an advocate for the expansion of alternative dental care providers as the solution to the perceived problem of dental access issues. They do not have data to validate this position, nor have they been overly concerned with the details regarding funding for the dental treatment to be rendered by these proposed auxiliary dental care per-sonnel. My interpretation is that PEW has placed the cart before the horse. Unfunded mandates clearly mean there will be a lack of dental care irrespective of the number (or type) of dental care providers and/or their geographic distribution. Hopefully, organized dentistry can have con-tinued conversations with the PEW folks on access issues.
• Four MDA members had been appointed to ADA council leadership positions. Of local interest, Dr. Chris Smiley has been made Chair of the Council on Dental Benefit
A
Programs. I hope Chris likes Chicago, because he will cer-tainly be spending more time in the “Windy City” as part of his chair duties and responsibilities.
• Imagine our “surprise” when we were informed that Dr. Connie Verhagen would be serving on the Michigan Community Health Department Amalgam Separator Rule Committee. Rumor has it that Connie is tough as nails but is fair and evenhanded.
• The MDA is in the process of filming three new MDA com-mercials. I have seen the preliminary work by SMZ and believe that everyone will be quite pleased with the final product when these television commercials are released.
• The MDA BOT and MDAIFG attended a presentation by Tim Spink, of MEBS, outlining a proposal for a dental debit card. It was ultimately resolved that MDAIFG will conduct pilot studies and that the results of these studies will be reviewed prior to formalizing MDA endorsements for this financial service offered by MEBS.
• The 2010 HOD approved formation of a House Committee on Access Funding in order to investigate the feasibility of new revenue sources that could be dedicated to funding oral health programs in Michigan. The BOT has autho-rized use of the Market Place Issues Fund in order to finance the Access Committee expenses and to bring in an outside economic advisory firm. This firm would be part of the evaluation process and provide assistance in develop-ing a report on various funding models.
• Dr. Deb Peters, Speaker of the HOD, has encouraged the various MDA component societies to begin work selecting HOD delegates and alternates for our 2011 annual session. WMDDS usually has this task completed by early Fall.
• Dan Schulte, the MDA legal council, discussed recent FTC antitrust cases that will require close monitoring. The situation, which is of most relevance, concerns the North Carolina Board of Dentistry. Apparently, that Board had informed non-dentists, who were engaged in tooth whit-ening businesses, that they were conducting the illegal practice of dentistry. The FTC has expressed interest in conducting a further review of this matter. Anti-trust, states rights, oh my!
• The BOT has resolved that the MDA Committee on Continuing Education investigates the feasibility of an online CE course for diagnosis and treatment planning. The impetus for this action was related to the MDA Committee on Peer Review/Dental Care finding member
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 17
T R U S T E E R E P O R T
dentists who require refresher courses, but are not so defi-cient that they should be mandated to take the extensive remedial programs currently offered at U of D and U of M.
• It was resolved to allocate funding in order to allow the MDA legal council to investigate an alleged case of den-turism. A report will be presented at the September BOT meeting. An action plan will be forthcoming, based upon the findings of the investigation.
• The MDA strategic objectives continue to evolve. It was resolved to develop a practice management master plan, which will incorporate member survey data, and provide for review of current programs and resources. Additionally, by June 2011, the MDA would like each component to develop a retention/recruitment plan, have a membership contact person, and establish membership committees in at least 50% of the MDA component societies. As we should all be aware, WMDDS and MDDS are models for success with membership issues.
• Interim funding for the Rossman Group was allocated in order to assist with activities related to the Access To Care Committee. ADA funding will begin again in August.
