The Tar Heel - NC Academy of General Dentistry

Summer 2015
Dentist
The Tar Heel
Official Publication of the North Carolina Academy of General Dentistry
President’s Message
IN THIS ISSUE
Greetings! I am so very proud and honored to serve as your North Carolina
Academy of General Dentistry President for 2015. I want to extend my sincere
p3
2015 NCAGD Annual Meeting Wrap-Up
p4
Proposed Rule Changes for Sedation
Dentistry in North Carolina
p6
NC Dental Society Council
on Government Affairs Updates
appreciation to the entire North Carolina AGD Board, its Directors, and Region
19 for their mentoring and guidance through this journey. I am a better leader, a
better dentist, and a better person because of you all. Thank you.
I also want to give special recognition to
our immediate Past President, Dr. Jennifer
Bell, for her courage and leadership to
move the NCAGD Annual Meeting this
past year to The Umstead Hotel and Spa in
Cary, NC. Her vision to
change the venue led
to an incredible and
successful meeting
where the quality of
the location matched
the quality of the
continuing education.
If you were there, you
know what I mean! If not, I hope that you will
put this premier meeting on your calendar for
February 5-6, 2016. 2016 Featured Speakers
will be Drs. Jack Turbyfill, P.D. Miller, Charles
Blair, Jeff Horowitz, James Wooddell, Woody
Passaro, Gary Oyster and Mr. Kyle Atkins.
On a more somber note, as of the writing,
3 major issues have recently impacted our
profession, all of which may change forever
the way we deliver care to our patients and
the quality of that care.
First, you may already be aware of the
insurance companies rapidly gaining ground
for control of the healthcare delivery system in
America. Strong and skilled legislative efforts
helped stem this issue in North Carolina,
however, insurance
companies then
proceeded with letters
NCAGD welcomes
to our patients in regards
2015 incoming
to rating their in network
president Dr. Barbara
dentists based on his/her
Bowman-Hensley
“cost effectiveness”. One
company is boldly asking
our patients to change
dentists because we are not in their network.
In 2014, we saw a second major dental
insurance provider change reimbursement to
the patients and not their dentists therefore,
creating a delicate balance for the patientprovider relationship.
Secondly, on February 25, 2015, The
Supreme Court ruled against the North
Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, in
favor of the FTC. This ruling has implications
that the NC State Board of Dental Examiners
continues...
Summer 20 1 5 | 1
President’s Message (continued from p1)
does not, in effect, have the authority to enforce regulations it has been empowered by
the State of NC to make and oversee. This ruling weakens the Board and the opens
the business of dentistry to future changes. This ruling further clouds the authority of all
Professional Boards across the nation.
Lastly, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a final rule in May 2014
that requires all physicians and eligible professionals, including dentists, who prescribe
Part D covered drugs, to be enrolled in Medicare or opt out for these patients to be
reimbursed. As noted in the legislative update, any dentist who treats
Medicare beneficiaries (65 or older), as of this writing the deadline for
implementation has been moved from June 1st, 2015 to December 1st,
2015, but the paperwork requirement is still June 1st. For more information,
go to http://www.agd.org or call 1-888-AGDDENT Ext. 4973.
As you can
see, it is vital
to be a part
of organized
dentistry.
As you can see, it is vital to be a part of organized dentistry. If you are
current member of the NCAGD, I thank you for the commitment to the
profession. If you are not, please consider what the profession would be
without the incredible behind-the-scenes efforts of the Academy of General
Dentistry and all dental organizations, including the American Dental
Association and the North Carolina Dental Society. The larger the number
represented by these organizations, the better chance we have of being
successful in keeping our profession protected from harmful legislative
changes, over regulation and control by insurance companies. We can no
longer sit back in the isolated comfort of our offices, thinking that someone
else is “handling things.” What we’ve always done is not as effective as it was, and the
practice of dentistry has quickly become more challenging. I encourage you to not only be
members of both the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry,
but be active, participating members. Strong, respected organizations with big numbers get
attention from important decision makers.
In closing, my primary goal is to bring the North Carolina Dental Society and the North
Carolina Academy of General Dentistry into closer collaboration to work together for our
North Carolina members on these important issues. Secondly, I want to draw non-members
and inactive members into active participation into organized dentistry through education
about the issues that threaten our delivery and the quality of our patient care. There is power
in numbers.
I welcome your thoughts and ideas.
All my best,
Dr. Barbara Bowman-Hensley, President
2 | The Tar Heel Dentist
2015 NCAGD Annual Meeting Wrap Up
Great Venue! Great CE! Great
Fellowship! Great Meeting!
The NCAGD also had a business meeting on the morning of
February 7. We approved a dues increase for the 2016 year to
help increase funds to provide quality education and events for our
general dentist members.
These phrases were repeated over and over about our annual
meeting in February at the Umstead Hotel in Cary, NC. As a
growing organization of over 1000 general dentists in the great
state of NC, we continue to look for ways to provide high quality
education at a state of the art facility for our dynamic members.
