News – Page 5 – Arkansas State Dental Association

ADA clarifies “good faith estimates” in No Surprises Act

Billy Tarpley on April 6, 2023

A new bill expected to pass Congress today references the No Surprises Act, which requires medical providers to provide “a good faith estimate of expected charges” before treating uninsured and underinsured patients. The act, which went into effect on January 1, 2022, curbs unexpected billing and provide consumers new financial protections when undergoing both emergency and non-emergency care.

On February 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid clarified how this new law affects dentistry and how your practice should bill and provide patient estimates going forward.

For more information on best practices, estimates, and exceptions to the good faith estimate rule, please visit the ADA and CMS websites.

MATE Act in spending bill includes changes sought by ADA

Billy Tarpley on April 6, 2023

The omnibus spending bill approved by Congress at the end of 2022 includes the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act, which requires dentists and other providers who prescribe controlled substances (Schedules II-V) to have eight hours of training before obtaining or renewing a Drug Enforcement Administration registration. ADA advocacy was successful in getting Congress to change some MATE Act provisions to align with Association policy, including the removal of a requirement that dentists take three hours of specialized training to prescribe buprenorphine, which is beyond the scope of dental practice.

Download a printable FAQ here.

(Reprinted from ADA Morning Huddle)

Full Story: ADA News

ASDA Storm Relief Response

Billy Tarpley on April 1, 2023

The outbreak of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that struck Arkansas on Friday, March 31 dealt a crippling blow to hundreds of businesses and residences in our state. Unfortunately, several dental offices did not escape the damage either. To that end, ASDA wants to know and we’re asking for your help.

Please help ASDA gather information on dentists who may have suffered damage from Friday’s weather events. Whether it was you who experienced a loss or another dentist we want to gather information as to how we may be of assistance.

Obviously, insurance will be the first resource in assembling the data necessary to address property losses, but ASDA has access to limited funds that may be used for expenses that may not otherwise covered by the doctor’s insurance policies.

For the time being, we will gather basic information and reach out to you or the affected parties as soon as possible. More detailed information will be requested at a later date.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FORM

DATA RECOVERY

During this time of recovery, Standard Computer is offering free data recovery services to any dental office that was impacted from the storms. According to CEO Sean Kubin, “If a dentist’s server won’t boot, we will try to recover data to a loaner server or virtual machine.” He said they can also provide estimates or statements for electrical or flood damage to offices. Just email staff@standardcomputer.com or call 501-224-0050 ext. 1 for more information

ASDA OFFICE

The ASDA headquarters office in Sherwood is presently without power due to the tornado. We hope that electricity can be restored next week, but will continue to monitor phone calls to the best of our ability. For now, if we can be of assistance please use the following information:

Billy Tarpley, Executive Director – billy@arkansasdentistry.org. – cell 870-260-6079
Gorma McBride, Comptroller – gorma@arkansasdentistry.org – cell 251-294-2488
Dwight Callaham, PAIS Agency Manager – dwight@paisllc.com – cell 501-993-6991
Holly Scheiber, PAIS/ASDA – holly@paislls.com – cell 501-326-4482

Obituary: Dr. Marty Joe Harderson of Clarksville, AR

Billy Tarpley on March 2, 2023

Marty Joe Harderson, DDS was born on June 9, 1960 in Clarksville, AR to Joe and Juanita Harderson. He graduated from formerly known as Hartman High School in Hartman, Arkansas, known now as Westside High School in Coal Hill, AR to eventually earn several high school honors, including the highest achievement math award. Ultimately, he made the decision to attend dental school in Memphis, Tennessee, which would set the course for the rest of his life. He used his skills in dentistry to help countless patients, witness to them as he was working on them, sing to them as he was working on them and make them feel more comfortable in a dentist office. He had an overwhelming passion to help those in need, resulting in several mission trips to different countries and mission clinics across the state of Arkansas. He loved music, learned how to play multiple instruments and wrote several songs that have touched so many lives. His love for the Lord was reflected in his love for people, family and his ministry of music in the church. Marty was full of life, loved to tell jokes and loved football more than most. He was an amazing father, grandfather and will be missed by several people more than words can describe.