• Peter Ruddell, of Wiener & Associates, provided an update and analysis of the NCS legislation. The take home mes-sage from his presentation is that we are failing miserably in our ability to motivate MDA members to contact our elected representatives. There have only been two legisla-tive breakfasts (Washtenaw and WMDDS) and seventeen direct meetings between MDA members and state repre-sentatives. Additionally, at the present time there are no institutional allies on our side. Delta has garnered support from large insurance purchasers, the MEA and various Chambers of Commerce, the Grand Rapids Chamber included. Without letters and phone calls from MDA members (voters) on the NCS issue, legislators have no particular imperative to move forward with our proposed legislation. Please be aware that we are in an election cam-paign cycle and are dealing with a legislative body that has many lame duck members who are not interested in taking action on this sort of issue at the present time. Without more aggressive grassroots activism, NCS legislation will die a quiet death in Committee.
• At least somebody has taken an interest in our NCS legislative activities. Apparently, thin-skinned and well- compensated Delta Dental executives have taken exception to the tone of the MDA campaign to moderate their cor-
porate behavior (insurance bullying). As a consequence, discussion at the BOT centered on how to best reach a mutually acceptable compromise with Delta Dental regard-ing the NCS legislation. In the end, the majority of the BOT resolved that 1) the MDA should temporarily set aside the “stop insurance bullying” campaign, 2) the Committee on Governmental and Insurance Affairs (CGIA) should review and make recommendations to the Executive Committee and BOT on items that can be negotiated with Delta Dental. The CGIA was granted authority to change the name of the MDA NCS legislative marketing cam-paign. Neither Dr. Palm nor myself were in support of this resolution.
• The BOT has resolved to support the final report recom-mendations from the Michigan Access to Oral Health Workgroup titled: A Unified Voice on Oral Health. Dr. Norm Palm, chair of the workgroup, and the members of this committee should be proud of the final report. At that time, the BOT discussed various topics and issues on access to dental care. A determination was made that most access initiatives have intrinsic merit. The consensus was that the MDA should serve as an informational source and act as a facilitator for encouraging collaboration with the various stakeholders in addressing access to dental care. It was decided that a Special Committee on Access to Care would provide the best venue for moving forward on the various dental access issues. Breakout groups felt that the most appropriate activities for the MDA to pursue should include education and training of medical personnel and parents, continued campaigning for expansion of Healthy Kids Dental, pursue inclusion of dental care as a manda-tory part of Medicaid, ongoing advocacy for the Points of Light model, encourage legislation seeking a tax on sugar sweetened beverages (as a means of funding dental care access initiatives), promoting community water fluorida-tion efforts, and the necessity to explore different means by which dentists can provide dental care for the underserved.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent WMDDS and MDDS as your MDA trustee. I hope you find these reports informative. Do not hesitate to a call or e-mail me at [email protected] with any of your concerns or commen-tary. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201018
Space for Lease – Holland (great north side neighborhood location). Previous tenant was a family practice dentist. High visibility sign available. Building interior is ready for equip-ment installation. Three ops and small lab. Owner is willing to adapt build-ing to needs. Call 616.245.9098 or 800.669.0717.
Office Space for Lease – Great loca-tion! 2426 Burton St. SE, 915 sq. ft., 3 operatories, lab, private office, reception, business office, base-ment. Contact Dr. Sam Bander at 616.949.5980 or email at [email protected]
Storage Space for Lease – Safe, secure, 24/7 access. Ideal for records, models, or just stuff you need to store. Located in the basement at 1151 East Paris Ave. Contact Dr. Sam Bander at 616.949.5980 or [email protected] for more information.
Established Dentist with an Existing Office in Grand Rapids Wants to Buy – in or partner with another dentist. Open to all options. Please contact P.O. Box 141661, Grand Rapids, MI, 49514-1661.
Grandville: 2000+ sq. ft. office space available for lease in exclusive profes-sional office building. Other tenants include endodontist, family dentist, pediatric dentist, oral surgeon and orthodontist. Building partnership buy-in also possible as investment. Call 616.531.6377 or 616.531.1260.
Half of Building (2,424 Square Feet) for Lease. Other half is a full-service dental laboratory. Two year old build-ing, excellent for a dental practice. Great location in Kentwood on the corner of Breton and 32nd Street. If interested please call 447.0190.
