I Try Not to Get Political - But....

"I Have a Dream" - the MLK Step at the Lincoln Memorial at sunrise

Once again, I was honored to have been chosen as part of a delegation to represent Colorado dentists and attend the Washington Leadership Conference put on by the American Dental Association. It is an opportunity for leaders in dentistry to meet with our national legislators to educate and advocate best practices and trends that we are seeing.  In a time of such flux with the delivery of healthcare, we offer perspective that hopefully will help shape health care and ensure that we can best serve our communities.

It was an interesting social and political time in the area.  A man named Freddie Gray was killed while in police custody shortly after being arrested.  Sadly, a much too common occurrence not just limited to Baltimore, but across the nation. The protests began peacefully but soon turned violent.

I was Baltimore to attend the Orioles game on Saturday evening. There was a palpable energy inside and around the stadium due to a strong police presence. At the game’s conclusion, the fans were not allowed to leave for their own safety until the riots had calmed.  

As time marched on, the riots continued. Buildings were damaged and looting ensued.  People were injured.  The National Guard was called in, and a curfew was instituted. CNN and Fox News were having a paparazzi feeding frenzy with a countdown to the mandated curfew. There were several more arrests and a public outcry….The entire situation was sad to witness.

Order was not restored quickly.  It wasn’t safe to be in the area.  The following day the Orioles game was cancelled.  Oddly, the next day’s game was played to an empty stadium.  Never before has a Major League baseball game been played in an empty stadium.

Pictures from the game which no one watched

Back in DC,  we dentists were meeting with our legislators.  Several of our legislators mentioned that they were invited to various “State”events (dinners, lunches, etc) with the President, who was hosting the Japanese Prime Minister. 

The Japanese Prime Minister (Shinzo Abe) must have been wondering about how the free speech thingy (1st Amendment) is working for us….I am sure that President Obama was thinking the same thing.  At a press conference to introduce the PM, POTUS took a few minutes to address the rioting. 

He recognized first that the rioters who were committing unlawful acts were not helping the situation.  They were no better than criminals and thugs taking advantage of an opportunity to be destructive. 

He then balanced his displeasure at the fact that some police officers/departments are not doing what is mandated that they do -"to protect and to serve”.  They too needed to reform and be held accountable.  

He continued to address the core issue with some of the most profound and inspiring words I ever heard him say.

"Without making any excuses for criminal activities that take place in these communities, what we also know is that if you have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, where children are born into abject poverty, they’ve got parents often because of substance abuse problems or incarceration or lack of education themselves can’t do right by their kids, if it’s more likely that those kids end up in jail or dead that they go to college, in communities where there are no fathers who can provide guidance to the young men, communities where there’s no investment and manufacturing’s been stripped away and drugs have flooded the communitiy and the drug industry ends up being the primary employer for a whole lot of folks… In those environments, if we think that we’re just gonna send the police to do the dirty work of containing the problems that arise there without as a nation asking what we can do to change those communities, to help lift up those communities and give those kids opportunities, then we’re not going to solve this problem.

America, the land of opportunity - has no opportunities to thrive. 

Without opportunity, there is no hope to dream. Frustration ensues and more riots are going to occur. 

We must return to our roots- the ideals that serve as our country’s foundation - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  

We need to take back our freedom.

We must accept that to right the ship, there are no simple answers.

We all are going to need to sacrifice for the betterment of the whole.

The finger pointing needs to end now.  

We need to work together to figure out solutions that spur opportunities for everyone to contribute. Americans have always had the creativity combined with the spirit to make this happen.  

We real solutions, not more riots…

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can contact us  the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Inalienable Rights

The Statue of Liberty stands proudly in New York Harbor. It stands as the universal symbol of freedom and democracy. This symbol stands for what makes our country great.

I love the practice of dentistry. I love the freedom that it offers us.

We have the freedom to cooperatively treat our patients, helping them achieve their goals in a predictable and satisfying manner. Patients are free to choose to go to any dentist they like. Dentists are free to choose to treat anyone they like and do any procedures that they like and vice- versa. As a result of these freedoms, we are an example of a free-market healthcare system that works.

Our professional autonomy (freedom), however, isn’t free. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” The values of the profession must be actively upheld by us — the practicing dentists. If we are not diligent and stand for what is best for our patients, our profession will no longer be autonomous.

