Ntd issue 7 2013 de4

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 7 North Texas

Dentistrya business and lifestyle magazine for north texas dentists

Cooking Up a Recipe for SuccessNorth Texas Endodontic Associates

Smiles in the SpotlightBruce M. Barbash, DDS Implant Overdenture Retreatment with Advanced Design Hybrid Prosthesis

Practice LeadershipWhat Questions Should I Ask?

Money MattersThe Embezzlement Nightmare

YOUR 1ST CHOICE WHEN KIDS REQUIRE

Hablamos Español

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MEDICAL PACU RECOVERY

www.northtexasdentistry.com | NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY 3

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North Texas

Dentistry

BAYLOR COLLEGE OF DENTISTRYA New Era in Treating Head and Neck CancerNew addition brings expertise to oral cancer patients facing surgery

PRACTICE LEADERSHIPWhat Questions Should I Ask?You don’t have to have all the answers – just the right questions

HEALTHY LIVINGPumpkin ParfaitThis Fall, get pumped about pumpkin!

SMILES IN THE SPOTLIGHTDr. Bruce M. BarbashImplant Overdenture Retreatment with Advanced Design Hybrid Prosthesis

PRACTICE MANAGEMENTThe Extraordinary Power of Emotional IntelligenceLeadership and case acceptance by feel

PRACTICE MARKETINGFacebook Revolutionizing Word-of-Mouth MarketingNew Facebook features can help you connect with patients

NEWS & NOTESWhat’s up in North TexasNews on Dental Health Arlington and Irving Study Club

WINE CELLARWines for the HolidaysPut away the scales – the holidays are just around the corner!

MONEY MATTERSThe Embezzlement NightmareTake steps to avoid physical and emotional heartache

MIND & BODYThe Aging Brain: Why Older May Be BetterMake your brain sharper and more efficient with some fine tuning

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6 ON THE COVER: The North Texas Endodontic Associates team has cooked up a recipe for success.Pictured from left: Dr. David Witherspoon, Dr. Joel Small and Dr. John Regan

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ON THE COVER


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NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com4

We are entering a very busy and excitingtime of the year… the holiday season ishere!

At North Texas Dentistry we are veryblessed and thankful for the success wehave found this year and look forward tocontinuing to bring the latest news andinformation to the North Texas dentalcommunity.

While working with the doctors of North Texas Endodontics, Dr. Joel Small, Dr. John Regan and Dr. David Witherspoon,we discovered that these men are not onlycolleagues but also friends. In addition totheir expertise in their vocation, each doc-tor’s avocation plays a major role in reach-ing personal fulfillment. Whether they arepainting, cooking, writing, or entertaining,they strive to achieve balance and contin-ual growth in their lives.

Dr. Bruce Barbash presents Smiles in theSpotlight. Follow the treatment course asDr. Barbash transforms a smile and a lifein this featured case, Implant OverdentureRetreatment with Advanced Design HybridProsthesis.

Also in this issue, Healthy Living pro-vides the steps to making a deliciousPumpkin Parfait and highlights the health

benefits for this fall favorite. PracticeManagement explores the important roleEmotional Intelligence plays in our per-sonal and professional lives and MoneyMatters discusses steps you can take toavoid the physical and mental heartachethat occurs when embezzlement occurs inthe dental practice. Enjoy these articlesand more!

As 2013 wraps up, North TexasDentistry turns its thoughts to 2014. Weare currently in the process of lining up ouroutstanding cover features. Make yourplans now to promote your business orpractice to the North Texas dental commu-nity through a cover feature in NorthTexas Dentistry. Our team can makeyour marketing dreams a reality!

Here at North Texas Dentistry, we arethankful for our friends and supportersand we wish each one of our readers aHappy Thanksgiving and a joyful holidayseason.

Keep smiling and have a great day!

Lulu Stavinoha, RDH

Publisher

from the publisher

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial material published in North TexasDentistry, articles may contain statements, opinions,and other information subject to interpretation. Accordingly, the publisher, editors and authors and theirrespective employees are not responsible or liable forinaccurate or misleading data, opinion or other informa-tion in material supplied by contributing authors. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction inpart or in whole without written permission is prohibited.

Advertise in North Texas DentistryFor more information on advertising in North Texas Dentistry, call LuLu Stavinoha at (214) 629-7110 oremail [email protected]. Send written correspondence to:

North Texas Dentistry P.O. Box 12623 Dallas, TX 75225

North Texas

Dentistry

Ray BryantPHOTOGRAPHY

Tina CaullerWRITING / DESIGN

Publisher | LuLu StavinohaPhotographer | Ray Bryant, Bryant StudiosContributing Writers | Steven J. Anderson, Dr. Bruce Barbash, Tina Cauller, Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, Kim Clarke, Dr. Bob Frazer, Jennifer E. Fuentes, Susan Gunn, Neil Rudoff, Kathy Duran-Thal

Remember to “Like” us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/NorthTexasDentistry


Dr. David Kang, assistant professor in oraland maxillofacial surgery, has joined TexasA&M University Baylor College ofDentistry as its first head and neck onco-logic and microvascular reconstructive sur-geon. The description is complex, but themeaning isn’t lost on patients with oralcancer facing the reality of surgery.

This dual-trained dentist and physicianspent an additional year after his oral sur-gery residency to complete a fellowship inhead and neck oncologic surgery at theUniversity of Michigan. He has returned toDallas with the in-depth training he needsto not only remove cancerous head andneck tumors but also reconstruct the entiresurgical area — providing a critical step ina patient’s return to normalcy following alife-altering diagnosis and treatment.

Kang anticipates coordinating a multidis-ciplinary approach to caring for cancerpatients with the various medical oncologyspecialists involved in their treatment.

“Our patients are frequently presented tothe Head and Neck Tumor Board, whichmeets at the Baylor Charles A. SammonsCancer Center the second and fourthTuesday of the month,” Kang said. “At thismeeting we discuss treatment optionsincluding surgery, radiation therapy andchemotherapy.”

Kang expects most of his referrals to comefrom oral and maxillofacial surgeons anddentists in North Texas, he says. Whenreferral to a surgeon specializing in headand neck oncologic surgery is indicated,

several different avenues are availableincluding oral and maxillofacial surgeons,otolaryngologists and general surgeons.

Many of the patients Kang treats are deal-ing with the reality of radiation — a treat-ment that, while often effective atcombating cancer, is notorious for wreak-ing havoc on the environment in themouth. He takes special steps to ensurethat the patient’s reconstruction holds upto the radiation that may occur post-surgery.

“In the past, there was significant morbid-ity and decreased quality of life associatedwith oncologic resections resulting in lossof facial aesthetics, speech and ability toeat, sometimes leading to a hermeticlifestyle,” Kang said. “With the advance-ment of microvascular reconstructive sur-gery, we can now take composite free tissue— skin, fascia, muscle, nerve, bone — toreconstruct any maxillofacial defectregardless of size and return form andfunction to the patient.

“Free tissue transfer — or free flap — hasbecome the gold standard in reconstruc-tion of the difficult three-dimensionalaspect of the oral cavity.”

This procedure also provides immediateblood flow to the tissues and rapid healingof the surgical site, which allows the initia-tion of radiation therapy within four to sixweeks.

Although reconstruction is always anoption, Kang said it may not be the bestchoice for the patient because reconstruc-

tion with free tissue transfer requireslonger operating room time, a longer hos-pitalization and frequently a tracheostomy.He said the need for free tissue transfer isweighed against the patient’s medical sta-tus and their physiological age rather thanchronological age.

