MEMBERSHIP
Quarterly SUMMER 2020
VOL 18 / ISSUE 5
Shoreline Hygiene Update | Presidents Message Everyone for Veterans 1111 Har vard Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122-4205
206.448.6620 www.skcds.org 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY l
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2 l 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY
Heidi Horwitz
Dr. Heidi Horwitz, West Seattle Orthodontics
SUMMER 2020 Volume 18, Issue 5
Seattle-King County Dental Society Summer Quarterly
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contributors: Ms. Sandra Anderson Dr. Austin Baruffi Dr. Kal Klass Mr. Dustin Long Publisher: Bill Newcomer, BNC Printing & Graphics, Vancouver, WA OFFICERS Dr. Austin Baruffi, President Dr. Adam Kennedy, President-Elect Dr. Lisa Egbert, Past-President Dr. Katie DeWood, Secretary Dr. Scott Parker, Treasurer EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Dr. Elizabeth A. Kutcipal, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Amanda Spivey, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Joe Vaughn, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Mark Egbert, Executive Council 2022 Dr. Emily Yepez, Executive Council 2022 Dr. Kate Christian, Executive Council 2023 Dr. Rica Mackert, Executive Council 2023 Dr. Randy Ogata, Executive Director Contact and Change of Address: To ensure continued receipt of issues, change of address must be reported to: SKCDS Central Office , 1111 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122-4205, as soon as possible Phone: 206.448.6620 | Fax: 206.443.9308. Email: skcds@skcds.com | website: www.skcds.org The information in this publication is for the exclusive benefit of Seattle-King County Dental Society members. Neither the Society nor the publisher makes any express or implied warranties as to the information herein, including the contents of any advertising. Opinions in The Quarterly do not necessarily express the official policies of the Seattle-King County Dental Society, nor the opinions of the editor, unless so stated. Publication of advertising is not an endorsement, qualification, approval or guarantee of either advertisers or product. For advertising and publishing details, contact: Mr. Bill Newcomer, BNC Printing & Graphics, 503.318.5916, bill@bncprinting.com; www.bncprinting.com
Office Team / Contact................................................................................3 President’s Message...................................................................................4 From the Desk of Dr. Ogata ........................................................................5 New Members...........................................................................................7 Everyone for Veterans ................................................................................8 News You Can Use.....................................................................................9 Voices: Young Dentist and COVID-19 ..........................................................10 Structuring a Strong Team ................................................................................13 Shoreline Community College Hygiene Program ...............................................17 Peer Review ...................................................................................................18 Masks for Dentists ..........................................................................................20 Dr. Munk........................................................................................................22
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Cover Photo: SKCDS Executive Council President, Austin Baruffi 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY l 3
The
President’s Message
Dr. Austin Baruffi
COVID Curveball
The new Executive Council, that you have recently elected, are an extremely impressive group of individuals that I am honored to work with. Their ideas are insightful and their willingness to dedicate their time to work for the society is inspiring. We are adjusting to COVID times and are focused on developing new ways to help you and improve the quality of member benefits. Randy has modernized our technology to help with communication so that as an organization we can meet digitally, the society has an active social media presence, and we are looking for ways to continue to interact with members in this new socially distanced world. Continuing education repeatedly comes up in feedback from members, as one of your most valued benefits, and we will continue to provide interesting and educational classes so you can have the most up to date information about how to keep our patients, our staff, and ourselves healthy while striving for excellent oral health. A recent focus has been working with the UW Dental School to help the students get a path to licensure with the State Health Department. The workforce shortages continue to affect our members and we have been trying to come up with alternative solutions to the closing of the Shoreline Community College Dental Hygiene Program. The curse, “may you live in interesting times,” is in effect and your dental society has stepped up to help develop positive outcomes for all our members. I am grateful to be a volunteer and a leader for your component society. Sincerely,
Dr. Austin Baruffi