Author Peter Drucker said in the ’70s, “Those that are content to rise with the rising tide will also fall with it.” And when it falls, if we did nothing to better and preserve our work, we have no right to complain. In other words, if we are passively riding the waves, we will have no choice but to accept our fate when the wave crashes.

We are responsible to serve the needs of our communities. We have an obligation to stand up for the individuality of our practice philosophies. Our uniqueness is what makes our practices special and attractive to our patients. We cannot let outside entities influence our standards, our ethics and our decisions. We do what is best for our patients because it is in their best interest.

This past year, Colorado has introduced an adult Medicaid benefit to our state. They have allocated over $100 million to provide these services to those who are eligible. It is estimated that over 300,000 adults are now eligible for this benefit. The CDA worked closely with legislators and the governor’s office to create this benefit. As dentists, we directly witness the impact that dentistry has on those who need it.

We improve oral and overall health, we restore function, and we provide smiles.

We continue to fight hard to shape the benefits and make sure that our communities have access to our finest care. Our communities need Medic- aid providers to serve this need. We understand that the system is a work in progress, and are working daily on your behalf to address concerns to help the system run much smoother in coming weeks and months.

At the same time, we have the responsibility to provide care to Medicaid patients. Currently, there is extensive discussion among policy- makers and the public regarding gaps in Colorado’s dental health. If we are to make the case to the public that qualified dentists are the answer to access concerns, then it is incumbent on our profession to step up to the plate.

The fate of our profession is in our hands. “With freedom comes responsibility.”

Author Jim Collins wrote, “No matter how much the world changes, people still have a fundamental need for guiding values and sense of purpose that give their life and work meaning. They have a fundamental need for connection to other people, sharing with them the common bond of beliefs and aspirations. They have a desperate need for a guiding philosophy. More than any time in the past, people will demand operating autonomy - freedom plus responsibility - and will simultaneously demand that the organizations of which they are a part of stand for something.” We take this statement seriously.

What does the Colorado Dental Association stand for? The CDA is advancing oral healthcare to our communities — in the best way possible. It is here to support its members so we can provide the best, most appropriate dentistry to our patients.

Recently, the Colorado Dental Political Action Committee (CODPAC) met with 40 state legislators and candidates individually. It was an extensive task that involved hundreds of volunteer hours and immense coordination. The purpose of this endeavor was to further our relationships with key influencers, educate the legislators on our issues, and then strategize our legislative agenda.

We sent them information about key legislative priorities and our objective to make it as easy as possible for dentists to deliver the best possible care to our communities. We dialogued about possible solutions regarding these subjects: increasing Medicaid reimbursements, improving student loan forgiveness programs, dental insurance reform and preventing the introduction of a new mid- level dental provider in our state.

The legislators seemed genuinely impressed with our ideas, our passion and our mission.

The hard work that we have been doing over the past several years resulted in several congratulatory statements of support by the legislators. Respect for our profession has greatly improved. Today legislators look at us as experts to help guide and shape policy around oral health and oral health care delivery. But if we don’t fulfill our obligations, our influence will be gone.

Thank you to our CODPAC colleagues representing us. Thank you to our members for contributing to CODPAC and the American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC). These dollars are the best investment that you can make to preserve the freedom that we have. Please tell your communities how important it is to get involved either with monetary or voluntary contributions. Remember, we all must do our part in giving to the profession.

On the west coast there is a proposal to build another statue. This one is being called the statue of responsibility (http://statueofresponsibility.com).

It will symbolize this notion that freedom isn’t free. We are responsible for setting the standard and delivering the finest oral healthcare in this state. We take this seriously and by our actions, we will continue to enjoy our freedoms.

If you would like to make a donation to CODPAC/ADPAC please contact the CDA at info@cdaonline.org or 303-740- 6900 or 800-343-3010.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can contact us  the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Is Dentistry a Commodity?

From 1991 - 1995, I went to dental school to learn my craft.  I found out that early on, that the scientific based classes came very easy for me as I was a biomedical engineer prior to dental school.  What didn't come so easy, was the artistic training that was required to be a dentist.  We had to learn how to create teeth out of wax, plastic, amalgam, composite, gold, porcelain, etc.

Looking back to grade school, I was the kid that got sent to the principle's office from art class for being disruptive.  I would do anything to not do art.  I was quickly slapped with reality when I struggled in these early training exercises in dental school.  I had no artistic skills!

I struggled so much that I was required to go to what I call "wax camp" during the summer after the first year of dental school. (Does the movie"The Breakfast Club" comes to mind?)