“We will often opt for placement of anobturator, which is very similar to a den-ture and closes off the defect as well asrestores facial contour,” Kang said.“Sometimes, reconstruction with free tis-sue transfer requires multiple surgeriesand revisions, and the results may not lookas good as a prosthetic, such as with a totalrhinectomy. In that case our department’sCenter for Maxillofacial Prosthodonticshas anaplastologist Suzi Verma, who cancreate beautiful reconstructions for ourpatients including noses, ears, eyes andportions of the face.”

For patient referrals, contact theDepartment of Oral & MaxillofacialSurgery at (214) 828-8403.

Founded in 1905, Texas A&M University BaylorCollege of Dentistry in Dallas is a college of theTexas A&M Health Science Center. TAMBCD is anationally recognized center for oral health scienceseducation, research, specialized patient care andcontinuing dental education.

Jennifer Eure Fuentes is a communications special-ist at Texas A&M Health Science Center BaylorCollege of Dentistry. A 2006 graduate of TexasChristian University, she has worked in the commu-nications and editorial field for five years.

A New Era inTreating Head and Neck Cancer

Dr. David Kang by Jennifer E. Fuentes

cover feature


by Tina Cauller

It’s late on a Saturday afternoon and things are falling intoplace, one detail at a time. A team of talented chefs, work-ing in synchrony like experienced deckhands on a sailingvessel, is creating an unforgettable meal for some very

important and soon-to-be-pampered guests. Moving fluidly andefficiently, they chop vegetables, stuff tenderloin, and fluff a del-icate meringue into sweet perfection with the perfect blend of pre-cision and artistry. Their conversation is punctuated withlaughter, and you can easily tell that they are not just professionalcolleagues, they are also friends. Once the guests arrive, theytransform from chefs to hosts and entertain with the sameaplomb, making every visitor feel like a longtime friend. The culi-nary arts are an avocation for this group, but by day, they are justas passionate about what they do as endodontists.

Dr. David Witherspoon, Dr. Joel Small and Dr. John Regan bringa unique synergy to all of their joint endeavors. Individually, theyeach pursue their own creative goals and find personal fulfillmentin their varied accomplishments. Enviably, they seem to haveerased the line between profession and pleasure – they havefound a way to do what they love and love what they do.

So, what is the recipe for their success? How do three highlytrained specialists with penchants for perfection function togethereffectively and harmoniously?

Choose success

First, take any unnecessary influence of ego out of the mix. As Dr. Small explains, “We have worked to cultivate an organiza-tional culture based on values that we all share and embrace. Werecognize that what benefits one of us benefits the entire group,


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so we can support each other in achieving our dreams and goals.Instead of competing against each other or jockeying for posi-tion, we work from a basic philosophy of shared success.”

Historically, farmers were counseled not to “cut corners” – not to cut (harvest) the crops all the way to the corners of theirfields. The corners were left to share with those in need.Abundance philosophy acknowledges that giving and receivingare interrelated, that scarcity is eliminated by choosing abundance.

We believe that we function best through collaboration and sup-port.” notes Dr. Witherspoon. “We collaborate on cases, and ourprofessional approaches intermesh seamlessly. There is no divi-sion in our skills. And so if one of us is engaged in somethingaway from the office, the other can step in. This allows us tohave time for our interests outside the office and still remainavailable to our patients and referring colleagues. One of ourstrengths is our availability.”

(Re)define success

Second, define the true goal. Where some might measure suc-cess at the bottom line, this team views success differently. “Wedefine success as personal fulfillment,” notes Dr. Regan, “bothfor ourselves and for our entire staff. We believe that by creating

a supportive environment for our team we increase the possi-bility that each of us will find fulfillment by making our dreamsa reality. Rather than making profit the main priority, we makepersonal growth a primary goal. Reward, in the form of bothpersonal and financial success, can come from that pursuit.”

Rather than insisting that staff maintain a single-minded focuson work, team members are encouraged to present a new topicof interest to the group regularly. “One week, someone mightexplain their new experience with yoga, the next week, someonemight share their excitement about a recent trip or their favoritefootball team,” notes Dr. Small. “We have a very unique group.We respect our staff professionally and enjoy them personally.We support any team member’s aspirations to expand theirknowledge and develop their interests – even with the under-standing that education and growth may eventually lead themto new chapters in their life away from our practice.”

Debbie, NTEA’s office manager, has her own personal leader-ship coach with whom she collaborates on issues effecting thepractice culture. Another staff member is currently workingtoward a master’s degree in healthcare management. Other tal-ented members of the NTEA team utilize their many skills increating and maintaining the practice Facebook page and theNTEA e-newsletter.


The doctors at North Texas Endodontics define success as personal fulfillment both for themselves and their entire staff.Pictured from left: Dr. David Witherspoon, Dr. Joel Small, and Dr. John Regan.

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The office culture and personaldevelopment are top priorities inthis busy practice, and the highhappiness quotient factors intoremarkable team longevity. Carol,Dr. Small’s first chairside assis-tant just retired after thirty-threeyears of service, and Debbierecently celebrated her twenty-fifth anniversary with NTEA.Most members of the team havebeen with NTEA for ten years or more.

The doctors believe that a com-mon purpose as well as a diversityof interests strengthens theirpractice. They devote time to awide variety of professional inter-ests outside the office as activeeducators, researchers and men-tors. All are involved, locally,nationally, and internationally, as lecturers and providers ofcontinuing education for endodontist, restorative and generaldentists and for specialists in other dental fields. The three vol-unteer their time to teach undergraduate students at the dentalschool each week. They are also active fellows of theInternational College of Dentists and help dental studentsthrough Great Expectations, Baylor’s highly successful mentor-ing program designed to connect first-year students, their sen-ior classmates and seasoned dental professionals. Each doctormentors 10 students and periodically hosts residents at theirPlano office. It is not uncommon to find endodontic residentsor dental students spending time at NTEA observing and learn-ing as the doctors treat patients. According to Dr. Regan, “Wethink of our office as a resource for any aspiring dental or post

graduate who wants to learn more about the clinical aspects oftheir chosen field. Teaching our future dental colleagues is anhonor that we take seriously.”

Dr. Small is a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur. His book, Faceto Face: A Leadership Guide for Healthcare Professionals andEntrepreneurs, was released in 2011. Dr. Small speaks nation-ally on the topics of leadership, practice management, and prac-tice transitions. Dr. Small earned his MBA with an emphasis inhealthcare management from Texas Tech University in 2008.He co-founded Phase II Associates, LLC, a nationwide practiceconsulting/brokerage firm that works exclusively with dentalspecialists and Hamilton, Small and Associates, which servesthe local and regional general dental market in the area of prac-tice transitions. He also serves as President of the Dallas CountyDental Society Foundation.

Dr. Regan served as interim director of the graduate Endodonticprogram at Baylor College of Dentistry from 2001-2003. He wasalso a faculty member at the prestigious Eastman Institute ofDentistry in London for some years. He has authored four chap-ters in endodontic textbooks and has written numerousresearch and review papers. He has lectured extensively both inthe U.S. and abroad. He is a member of the editorial board ofEndodontic Practice and is a reviewer for both theInternational Endodontic Journal and the Journal ofEndodontics. He is a Diplomate of the American Board ofEndodontists and is an Active Member of the European Societyof Endodontics. Besides his profession, he is also passionateabout cooking, photography, painting and traveling with hiswife Deborah Foyle who is a periodontist and also teaches at Baylor. Dr. Small enjoys spending quality time with his grandsons.

Dr. Witherspoon is an accomplished painter, sculptor and video artist.