Well, that was unexpected! I thought I would be taking the reins from Dr. Lisa Egbert, after she did a fantastic job of establishing stability for SKCDS, Dr. Austin Baruff and have some sense of normalcy. My plans moving forward included focusing on workforce shortages, third party payer issues, and student debt. Those were three swings for the direction of the Society and then the completely unexpected COVID pitch was thrown, catching us all off guard. Like many, if not all of you, my life has been completely different since early March. Things that used to matter, like minimizing no-shows and co-pays, are no longer in my vocabulary. They were replaced with weird acronyms like PPE, PPP, and EIDL. Also, muttering the occasional F, S, D! Luckily, there was a tremendous amount of support from organized dentistry to help guide me through the chaos and get back to practicing dentistry, albeit in altered attire. SKCDS, WSDA, and the ADA have worked tirelessly to help dentists in more ways than I could have imagined. There were countless webinars produced, digital tool kits created, conversations with government officials at all levels, distributions of PPE, and the continued development of a unified community trying to succeed in weathering an unprecedented storm. It has been incredible to be a part of it and to help out where I can in my new role as President of SKCDS. My favorite part thus far has been volunteering at the WSDA with Randy Ogata, Sandra Anderson, and some generous society members who assisted in putting together the packages of masks to distribute for free to dentists throughout King County and Washington State. Dentists were worried about not having the right masks to reopen their practice so organized dentistry listened and created a solution to remedy the problem. Plus, after not seeing any familiar faces during the lock down, it was fantastic to be with my colleagues again! 4 l 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY
From the desk of Dr. Randy Ogata
Summer 2020
Executive Director
The Seattle King County Dental Society (SKCDS), led by President Dr. Austin Baruffi, assisted and aided every dentist (and future dentist) in King County. It wasn’t about being a member or non-member, it was about helping OUR dental profession. SKCDS teamed up with the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA), led by President Dr. Dennis Bradshaw, the American Dental Association (ADA) led by Dr. Chad Gehani, and thousands of other dedicated volunteer (servant) leaders and staff to accomplish what none of us were capable of doing as individuals. Originally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had dentists very low on the priority list for personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution. All the leaders in the tripartite (ADA/WSDA/SKCDS) recognized this as a barrier to the safe treatment of patients and it took actions at every level to break the roadblock. In early May, the ADA’s lobby efforts elevated dentists to #4 on the FEMA priority list. This allowed the WSDA, in partnership with Delta Dental, to approach the Washington State FEMA office and successfully lobby for the release of an initial 300,000 masks which were delivered May 15th. Immediately, volunteers from SKCDS, and across the state, jumped into action. Early in the morning on May 15th, over fifty staff and volunteers divided the much-needed masks into zip-lock bags for all the dentists across 17 districts in Washington State. On Saturday, May 16th , the WSDA scheduled a “drive through and pick up” and we distributed 1,622 zip-lock bags with 26 KN95 and 25 Surgical Masks to dentists from Snohomish and SKCDS. This initial distribution of PPE allowed many dentists, to open their doors on May 18 and 19. SKCDS continued to fulfill requests for masks for the next two weeks, processing over 400 additional requests for masks. This is one small example of “We Are Better Together.” (see photos page 20) Early on, Dr. Baruffi recognized the need for dentists to have additional access to other PPE supplies. He commissioned the SKCDS staff to compile a list of local vendors and provide the list behind the Member Resource section on SKCDS website. This has been a runaway success and we have updated the list weekly. Several of these vendors have been able to supply SKCDS members with N95 masks and gowns, both of which have been in short supply. In addition, SKCDS has listed ways for dentists to apply directly to the King County Public Health Department to receive free PPE supplies, given out on an “as needed” and “as available” basis. COVID’s effects on all the dental schools and students across the world have been widespread and in some ways very cruel. Due to circumstances totally out of their control, the University of Washington School of Dentistry’s fourth year dental students were sent out of the clinic and finished their course work “virtually”. They headed towards graduation, and an uncertain future, without the traditional pathways to licensure available to them. Put yourself in their shoes. These students sacrificed 25+ years of their lives to fulfill a dream of becoming a dentist, average debt load of between $250,000 to $500,000; and minimal job opportunities as the profession emerges from a pandemic. Now, after graduating “virtually”, there is NO PATHWAY to licensure that will allow them to practice. Once again, the tripartite jumped into action. The ADA unveiled the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE), a non-patient evaluation based on the Canadian OSCE. It is precise, objective, and reproducible allowing uniform testing of students for a wide range of clinical skills. However, a scheduling glitch initially made this option a “No-Go” in the Seattle market. WSDA Board and SKCDS Executive Council wrote letters to the Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) on behalf of the students, requesting provisional licensure. After twice rescheduling their meeting, DQAC informed