The other "campers" and I huddled around bunsen burners flames and honed our skills with one-on-one instruction from some very talented instructors.  One day, I don't know when or why, the switch flipped and my right brain connected with my left brain and I was able to wax up teeth at a proficiently high level.  As time went on, I became better and better at it.   In fact, I taught this very same class at University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine for 7 years.

So back to the question, is dentistry a commodity?

Dentistry is an imperfect blend of art and science.  It is not mass produced on a conveyer belt in a factory.  It is provided uniquely and personally to our patients.

A mentor and master of dentistry, L.D. Pankey once said, "I've never had a tooth walk into my office. It was always attached to someone.  Get to know that person, and I may get the opportunity to treat that person's teeth."  Words which I live by in my practice philosophy.  We treat people holistically - mind, body, spirit. You are not a set of teeth, you are a "whole" person.

So is dentistry a commodity?

Can a person go to a dentist and say that he needs a size 12 upper molar and the dentist picks one off the shelf and glues it in?  NO

Can a person go to a shoe store and ask the salesman to fit him in a size 12 shoe? YES

Can that person buy a size 12 shoe for $30, and a size 12 shoe for $300?  YES

Is that shoe store being chastised by community organizations for "gouging" its clients?  NO 

Why then do dentists get chastised by insurance companies for charging a fair price for their services provided uniquely to an individual?  Usually people (insurance agents) placing unfair judgements on things they have no experience with.

If a dentist charges more for a service than a patient values, the patient will not buy that service. Simple economics - supply and demand.

If a person sees a value in either price point for the shoe, he/she will buy that shoe.

The same thing goes in dentistry.  There are different levels of service and challenges in treating patients.  A more difficult procedure may cost more as the dentist to takes more time, care, judgement and skill to perform that procedure to the level of care that the patient expects.

And any patient has the right to put value on things important to them.

Most third party entities (insurance companies, government agencies, etc.) have been masterful at creating a "dentistry is a commodity" mindset to the consumers.

I am emphatically saying that it is not a commodity.  Dentistry is a blend of art and science executed with proper judgement and skill that only comes from our highly specialized training and experience.

There may come a day that one can choose a size 12 upper molar off the shelf -

Then again, there may not...

All this could be a moot point as clean teeth do not decay - AND - 95% of dental problems are preventable!

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can contact us  the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Who is John Galt? - Disruptors in Dentisty

Disruptors are innovators.  They are businesses that shift a mindset of how consumers think, purchase, etc.  thereby challenging established businesses.

Harvard Business School professor and disruption guru Clayton Christensen says that a disruptor displaces an existing market, industry, or technology and produces something new and more efficient and worthwhile. It is both destructive and creative.

Some examples of disruptors are companies like Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and Uber

I identify Apple - not for the computers that it builds, but another niche that it took over – music and listening device sales.  iPods, iPhones and iTunes has changed how we buy and listen to music.  There are hardly any CD stores anymore other than those that sell used ones.  When I grew up, I would buy records.  The cover art would attract me to give new bands a listen.  I judged the band by entire albums that it recorded.  Today, we buy songs, not albums. They are instantly downloaded onto our computers.  No waiting in lines, no browsing through tedious shelves of records/cd’s.

 We create playlists with the drag of the mouse.  We use auto shuffle and the “genius” feature to create our own personal radio stations.  They connect to our cars, our phones, our tablets and all are stored on our computers.  CD players are becoming a thing of the past.  Music is stored on hard drives, jump drives, iPods, etc;

Netflix took how we rent movies to a new level.  For a low monthly fee we can have unlimited movies shipped to our house  - hassle free; or immediately available to  view on our computer or smart TV’s through an internet connection.  Blockbuster used to charge late fees, “you didn’t rewind the VHS” fees, etc.  I dreaded having to to pay this fine.  The buying experience was a hassle and expensive.  Netflix is easy, customized to my preferences and instant. Are there even any Blockbuster stores left?

Amazon capitalized on the fact that a book is still readable after it had been read, music is still listenable after it had been listened to, and anything should be able to be purchased on the internet easily!  They created a personalized buying experience based on your browsing and buying habits.  It greatly affected the big chain bookstores like Border’s or Barnes&Noble.  It also helps you find the lowest price for a boxed item and they deliver it right to your door.  If it wasn’t exactly what you were looking for, ship it back.  Hassle-free!

