Category: ODA Today

For the last several years, the ODA and its leadership and lobbying team have been working to educate policymakers in Ohio on the importance of increasing dental Medicaid reimbursements.  For example, last year, in testifying before the Ohio Senate Medicaid, Health and Human Services Committee in favor of House Bill 463, ODA Past President ... [continue reading]

Registration for the 2015 ODA Annual Session is opening later this month. The 149th ODA Annual Session – Excellence in Collaboration – is Sept. 17-20 in Columbus. This year, the ODA is offering several Annual Session registration incentives. Early registrants will be entered for a chance to “shake it off” at a Taylor Swift ... [continue reading]

The Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine held its first Admitting Day on March 18. During Admitting Day, the dental school offered free exams and X-rays to adults who had not previously been patients at the CWRU School of Dental Medicine. “The whole reason to do this is because it is some type of community ... [continue reading]

The Children's Oral Health Action Team (COHAT) is offering free workshops on prenatal oral health and treating children under age 3. Workshop presenters include Paul Casamassimo, DDS, MS, chief of dentistry at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and professor of pediatric dentistry at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry; Homa Amini, ... [continue reading]

On March 18, 2015, I had the opportunity to testify on the state budget for fiscal years 2016-17 before the Ohio House Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. I focused my remarks on the need to dramatically increase reimbursements in Ohio’s dental Medicaid program. Below is an abridged version of my ... [continue reading]

As more dentists submit dental benefits claims electronically to third-party payers, the Ohio Dental Association has seen a marked decrease in the number of calls involving slow pay situations. The calls the ODA does receive now typically concern how much time an insurance company has to pay a claim. Ohio does have a law governing insurance plan ... [continue reading]

The recent passing of my father from cancer has me considering the concept of legacy.  I suppose that a legacy develops on its own, even without any effort or planning on a person’s part.  A legacy also seems to have a mind of its own.  We may find that our legacy is out of our control, especially if that legacy is less than ... [continue reading]

I am sure we all do it. We probably don’t do it in front of others, but when we are in private with our computers, we will do it. Don’t panic … I’m talking about putting your name in any search engine and seeing how many results you get. Are we being narcissistic or paranoid? Maybe we are being a little of both. You see, ... [continue reading]

Certain business entities, including some dentists, are now required to hold a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs license (TDDD) in order to possess, have custody or control of, and distribute dangerous drugs that are compounded or used for the purpose of compounding. This applies to all compounded drugs where a prescription is needed, not ... [continue reading]

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a rule that requires all eligible professionals (including dentists) who prescribe part D covered drugs to enroll in Medicare, to register as an ordering/referring provider or to opt out of Medicare by Jan. 1, 2016. Dentists who do not enroll, register as a referring provider or ... [continue reading]