He is preceded in death by Joe Harderson (father), Juanita Harderson (mother), Shiryl Harderson (sister) and Noah Samuel Harderson (grandson).

He is survived by one son, Gabriel (Crystal) Harderson of Clarksville; two brothers, Ken (Stacy) Harderson of Ozone and Victor Harderson of Oceanside, CA; one sister, Melba (Shawn) Ritchie of Pottsville; his four grandchildren, Kylee, Blakelee, Wyatt and Saylor and a host of other family and friends.

ADA receives clarification on No Surprises Act

Billy Tarpley on March 2, 2023

American Dental Association update, March 2, 2023 – Dental providers and facilities are “generally required to provide uninsured patients with a good faith estimate of expected charges” unless the patient is enrolled in an excepted benefit plan or coverage such as a stand-alone dental plan, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid.

This was one of the answers the ADA received from CMS when the Association shared common questions it has received from member dentists about the No Surprises Act, also known as surprise billing.

The No Surprises Act went into effect Jan. 1, 2022. The law gives consumers billing protections when getting emergency care, nonemergency care from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, and air ambulance services from out-of-network providers.

Many dentists have asked the ADA about good faith estimates and whether they need to provide them.

On Feb. 22, CMS sent an email to ADA confirming that dental providers are required to provide uninsured or self-pay individuals with a good faith estimate of expected charges under [federal regulation] 45 CFR 149.610. The agency did note that providers and facilities are “generally not required to provide a good faith estimate to an individual enrolled in an excepted benefit plan or coverage such as a limited-scope dental plan, even if the individual is not enrolled in other coverage.”

“This is because such an individual is considered to be enrolled in a group health plan or health insurance coverage under the Public Health Service Act, and therefore is generally not considered uninsured,” CMS said.

The CMS also said there were two exceptions to the good faith estimate rule:

“If the excepted benefit plan or coverage does not cover a scheduled or requested item or service (for example, because the excepted benefit plan is a limited-scope vision plan and the individual is scheduling dental services), and the individual has no other coverage for the item or service, that individual is considered uninsured with respect to that item or service, and the provider or facility must give them an uninsured or self-pay good faith estimate,” the response said. “Similarly, if the individual does not seek to have a claim for the item or service submitted to their excepted benefit plan or coverage, and the individual has no other coverage for that item or service, that individual is considered self-pay with respect to that item or service, and the provider or facility must give them an uninsured (or self-pay) good faith estimate.

“In both of these cases, the individual with the uninsured or self-pay good faith estimate would be eligible to initiate the Patient-Provider Dispute Resolution process if the provider or facility’s bill is at least $400 more than the estimate in the good faith estimate.”

CMS also noted that in making the determination as to whether the individual is uninsured or self-pay, “there is no requirement in [the regulation] that providers or facilities verify coverage for each item or service with the individual’s plan or issuer. Providers and facilities may make this determination based on its inquiries of the individual under [the regulation.]”

For previous ADA News information on the No Surprises Act, read this 2022 article.

For information on all of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid guidance on the No Surprises Act, visit CMS.gov/NoSurprises.

The ADA continues to monitor this evolving issue and will share any updates the Association receives. This article is not, and should not, be considered legal advice.

For more information on all the ADA’s advocacy efforts, visit ADA.org/Advocacy.

The top 3 challenges facing dentists in 2023

Billy Tarpley on February 1, 2023

What’s in Store for the Dental Sector in 2023?