Lastly  -Uber is putting a huge dent in the taxi business.  With Uber, you can press a button on your phone app and a nice clean car will be at your location within 15 minutes. Yellow Cab gets to you when it gets to you and the entire cab experience pretty much stinks!

All of these disruptors have innovated, streamlined and penetrated market share, challenged, and even ruined wildly successful businesses while reinventing the delivery of these services.  They have changed the consumer’s mindset and changed the paradigm on how these services should be purchased, used and consumed.  The consumer experience is exactly the way the consumer prefers.  We (the consumers) wouldn’t have it any other way.

Another commonality of these disruptors is that they didn’t just enter the marketplace and were welcomed with opened arms.  The status quo or “established” business model was not happy and tried to stop them. 

In reality, the status quo was asleep at the wheel.  They were lazy, and arrogant.   They felt they were too big to fail. Those established business models that survived disruption evolved their business models to better serve their consumers.

The question “Who is John Galt?” comes to mind from Ayn Rand’s book Atlas Shrugged! John Galt represents creativeness and innovation.  The status quo must constantly channel it's inner John Galt if it wishes to remain relevant to the people it serves.

There are disruptors popping up in every niche and dentistry is definitely not immune.  They are here and they are aggressively working to innovate and change the status quo. 

Disruptor #1 - Large Group Practices are delivering dental services cheaper, quicker and more efficient than the typical private practice.  They are aggressively growing around the country.  They are aggressively hiring up new dentists.  They are aggressively advertising their services.  They have created a niche for themselves and continue to attract patients.  They haven’t perfected the consistent customer experience yet, but at some point that they will figure it out. 

There are some really lousy dentists that practice in this setting.  There are also really good dentists in this arena too.  To be fair - There are also some really lousy dentists in private practice settings.   There are also some really good dentists in this arena too.

The unfortunate reality with the large group practices is that they are being judged by the lowest common denominator.  For every bad patient experience, the entire organization’s reputation takes a hit. If these companies are going to take their disruption to the next level, they need to shore up some of the bad players in their organizations.  They need to do this from within.

A dental organization in the Pacific Northwest is self-regulating through a peer review process similar to the one used in organized dentistry.  I commend them for taking the initiative to self-regulate and get rid of the bad apples from their branches.   

Disruptor #2 – Dental Insurance has been a driving factor in changing consumer perception with respect to the dentist.  There is a mindset that if one doesn’t have insurance they can’t go to the dentist. 

Dentistry is equal parts art and science.  The product that we deliver is a unique service and experience every single time.  The dental insurance industry has been really good at “commoditizing” these services. They view all fillings, crowns, and other procedures as commodities.  They don't take into account level of the level of difficulty it took to achieve a positive result.  Dentists must impart the value of their services to their patients and that dental insurance is a nice benefit but it the cure all to their dental health.

On the flip side - Dental insurance does help with the basic preventative services - cleanings, check ups, xrays etc.  And many people go to the dentist because of the benefits that they receive.  

Disruptor #3 – New Technology is continually changing how we practice.  Film based x-rays are as antique as the horseless carriage.  CAD/CAM, digital impressions, articulations, etc are going to make dentistry more efficient and even more predictable.

Disruptor #4 – This past year, Metropolitan Denver Dental Society (MDDS) built the first and only dental learning center operated and run by and component of organized dentistry.  The new facility has 4 fully operating dental operatories that are being used for hands on learning opportunities.  They have functioning lab benches, auditorium and video streaming from the operatories into the various remote video-viewing stations.

The Metropolitan Denver Dental Society is dedicated to supporting its members, promoting the highest ethical practice of dentistry; providing continuing professional education, including a premier annual dental convention; and oral health education to the public.  This learning center, The Mountain West Dental Institute, will help them fulfill their mission.  Many dental associations around the country are very interested to see how this works.  Some people say they took a big risk....that is what disruptors do.

The Colorado Dental Association recently hosted a presentation in which approximately 100 dentists showed up in person and an equal number viewed the presentation remotely via live streaming technology.  This new use of technology will allow dentists from around the state/country meet, learn, network and communicate.

America is the land of opportunity.  Anything is possible with creativity, hard work, perseverance and a little bit of luck.  Every business must constantly raise the bar if it is to remain relevant and vital.  The business models must evolve to stave off the disruptors and to keep the consumers interested in their product or service.

Evolution is the survival of the fittest.  Those that can adapt and create change will evolve into the new paradigm and address the needs and desires of its consumers.