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Dr. Witherspoon lectures on endodontics at an international,national, and local level, and is co-author of several chapters inCohen’s Pathways of the Pulp, a leading endodontic textbook.He served as assistant director of Baylor’s graduate Endodonticprogram from 1997-2001. He is a scientific reviewer for severalacademic journals including the International EndodonticJournal and the Journal of Endodontics. and has publishednumerous scientific articles. He was hon-ored by the American Association ofEndodontists as the 1999 recipient of theYoung Endodontic Educator Award. He isa Diplomate of the American Board ofEndodontists. Dr. Witherspoon also serveson the AAE Annual Session PlanningCommittee for the 2013, 2014, 2015 and2016 meetings.

Dr. Witherspoon is an accomplishedpainter, sculptor and video artist. InAugust, he completed his Master of FineArts studies in the renowned Arts andTechnology (ATEC) program at UT Dallasand recently exhibited his multimediawork at CentralTrak Gallery in Dallas.

Embrace diversity

In some ways, the members of this teamare very different. Dr. Small is a nativeTexan, Dr. Regan is originally from Dublin,Ireland, and Dr. Witherspoon hails fromAustralia. The doctors see their diversity aswhat makes the practice strong. “Whensynergy occurs, as it does in our team, itgives rise to something that is greater thanthe sum of its parts. We all have different interests and differentbackgrounds, but our professional and personal philosophiesoverlap and create a kind of synergy that really strengthens andenriches our practice,” notes Dr. Small. All three doctors agreethat collaborating and problem-solving in professional practiceis a great venue for diversity to be utilized as a positive force.

Reduce complexity

As dentistry evolves, it seems to become more and more com-plex. Even with extensive training and advanced technology,delivering consistent, predictable outcomes is an ongoing chal-lenge. “Reducing unnecessary complexity by standardizing andstreamlining procedures has proven to be immensely beneficialfor our practice,” notes Dr. Witherspoon. “We were inspired bythe book, Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, in which theauthor convincingly illustrates the power of checklists toimprove medical outcomes and reduce the number of avoidablefailures. The World Health Organization applied his ideas in theO.R. and adopted a simple surgical checklist, which has made

immeasurable improvements in the consistent, safe delivery of care.”

Give back

In keeping with their philosophy of shared abundance, the teamis devoted to giving through numerous charity events benefit-ting the North Texas community.

The NTEA team participates in Texas Mission of Mercy(TMOM), a statewide charitable event that offers free dentalcare to Texans who cannot otherwise afford it. They also join inDentistry with a Heart, a dental event designed to provide careto the less fortunate citizens in their community. At the mostrecent Dentistry with a Heart event, the team provided 15 rootcanal treatments to patients in need.

Each year the entire NTEA team donates their time andresources to a charitable event of their choosing. Last year theychose National Adoption Day that was held locally at the CollinCounty courthouse. The day celebrated the culmination of thelong adoption process as each family appeared before the judgeto legally adopt their child. It was a wonderfully joyous andtearful day. The NTEA team provided teddy bears which theyhanded out to the children and their many siblings who were inattendance. According to Dr. Witherspoon, “The event was verymeaningful to the entire team.”

Capitalizing on their shared culinary interests, the doctors


The team of talented and creative chefs preparing to “wow” their guests.

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auctioned an evening with the “Endo Chefs” at a recent charityevent sponsored by the Dallas County Dental SocietyFoundation. The auction listing originally offered a resplendentevening to remember for five couples, centered around a mas-terfully prepared dinner served at Dr. Small’s home, completewith champagne limo service. It sold twice by popular demand.The dinners featured a mouth-watering menu of crudités,

antipasto, watermelon gazpacho, sashimi, beef tenderloin,stuffed pork tenderloin, chicken satays, and sea bass, pairedwith award-winning wines thoughtfully chosen by the residentoenophile, Dr. Regan.

Dr. Witherspoon is an avid swimmer, and regularly participatesin Swim Across America events supporting cutting-edge cancerresearch, preventive care and treatment, and survivorship clin-ics at the world’s most renowned cancer institutions, includingthe Baylor Cancer Center. This year he teamed up with Dr. Regan’s two sons, Conor and Killian to participate onceagain in the swim for charity. Between them they raised morethan $10,000.

The NTEA team recently established the North TexasEndodontic Associates Student Scholarship in conjunction withTexas A&M Baylor College of Dentistry. The scholarship isawarded annually to a student in their senior year of study. Thefirst recipient of the award was Dr. Robert Davis who is nowpursuing a General Practice Residency program. This year’srecipient is Ms. Kayla Lammert.

A proven recipe

The team at North Texas Endodontic Associates has developeda recipe for success – a noteworthy practice model that inte-grates personal fulfillment and professional achievement.Whether your first conversation with this team occurs over afive-course meal, around a conference table, or at a charityfundraiser, you will quickly see – as evidenced by their enthu-siasm, spirit and warmth – that their formula is working.


Dr. Joel C. Small EDUCATION / TRAININGn DDS - UT Dental Branch Houston, TX n Residency in Endodontics, 1978n MBA, emphasis in Healthcare Management

Texas Tech University, 2009n Authored Face to Face: A Leadership Guide

for Healthcare Professionals and Entrepreneursn National spokesperson, American Association

of Endodonticsn Trustee, AAE and Dallas County Dental Society Foundationn President, Southwest Society of Endodontistsn Co-owner, Phase II Associates, nationwide practice consulting/brokerage n Fellow, International College of Dentists

Dr. John D. ReganEDUCATION / TRAININGn B.Dent Sc. MA - Trinity College,

Dublin, Ireland - 1980 n Masters - Restorative Dentistry, Eastman

Dental Institute, London, England - 1989n Masters - Oral Biology, 1998, Baylor College

of Dentistry, Dallas, TXn Certificate in Endodontics, 1998, Baylor

College of Dentistry, Dallas, TXn Interim Director, Baylor Endodontic Postgraduate Program, 2001-2003n Joined North Texas Endodontic Associates, 2003n Diplomate, American Board of Endodontistsn Editorial Board, Endodontic Practicen Reviewer, International Endodontic Journal and Journal of Endodonticsn Fellow, International College of Dentists

Dr. David WitherspoonEDUCATION / TRAININGn DDS - University of Queensland, Queensland,

Australia, 1988n Endodontics, Texas A&M Baylor College

of Dentistry, 1996n Assistant Director, Graduate Endodontics -

TAMBCD 1997-2001n North Texas Endodontic Associates, 1998n Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics

n 1999 - American Association of Endodontists Young Endodontic Educator Award

n Fellow, International College of Dentistsn MFA, University of Texas at Dallas 2013

North Texas Endodontic Associates5800 Coit Road, Suite 200, Plano, Texas(972) 596-9400 www.ntendo.com

Dr. Regan and his wife, Dr. Deborah Foyle, share a love for travel.

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creating compelling professional images thatspeak for your practice

817.966.2631www.Bryant [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A

FOCUSON DENTISTRY

I recently participated in a panel dis-cussion with two lecturing dentists,in front of an audience of about 300 dentists. The vast majority of

the questions from the audience weredirected to the other two panelists, as theyall had to do with clinical dentistry.

Have you ever felt like a third wheel? I did!

Later, a dentist approached me and said,“Steve, I felt bad for you up there. We didnot have any good questions for you. Theproblem is, when it comes to the manage-ment of our practice, we don’t even knowthe questions we should be asking in thefirst place!”

Point well taken.

Here are a few management questionsevery dentist should be asking:

What are the most essentialleadership skills that will makethe biggest difference in mypractice?

What are the key factors thatcreate more motivated teammembers?

How can I get my team mem-bers to take as good of care ofmy patients as I do?

How do I create more team harmony in the office sopatients come into a great officeenvironment?

What QuestionsShould I Ask?by Steven J. Anderson

practice leadership


“The problem is... we don’t evenknow the questions weshould be asking in the first place!”