American Dental Association, February 1, 2023 –

2023 marks the third year of the ADA Health Policy Institute’s monthly polling around the perspectives of practicing dentists on the dental economy and other current events impacting the industry. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or joined somewhere along the way, we thank you for your continued interest and insights as we begin another year together. Now that the books have closed on 2022, we’re surveying the dental landscape of 2023. The December and January waves of HPI’s Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry poll find that dentists are actively anticipating and taking action for the year ahead:

Top 3 Challenges: The top concerns dental practices are dealing with are staffing, rising operating costs, and stagnant insurance reimbursement levels. There will continue to be margin compression.
Top 3 Practice Preparations: The top actions dentists plan in 2023 are raising fees, hiring more staff and dropping out of some insurance networks. Nearly three out of four dentists plan to raise their fees, 2 out of 5 dentists want to hire more staff, and more than a third intend to drop out of some insurance networks.

Other key takeaways include:

Recruitment Needs: Recruitment needs for dental hygienists and assistants slightly declined again in January. But by no means is the shortage over. Dentists continue to say recruitment is extremely challenging.
Practice Schedules: Dental practice schedules remain steady at the start of 2023, with schedules 85% full on average in January. For several months, we have been in a ‘holding pattern’. Increasingly, dental practices are saying ‘not enough patients’ is the key reason they are not busier, compared to ‘staffing shortages’ which was a much bigger reason a year ago.
Dental Spending: The December data show no big developments in terms of dental spending trends. Here too, we appear to be in a ‘holding pattern’. It is unlikely there is any more pent-up demand to work through, and we may be hitting a new “steady state.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS

Employee Retention Credit: Does Your Dental Practice Qualify?

Billy Tarpley on January 24, 2023

A MESSAGE FROM GILL RAGON OWEN ATTORNEYS: Keeping You Informed!

EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDITS

_______________________________________________________________

If your business (even if it’s tax-exempt) had W-2 employees during 2020 and 2021, your business may qualify retroactively to claim Employee Retention Credits of up to $26,000 per employee.

The law recently changed to allow an employer to retroactively claim the Employee Retention Credits, even if the business obtained a PPP loan.

Now, an employer may amend its payroll tax returns (Form 941, etc.) for tax year 2020 and the first three quarters of tax year 2021 to claim the Employee Retention Credit if either:

the business’s (or a major supplier’s) operations were impacted by a government order related to COVID; or
the business suffered a significant reduction in revenue compared to its 2019 revenue.

We work on a contingency basis to help a business determine in a formal tax opinion as to whether your business is eligible to claim Employee Retention Credits, and, if so, to what amount of Employee Retention Credits it is entitled.

Please contact Chris Travis or Adam Reid at (501) 376-3800 to begin the process.

ADA: Half of Dentists Say Patients Are High at Dental Appointments

Billy Tarpley on November 3, 2022

Medical Marijuana Use May Affect Oral Health and Treatment

CHICAGO, November 3, 2022 – As personal and medical marijuana use increases nationwide, the American Dental Association (ADA) suggests patients refrain from using marijuana before dental visits after a new survey finds more than half of dentists (52%) reported patients arriving for appointments high on marijuana or another drug.

Currently, recreational marijuana use is legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia, with five more states voting on ballot measures Nov. 8. Medicinal use is legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia.

“When talking through health histories, more patients tell me they use marijuana regularly because it is now legal,” says ADA spokesperson Dr. Tricia Quartey, a dentist in New York. “Unfortunately, sometimes having marijuana in your system results in needing an additional visit.”

That’s because being high at the dentist can limit the care that can be delivered. The survey of dentists found 56% reported limiting treatment to patients who were high. Because of how marijuana and anesthesia impact the central nervous system, 46% of surveyed dentists reported sometimes needing to increase anesthesia to treat patients who needed care.

Findings were uncovered in two online surveys earlier this year – one of 557 dentists and a second nationally representative survey of 1,006 consumers – conducted as part of trend research by the ADA.

“Marijuana can lead to increased anxiety, paranoia and hyperactivity, which could make the visit more stressful. It can also increase heart rate and has unwanted respiratory side effects, which increases the risk of using local anesthetics for pain control,” Dr. Quartey said. “Plus, the best treatment options are always ones a dentist and patient decide on together. A clear head is essential for that.”

Studies have also shown regular marijuana users are more likely to have significantly more cavities than non-users.