The status quo does not exist indefinitely.  It will constantly be challenged. 

“Who is John Galt?”

Disclaimer –I am not passing judgment on these disruptors.  I am just sharing my observation and thoughts.  I may or may not subscribe philosophically with various paradigm shifts.  Each serves a niche that is attractive to various people.  That is why they are growing/gaining the market share and shifting the perceptions of the consumers.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Life's Platitudes

“Life’s” Platitudes

Don't you hate those wise, thought provoking quotes? I usually do too, but in recent events, a few of these rang true for me.  This blog entry is dedicated to my friend Mike.

Platitude #1 - Life is Short….

My friend Mike passed away a few weeks ago.  He died of complications of the flu.  This aggressive strain quickly moved into pneumonia, which led to acute respiratory distress. This forced the doctors to insert a breathing tube to help him get oxygen into his blood stream and he was placed into a medical coma.  After ten days, his heart went into full cardiac arrest and he was unable to be revived. He was 49 years old. 

“Crazy,” I thought. “Healthy people don’t die of the flu!  How could this happen?  Why!?!?!”

The night before he died I gave a presentation on leadership.  This talk was to alumni of a drug and alcohol treatment center.  I spoke about concepts that I am passionate about help me to live my life with some level of significance.  The concepts include: Love my family and friends unconditionally; help others; live courageously, humbly and with integrity. I do a lot of prayer and meditation - especially when I exercise.  And my mindset is usually pretty good. Sometimes I'm better at it than others.  But for the most part, these daily affirmations really help me stay focus so I can be effective.

I knew my friend was in a coma but I didn’t think he was going to die.  I shared my worries with the audience, “You never know when your time will be up.  Better live every day to the fullest extent without regret.”  I know - platitudes....But they aren't relevant, until something like this happens.  

I proceeded to tell the group that my friend was in the hospital and his circumstances were grim.

He died too soon for my liking.   It is human nature to ask why did this happen.  With any of life’s challenges, there is a lesson. (another platitude...)

After a lot of praying, meditating and consulting with friends, I have learned that life is short - get my affairs in order, love my family, friends and work, live each day to the fullest.  

Platitude #2 - Life’s a Bitch….

Initially I was sad.  He isn’t here anymore.  He was a friend that, although I didn’t see him that often, when we got together we could talk heart to heart. 

He had a great dental practice. He was universally loved.  He really knew me, I really knew him – so I thought. 

A few days after he passed, I went to his office to help finish some work on a few of his patients that needed follow up care.  After spending time with his office staff about the tragedy, I was given a glimpse into his life over the past few months.  He had been struggling.  My interpretation was that he was lonely, he was stuck in a rut – possibly even depressed.  His practice was struggling financially.  He might have been struggling financially as well. 

Even under this stress, he still marched forward -helping friends, patients, etc.  Maybe he helped so he wouldn’t have to face his challenges.  Perhaps he was stuck and the only way he knew how to get out of his rut was to help others. 

On his desk was a photograph of Mike, myself and another mutual friend.  The picture was at his open house for his business.  The office space was unique, bold and comfortable.  At the time the picture was taken, life for him was so full of possibilities. 

What changed?   What happened?  Why didn’t he ask for help?  Any of his friends would have dropped whatever they were doing to help.  All he had to do was ask.

Lesson – Outside appearances are not always reflective of what is going on in the inside.  Ask for help when struggling.

Platitude #3 - Life is Beautiful…..

I received many phone calls from disbelieving friends and colleagues. I recited the facts of the situation that I knew.  I gave out the info on his funeral. 

At his funeral, hundreds of people showed up. It was a beautiful celebration.  Friends and family from different parts of his life all shared stories.  We laughed, we cried, we consoled each other.

I shared a story on how I met him.

He was an alcoholic.  Almost 11 years ago, I organized an intervention to help him get his life turned around.  At the time, he didn’t want my help.  He was obstinate, stubborn and arrogant. He was in denial and he thought he could beat the problem on his own. 

I too am a recovering alcoholic.  My trajectory turned around in 1998 when life got really bad.  For whatever reason,  I was graced with the willingness to do whatever it took to treat my problem.  A responsibility that helps me maintain my recovery is to share my story. Another key component of my recovery is helping other lost souls like my friend.