stakeholders that they would not consider provisional licensure as it was not in their purview. It was unfortunate DQAC could not have related this fact to the dental candidates before the first meeting. WSDA and the UW School of Dentistry had been lobbying Governor Inslee’s office for provisional licensure and we are confident that these efforts will help licensure candidates bridge the gap until they can be tested and licensed. On Friday June 5th DQAC accepted the revised WREB + required a periodontal section from any of the other exams as another pathway to licensure; which unfortunately left the candidates with no direct “in state” licensure pathway. Once again, the volunteers of the ADA/WSDA/SKCDS went to work. Dr. Linda Edgar, SKCDS member and 11th District Trustee worked with Dr. Chad Gehani over the weekend and solved the scheduling problem blocking candidates from getting appointments for the DLOSCE examinations in Seattle. Simultaneously, Dr. Bryan New Executive Director, Dr. Randy Ogata, and his family 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY l 5
Edgar, SKCDS dentist and former CODA representative, worked with other testing agencies and stakeholders to bring a periodontal section to the University of Washington to match with the already scheduled WREB examination. In the span of 4 days, and working over the weekend, the tripartite opened up two pathways to licensure by examination, when there had been none the Friday before. SKCDS has heard that almost every office is experiencing workforce issues as we restart our practices post-COVID. We are working behind the scenes with the Shoreline Community College (SCC) to save their hygiene program (see page 17). Once the President of SCC helps to bring down the barriers blocking the admission of the next cohort of students, SKCDS will jump in fully to help save this program graduating 24 dental hygienists a year. In addition, SKCDS started a job board on Facebook for members to post positions, as well as candidates to post availability. We encourage members to use this resource to help them help their offices. I look forward to helping Dr. Baruffi bring his vision of “Quality and Community” to life over the next several months. With everyone’s help, SKCDS can be the conduit of change for our public, profession and community to truly become “Better Together.” Honored to Serve OUR Dental Profession,
Dr. Randy Ogata Executive Director, SKCDS
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Please welcome our new members MAY
Dr. Jayanthi Bantwal Dr. Timothee Cousin Dr. Derick W. Hahn Dr. Nitin Jaggi Dr. Penelope J. Leggott Dr. Simran Sharma Dr. Edward Tse Dr. Nidhi Vyas
JUNE Dr. Brian Bhaskar Dr. Corey Bornstein Dr. Julie Dawn Catalano Bahnmiller Dr. Daniel Estrada Dr. Constantine Granatosky Dr. LeRoy Horton Dr. Yuchen Hu Dr. Melinda Lee Dr. Michael E Martin Dr. Kelly N Miller Dr. Alejandro Narvaez
Dr. Kim-Quy Thi Nguyen Dr. Stephanie Pedersen Dr. Neda Sayyah Dr. Lynn Xie
JULY Dr. Se Won An Dr. Victor Bauer Dr. Zola Bayarsaikhan Dr. Micah Bovenkamp Dr. Victoria Chang Dr. David Chi Dr. Mijin Choi Dr. Artem Chuvashov Dr. Clara Felker Dr. Justin Flinkman Dr. Sarah Kang
Members of SKCDS are encouraged to invite non-member dentists who are practicing in King County to join the Dental Society. A quick call to the WSDA Office at 206.973.5210 is all that is needed forthem to apply for membership at all three levels: Seattle-King County Dental Society, Washington State Dental Association and the American Dental Association.
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EVERYONE FOR VETS Dr. Theresa Cheng Borin, founder As dentists are re-opening their clinics, there is much angst and challenges with practicing under the new normal. In these tough times, it might be helpful to be reminded of the power of kindness and generosity as in Simon Sinek’s uplifting short video, The Power of Kindness on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8afO6jkod_4) Many dentists have shown incredible kindness and generosity in providing free dental care to veterans who are in need. They often express feeling good about being able to give back to a veteran or a spouse. “People giving get just as much out of it, if not more, than the people getting.” says Everyone for Veterans’ (E4V) volunteer dentist, Garrick Lo, DDS. Everyone for Veterans works to make a difference in the lives of veterans after they return from combat areas by connecting them to dentists in their area.The VA provides dental care to mainly veterans designated with 100% service connected disability. This accounts for only about 8% of veterans so most veterans do not get dental benefits. For low-income veterans, this means a lifetime of living with dental disease. For those who have returned from combat, we want to do more for them. A recent article featured on the homepage of the University of Washington website (https://www.washington.edu/boundless/filling-the-gaps/) focuses on Vietnam veteran Ray Schmick. Ray rarely smiled — not because he didn’t want to, but because he was very self-conscious about his damaged teeth. “It’s a very limiting factor in social situations and has caused me to avoid people,” says 68-year-old Navy veteran, who served four years of active duty during the Vietnam War. Seattle dentist, Dr. Nikole O’Bryan, volunteers with E4V and restored Ray’s mouth. This has transformed Ray’s interactions with friends and strangers. “I can now smile broadly when meeting people, with no fear,” Schmick says. “It’s a liberating feeling.” Besides the esthetic and functional benefits of restoring veterans’ mouth, the emotional and psychological benefits are significant for combat veterans who