“The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, makes you hungry, and people don’t always make healthy food choices under its influence,” Dr. Quartey said. “Medically speaking, munchies are real.”

The science behind oral health and marijuana is beginning to emerge, particularly when it comes to edible or topical forms. Still, there are strong indications that smoking marijuana is harmful to oral and overall health. The ADA surveyed 1,006 consumers in a second poll around marijuana and vaping use. The results of the representative sample found nearly 4 in 10 (39%) patients reported using marijuana, with smoking the most common form of use. Separately, 25% of respondents said they vaped, and of those respondents, 51% vaped marijuana.

“Smoking marijuana is associated with gum disease and dry mouth, which can lead to many oral health issues,” Dr. Quartey said. “It also puts smokers at an increased risk of mouth and neck cancers.”

The ADA has called for additional research around marijuana and oral health and will continue to monitor the science to provide clinical recommendations for dentists and patients.

In the meantime, survey results show 67% of patients say they are comfortable talking to their dentist about marijuana. The ADA recommends dentists discuss marijuana use while reviewing health history during dental visits.

“If we ask, it’s because we’re here to keep you in the best health we can,” Dr. Quartey says. “If you use it medicinally, we can work with your prescribing physician as part of your personal healthcare team.”

In the meantime, patients who use marijuana can stay on top of their oral health with a strong daily hygiene routine of brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth daily and visiting the dentist regularly and making healthy snack choices.

For more information on the oral health effects of marijuana, visit ADA.org.

Obituary: Dr. James Calvin Wilkins, ADA Member for 61 years

Billy Tarpley on October 7, 2022

Dr. James Calvin Wilkins, age 83, of North Little Rock, passed away October 3, 2022.

He was born July 13, 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee to Thomas Dale and Hazel Wilkins. He was raised in Luxora, Arkansas, and was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America.

Dr. Wilkins served as a Lt. Commander in the Naval Reserve. He was a 1961 graduate of Hendrix College. He attended Dental School at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and graduated in 1964. He then pursued a fellowship in pediatric dentistry at the University of Tennessee, graduating in 1967.

Dr. Wilkins took pride in his profession. He opened the first pediatric dental practice in North Little Rock. He was on staff at Arkansas Children’s Hospital for 50 years and recently honored for this achievement. He was active in Arkansas State Dental Association where he served for years in many capacities.

He was an active member of Lakewood United Methodist Church in North Little Rock. He served on many boards, committees, and taught adult Sunday School class for many years.

He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and was always ready to help family, friends, and neighbors. He was well liked, loving, caring, extremely organized, and hard working. One of his greatest joys was working in his yard.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Margaret Wilkins; three sons, Dale Wilkins (Kelly), Thomas Wilkins (Karena), and Louis Wilkins (Marilyn); and six grandchildren, Taylor Wilkins Davis (Dustin), Kathryn Wilkins Kypke (Vaughn), Cameron Wilkins, Carter Wilkins, Nicholas Wilkins, and Caroline Wilkins.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 8, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., at Lakewood United Methodist Church, 1922 Topf Rd, North Little Rock.

Arrangements are by Roller-Owens Funeral Home in North Little Rock.

In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Dental Clinic at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Dentists, dental students authorized to administer monkeypox vaccine

Billy Tarpley on October 6, 2022

Reprinted from ADA Morning Huddle, October 6, 2022:

The US Department of Health and Human Services has amended a Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration to authorize additional providers, including dentists and dental students, to vaccinate patients against monkeypox virus, smallpox and other orthopoxviruses in a declared emergency, ADA News reports. By expanding the number providers who can administer the monkeypox vaccine, HHS hopes to increase equitable access for those at high risk for infection, according to a HHS Oct. 3 news release. HHS previously amended the PREP Act in 2021 to allow dentists and dental students to administer COVID-19 vaccines, which the ADA advocated for and supported. For more information about monkeypox and PREP Act coverage, visit the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s website.

Full Story: ADA News (10/5)