RDH/RDA – Dental professional with over 5 years experience seeking full-time, part-time or subbing opportuni-ties where I will be able to utilize my professional experience with patients. Please contact me at 616.262.8719.
Opening a Satellite Office. Looking for a good used panoramic x-ray and some other used equipment (in good shape). Please email: [email protected] or call my office at 616.774.9402 or cell phone 616.307.2213 (leave message).
Dental Office for Lease – Sparta, MI. 2,000 sq ft., includes two x-ray machines, vacuum extraction, cabin-etry, laboratory. $1,350 plus utilities. Traffic flow/14,000 daily. 616.874.4192.
RediDental Emergency Dental Care is now accepting applications from den-tists. This is a perfect opportunity to “moonlight” to bring in extra money. Schedule not full? Consolidate your office hours and work a few with us for guaranteed pay. We have morning, evening, and weekend hours available. Email resumé to [email protected].
Office Condo for Sale – Income pro-ducing! 3769SF new medical tenant on 5-year lease, 5351SF available to occupy. High traffic corner. Norton Shores. Call 616.776.0100.
RDH – 19 years Hygiene experience, professional demeanor with excellent chair side manner seeking part-time or substitute opportunities, flexible, proven individual/team player, strong references. Kathy 616.682.1967.
Associate Position Wanted – General dentist looking for a position in a private practice as an associate in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Open to all options (buy-in, partner-ship). Please call 616.307.2472 or email [email protected].
C L A S S I F I E D A D S
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.
Gorgeous Brand New 9120SF Class A Grand Rapids, Michigan area – General practice with average revenues of $600,000. Great family community convenient to Grand Rapids. Fully paperless office with complete digital, computerized system in four fully equipped operatories. Contact Phil Stark, Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or visit www.peakdental.com.
Practice Wanted – Experienced general dentists wish to grow existing practice through buy-out or merger. Greater Grand Rapids. All options considered. Contact [email protected].
Grand Rapids, Michigan area – General practice for sale, average rev-enues of $600,000. Great family com-munity convenient to Grand Rapids. Fully paperless office with complete digital, computerized system in four fully equipped operatories. Phil Stark, Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or visit www.peakdental.com.
Dental Office for Lease – Rockford, MI. 1,000 sq ft, includes some dental equipment and furnishings. $675/mo., plus utilities. Traffic flow/10,000 daily. 616.874.5300.
Tired of your IRA losing money? Is your IRA insured? Invest in an insured, secured, diversified real estate note package paying income each and every month. 20% return on full purchase. Investment is $500,000. Partials considered for a 15% return. Current owner has other business opportunity. Call now. TPS Holdings, 616.299.5778.
Non-Profit Organization seeking gently used dental chair for program serving autistic children. Contact Deb Frost at 616.726.1914 or email [email protected].
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 2010 19
C L A S S I F I E D A D S
Charlevoix County – Well estab-lished, solo general practice for sale in Northwest Lower Michigan between Charlevoix and Petoskey. Averaging $357,000 the last three years on a part time schedule. Great potential to grow practice or add satellite office. Possible associateship with option to buy. Three equipped operatories, real estate with lake views available as well. Ken Smith Peak Transitions 888.477.7325 or peakdental.com
Thinking of selling or buying a prac-tice? Let Peak Transitions facilitate the transition with the support and experience of Peak’s team. Valuations, associate buy in or traditional sale, our knowledge and expertise can save you time, money and anxiety. Call Phil Stark 888.477-7325 or visit www.peakdental.com.
Associate Position/Practice for Sale Wanted: General dentist with 13 years experience looking for a place to prac- tice in the Grand Rapids and surround- ing east areas. Open to all options. Please email to [email protected].