are learning to live with PTSD, and all the anguish of war and transitioning home. As reported by Rosevelina emotionally, of her Vietnam veteran husband, Robert’s dental care experience through E4V, “ He felt that he was forgotten after he had served but getting assistance from E4V helped him to feel like someone or the community actually still cared.” In Washington, King County has the largest number of veterans, at about 100,000. The COVID situation has certainly added another layer of challenges to veterans who struggle with so much already. Our veterans need us now more than ever. We hope dentists will continue to experience the power of kindness and generosity and provide pro bono care to a qualified veteran or spouse in the comfort of your office. For more information on how you can make a difference, please contact Dr. Theresa Cheng at drcheng@everyoneforveterans.org. To volunteer, go to the E4V website at https://www.everyoneforveterans.org/dentists.html Photos courtesy of the University of Washington
8 l 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY
NEWS YOU CAN USE Seattle/King County Clinic 2021 It is never to soon too plan ahead. If you have volunteered with the Seattle\King County Clinic, you know what an up-lifting and beneficial experience it can be. Project Director, Julia Colson reports that they have tentatively scheduled October 21-24, 2021 for the next clinic. Ms. Colson reminds us that this is “contingent upon how our community reopens following the pandemic”. The tentative plan is to locate the clinic in the newly rebuilt arena at Seattle Center, as it has been in previous years. The Seattle/King County Clinic is a program of the Seattle Center Foundation. The annual clinic has been in operation since 2013. SKCDF Gala 2021 These days we all need something to look forward to! The Seattle-King County Dental Foundation is cautiously anticipating their 2021 Gala to be held in March 13, 2021. In keeping with the times, the event would be both virtual and in-person. Imagine a lavish dinner party in a private home while you connect with friends and colleges via live-feed! It will be multiple parties, connected virtually. This festive gathering is thoroughly 21st century! Stay tuned for more information. Amalgam: One-Time Compliance Report Deadline The deadline for the mandatory one-time compliance report for dental offices is October 12th. Have you sent yours in? Dentists, and most dental specialties, are required by EPA to fill out a one-time compliance report that certifies both that they have installed and regularly maintain an amalgam separator; or that they do not work with amalgam. The King County Industrial Waste program (KCIW) is collecting these reports. The deadline for sending the one-time compliance report is October 12th, 2020. More information and a list of exempted dental specialties are listed on KCIW’s website(www.kingcounty.gov/iw-dental).If you have questions, contact KCIW at 206-477-5300 or info. kciw@kingcounty.gov.
2020 SKCDS Ad Summer FINAL.indd 1
6/12/20 4:35 lPM9 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY
VOICES: Young Dentists Talk about COVID and its Impact on Their Practices SKCDS recently asked several young dentists to share how the unprecedented COVID pandemic has affected their work, and life, as young dentists in King County. Drs. Rica Mackert and Ryan Tam shared their thoughts on dental community, dreams for the future and stepping up in crisis. Dr. Ryan Tam is a 2020 graduate of the University of Washington School of Dentistry (UW SOD). He currently lives in Kent. Dr. Rica Mackert is a 2016 graduate of UW SOD. She works for HealthPoint CHC in Des Moines and Bothell. Dr. Mackert is married to Dr. Joe Vaughn and they live in Seattle.
COVID and Your Dental Community
Dr. Ryan Tam says “I have not physically seen my friends since March, three whole months! We do our best to keep regular meetings zoom call / playing poker etc. Utilizing platforms like zoom and discord we have been able to maintain weekly poker games online where we can talk, catch up, and vent about some of the things we have been facing. My dental school friends are also very active on group chat in social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram where we send memes to each other, dental procedure tips and stories, job opportunities. “I recently started working as a Dental Assistant at an office while my license is processing. After finishing a 10-hour day and getting home at 7pm, it is hard to find motivation to make plans for events (even without social distancing). I know that Seattle King County Dental Society is very good at organizing events to help dentists stay involved and connected so I will most like be utilizing that network to build my dental community after dental school.” Dr. Mackert has been active with the HealthPoint COVID Taskforce during this time. “I currently serve on the COVID Taskforce for HealthPoint CHC and am very thankful for the opportunity to help our organization and support our community in a positive way during this pandemic.” Dr. Mackert adds “I was especially impressed to see our dental community come together - updating each other on the newest guidance from the CDC, reminding each other about upcoming COVID webinars from Spear and WAGD, and sharing future next steps and research on COVID-related products with each other. The health and safety of our staff and patients is our top priority. From my time serving on the COVID Taskforce, I’ve learned that each day is different, and with the ever changing supply of PPE and rate of COVID in our community, it’s essential to be flexible while doing what’s best for our patients and staff.”