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What can I do to make it easierfor a patient to move forwardwith needed treatment?

That is just the start. In short, it is not theanswers we don’t know that create thebiggest problems, but the questions wehaven’t even thought to ask!

The best leaders aren’t the ones who haveall the answers, but the ones who are ask-ing the questions. Eighty percent of effec-tive leadership is getting the entire teamthinking about the right things in the firstplace. You get people thinking by thequestions you ask, not the answers you give.

Get started today by asking your teamsome of the following questions:

What are the most effectivethings we do to create a greatpatient experience?

What else could we be doing toimprove the excellence of ourclinical service?

How could we make it even eas-ier for our patients to moveahead with treatment that theyreally want and need?

What would cause our patientsto talk about us to everyone theyknow?

What do patients like leastabout going to the dentist andwhat do we do instead to makeit a great experience?

Being a great leader-dentist is more aboutasking the right questions than alwayshaving the right answers. Start being theone with all the questions and you’ll findthat you will have a team that will:

n Think more.

n Be more creative.

n Focus more onpatient care.

n Be on the same pagewith you, your goalsand your vision for the practice.

So… start asking!

Steven J. AndersonBehavioral Physicist

As a Behavioral Physicist, Steven J. Anderson has educated andentertained professionals, emerging professionals, and business lead-ers on the Natural Laws of success and how they impact organizationsand consumer behavior. He is the founder of the Total Patient ServiceInstitute which specializes in implementing the highest level of patientservice and communication skills in dental practices. He is also thefounder of numerous businesses including the largest charitable cam-paign in dentistry, Smiles for Life, which has raised over $34 millionfor children’s charitable causes around the world. He has been named“Dental Businessman of the Year” by Excellence in Dentistry.

www.TotalPatientService.com

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?

In the game of Monopoly, an unfortunate roll of the dice some-times lands you face to face with the policeman who ushers youdirectly to jail. If you haven't secured a get-out-of-jail-free card,you're forced to spend time and energy trying to get out, whileeveryone else continues to advance around the board.

When it comes to HIPAA compliance, sometimes an unfortu-nate event can lead to a breach that forces you to spend timeand energy (and most likely real-world cash) working with theDepartment of Health & Human Services (HHS) to determinewhether you had established the right policies and proceduresfor handling Electronic Patient Health Information (ePHI),

taken the appropriate precautions to secure your ePHI, andreacted appropriately to the breach once it had occurred. If theHHS determines you made any mistakes along the way, you canexpect additional fines and possibly additional time and effortto implement any changes they deem necessary to the way youhandle ePHI.

Too bad there isn’t a get-out-breach-free card you could playwhen it comes to those unforeseen and unintended events thatlead to a breach... or is there?

Section 13400(1) of the Act defines ‘‘breach’’ to mean, generally,the unauthorized acquisition, access, use, or disclosure of pro-

tected health information which compromises the security orprivacy of such information. Two of the most common causesof data breach are loss and theft of a device containing ePHI.Once the device and the data it contains have gone missing, thecovered entity is required to report the breach of their patientdata to HHS, to their patients, and also to the media if theirpatient pool is large enough. Unless, that is, the data on the lostor stolen device has been protected by a safeguard calledencryption.

Encryption is the process of using an algorithm to transformplaintext information into an unreadable format that can only

b e

accessed by someone possessing the key that was used to enablethe encryption in the first place. Without the unique key that’screated at the time of encryption, the data on the lost or stolendevice will be completely unreadable.

The HITECH Act issues technical guidance on the technologiesand methodologies “that render protected health informationunusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized indi-viduals.” The guidance specifies encryption as an action thatrenders ePHI unusable if it falls in to the wrong hands. ePHIthat is encrypted and whose encryption keys are properlysecured would provide a “safe harbor” to covered entities and

Make plans NOW to advertise in the North Texas Dentistry Convention Issue

Print Advertisement l Custom Profiles l Spreads

Our team can make your marketing dreams a reality! ADDED BONUS 4 BE INCLUDED IN SPECIAL BOOTH LISTING 4 DEADLINE: DECEMBER 2

REQUEST A MEDIA KIT: [email protected]

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Promote your business and services to the North Texas Dental Community with perfect timing and perfect targeting – before the Southwest Dental Conference

Convention IssueSouthwest Dental ConferenceJanuary 30 - February 1, 2014

How can pumpkin protect your skin fromharmful UV radiation?

I t’s pumpkin season! Fall’s signa-

ture squash is not only delicious,

it’s versatile. Pumpkin pie,

pumpkin bread, pumpkin ravioli,

risotto, soups, smoothies and pud-

dings are just a few ways to enjoy this

gorgeous gourd.

Not only is pumpkin adaptable as aningredient in a variety of recipes, it hap-pens to be a healthy powerhouse of vita-mins A and C, minerals such as calcium,magnesium, phosphorus, and potas-sium, and an overlooked source of fiber.One cup of cooked pumpkin containsfour grams of fiber. A half cup of pump-kin puree is only 40 calories and countsas a serving of vegetables! It’s an excel-lent source of the carotenoid beta-carotene, the compound that gives thesquash its bright orange pigment. Betacarotene is converted to vitamin A in thebody, and is important for eye health andimmune function. Foods that are high inbeta carotene also help protect the skinfrom UV damage, much like lycopene in tomatoes.

PumpkinParfait Serves: 12 Serving Size: ½ cup

Ingredients15 oz. can Libby’s Pumpkin Puree1.5 oz. package Jell-O Sugar Free

Vanilla Pudding1 tsp pumpkin pie spice12 oz. can evaporated skim milk1 cup fat free milk4 oz. package fat free cream cheese

½ of a 14 oz. can fat free sweetenedcondensed milk (½ cup + 2 Tbsp)

1⁄4 container fat free Cool Whip (2 oz.)1⁄4 cup slivered almonds, toasted5 almond cookies (Jules Destrooper)

DirectionsIn a food processor or large blender,combine the first 7 ingredients andblend until smooth (approximately 2minutes). Place in a parfait glass andchill until set. Top with a dollop of CoolWhip. Place almonds and almondcookies into a large zip-lock baggie andzip shut. Using a rolling pin or heavypan, roll until medium crumb mixtureis achieved. Sprinkle crumb mixture ontop just before serving.

Tip: Try drizzling a teaspoon of fat freecaramel sauce on top.

Nutrient AnalysisCalories 149Sodium 290mgFat 2gCarbohydrates 25gSaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 2mgProtein 7gFiber 1g

Recipe provided by Kathy Duran-Thal, R.D., Director of NutritionCooper Wellness Program, A Cooper Aerobics Company

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This Fall, Get Pumped About

Pumpkin


SMILESin theSPOTLIGHTLEADERS IN NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRYCREATING UNFORGETTABLE SMILES


Initial Clinical ProceduresThe overdenture bar was removed, five Lifecore SD conical abutmentsand one Nobel Biocare multiunit abutment were placed and torquedappropriately. Next, the overdenture that the patient felt had the bestesthetics was converted to a temporary hybrid prosthesis at the sameappointment utilizing non-hexed titanium temporary abutment sleevesand a rapid setting acrylic resin. Fortunately, both centric and verticaldimension of occlusion were reasonable. Next, a transfer impressionwas made to generate a maxillary cast. At the following appointment,the temporary hybrid prosthesis was screwed to place on the mastercast and the case was mounted on a semi-adjustable articulator. Next,a series of denture-making appointments enabled establishment of themaxillary teeth arrangement.

Case PresentationIn 2011, a 41-year old female presented with a worn, ill-fitting, brokenmaxillary removable implant bar overdenture prosthesis. She desiredthat it be replaced with a durable fixed prosthesis. Additionally, she re-quested replacement of her missing mandibular posterior teeth withfixed implant restorations. She had been utilizing a Kennedy class I re-movable partial denture. Smile enhancement was also one of her goals.

