News

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]

A new law requires prescribers who prescribe or personally furnish opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines to register for the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) database as a condition of licensure renewal. The law also requires prescribers to check OARRS before furnishing or issuing a prescription for a supply of an opioid analgesic or ... [continue reading]

About 150 dentists, students and spouses met with their state senators and representatives at the 2015 ODA Day at the Statehouse. “I participated in Day at the Statehouse because it is important to let our senators and representatives know how some issues will affect our profession and livelihood,” said Dr. Julie Roberts, a general ... [continue reading]

On March 18, Dr. Steve Moore, a West Chester general dentist, and David Owsiany, ODA’s executive director, testified in favor of House Bill 95 – a bill that would prohibit dental insurance companies from setting the prices for dental services that the insurers do not even cover – before the Ohio House Health and Aging ... [continue reading]