COVID’s Impact on Your Dental Career
“Becoming a practice owner was, and still is, one of my goals in life” says Dr. Tam. “In dental school, I took every opportunity to grow my leadership skills and learn the front desk administration side of dentistry. COVID-19 has thrown a huge roadblock for my ideal timeline for becoming a practice owner. I hear the struggles that practices are facing right now with new OSHA changes and protocols for re-opening, using fit tested masks, not to mention not even being able to secure PPE. Dentists who have been practicing for a while know what ideal routines can be maintained, what need to be absolutely changed and which ones to be eliminated in order to maintain the high standard of care and cleanliness our profession has.” Learning and growing professionally has been a big part of Dr. Rica Mackert’s COVID experience, as well. “My experience during this COVID pandemic has been a humbling one. Our Taskforce is multidisciplinary, and I’m humbled by the great wealth of knowledge they all contribute to our team. It’s been a whirlwind experience, from developing organization-wide PPE Guidelines, to virtual meetings with our Director of Facilities to discuss negative pressure rooms, to collaborating with our doctors and MAs to fine-tune COVID testing protocols, as well as working with multiple clinic leadership teams during site visits, every day brings something new to the table. Although our dental teams were limited to seeing emergencies during the peak of the crisis, it’s been inspiring to see our dentists step up to perform COVID testing, hygienists and dental assistants jump in to work as screeners, some even becoming certified as pharmacy assistants! Everyone has willingly jumped into roles that 3 months ago, we never would have seen ourselves in. Collaborating with mentors at UW, leadership at neighboring CHCs and our fellow dental colleagues in our community has been extremely helpful (continued on page 11) 10 l 2020 SKCDS SUMMER MEMBERSHIP QUARTERLY
during this stressful time, and I am extremely thankful for everyone’s time and advice. It has truly reinforced the importance of collaboration and continuation of learning, even though we all graduated from dental school years ago.
Handling School Debt and Economic Changes
It’s no secret that our economy will feel the effects of COVID long after a vaccine is available. Dr. Tam takes a pragmatic look at school debt, saying, “I was raised to live very frugally by my parents who taught me the main difference between needs and wants. While they covered things like food and clothes, I took on part time jobs to pay for things that I wanted. Debt however is a different beast because while we want to pay it off on time, it falls into the need category. Many new grad dentists are going to enter the realm of compensation by production. With decreased patient volume on a weekly basis, the earning potential is reduced and what we thought were ideal payment plans for our student debt may not be applicable in today’s standards simply because the cost of business has gone up. It may take an extra five to ten years to pay off the debt that we have accumulated. I think the most important thing to do is focus on maintaining the principles of living within your means, re-evaluating lifestyle choices and luxury purchases. I personally plan to apply for income-based loan repayment purely because my income is not guaranteed currently and probably will not be through 2021. I have spent money on things that I need such as new scrubs for work, a spare pair of loupes, malpractice/ disability insurance. In terms of wants, I want a new car, but I am going to be driving my 1998 Camry for as long as I can in hopes of saving money.
Moving Forward
In her popular podcast, author Brene’ Brown, PhD. talks about how hard it is to be new at things – from small things to global pandemics. When we have no relevant experience or expertise, the vulnerability, uncertainty, and fear of these firsts can be overwhelming. As our young members navigate the new elements of their profession, they are also challenged by the new experience of a health pandemic. As Dr. Rica Market wisely and simply states “It’s also important that we continue to support each other and we continue to collaborate with each other. Although the future is unknown, one thing is for certain... We’re all in this together!” Jeffrey Doneskey DMD Certified in Oral Medicine
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Structuring a Strong Team when Building a Practice By Dustin Long, Owner Big Sky Northwest
Building a practice is a pivotal point in every doctor’s career. Even the most prepared individuals should have a strong team around them while planning to bring their vision into reality. The components of that team; the General Contractor specializing in dentistry, the real estate Broker, the Designer, the Banker, the Equipment Representative, and the Technology specialist, all play important roles that complement each other and are crucial to the success of a project. Relying on the expertise of others in the earliest stages allows a doctor more time to focus on building a new business, while also helping that business flourish in the best foundation possible. Within the General Contractors scope is the largest fiscal portion of building a practice, which is why having a contractor that specializes in dental projects is so important. Producing a budget that is all inclusive requires knowledge of the very unique infrastructure demands of a dental practice. These details, such as water solenoid valves and purity inspections of medical gas lines, can affect the budget, but more practical problems can also arise in the layout of chairs, operatory lights and televisions, creating very low tolerances and requiring precise, experienced builders. Choosing a general contractor that understands what is required at the offset can also help foster trust, minimizing changes and challenges during the project. Almost as important as trust within a contractor-client relationship is communication. A contractor that is willing to challenge outside forces in order to support their client throughout a project, and address issues that arise in a timely manner is essential to keeping a project on track. Coordination between the entities, within the team and outside of it, such as with the city and material suppliers, should be a regular activity of the contractor. As well as updating the team as to where the project is and where it is going. Construction is challenging, so having a team captain that is willing to take charge and lead a project in apositive direction is key to that project’s success. (continued on page 13)