Past Dental HistoryReview of dental history revealed that her maxillary dentition was ex-tracted at age 16. She functioned with a conventional maxillary completedenture for 15 years. In 2001, six Sterioss Hex Lock implants wereplaced, a fixture level gold bar with locator attachments was fabricatedto retain and support an overdenture. Subsequently, four overdentureswere fabricated. None of them met her esthetic or functional criteria. Allhad premature wear and breakage issues.

Treatment PlanFor the maxilla, the patient’s goals were met by fabricating an advanceddesign screw retained “fixed detachable” or “hybrid” prosthesis that uti-lized ceramic crowns luted to individual crown preparations on a metalframework. The gingival material was a composite resin that allowedfor customized shading and pigmentation. Treatment was complicatedbecause the company that purchased the manufacturer of the implants,Nobel Biocare, no longer made components for them. Fortunately, an-other biomedical device manufacturer, Lifecore, had a complete line ofcomponents that was compatible.Unfortunately, the abutments werenot supported by any of the virtual cad milling facilities that routinelycreate titanium frameworks for implant prostheses. It was necessaryto cast and laser weld a ceramogold framework. Mandibular treatmentwas accomplished in a routine manner by placing two implants bilater-ally and fabricating titanium custom abutments for cement retained fixedpartial dentures.

Implant Overdenture Retreatment with Advanced Design Hybrid Prosthesis


Laboratory PhaseUtilizing a laboratory putty index, the screw-retained maxillary dentureteeth arrangement was reproduced with GC resin, GC America, incor-porating cast to abutment sleeves. Afterward, individual crown prepa-rations were made on the pattern as well as a cut back of the gingivalarea. Utilizing a ceramogold alloy, the framework was cast in sections,and laser welded. Fourteen Monolithic emax crowns, Ivoclar, were fab-ricated in 2- and 3-unit sections. A customized Gradia, GC America,composite gingival veneer was applied to the framework. The emaxsplints were luted to the metal crown preparations with Mulitlink resincement, lvoclar. A permanent cement was utilized because the crownsdid not obstruct access to the screws retaining the metal framework.

Bruce M. Barbash, DDSBruce Barbash, D.D.S. has been in the pri-vate practice of prosthodontics, maxillofacialprosthetics and dental oncology for 25 years.He continues to serve as assistant clinicalprofessor at both the University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center and TAMUBaylor College of Dentistry. He is a memberof several major head and neck cancer treat-ment teams in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,and has maintained Diplomate status withthe American Board of Prosthodontics.

Center for Dental SolutionsOffices in Dallas and Flower Mound

(972) 241-7917

ResultsThe maxillary prosthesis was screwed to place and the titanium fastening screws weretorqued to 15 Newtons. Several months later, the mandibular posterior implants wererestored with Atlantis, Dentsply, titanium custom abutments and ceramometal fixed partialdentures. Thus far, the patient has had a stable result that met her expectations.

www.texasdentalsolutions.com


Like it or not, dentists need tomanage the mood of their prac-tice. Moods are less intense sus-tained emotional states. Gifted

dentists accomplish this through a blend ofpsychological abilities called EmotionalIntelligence. They recognize their ownfeelings and those of others, plus managetheir emotions in a way that positivelyinfluences others. We constantly interactwith and respond to the emotions of oth-ers. This is called interpersonal limbicregulation. It’s so powerful that whenthree strangers sit silently facing oneanother for two to three minutes, the mostemotionally expressive person affects the

emotional state of the other two.1 And, nowords were spoken! Research has shownthat the leader’s emotions have thelargest influence on the emotional cli-mate of any group. When leaders driveemotions positively, it’s called resonance.When negative, it’s dissonance.2 Ouroffice’s emotional climate has a hugeimpact on our patients’ sense of safety andtrust, directly affecting their acceptance ofour treatment recommendations.

In the early ‘60s, a study utilizing a patientsurvey to better understand patient perceptions of excellence was done by SRI. The Academy of Dental PracticeAdministration identified 25 finest prac-

tices. Those practices included the likes ofDrs. L.D. Pankey, Bob Barkley, HaroldWirth, etc. SRI randomly surveyed onehundred patients in each practice, askingthem a series of questions including theperception of doctor’s competence, punc-tuality, availability, communication ability,satisfaction with fee, caring, etc. I remem-ber Dr. Barkley recounting this research.

With such outstanding practices, all scoreswere high, but by far the highest score wasgiven to one statement in the survey:“The doctor and his staff genuinelylike one another.”

practice management

by Bob Frazer, Jr., DDS

THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF

Emotional IntelligenceLeadership & Case Acceptance by Feel

This initially surprised me as it didBarkley, but in the light of E.I. research, itmakes sense. So what is the day-to-dayemotional climate of your office and howare you influencing that climate? Howcould you become more resonant? First,decide you truly want to be more emotion-ally intelligent and resonant.

If you want to grow your E.Q., hereare five questions to answer on a 1(lowest) to 5 (highest) scale to get asense of your current E.Q. Although highly subjective, this gives youa beginning point in your journey towardelevating your E.Q. Ask a close friend or co-worker who’d give you an honest opinionto do the same rating on you, then comparescores.

What is my capacity for recog-nizing my feelings? In the heatof the moment, am I aware of whatI’m feeling and can I label thosefeelings?

What is my capacity for recog-nizing the feelings of others?Again, in the heat of an event, do Irecognize the other’s feelings andcan I label and understand them?

Do I use emotions to motivatemyself – or do emotions tend tode-motivate or arrest my progress?

Do I manage emotions well inmyself – when I experience anemotion, do I channel it in a posi-tive way? Fear can be paralyz-ing… one must feel the fear,express it and then act bravely.

Do I manage emotions well inmy relationships – or do emo-tions actually interfere in many ofmy relationships?

EmpathyEmpathy is sensing another’s emotions andalso understanding their perspective, thentaking an active interest in their concerns.

TransparencyTransparency (displaying honesty, integrityand trustworthiness, disclosing your feel-ings) is an E.I. competency hallmark of starleaders that we develop in all our clients.

That is not to say that we must always tellone another how we are feeling. There aretimes, especially in doctor-patient and doc-tor-staff interactions, that emotional dis-closure could have a negative effect.However, much more often, such disclo-sure has a strongly positive effect.

1 Friedman and Riggio, Journal of Non-Verbal Behavior

6, 1981, pp. 32 - 58 2 Daniel Goleman, Primal Leadership, HarvardBusiness School Press, 2002


1

2

3

4

5

Bob Frazer, Jr.,DDS, FACD, FICDFor 30 years, Dr. Frazer lead ahighly successful(top 2%) insuranceindependent, rela-

tionship-based, values-driven dental practice.

He and his firm offer dentists a range oftransformational services: Applied StrategicPlanning, Emotional Intelligence training,Performance Coaching, Wilderness Adventures,Leadership Adventures, and a NationalStudy Club. Recognized as the foremostauthority in Applied Strategic Planning andEmotional Intelligence in dentistry, he helpsdentists achieve lives of balance, fulfillmentand significance.

A masterful storyteller, Dr. Frazer shares howto harness the powers of vision and emo-tional intelligence in one’s life and practice.A pioneer in collaborative diagnosis, he andhis associates teach dental teams how tointerpret value so you patients routinelychoose your finest, most complete care.

He is a Fellow of the American andInternational College of Dentists. Dr. Frazerhas presented more than 1000 programsand published more than 50 articles in dentaljournals including 20 articles on EmotionalIntelligence.