Practice Merger Opportunity – Grand Rapids: Looking to transition your patient care? General Dentist in the Grand Rapids area is seeking an opportunity to bring in an additional patient base (up to 1,000 patients) into existing practice. Opportunity for doctor transition is also negotiable. If you are interested in this unique opportunity, call 616.975.2870.
CEREC 3D for sale – Meticulous annual maintance record. Includes acquisition unit, milling unit, vita blocks, powder and many other acces-sories. Ready to use. Latest software version 3.6. $27,000 complete. Call Dr Sam Bander 616-949-5980 or e-mail [email protected]
New professional space available now in downtown Rockford. Highly visible building with new well built 1340sq/ft addition. Full 8ft basement, 2nd floor also available. Adjacent to parking lot with front door parking. Reasonable rent, great area for specialist. Existing building has busy general dentist. Call 616.866.3333 for info.
CPR/AED Training – your site. Two year certification. Medical professional with 18 years of training experience. Heartsine AED’s for sale. Penny Loosenort RRT www.healingheartscpr.com or call 616.485.4669.
Orthodontist Needed in Northern Kent County/Sparta – Two unequipped operatories ready in new, 2-dentist, 10-operatory, general dentistry building with room to expand to multi-chair practice. Ideal for satellite or start-up practice. Great referral base with six general dentists in Sparta and many more in just a 5-6 mile radius. See facility at www.spartadentistry.com. Email [email protected] or call 616.887.7389. We are open to all scenerios of space sharing and partnerships.
SE Grand Rapids/Cascade – Office suite available on 28th Street. Up to 3,000 sq. ft., remodel to suit, adjoin-ing new office of established general dentist, perfect for a specialist. Lease or purchase option. Contact Randy Chambers, DDS at 616.974.9947, or Eric Trierweiler with Prime Development at 616.957.4733.
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!
Davis Dental
Laboratory ............... inside front cover
Founders Bank & Trust ......................5
Henry Schein ............inside back cover
Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols &
Carter, PC ............................................7
MDA IFG ...........................................11
Professional
Solutions ............................................12
TechTrust ..........................................10
Weston Financial ..............................15
A D V E R T I S E R I N D E X
WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | SUMMER ISSUE 201020
N E W M E M B E R P R O F I L E
Dr. Sarah LennanDr. Sarah L. Lennan D.D.S.,
M.S.D. was born and raised
in Frankenmuth, MI where
she graduated in 1998 from
Frankenmuth High School. She
graduated with honors from
Michigan State University with a
degree in Human Physiology in
2002. She then attended the University of Michigan School of
Dentistry and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree
in 2006. While there, she conducted two years of endodontic
research and co-authored two articles pertaining to the study
of endodontics, which were published in two well-known
dental journals. Dr. Lennan also served as the president of the
School of Dentistry Honor Council. Following dental school,
Dr. Lennan attended Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman
School of Dental Medicine and received a Master’s in Science
of Dentistry and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies
in the specialty of endodontics. While at Boston University
she also conducted one year of research in oral biology. She
graduated from BU in June of 2009, and has been practic-
ing endodontics in the Grandville and southwest Michigan
area since then. Dr. Sarah is pleased to announce her future
plans to open Grand River Endodontics, P.C. at 4211 Parkway
Place, S.W., Suite 104, in Grandville, MI 49418. Grand River
Endodontics, P.C. will operate as a dental practice limited
to the specialty of endodontics. The practice is scheduled to
be open full time in August of 2010. The office hours will be
Monday through Friday, from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.
Dr. Lennan is an active member of the American Association
of Endodontists, the Michigan Association of Endodontists,
the American Dental Association, the Michigan Dental
Association, the West Michigan District Dental Society, and
the Kent County Dental Society.
If you have questions for Dr. Lennan, she can be reached
at 989.385.1830 or email her at [email protected]. For
appointments, please contact 616.249.3500 or visit the office
website at www.grandriverendodontics.com.
The MDA welcomed a new director of legislative and
insurance affairs to the association staff this spring.