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Knowing if an empty space has the infrastructure necessary for a dental practice can be difficult to ascertain, which is why having a knowledgeable Broker on your team from the onset is imperative. Figuring out what is critical to a client or practice as it pertains to the geographical, marketing, and other aspects, can screen out spaces, saving a significant amount of time. An experienced broker should also understand the need to negotiate with the landlord in order to get additional tenant improvement allowances and free rent periods. Extracting design details from the mind of a client is not the only role of a Designer in the early stages of a practice. A designer with dental knowledge will be able to deliver plans that are efficient in their design as well as follow legal requirements such as code compliance and patient privacy laws. Setting up the flow of an office during the design phase can also support physical operations once the practice is running. Understanding the fiscal parameters of where a project initiates is the basic role of the Banker in a dental project. A banker who also plays an active role not just at loan signing, but also during construction will help to protect the investment and keep the momentum of the project flowing forward. Finding the right type of loan program that is most suited to a Doctor now and into the practice’s growth projections, will benefit the practice well after construction is over. Deciding on equipment may not be the first decision a doctor needs to make when building a practice but having an Equipment Representative’s support in the planning stages to identify the style of dentistry and the needs of the practice will help produce a budget that is accurate and still provides the necessities for the practice. Identifying things like left handedness and additional procedures performed can allow designers to more accurately plan the flow and allocate adequate space for the doctor’s specific style of dentistry. Many doctor’s do not choose their Technology Specialist in the beginning of a project, but their pre-planning can help define the system operations of the business. Systems vary greatly in their depth as well as cost, and a specialist can create a perfect custom set-up. They can also work with the equipment rep and general contractor in order to plan for the in-wall infotech infrastructure necessary for the practice. At Big Sky Northwest we’ve built our team, network, and community on a strong foundation of trust, communication, and positive energy. If you’re interested in bringing that positive energy to your future or existing practice, please contact us anytime at 206-259-0936 or info@BigSkyNorthwest.com.
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Shoreline Hygiene Program Update Two days before Christmas, in December 2019, The Seattle Times reported that Shoreline Community College was facing a two million dollar budget shortfall and was proposing the closure of their Dental Hygiene program. The often-used phrase “We are stronger together than alone.” was never as true as in this evolving dilemma. However, what looked like a potentially hopeless situation, less than six months ago, is beginning to show signs of life. Early in January 2020, it was brought to the attention of local dentists that the administration of Shoreline Community College (SCC) was planning to remove their Dental Hygiene program. This long-standing program is the only public one in north King County. It has been in existence for 50 years. Under the leadership of Rosie Bellert, RDH, MA, the program produced hundreds of capable graduates who work in the greater King County area. When budget issues at the college got out of hand, the administration quietly decided to amputate the Dental Hygiene program as a means of saving money. The administration argued that it was a very expensive degree program to operate and there were other hygiene programs in the Puget Sound area. The plan would have left numerous second-year students with few options for completing their degree program. With the grassroots help of local associations, and dentists, the program has been able to make a strong case for continuing to operate. Dr. Nikki Honey, Professor of Dental Hygiene, credits local leaders such as Dr. Lisa Egbert, the Seattle-King County Dental Society, the Washington Dental Hygienists’ Association (WDHA), Arcora Foundation, and others with lobbying the SCC administration to slow their plans and consider the negative outcomes of their decision. Dr. Nikki Honey attributes grassroots efforts with keeping the program alive. The College administration was proposing demolition of the existing clinic during the summer of 2020. Thanks to swift legislative action, the demolition has been postponed. Legislative support came from a coalition of legislators, most notably Representative Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline) and Representative Gerry Pollet (D-Seattle), who took the lead. Representative Dr. Michelle Caldier (R-Port Orchard) was also influential in the process. The program also received Union support from AFT Washington. Local AFT President Eric Hamako and Government Relations Specialist Carolyn Brotherton advocated for the value of the dental hygiene program. Thanks to local champions, the Dental Hygiene program is continuing to offer classes – despite the disruption of COVID-19 – for all students. Second-year students will be able to graduate with minimal interruption. Additionally, the program has a potentially outstanding future with the University of Washington. Thanks to the support and advocacy of Dr. Gary Chiodo, Dean the University of Washington School of Dentistry (UW SOD), Second year students will complete their training with classes at UW SOD clinics. First year Dental Hygiene students will continue to take classes on the Shoreline campus, and then transition to complete their training at UW. This is a benefit to current SCC students since the UW campus is relatively close. The SCC administration had initially suggested that current student transfer to Lake Washington Technical Institute (LWTI), in Kirkland. According to the Seattle Times article, most students commute up to two hours to attend the Shoreline program. Transferring to study at LWTI would have been geographically prohibitive for many students. The benefit to collaborating with the University Of Washington School Of Dentistry is the chance for dental students to work alongside hygiene students, learning together, and developing working relationships. The University of Washington previously had a Dental Hygiene program from 1950 through 1983. The long-term vision is that the University of Washington would once again offer a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene. The Shoreline staff would ideally all work at UW as part of the ultimate conceptualization of the program. In preparation for these developments, Evelyn Hobbs, a consultant from the WDHA, has been preparing reports for submission to the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Transitioning the program will be a lengthy, multi-step process that will continue to require the support and grassroots advocacy of the King County dental community. Currently, the Dental Hygiene program is about four months behind schedule in recruiting admissions for an in-coming first-year class. The dental hygiene faculty is asking that the community lobby for Shoreline Community College administration to begin accepting dental hygiene student applications. The new fall cohort will ultimately transition to UW, if everything goes according to plan. At a time when there is a very high demand for Dental Hygienists, it is more important than ever that this program continue. Organized dentistry brings collective power to our voice for change. Workforce development is one of the biggest issues facing the dental community right now, and it benefits all of our members to speak out for the efficient continuation of this program.