Contact Dr. Frazer at the email addressbelow for a complimentary article on sevenways to grow your emotional intelligence.

R.L. FRAZER & ASSOCIATES, INC. (512) 346-0455

www.frazeronline.com [email protected]

One great aid to those who are emotionalavoiders is a “Feelings Board”. A simple cork-board hangs near where we hold our A.M. huddle.The days of the week are across the top and thenames of each team member down the left. Onthe bottom is a legend:

n Yellow = On top of the world, warm & fuzzy

n Green = 80% of me is great, 20% is strugglingn Blue = Emotional today and need a hugn Black = Emotional, but don’t need a hug!n White = Give me space todayn Red = Feel bad – Parkers at fifty paces!

Each morning, everyone puts up feelingsflags upon arrival. This serves as a greatself-awareness step for all. You can ofcourse change your flags during the day!

Emotional Check-In

Mei [email protected] 972.754.1443

If values aren’t shared, they aren’t lived.


Word-of-mouth carries a lot ofmarketing weight. But as a den-tist, we probably don’t have totell you that. It seems that nomatter how pretty or clever anadvertisement is, or howdynamic a website can be, peoplestill trust the advice of theirfriends and family more thananything else. Whether it’sthrough traditional word-of-mouth conversations or online patientreviews on Yelp.com, Google and otherreview sites, positive recommendationsand patient connection are powerfulmarketing tools for a dentist.

Facebook has recently added two newfeatures that not only make it easier toconnect with your patients onlinesocially, but are changing the waysearchers find dentist recommendations.Here’s how:

Facebook Graph SearchWe can now add Facebook to the list ofways your potential patients can find outwhich dentists and dental specialiststheir friends recommend and like. It’scalled “Graph Search” and it’s a new fea-ture that was released to English-speak-ing Facebook users a few months ago.Now, Facebook users can conduct searchqueries without leaving their Facebookpage, like “Photos of my sister and Ibefore 2003” or “Restaurants in Chicago

my friends visited in the last year”or “Photos taken in New YorkCity of the Empire StateBuilding”. The search will bringup whatever you ask it, as long as it’s within the confines ofFacebook… and it can be amaz-ingly precise.

Using Facebook’s Graph Search to Search for Recommended Dentists

So, how does it affect you and your den-tal practice? How is it a part of the newword-of-mouth? In addition to searchingfor specific photos or places your friendshave checked into or visited, Facebookusers can also conduct searches for busi-nesses or services that their friends have“liked,” including dentists.

Since a Facebook “like” is fairly equiva-lent to a positive recommendation,Facebook Graph Search is transforming

practice marketing

REVOLUTIONIZINGWORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETINGAND PATIENT ENGAGEMENT

by Neil Rudoff

word-of-mouth marketing. The onlycatch? Your practice must have aFacebook page that your patients have“liked”.

Facebook Promotions for Dental PracticesIn addition to revolutionizing online rec-ommendations, Facebook has also madeit easier for you to run and administerpromotions on Facebook. That’s right,they’ve changed the rules and they are definitely in the dentist’s favor.Promotions are a great way to connectwith your patients online, so as you cansee, this is great news. Here’s what youneed to know:

The Old RulesIn the past, it was against Facebook rulesto give away anything for a promotion byasking your Facebook fans to “like”,“share”, leave comments or tag them-selves in a Facebook post or photo. Inaddition, all promotions had to beadministered through a third party app,which were usually cumbersome andconfusing for the Facebook users trying to participate in the promotion.Presumably, Facebook put these rules inplace for two reasons; to keep business’from buying “likes” by offering a prize orincentive and to stay out of legal hotwater that can come with giving awayprizes.

The New RulesWhat Facebook found was that regard-less of their regulations, many smallbusinesses (including dental practices)weren’t aware of these rules and wereusing Facebook features (likes, shares,comments) to hold contests anyway;thus putting everyone in a potential legalquagmire. So, Facebook has made itmuch easier (and more effective) fordentists to run promotions on theirFacebook page. That’s right, no morecumbersome (and somewhat sketchy)third party apps to administer yourFacebook promotions or contests. Now,you can run a promotion by asking forlikes, comments and shares and you cando it all within Facebook’s platform. You

can even use “likes” as a voting mecha-nism; which means an SEO boost foryour practice website. But, the possibil-ities aren’t entirely endless; here’s whatFacebook still prohibits:

• Encouraging your Facebook fans to tagthemselves in photos or posts they arenot actually involved in.

• Asking your Facebook fans to shareyour promotion on their personal time-line as a means of participating.

Additionally, your practice’s Facebookpromotion should still be run in accor-dance with the laws and rules ofFacebook, including clear posting of eli-gibility, promotion rules and compliancewith Facebook. For more on that, checkout the official Facebook promotionguidelines on their website, www.face-book.com/facebookforbusiness.

What Should Dentists Do Next?Facebook’s graph search and new pro-motions rules are providing dentists witheven more opportunities to connect withtheir patients and potential patients, butyour practice must have a Facebook pageto reap the benefits. Here is what oursocial media team recommends:

• Make sure your Facebook profileinformation is 100% complete and accu-rate; including a great cover photo and“About” section.

• Post once a day with a mix of 80%social content and 20% promotional orclinical content.

• Make sure people can “check in” toyour practice on their Facebook page.This is important to graph searches andsends signals to Google to help verifyyour address, which is important forSEO purposes.

• Urge your patients to “like” yourFacebook page whenever possible – hold“like” contests!

• When holding a Facebook promotion,give them something they can really“like”. We’ve seen some successful den-tal Facebook pages give away iPads orcomplimentary teeth whitening.

Our online marketing team now offerscomprehensive social media marketingfor dentists and dental specialists. Ifyou’re a dentist and interested in run-ning a Facebook promotion, learningmore about Facebook’s Graph Search orbuilding your social media profiles, giveus a call today.

Neil Rudoff is the Senior Account Executiveat Bullseye Media in McKinney, TX. Hereceived his BA from Tufts University in 1989and his MBA from UT Austin in 1993, and hasbeen an online marketing and web designconsultant since 2003. He can be reached at(214) 491-6166 or [email protected], LLC is a McKinney, Texasbased full-service digital marketing agencythat specializes in helping dentist leveragethe internet to grow their practices. Visit ourwebsite at www.onlinedentalmarketing.com.


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Featured Courses:November 8, 2013Current Perspectives on Pharmacotherapy in Dentistry and Oral Mucositis and Ulcerations: A Practical Approach to Differential Diagnosis, Identification of Etiologic Agents and Treatment Options Presented by: Arthur H. Jeske, DMD, PhD

and Nadarajah Vigneswaran, BDS, DMD, Dr.Med.Dent

Course #2013330 November 15, 2013Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Conscious Sedation Review Presented by: Jana Mannen, RDH, BSDH and

Victoria Patrounova, RDH, MHA Course #2013350 November 22, 2013Centric Relation: Past, Present and Future:Separating Fact from Fiction? Presented by: Charles Hoopingarner DDS Course # 2013360

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Irving Dental Study Club Announces New LeadershipFor 2013-2014The Irving Dental Study Club is excited to an-nounce new leadership for its 2013-2014 season.Dr. Reena Kuba, DDS, MS will serve as President,Dr. Pedro F. Franco, DDS will serve as Vice Pres-ident and Dr. Stephen S. Walker, DDS, MS willserve as Treasurer.

This season’s leadership will continue the traditionof providing members with access to quality con-tinuing education courses each month from Sep-tember through May. Invited speakers, who areexperts in their fields, present on various subjects;topics range from scientific to business enhance-ment presentations. Membership is exclusive togeneral practitioners and specialists, and includes

continuing education courses, networking and dinner. General practitioners and specialistsinterested in joining the Study Club should contact [email protected] or visithttps://sites.google.com/site/irvingdentalsc/.