A few days after the intervention, he surrendered his will and reluctantly went to treatment for his problem.  He returned a few months later a changed man.  I had been involved in many of these interventions.  When they return from treatment, some want to thank me and some want to hit me.

Fortunately, he thanked me.  In fact, he credits me for saving his life.  I never felt comfortable with that fact.  I was just giving to him what was freely given to me - The gift of hope.  Someone was there for me when I was ready. I owed it to that person (and myself) to pay it forward.

This is why we had such a unique friendship.  We both had suffered greatly and we had overcome our struggles.

As I got over the anger of his death, I entered into the mindset of gratitude.  I am grateful that we had marched together in recovery for almost 11 years of our lives.

I recall a personal story from the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”.  The story tells of a lady’s personal struggles and how she overcame her struggles while building a new life.  The end of the story says, “In exchange for a bottle and a hangover, I have been given the Keys to the Kingdom.”

My friend and I both have been given the “Keys to the Kingdom." 

When I first met my friend, he was close to death from alcohol poisoning.  Jaundice overtook his body as his liver was failing.  After treatment, Grace offered him a second chance at life.  He took advantage of this opportunity and made a life for himself filled with significant relationships and events.  He helped hundreds of other people in the same manner that he claims I helped him. 

He struggled too – but that is life.  I still feel cheated that he was taken away from this world way too soon.  It was his time to turn in his set of “Keys”.

I don’t think he would have traded his life for anything.  Neither would I....

Lesson learned – You never know who is listening, what they hear that touched them with significance, or when they hear it  - so share my experience with the world. 

Be grateful for what I have. 

Find a lesson in every challenge that life throws at me.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Organized Dentistry

The Colorado Dental Association is starting a public relations campaign to promote who we are and what we do.  For as long as I have been a member of organized dentistry, I have felt that we are the best-kept secret both to our members and to the patients who we serve.

                                       Click here to view the commercial

Why the PR campaign?

We are at a critical juncture.  There are many entities that are marketing their positions in the dental world.  As a result, dentistry is becoming a commodity and the general public doesn’t really know who to listen to with regards to oral health. 

In the near future, we will be updating the dental practice laws in Colorado.  We are positioning ourselves, once again where we belong, as the dental experts.

For years, we have not done much.  We dentists don't like to talk about ourselves.  Through our non-action, these entities have taken over the public's perception while we have been quiet.  

We are not going to be quiet anymore.  

What does it mean to be a member? 

By being part of organized dentistry, we are part of a bigger whole.  There is the local component - for me that is the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society.  There are several local components that all funnel into the state - the Colorado Dental Association -which I am currently President-Elect.  Every state has both state and local organizations.  We are all part of the national entity, the American Dental Association.  

This is who we are and this is what we stand for:

Our Colorado Dental Association core values:

Effective Leadership, 

Open Communication, 

Ethical Behavior, 

Moral Courage, 

Strong Advocacy, 

Fellowship, and 

Teamwork

Our Mission:

To provide the Colorado Dental Association membership and the public with superior service and to demonstrate effective leadership in advocacy, education, communication, and quality products and services that enhance member practices, professional growth, and patient care.

Dentistry, like all healthcare, is a profession in flux.  The delivery models are changing.  The business models are changing.  Access-to-care is expanding in Colorado. 

The one constant has been organized dentistry.  We have been around for over 100 years, preserving the integrity of the profession of dentistry.  The work that organized dentistry does today is to preserve the integrity of the profession.

Who would you like to be your dentist? 

Please choose one that is a member of organized dentistry.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Obamacare - How will it affect dentistry?

I was recently asked by a friend how do I think that the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) will affect dentistry.  This took some thinking on my part.

I have spent the past 5 years going to Washington DC to discuss dental care with our legislators. When the ACA was being discussed prior to becoming law, we did everything we could to get a seat at the discussion table to very little avail.

The year after the ACA was passed in Washington, we had a political pundit,  Dr. Frank Luntz ask us the question, "Are you happy with the results?"

No one could really answer because no one really knew or understood what was being thrust upon us as dental practitioners.

Frank's dad was a dentist.  As a child growing up, he recalled the animated stories his father would share about his patients. He was truly a caring practitioner. He loved the practice of dentistry, but he loved the relationship that he had with his patients even more.  Improving the health of the patients that he cherished is what he looked forward to every day that he practiced.  This is what I look forward to every day that I practice too.

Tragically, I see this style of practice on the decline.