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Peer Review: It’s All About Mediation. Dr. Kalman Klass DDS, former Peer Review Chairperson
The SKCDS Peer Review Committee’s mediation for disputes between dentists and patients and between dentists themselves is your most valuable benefit as member dentists. There is no charge to either party, and most disputes are resolved within 4 weeks. Here is some easy math: if you get sued or if you have to fight a complaint with the Department of Health (DOH), it will cost a minimum of tens of thousands of dollars and easily in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Your malpractice insurance may cover a large share of a suit brought against you by a patient. BUT YOUR MALPRACTICE INSURANCE COVERS ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT of any claim with the Department of Health. Personally, my own malpractice covers $20,000.00 of a DOH claim and that gets used up pretty darn fast, let me tell you. If both patient and dentist accept peer review with the Dental Society, it usually prevents future lawsuits and complaints with the DOH. This article will explain how it works. Your annual dues include the full cost of mediation through our Peer Review Committee. Some common complaints which dentists call about in regards to other dentists are: 1. Why another dentist disparaged them without calling or knowing about their previous treatment with a patient. 2. Advertising: untruthful wording, e.g., claiming any kind of specialty which is not recognized by the ADA for their particular practice. Also, please remember, any sign outside your office must list the names of any dentist practicing within that office. 3. Taking care of other dentists’ emergencies. And, we should never include, on our answering machine, to call 911. Calling 911 is ONLY for life threatening emergencies. You should leave the dentist’s name or another staff member’s name on your machine for on call emergencies. There are ways we, as dentists, can prevent complaints with patients from escalating. 1. Please don’t ever tell a patient that the previous dentist did something wrong; I don’t care how obvious it may seem to you. I can guarantee you that after hearing the patient’s side of the story, you will all have a different impression after speaking with the previous dentist. This has been my observation 100% of the time, and I’ve been doing this job for many years. 2. The way that patients speak about their previous dentist may be exactly how they describe you to their next dentist since they may not stay with you forever either. So be careful, especially in the age of social media. You all know by now that anything that gets posted on the internet will stay there forever. So, how do we deal directly with patient complaints ? First, when anyone calls the Dental Society to register a complaint, the staff may resolve the issue without sending it to Peer Review. Non-member dentists cannot use this benefit. Complaints from either Medicaid plans or large corporate offices are handled through their own peer review systems. Often, however, they are simple fee disputes which may be settled by the staff at the Dental Society office. But if both dentist and patient want the dispute settled by a dentist on our Committee, we assign one of our Committee members to settle the dispute. Since this is considered “informal,” we do not allow any legal counsel to be involved. Due, in part, to this requirement, it is also not a reportable event to the National Practitioner Data Bank (another benefit of peer review). The process mostly involves our Committee member speaking with the patient and dentist on the phone and comparing notes and records, although we do not work with anything tangible at this point, such as x-rays or written records. Many disputes are settled, often through some sort of compromise or fee re-imbursements. IF the dispute is not settled, it proceeds to what we call a “panel.” This is an informal hearing in my office in which several Committee member dentists independently interview both patient and dentist and review records (x-rays, models, charting, etc). Prior to this panel, we have both patient and dentist sign a binding arbitration agreement in which they acknowledge that our final decision is binding; they will not use an attorney or proceed with further litigation. AND they must sign another agreement to not post anything on social media pertaining to the office with which they have a dispute. Finally, if they disagree with our final decision, they are allowed to file an appeal with the Washington State Dental Association. But this is rare, and it has happened only a handful of times since 2001. I am proud to tell you that the WSDA upheld our decisions. Extreme cases of wrong doing may be referred to the Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC), but this is also rare. If you have questions pertaining to complaints filed with the Department of Health or potential law suits from patients, please feel free to call or email me first. Our Committee has provided valuable experience and again, there is no cost to the member dentist for the time spent by Committee members. Our goal is to provide an avenue in which we, as dentists, can have smooth sailing and enjoy the practice of dentistry.