For 2014, we made a change to move the Annual Meeting to the
Umstead Hotel of Cary, NC to provide our members with a better
facility which would promote improved fellowship of members,
increased visitations with vendors, intimate educational settings,
and a retreat for guests, spouses and hard working dentists.
Based on the feedback we received, it seems we were able to
accomplish many of the goals we had for this meeting.
We also voted for our new officers for 2015. The following were
nominated and approved for officer positions for 2015:
On February 6-7, 2015, over 200 attendees joined together to
learn from nationally recognized speakers on a variety of topics.
We had speakers who provided education on Invisalign, sleep
dentistry, treatment planning, periodontics, pharmacology and
practice management.
On Friday evening, our member attendees and vendors enjoyed
great fellowship after the courses while indulging in tasty
appetizers, refreshing beverages and raffled items. Attendees
won gift certificates to the Umstead, a spa gift package, NCAGD
apparel, and prizes from our vendors. The attendees also enjoyed
the musical stylings of an acoustical duo which helped lighten the
mood and encourage fellowship among all. Great times all around!!
Barbara Bowman-Hensley - President
Eric Roman - President Elect
Cammie Morris - Vice President
Callan White - Secretary-Treasurer
Jennifer Bell - Immediate Past President
We also heard an update from Dr. Oyster regarding advocacy
and legislative issues facing the long session of the NC Assembly
and the current Supreme Court case. The NCAGD had a very
productive business breakfast meeting that proved to be a great
format for providing an efficient, concise update on the happenings
of the NCAGD.
While we had a few bumps in the road, our move to the Umstead
proved to be a very good step for the NCAGD to meet the
changing needs of our members. We look forward to being at
the Umstead next year with more exciting CE, fellowship and
relaxation. What a perfect marriage: The premier general dentistry
organization of NC with a premier location.
Dr. Jennifer Bell
Summer 20 1 5 | 3
Proposed Rule Changes
for Sedation Dentistry
in North Carolina
 Save the Date
NCDS 160th
Annual Session
May 19 -22, 2016
Myrtle Beach, SC
We all want our sedation patients to
have a safe sedation experience done by
qualified dentists who have taken high
standards of sedation training, quality
continuing education and comply with
all the necessary procedures needed to
protect the patients in our care.
Stephen M. Smith DDS, FAGD, FDOCS
4 | The Tar Heel Dentist
The North Carolina Academy of General
Dentistry has continued to stay involved in
the ongoing discussion regarding sedation
permit changes in our state. As most
members are aware, several sedation-related
deaths have occurred in North Carolina to
patients under the care of general dentists.
These deaths applied a great deal of media
and legislative pressure to our dental board
and the current sedation regulations. A
committee on sedation was formed to
conduct a number of town hall discussions
across the state and the NCAGD
understands that the proposed changes will
impact many of our members.
The following are proposed rule changes to
the existing regulations on sedation:
1
2
3
The dental board will no longer issue temporary
sedation permits prior to site inspection. This will
affect all future new sedation permit applications from
specialists and general dentists. No sedation will be
performed in the office until after the site inspection.
Periodic inspections will begin for all permitted
sedation offices at least once every 5 years.
A board-approved 6-hour course on respiratory
emergencies will be created and taken on an
alternating year basis, opposite the requisite ACLS
certification. The entire dental team will take the
respiratory emergency course. Sedation log books will
be required and submitted annually to the board along
with CE reports. Bi-annual emergency event practices
will be required of all staff, in addition to annual BLS
training. More frequent emergency event practices
may be recommended.
4
5
The enteral moderate sedation permit will be eliminated
as of December 31, 2018. As of January 1st, 2019, all
sedation by dentists in North Carolina will require an IV
moderate sedation permit. This time delay is intended
to allow current sedation providers the opportunity to
meet the new requirements. The new requirements are
still under review.
All sedation cases must be attended by at least 2
assistants: one to assist the dentist in the procedure
and one to monitor the patient vitals including
capnography.
The North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners has not set a
date for the Sedation Committee report to be finalized. We
would strongly encourage members to reach out to the dental
board and participate in upcoming meetings.
Summer 20 1 5 | 5
NC Dental Society Council
on Government Affairs
AGD Update 3-11-15
Advocacy and Legislative Initiatives
I. The NC Dental Society will advocate for maintaining
funding for Medicaid adult dental services
• Continued funding is critical for the success of ECU’s
Community Service Learning Centers.
• Eliminating funding for adult dental services will result in
increased spending in other areas.
• We will work with both legislators and House and Senate
health care staff to share our perspective.
II. The NC Dental Society will pursue the exclusion of
dentistry from any Medicaid reform plan
• Medicaid dental program statistics show that the NC
program is working – increased utilization, increased provider
participation, decreased cost.
IV. Introduce legislation to allow dental hygienists to
administer local anesthetics
The NC Dental Society supports allowing properly trained
and supervised dental hygienists licensed in North Carolina to
administer local dental anesthetics via both infiltration and block
techniques, and has introduced legislation in the NC General
Assembly to facilitate this change in statute.