From his personal experience, he went on to say that dentistry, as a profession, should be thrilled that it was basically left out of the ACA.  He reminded us that -

Dentistry is the last free market health care system that is working in this country.  

The reason - We keep the doctor patient relationship sacred. For more elaboration see my blog from July, 2011 The Sacred Cow.

In all aspects of health care there is trending consolidation of providers.  This means that private practices are joining up with hospitals or large groups called medical service organizations (MSO's). Included in these MSO's, hospitals are joining up with other hospitals and insurance companies to improve efficiency and improve access to information and resources.

As with any new paradigm, there will be some confusion from both sides of the fence as this takes affect.  All-in-all it should improve health care delivery as long as the doctor patient relationship is kept in the forefront. I hope that doctors are allowed to treat patients like they know best as opposed to management making decisions based on financial impact.

I expect many people to be upset at the changes from what they are used to with how they received health care in the past.  I also expect many people to be thrilled with the heath care that they are now eligible to receive.  The old adage comes to mind - "You can't please everyone, all the time".

There are many (including me) who are upset how the bill was passed and what was promised to the citizens.  I don't think that the legislators knew or could predict the extent of the problem at hand.  Therefore, they couldn't predictably fix the problem with the ACA bill.  What our legislators on both sides of the aisle knew was that our health care system needed to change.

The ACA is a start to solving the problems, it will evolve over time but it will never solve everyone's problems, expectations or needs.  We must accept this fact.  It will cost more and provide less than what we are used to.  We must accept this fact too.

I personally trust my physician to recommend the finest care to me.  Whatever he needs to do to evaluate my health, I expect him to recommend.  This should be in a "patient bill of rights".  I am cautiously optimistic that this style of practice will continue.

The insurance industry is the real winner in the ACA as they will have 48 million more people in the system that are now mandated to pay their premiums.  As a small business owner, I have seen my own health insurance premiums rise significantly over the last several years.  I predict that they will continue to rise as the ACA is implemented.

My predictions on how the ACA will affect the dental profession -

  Please note that these are my views and my views only.

In dentistry, we are seeing consolidation in a different form - through explosive growth in corporate dental service organizations (DSO's).  They seem to be sprouting up everywhere.  They provide a niche for people who are looking for low cost dentistry. This could be either good or bad depending on the perspective of the experience.  This practice model has been around for decades. They are a safety net -providing basic dental services (cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, partials, etc.)

I am hearing that these corporate dental organizations are recruiting heavily at the dental schools to attract new dentists to work for them.  Many new dentists are taking jobs with these firms as it is very difficult for them to find jobs elsewhere that satisfy their needs - such as make a decent living and paying off their student loans (average $250,000).

There will also be a rise in Federally Qualified Health Care facilities (FQHC's).  This is also a safety net capturing those patients that are lower income and have medicaid as a primary coverage.  These offices also provide basic dentistry similar to the DSO's.

Dental insurance - There are health insurance plans that offer dental benefits as an add on.  These plans are what I refer to as "skinny plans".  They offer the absolute basic dental services such as cleanings and exams.  I hope that these companies that are offering these plans are being honest to their clients about the limited extent of these plans.

If the reimbursement rates to the dentists are too low, dentists will not participate with these plans
- making it hard for patients to find dentists that take their insurance.

If the insurance companies drive the costs down through lower reimbursements, dentists will evolve their practice model to accommodate.  Please note that most dental offices are small businesses and provide dental care to the community that they serve while providing jobs to their support staff.  As with any small business, they must be profitable to remain viable.

I bring this up because there is a precedent of insurance companies cutting reimbursements to dentists in several states including: Washington, Missouri, Idaho, New Jersey, and Connecticut.  To show how volatile the relationship between dentists and insurance companies are see Washington Dentists vs. Delta Dental.  

Episodes like this don't make dentists happy.  Dentists want to provide a service to their community.  At the same time, we wish to keep our businesses viable with minimal third party interference and regulations that affect the "sacred cow" (doctor patient relationship).

With lower reimbursement rates, dentists must either see more patients per hour or cut costs. This could affect the practice in several ways including less time with the patient leading to a less personalized service. The dentist could also choose to use cheaper materials that may not last as long or be optimal for the situation as what he/she is currently using.  

If there are not enough providers to fill this void, a new dental provider model has been making dental headlines over the past few years.  This "Midlevel" provider will be able to do irreversible dental surgical procedures with minimal training - usually 2 years after high school.  This scares me, but as with anything, survival of the fittest.  If this provider model can provide the care that dentists and hygienists currently provide, they will stay, if not they won't.