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Back in Business! Masks for King County Dentists Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 were very busy days for the staff, leadership and volunteers of the WSDA and SKCDS. Thanks to FEMA and WSDA for helping to secure masks for all dentists in King County. May 15 was spent packaging thousands and thousands of masks (both N95s and surgical style masks) to be distributed to all dentists in Washington state. One Saturday, May 16th, staff and volunteers handed out sealed packets to the hundreds of dentists who drove to the WSDA office in Seattle. Over the following weeks, SKCDS continued to distribute masks to those local dentists who had not received their allotment. Special thanks to the members (and parents!) of Scout Pack 624 and Scout Troops 457, 624, 647 and 678 from Mercer Island. The Scouts volunteered 120 hours, over two weeks, to fulfill PPE mask packets for all King County dentists. We appreciate the hard work and welcome the partnership with this great group of community volunteers! Over 6 weeks SKCDS made available mask packets available to members and non-members as they reopened their practices. In addition to this first wave of free PPE, SKCDS, along with WSDA and ADA, have been sourcing other PPE that member’s can access for free or very low cost. For more information please contact the SKCDS office at 206-448-6630 or visit our website at www.skcds.org.
Dr. Randy Ogata and Scouts.
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World Travel By Al Munk DDS As I sit in the doldrums of this COVID pandemic, I am reminiscing on the days when we could actually travel more than a half-mile from our houses, and the days when a little sniffle was an irritation rather than a cause for pandemonium and a trip to the ER. Ah, the joys of European travel! This column was originally printed in 1999, but the sentiments still ring true!
what I believe is called a bidet. The French invented this activated bottomwasher as a direct descendant of the implements used in the basement of the Bastille. I was careful not to go too near this device for fear it would turn into Old Faithful without provocation. What happened, I wondered, when in the middle of the night , some groggy visitor from Borneo mistakenly sat down on this enamel geyser to pee then when flushing, was unceremoniously A few years ago, my wife and I travelled to Germany for gold inlay affairs and launched up to the next floor? related shenanigans. Upon returned, I picked up some evil respiratory microbe. Of course, it could have been nothing to do with long nights in smoky bars but rather must be a potent strain of Deutsch-virus contracted in the line of It was a nice, warm summer day and I showed up at the local country duty while inspecting gingival club in my finest shorts and penguin-equipped shirt. Figuring this was good margins on those loyal patients enough for the best clubs in the States, I strode in like I owned the place. from Dusseldorf. Eyebrows raised and women gasped however, at the site of my hairy, bare legs. Evidently, shorts are fine for males as long as you wear knee-socks. And But first we stopped in London I mean all the way up to the kneecap. I got some and put them on, realizing on the way over for the dual the Dork of York was purpose of eastward-bound jet-lag extinction and to sample the golf links the once again in full swing. evening culture in this most cosmopolitan of cities. Our hotel has those thick Besides looking stupid, white bathrobes and little white terry-cloth slippers to wear whilst traversing the darn things fell down from one’s room to the pool. Only James Bond should be seen in public wearing every fifteen seconds. At this sort of outfit. On my first trip across the parking lot to the pool, of course the turn, I went into the I ran into a bevy of beautiful people dressed to the nines on their way out for club for a cold drink, now some gala. I smiled at them as they snickered, thinking I could only have looked apparently in legal attire. worse if I have on curlers and a hair net. I began this trip thinking I was the Much to my dismay, Duke of York but was soon establishing my true nature as the Dork from York. there is no ice at the bar. No ice? Is this a nation In England, the manner of English spoken is very clear and precise, the with out Sensodyne? Kings’ English I believe they call it. However, here the precision ends. In all How could they have no other things, chaos has taken over. For example, the steering wheel is on ice? How could they have fought the war or dug the Chunnel without ice? the wrong side of the car. And, to make matters worse, everyone drive on No wonder Churchill looked so angry all the time. the wrong side of the road. Road signs say things like “Give Way.” Instead of traffic lights there are traffic circles, the devils own creation which That’s all for now from Ballard. once one enters, there is no change of ever leaving. And woe to the poor pedestrian who must transgress this maze by foot. Do you look to the right, the left of just close your eyes and plunge to certain death and mayhem? Of course, the bathroom was an adventure as well. We learned to call it the “loo” by the end of the week to avoid local embarrassment. Instead of a normal shower, there was one of those detachable sprayer sort of things, useful for watering the lawn or washing the dog but certainly not useful to cleanse the reaches of my body. Whenever I turned it on, it was always pointed somewhere dangerous and spit a stream so fine it could cut titanium. Next to the toilet was
EXPOSURES
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of the Seattle-King County Dental Society.
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