100 Attendees for Fall CE Seminar Help Support Patient Services byDental Health ArlingtonWith the generosity of volunteers in the dental com-munity, the non-profit agency Dental Health Arling-ton has been providing low-cost dentistry to thelow-income community for 21 years. DHA's Fall

Dental CE Seminar on October 18, 2013 is onesource of funding that enables DHA to continueproviding services to 12,000 underserved neigh-bors annually. Sponsored by Dental Directions, theFall Seminar was held at Arlington IndependentSchool District's Mac Bernd Professional Develop-ment Center. Theresa Johnson, RDH, MBA ofDentsply spoke to 100 dentists, hygienists anddental assistants about Caries Intervention, Man-aging Hypersensitivity and Winning the BattleAgainst Biofilm. All proceeds from the seminar godirectly back into the patient services DHA providesto the community.

NEWS& notes

Tell the North Texas Dental community your news! Submit your news to [email protected]

wine cellar

by Kim Clarke


“ Wine... offers a greater rangefor enjoyment and appreciationthan, possibly, any other purelysensory thing. ”

– Ernest Hemingway

T hey’re just around the corner, so get ready to put away thediets and the scales. Holidays have the best tastes andsmells of any time of the year and you are required to

immerse yourself in all they offer. Trees, candles, turkey, prime rib,ham, apple pie, cinnamon, ginger, cloves – sensory overload doesn’tget any better – until you add some good wines to the mix.

The Thanksgiving dinner is a treasured tradition that deserves tobe accompanied by the perfect wine. Unfortunately, there is no onewine that works perfectly with the myriad of flavors found in theAmerican turkey repast. The juicier dark meat can handle a richfruity red but the rest of the bird might best be enhanced with aspicy white wine. Throw in sage-spiced cornbread dressing, somegreen beans, a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, cranberrysauce and a homemade apple or pumpkin pie and you really have apairing challenge. While no one wine is perfect, here are some thatwill do a really good job:

Bogle Phantom – a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah andMouvedre, this may be one of the bigger wines to serve for

Thanksgiving. It’s a ripe wine full of upfront blackberry and darkcherry fruit followed by a smooth, long, finish with hints of vanillaand clove. Another Zinfandel blend with more red fruit highlightsis called Centerline, made by a California winery named Highflyer.Along with the Zin, there’s some Tempranillo, Grenache and Syrahin the mix to help enhance and magnify the earthy richness of the food.

Meiomi Pinot Noir – this effort from the owners of Caymuswinery has been popular from its first vintage release in 2007. Somemay argue that this is a pinot made for the masses, but the wine-maker’s agenda doesn’t really matter because what’s in the bottle isreally good. Rich, concentrated fruit with fine tannins and lots ofcocoa and vanilla tones make this wine a good drink on its own aswell as a good match with food. I also recently had a MarlboroughNew Zealand Pinot Noir from Dog Point winery that had some ofthe more traditional Burgundian pinot traits. It was earthy and hadmore acidity that gave it a tart, sharper red fruit flavor – remindedme a bit of the cranberries of Thanksgiving and how well it mightgo with the full spread.

Las Rocas Old Vines Grenache – One of the wines that startedthe proliferation of well-made, inexpensive Spanish Grenache, thiswine is hard not to like. With grapes from 80-year old vines, only25% of the wine is aged in oak. It’s rich, lush and enjoyable by itselfbut is a great companion for food as its dark cherry and cranberryfruit add some sparkle to the meal. Another well-made and widelyavailable Spanish Grenache is Tres Picos from Bodegas Borsao.Not as luxurious as the Las Rocas, it has a palate of cherry andplums marked by a long spicy finish.

Kung Fu Girl Riesling – Produced by Charles Smith Winery inWashington State, this inexpensive Riesling will pair well with anyof the Thanksgiving dinner components. It’s bright with acidity andhas a barely detectable hint of sweetness that works with the turkey.Subtle notes of peach and melon on the finish go well with the sweetpotatoes and spice-laden dressing. Another Riesling worth seekingout comes from German producer Josef Leitz. It is calledDragonstone and comes replete with a nose of green apples andtastes of peach, honey, and caramel.

Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer – One of my favoriteAlsatian varietals, Gewurztraminer adds pizazz to just about any-thing, but seems to be especially effective with Thanksgiving meals.It’s full-bodied, aromatic, spicy and able to hold its own with turkeyand gravy. The wine from Zind-Humbrecht, a premier Alsatianproducer, may be a bit expensive and difficult to find, but otherAlsatian wineries that produce good Gewurztraminer areTrimbach, Lucien Albrecht andHugel.

Perrier Jouet Champagne Grand Brut – Great for celebrat-ing the Thanksgiving Holiday, but why not have some withThanksgiving dinner? Its clean taste and sparkling tingle make agreat drink before or during dinner and with desert. While it’s tech-nically a Brut, the Perrier Jouet seems to have just a wee bit ofsweetness that makes it popular with a crowd. Other easy-to-findThanksgiving-worthy Champagnes include those from PiperHeidseick (I like the Extra Dry as well as the Brut) and MoetChandon.

Thanksgiving Dinner is a lot of work, but opening a good bottle ofwine is easy and it makes a lot of people happy. Isn’t that what it’sall about, anyway?

WinesFOR THEHolidays


by Kim Clarke


Most embezzlements start with anOpportunistic Thief, not a Brazen Thief.An Opportunistic Thief can evolve into a Brazen Thief, however, with theirincreased success and expertise.

If just a few things are done differently, itwill prevent the opportunity for an embez-zlement to occur, or at the least not makeit so easy! Cross training staff and tight-ening internal controls are just a couple ofsuggestions but the biggest difference canbe made in strengthening the leader of thepractice.

BE THE BOSS. Having a trustedemployee steal from the practice is ulti-

mately a wakeup call. Become involved inthe business aspect of your practice. Youown the business so oversee it.

Several years ago, I did a survey amongmy newsletter database of about 2,500.The information I gained was rich but theconsistent thread in all of the stories wasthe lack of business focus and oversight bythe practice owner.

These are not business-as-usual times, soyou can not do the business of dentistrythe same way you always have and expectpositive results. If you have let the “ownership” of the practice slip, seize it back now.

The EmbezzlementNightmare

by Susan Gunn

“I hate calls like these,” I thought as I hungup the phone. My heart ached.

Another dentist discovered his long timetrusted employee had been stealing hishard earned money from the practice. Ithad been my seventh call this week.

He alternated from being angry about the theft to heart ache for the loss of rela-tionship.

“But, she’s worked for me for 18 years.How could she do something like this? I trusted her. She offered to repay me andgave me all sorts of excuses... What do I do now?”

money matters


I’ve heard the “Do what you went toschool for and delegate the rest” theme foryears at conventions. That is a dangerouspitfall. It’s what you want to hear but it isa business myth – at least for a successfulbusiness. Do you believe Warren Buffet orDonald Trump doesn’t oversee all aspectsof their business?

They understand they must lead the busi-ness. Bo Bennett said, “Without initiative,leaders are simply workers in leadershippositions.” If you are not leading the busi-ness of your practice, you are simply anemployee. You are not a leader.

You must not only create the reports, butunderstand the reports. If you do notunderstand them, then call someone tohelp you.

Do you compare the day sheets to thepatient sign in sheets? Do you study thebank statements and compare the soft-ware’s collections report to them? Do youanalyze the credit card charges on thecredit card statement? Do the bank rec-onciliations?

Are you the most knowledgeable regard-ing the practice software? Who controlsthe passwords or are you using pass-words? Is the security for the practice soft-ware to its full potential?