Bill Sullivan, J.D., joined the staff after serving as spe-
cial counsel in the office of state Senate Majority Leader
Mike Bishop since January 2006. A veteran capitol staffer,
Sullivan served as legislative director, special counsel and
deputy chief of staff to former Senate Majority Leader Ken
Sikkema from 2003 until 2006. Sullivan also previously
served as chief of staff in the offices of state Sens. Loren
Bennett and R. Robert Geake.
Sullivan holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University
of Notre Dame law school and as an undergraduate
attended the University of Michigan (Dearborn), where
he majored in economics and political science.
“Bill brings to the MDA a great network of contacts
and a tremendous background with the Legislature,” said
MDA Executive Director Drew Eason. “I think everybody
will be impressed with Bill, and I’m anxious for our MDA
members to have the opportunity to meet him.”
In his position at the MDA, Sullivan will coordinate
the association’s legislative affairs program as well as
the MDA’s political action committee, Dental PAC. He
will also serve as the MDA’s primary resource for dental
benefit plan questions and advocacy. Contact him at
800.589.2632, ext. 405, or directly at 517.346.9405. You
can also e-mail him at [email protected].
New Legislative Director Joins MDA
Spend an amazing day with your team.
The day includes breakfast, lunch and a raffle throughout the day.
Morning Session (Entire Team Together)
Tips for Practice Growth in this challenging Economic Environment
Proven Techniques to Increase Patient Flow Learn How to Increase Production & Profitability Proven Techniques to Improve Referrals Combat Today’s Economic Climate
Hosted by: Jim Philhower (Director of North America Dental Sales Leadership & Development for Henry Schein Dental) Afternoon Team Breakout: 4 Specialty Sessions Doctors — Ted Schumann II: Current Trends Within the Dental Office - Proper Checks and Balances for Your Practice - Important Tips for Success - What Impacts the Bottom Line? Dental Assistants — Elizabeth Elliot of Hu-Friedy: Infection Control in the Office Hygienist — Sally Kopanski, RDH Colgate: Care of the Oral Cancer Patient Office Manager / Front Desk — Jean Moore: Practice Management Software - Your expectations of your Practice Management Software.
- Optimize Insurance Management - Efficient Recall & Appointments
- Tips to Make Your Life Easier
WHEN: Friday. September 24th, 2010 8:30am Registration 9am to 4pm WHERE: Stonewater Country Club 7111 Kalamazoo Ave SE Caledonia, MI 49316-9126
Call 616-454-1223 for additional information
5 CE Credits CERP Approved CE
You and Your Dental Team are cordially invited to the LEARNING EXPERIENCE at the Stonewater Country Club
SAVE THE DATE!
WEST MICHIGAN DENTAL SOCIETY
511-F Waters Building
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE
PAIDGRAND RAPIDS, MI
PERMIT # 657
2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 W M D D S C O N T I N U I N G E D U C A T I O N P R O G R A M S
The TMD/Sleep Connection: Unraveling the Mystery and Saving Your Patients’ Lives with Jamison Spencer, DDS
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at [email protected]
OCTOBER 1, 2010
West Michigan District Dental Society Holiday Dinner and Awards NightSocialize with friends | 6:30 pm Dinner and Program | 7:30 pm
Presentation to Dr. John Bouws, 2011 Silent Bell Recipient | 2010 MDA & ADA Life Member presentations
Cascade Hills Country Club, Grand Rapids | Business Attire For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at [email protected]
DECEMBER 16, 2010
JANUARY 28, 2011
Lioness Leadershipwith Katherine Eitel
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at [email protected]
Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry’s “Best Kept Secrets”with John W. Farah, DDS, PhD
Materials for Direct Restorative Dentistrywith John M. Powers, PhD
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids | 8:00 am–4:00 pm | 7 CEU’S For information, call Elaine Fleming at 616.234.5605 or e-mail at [email protected]
MARCH 11, 2011