Again, this is a slippery slope that will create a potential two tiered dental system with a significant percentage of the population receiving care that is from a provider that is seriously under-qualified to perform.

There is a 2.1% medical device tax. It hasn't been defined yet on what is going to be taxed.  My prediction is that anything fabricated by a lab (crown, denture, veneer, etc) will be subject to this tax.  I also predict that this cost will be passed along to the patient in some way.  When we brought this up to our legislators, they weren't sure yet on what was going to be taxed.  The term medical device is not spelled out in the bill.  As much as we tried, this tax isn't going away.

Expansion of medicaid coverage to children.  All plans must include dental benefits for children up to the age of 19 (including medicaid).  This will put millions more children in line to have access to dental care.  I predict there will initially be a shortage of dentists that can provide proper care for these kids.

Expansion of medicaid benefits to adults.  The ACA is encouraging the states to expand dental services to adults.  I predict again that there will initially be a dearth of dentists that take medicaid.  Medicaid reimburses at around 30% of what the dentist's usual fees are.  Plus, medicaid creates a plethora of extra paper work and reporting to get reimbursement.  Again, not an incentive for dentists to participate.  Some corporate models have already stepped into this niche and I expect several more to adapt into this niche as well.

One potentially good thing the ACA incorporated is an increased focus on healthy lifestyle, and prevention strategies.  We dentists have been doing this for the past 50 years.  Dentistry can help lead the charge here. The goal of dentistry involves optimization of health and function.  The removal of infection that could potentially spread to other parts or systems of the body is imperative for optimal health.  The ultimate function of teeth is to chew food.  The best way to maintain optimal health is to have proper nutrition and lead a healthy lifestyle.  If you have no teeth, it is very difficult to get good nutrition.

Odds and Ends.  I hope that the ACA also consolidates the respect of all health care providers.  We all have an interdependent essential pieces of health care.  All health providers must learn to communicate better with each other and with our patients for the best interest to improve the delivery of healthcare to those that we serve.

Patient's responsibility. The ultimate responsibility of health lies on the citizen patient.  He/she must live a healthy lifestyle to remain healthy.  Many health problems are preventable. Many health problems are not preventable.  If the system is clogged with the health care problems of the preventable kind, there are not enough resources available to help those with the non-preventable kind.

With respect to dentistry - 

Clean teeth do not decay, most gum disease can be prevented with brushing and flossing! 

I welcome comments and perspectives on this.  I am no expert and would love to hear other opinions - especially if I am off base here.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

Veneers, Veneers and More Veneers

A smile is the window to the soul.  

As a dentist, I do everything I can to help my patient's soul shine through.  

BK Mission Statement

Smiles communicate happiness, pleasure and confidence.  Many of my patients who come to me for smile improvements, are happy people but self conscious and may not project their inner happiness as effectively as they would like.  This could affect any relationship that they are in whether it be personal or professional.

93% of all communications are non-verbal - of which body language including facial expressions are a large part of that.

A new improved smile is life-changing!

I'd like to share an example with you:

One of my patients moved to a new neighborhood.. She was slow to make new friends/acquaintances with her new neighbors.  She was perplexed by this as she had never had difficulty with making friends in the past. She had some dental issues that allowed us to have a conversation about her smile.  Once we improved her smile, she mentioned to me that people seemed more friendly to her.  A close friend told her that she didn't smile very much before and perhaps her new neighbors judged her as unfriendly. This brought tears to her eyes as she explained this to me.  She had no idea that she was hiding her smile.  Her new smile outwardly projects her inner beauty, happiness and confidence.

Here are some examples of  what can be done to improve smiles with veneers.

 Case 1: Before: Stained old restorations

After- Veneers and teethwhitening.

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Case 2: Before - Worn front teeth from grinding

After - Four veneers, teeth whitening, and bite therapy to protect her new smile

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Case 3: Before - stained, yellow teeth

After - Four veneers, whitening

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Case 4: Before - Old restorations, improve smile

After: Four veneers, teeth whitening

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Each case is carefully crafted to match the patient's facial structures, personality and function.  Before we start we have a discussion dedicated to help the patient identify their goals with their smiles.  The better we can identify these goals, the better we can create the smiles that he/she desires.

For more examples of smiles that we have created and lives that have changed, click on the link - Smiles

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK