FLORIDA ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Fall 2009 Newsletter
President
Natalie Carr
|
Immediate Past President
Howard Schneider
|
SSPD Representatives
Leigh
Ann McIlwain
|
Vice President
Reza Ardalan
|
Executive Director
Robert Primosch
|
Legislative
Advocate and General Counsel
John Grant |
Secretary
Sean McDonnell
|
Membership Director
Reza
Ardalan
|
|
From your President:
If I could choose
one buzz word for this year it would be “access to care”.
As
pediatric dentists we are known to be generous with our time and talent.
In helping to set up a volunteer clinic here in
Tampa, one of the
organizers said it is always easy to get pediatric dentists to volunteer. I
always know I can count on my fellow colleagues but many times I feel that our
efforts go unnoticed in the community especially in the media and the political
arena.
Sensational articles are written about how patients cannot find anyone to help
them fix their teeth yet we give millions of dollars of free dentistry every
year with few reported.
We all
know that volunteer efforts are an important part of our profession but
volunteer acts cannot be the solution to access to care.
Project: Dentists
Care (PDC) is an organization under the Florida Dental Health Foundation (FDHF)
that coordinates volunteer clinics and volunteer services throughout the state.
If you do not know the name of your area coordinator or an affiliate clinic in
your area you can contact Cheri Sutherland at the Florida Dental Association.
PDC also
offers you the opportunity to volunteer to see prequalified patients in your own
office by registering with your PDC Coordinator.
You will
determine how many patients you will be willing to see and with what
limitations.
If you and
the patient sign a sovereign immunity contract (as provided by the state) your
liability is reduced (patients must sue the state rather than you with any
adverse outcomes when sovereign immunity guidelines are followed).
It is also
important to report the number of patients and the value of the pro-bono
dentistry you provide to the state for tracking.
Last year there were over 3 million dollars of
reported pro-bono dentistry provided in Florida.
As all of you may
know, the Medicaid lawsuit is set for trial beginning on December 7, 2009.
The trial
is a bench trial (there is a judge whom will make a decision, no jury).
In recent
weeks the judge has made several decisions that have paved the way for the
lawsuit.
1.
The
defendants'
motion for summary judgment (i.e.
judgment without a trial) was denied. 2.
Class action
certification was granted. 3. The defendants' request to postpone the
trial was denied.
Because the trial is not set to be on continuous days it could take several
months for the judge to hear testimony and then it is up to the judge to make a
decision.
One final
thought, MEMBERSHIP.
In this
hard economic time where we are looking for areas to save money we must realize
the importance of organized dentistry.
Thanks to
the wonderful leaders in our profession, pediatric dentistry has positions on
boards and councils at the state and national level that are not represented by
any other specialty group.
Now, in
this time where healthcare is at the forefront of impending change; it is
important for us to come together as a profession to educate the politicians and
the public about our profession rather than stand back and allow others to
determine what is best for dentistry.
The united
voice of our organization allows our voice to be heard.
Respectfully submitted
Natalie Carr
From your Legislative Advocate:
ALL EYES ON THE CHECKBOOK
Legislative activity will pick up substantially right after the holidays in
anticipation of the 2010 session of the Florida Legislature, which convenes in
March. The consequences that will affect everything from medical and dental
practices to automobile sales will be closely watched by me, as I represent you
in Tallahassee.
Every Floridian will be effected by the outcome of this coming year’s
legislative actions.
While there will be a number of substantial bills filed and debated, without
question, the major focus will be on how to deal with an anticipated $2.6
billion budget shortfall. The question will be how to deal with it, by either
cutting services or increasing fees and taxes. According to a recent study,
Florida
is among nine states barreling toward an economic disaster similar to California's
ongoing fiscal crisis.
The budget woes could mean higher taxes, accelerated layoffs of government
employees, more crowded classrooms and fewer services in the coming year.
Double-digit budget gaps, rising unemployment, high home foreclosure rates and
built-in budget constraints are the prevailing reasons.
The
great recession has not just stalled
Florida's
growth — it has reversed it.
For
example: From 2005 to 2008, Florida
fell from its second-place ranking among the states in economic growth to 48th.
Not too long ago,
Florida
was adding as many as 445,000 residents a year - but from April 2008 and April
2009, the population shrank by 58,000.
In
2006, the state's job market was one of the Nation's strongest. As of September,
Florida's
11 percent jobless rate was eighth-worst. There are at least 275,000 homes for
sale or rent in Florida
that nobody wants, and the state has the second-highest foreclosure rate in the
country.
These and other antigrowth factors add up to a serious state revenue shortage.
Despite cutting $6 billion from state spending since spring 2007, state
lawmakers expect revenues to come up $2.65 billion short of covering Florida's
most critical and high priority needs in 2010-2011 – a deficit that's expected
to swell to nearly $5.5 billion the following year.
Of the $2.65 billion, $923 million is deemed critical, while the rest pays for
other traditionally funded services, like a program that covers lifesaving
medication for transplant recipients and other chronically ill patients.
Increasing Medicaid costs are compounding the state's fiscal problems.
I
encourage our readers to become involved and let your voice be heard by those
you have elected to represent you in
Tallahassee
and hopefully, you can take a few days to walk the halls of the capitol as we
make our needs and concerns known. The session promises to be a wild ride.
Welcome aboard!
Respectfully submitted
John Grant
USF Area Community Civic Association’s Tower
of Achievement Award Presented
to Dr. Jim McIlwain
Dr.
James E. McIlwain won the
Tower
of Achievement
Award, the University
of South Florida
Area Community Civic Association’s
most prestigious recognition given for at least a decade of service to the
developing community, once known as
Suitcase
City.
He was honored as a founding member of the University Area Development
Corporation and his 12 years of service to the board.
McIlwain,
who has worked to help improve the lives of families in the area west of the
University
of South Florida,
took top honors at the association’s 20th
anniversary celebration. In an article published by the Tampa Tribune, McIlwain
was quoted as stating that the board and others "are not finished but the work
we have accomplished is amazing."
Future Continuing Dental Education Courses:
March 19, 2010
-
Pulp Therapy for the Growing Child,
Hilton Hotel, Gainesville
6 CEU, sponsored
by PedoGators, Inc.
See
enclosed brochure and registration form.
April 30-May 1, 2010
-
Pediatric Conscious Sedation and ACLS Training,
Gainesville,
FL,
sponsored by FAPD.
See
enclosed brochure.
Next Annual Business Luncheon Meeting: FNDC
Meeting,
Orlando,
FL,
Friday June 11, 2010
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