• Strict training and standards, along with direct supervision
of the hygienist by the dentist, will ensure the highest quality
treatment and safety for patients.
• While properly trained hygienists will have the ability to
administer local anesthetic, it will be at the full discretion of
the supervising dentist whether or not the hygienist will be
permitted to perform these functions.
V. Response to Supreme Court Ruling on Authority of the
NC State Board of Dental Examiners
• We are working with our leadership and lobbying teams to
determine an appropriate response and action plan.
VI. Monitor further tax reform efforts
• Early reports indicate that professional services will not be
targeted for taxes.
6 | The Tar Heel Dentist
VII. Preserve funding for the NC Oral Health Section
• The NC Dental Society continues to argue its position
that education and prevention are more cost effective than
treatment.
VIII. Monitor discussion of third party payer issues
• BCBSNC Dental Advisory Committee has been appointed
and has had its initial meeting. Non-participating dentists have
been included on committee.
• CIGNA appears to have backed off of its proposed rating plan
for dental provider and will involve the dental community in
developing a more comprehensive rating plan.
IX. Medicare Opt In/Opt Out
• According to the CMS, any dentist who treats Medicare
beneficiaries must either enroll in the program or opt out
in order to prescribe medication to their qualifying patients
with Part D drug plans, according to the federal government.
Action must be taken by January 1, 2016. The ADA offers
resources for deciding whether to opt in or opt out through this
link: http://success.ada.org/en/practice/medicare/ Please
note that your ADA user name and password are required to
access the information. This is a federal issue, so if you have
concerns about the requirement, please share them with your
U.S. congressman or senator.
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14-048_NCAGD_39thAnnual_Ad_2.indd 1
bondent.com
Summer 20 110/30/14
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9:51 AM
8 | The Tar Heel Dentist
NCAGD 2015-2016 Officers
The 2015-2016 NCAGD Officer
Installation. From left to right:
President
Dr. Barbara Bowman-Hensley
Vice President
Dr. Cammie Morris
Dr. Callan White Secretary/Treasurer,
Immediate Past President
Dr. Jennifer Bell
Secretary/ Treasurer
Dr. Callan White
Dr. Eric Roman President Elect, Dr.
President-Elect
Dr. Eric Roman
Executive Director
Elizabeth Trevathan, M. Ed
Miller District 19 Executive Director, Dr.
Dr. Cammie Morris Vice President,
Barbara Bowman-Hensley, Dr. Glenn
Jennifer Bell Past President
Committee Membership
Membership Committee
Public Relations Committee
Nominating Committee/
Executive Board Committee
• Dr. Cammie Morris, chair
• Dr. Mike Mock, chair
• Dr. Clifton Cameron
• Dr. Alex Pence
• Dr. Barbara Bowman-Hensley
• Dr. Woody Bolinger
• Dr. Callan White
• Dr. Jennifer Bell
• Dr. Sam Chang
• Dr. Paige Miller
• Dr. Cammie Morris
• Dr. Bob Zambrowski
• Dr. Glenn Garland
• Dr. Eric Roman
PACE/CE Committee
• Dr. Paige Miller, chair
Master Track Committee
• Dr. Ted Rogers, chair
• Dr. Amy Kimes
• Dr. Vanessa Campbell
• Elizabeth Trevathan, M.Ed
• Dr. Callan White
Annual Meeting Committee
• Dr. Barbara Bowman-Hensley
Legislative Committee
• Dr. Ted Rogers, chair
• Dr. Jennifer Bell
• Dr. Cammie Morris
• Dr. Eric Roman
• Dr. Callan White
• Elizabeth Trevathan, M. Ed.
Summer 20 1 5 | 9
10 | The Tar Heel Dentist
We would also
like to thank these
Friends of the
NCAGD for their
sponsorship.
Val Gelo
Dentsply
Pulpdent
Carolina Dental Products
LexiComp/Wolterkluwer
NCDS
Dental Evolutions Strategic Alliance
GC America
Summer 20 1 5 | 11
North Carolina Academy of General Dentistry
537 N. Gurney Street, Burlington, N.C. 27215
Stay in Touch with
the NCAGD
Have questions for us or just want to keep
up-to-date with all the latest news? Use
the following methods to stay in touch.
 Online
Visit our website at NCAGD.org

Facebook
Follow us at facebook.com/ncagd

Email
Drop us a line at etncagd@gmail.com

Phone
When in doubt, call 336.675.1505
40th Anniversary
2016 NCGAD Annual
General Session
Earn CE credits while you learn,
network and relax in 5-star comfort!
• Dr. Jack Turbyfill: Removable Prosthodontics
• Dr. P.D. Miller: Periodontics
Feb. 5-6, 2016
• Dr. Charles Blair: Practice Management
The Umstead Hotel and Spa
• Dr. Gary Oyster: Legislative Forum
Cary, NC
• Mr. Kyle Atkins: Financial Management
• Dr. Jeff Horowitz: Sleep Medicine
• Dr. Joseph Passaro and Dr. James Woodell:
Restorative
Check NCAGD.org
soon for more details!