What about new hires? Are you the onecalling references – doctor to doctor? Do you do background checks on anyonehandling finances? Have you checkedyour insurance for Employee Dishonestycoverage?

Speaking at a convention on embezzle-ment, an attendee quietly and honestlyresponded, “But, Susan. I understandwhy you want me to do this, but I justdon’t want to do it.”

That’s why we had all those lessons grow-ing up, like taking the trash out or doingthe dishes. We were trained to do thethings we don’t necessarily want to do, butneed to be a part of our routine anyway.It’s life. And, if you are not the boss ofyour practice, someone else will be andyou will not like the result.

SUMMARY. Practice embezzlement isdramatically increasing. The reason for theeconomic shortfalls and embezzlementincreases are the same. Greed. We wantmore and we want it now.

The loss of money is not the only loss whensomeone you trust embezzles. The greaterloss is not something material. Money canand will be replaced. But experiencing atheft from someone you’ve greeted for anumber of years, you’ve been there whenthey got married, when their kids wereborn, through the loss of parents, throughsickness and health – it’s grief. It’s emo-tionally heart and gut wrenching. And thedoctor and staff walk through the stages ofgrief. Some doctors have become sick andothers quit the profession because theywere so grief stricken.

This betrayal of trust is overwhelming. Itconsumes your thoughts and your time andsucks your energy and your focus. I knowthis because I walk through it with myclients, every step, every day.

If someone really wants to steal from you,they will. But, it doesn’t have to be easy.Do not enable their theft by your ignoranceor lack of leadership any longer.

It is not business as usual. Be The Boss.That’s the first step in preventing embez-zlement.

Susan Gunn has more than 22 years ofbusiness automation experience, is anAdvanced QuickBooks Pro Advisor and haswritten 26 books geared for professionalpractices. Susan, also a Certified FraudExaminer, investigates, interviews and pro-vides complete reports for prosecution andcivil suit purposes. Unsure? Call for a freeconsultation.

Susan lives in Arlington, TX and is an activemember of her city, regardless of thenational scope of her business. She cur-rently serves as Treasurer for ExperienceArlington’s Board of Directors (TourismBureau). Dentistry Today magazine hasrecognized the depth of Susan’s experienceand expertise by naming her as a “Leaderin Consulting” every year since 2006.


When do you think your brainwas operating at its peakperformance? I ask thisquestion frequently becauseit always amazes me how

people respond. Invariably, they throw outages at least ten to twenty years youngerthan they are currently. “When I was fifty,”

say some, while others say, “When I wastwenty-five,” and still others, “When I wassix years old”— all are ages that I frequentlyhear.

The typical reaction reflects the assumptionthat our best brain years are behind us:

I was smartest twenty years ago, when Icould remember phone numbers without asecond thought.

I was smartest when I was in college, whenI could absorb facts like a sponge.

I was smartest when Iwas in my thirties, withintellectual energy thatnever waned.

I was smartest when Iwas three years old; every day my knowl-edge increased dramatically.

Then I ask people, if you think you weresmarter back then, could you perform whatyou are doing today, say, some twenty or

thirty years ago? Not likely. Then why dowe think we were sharper back then andnot now? It is appalling that in a worldwhere more people are living to be olderthan ever before, aging is still seen as aform of disease. We have grown to fullyexpect that cognitive decline is an inevitableconsequence of aging, even though themajority of seniors aged eighty-five andolder manifest a potential for well-pre-served intellect, capacity for new learning,and sound decision making. We live believ-ing our best brain years are in the past.

Brain aging is not, in fact, a vexation to beavoided; rather, it is a developmentalprocess that adds valuable perspective tothe brain’s existing higher-order thinkingabilities. Your brain may be getting older;

The Aging BrainWhy Older May Be Better

by Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D.

We live believing our best brain years are in the past.

mind & body

but if continually fine-tuned, it should alsobe getting more efficient. And smarter, too.In healthy brain aging, your goal shouldnot be to look for the mythical fountain-of-youth elixir to return to your youngerbrain state. Rather, the goal should be tomaintain and strengthen your brain’srobustness.

Keep reminding yourself, if you do not workto improve your brain, you will go back-ward. For your brain’s well-being, you wantto keep progressing. If I were to take ten ortwenty years off your brain, you would begme to have the years back because they arepacked with such rich developments, thatis, if you properly fostered your brain fit-ness. If you think brains are optimally per-forming in twenty-something-year-olds,have them make a decision or two for you.

Even more exciting is the news that brainaging can have some clear advantages whencompared to the young adult brain. Thereare more decisive pieces to your brain puz-zle as you age than speed and amount offact recall. Certain pivotal brain functions

do not have to get slowly worse and caneven get better.

As a thriving society, we must change thenegative framing of brain aging and insteadharness the full frontal potential of ourbrain’s capacity throughout life (wheremore wrinkles on the brain, by the way, area good thing since brain wrinkles indicate a

larger cortex — gray matter!) and morefully strive to achieve the brain potentialthat is yet to come.

To learn more about healthy brain habitsto improve your brain health at any age,check out Dr. Chapman’s book, Make YourBrain Smarter or visit www.centerfor-brainhealth.org.


Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D. is the founder and chief director ofthe Center for BrainHealth, a Distinguished University Professor atThe University of Texas at Dallas and author of Make Your BrainSmarter: Increase Your Brain’s Creativity, Energy and Focus.

Dr. Chapman has a remarkable gift for translating the complex worldof cognitive neuroscience into easy-to-understand language. For thelast 30 years, she has focused her research on how to make thehuman brain smarter and healthier. With more than 40 fundedresearch grants and more than 200 publications to her credit, she is

recognized as a leading thinker, transforming popular misconceptions about what smart is, whenwe are the smartest, and how to repair the brain after injury or in the face of disease. Her approachto the science of thinking smarter aims to help people of all ages improve creative and critical think-ing, incite innovation and maximize brain performance throughout life.

For more information visit centerforbrainhealth.org.

ADVERTISER’S INDEX

AFTCO ......................Inside Back Cover

BB&T ..................................................19

Bullseye Media ...................................30

Bryant Studios ...................................11

Children 1st Dental & Surgery Center ......Inside Front Cover

Cooper Wellness ................................15

Dental OSHA Compliance Service.....13

Dr. Joel C. Small.................................29

Med-Tech Construction .......Back Cover

Tina Cauller .......................................30

Transworld Systems ..........................27

US Oxygen Supply .............................23

UT School of Dentistry at Houston ....23


Call 800.232.3826 or visit us online at

www.AFTCO.net for a free practice appraisal,

a $2,500 value!

Gordon C. Damon, Jr., D.D.S. (UT Houston 2011)

has acquired the practice of

Jay W. Baxley, D.D.S. &(Baylor College of Dentistry 1986)

Chad C. Perry, D.D.S.(Baylor College of Dentistry 2002)

Fort Worth, Texas

Preston C. Carter, D.D.S.(University of Tennessee 2011)


Terry V. Braswell, D.D.S.(Baylor College of Dentistry 1974)

Texarkana, Texas

Jay H. Oakey, D.D.S.(University of Oklahoma 2011)


Rick E. Cofer, Jr., D.D.S.(Baylor College of Dentistry 1990)

Whitney, Texas

AFTCO is pleased to have represented

all parties in these transitions.

AFTCO is the only company that has sold dental practices with a cumulative value of over $1,500,000,000

AFTCO is the oldest and largest dental practice transition consulting firm in the United States. AFTCO assists dentists with associateships, purchasing and selling of practices, and retirement plans. We are there to serve you through all stages of your career.

Ntd issue 7 2013 de4

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Transcript of Ntd issue 7 2013 de4