Elderly Patients in Sandy Springs

More than 250,000 Americans turn 65 each month.  By 2030, 67 million Americans or close to 20% of the population will be 65 or older. Thanks to decades of better preventive care, these people are keeping more of their teeth than their predecessors, even into their eighties and nineties.

Yet the need to understand the geriatric patient has never been greater than it is today.  And treating an older patient is much more complex because they will have a combination possibly of decay, periodontal disease and other global health issues to take into consideration.

A large number of older patients have chronic medical conditions that impact oral health, particularly if they are on medication that causes dry mouth.  Or, these patients may have difficulties with brushing and flossing because of declining vision, coordination, and cognition, further negatively impacting their oral health.  Some are just fatigued and thus unmotivated to maintain their oral health.

With these issues in mind, you’ve got a patient that has complex clinical needs and complex medical needs, and you’ve got to balance the two.  As a consequence, you are inhibited by circumstances to do everything you want for this patient because of their medical history. Maybe you have to come up with a more creative treatment plan. Our experience has found that there needs to be more time and attention paid to the over 65 population.

Senior citizens also have limited access to dental insurance, preventing many of them from getting the care they need. Often retired, seniors aren’t covered by any employer and for some unknown reason Medicare does not cover routine dental care in its basic benefits. Only 12% of Medicare beneficiaries have some kind of dental insurance coverage. 

So one of our issues is education about the importance of oral healthcare.  We see this as particularly a challenge with somebody who’s on a fixed income—how and when they’re going to spend their money. I think that once you get patients into the office, you can talk to them about home care. So much of dentistry, or oral disease, is preventable. If we can be of assistance, please contact us.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

Howard Abrahams, DDS

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.comwww.rightsmilecenter.com

Dunwoody Dental: Is the Right Smile Center right for me?

Make the right choice in the right dental practice; choose Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC, and her two daughters, Drs. ZoAnna Bock and Hanna Orland, located in the heart of Sandy Springs, GA and Chamblee, GA.   Consider the bottom line to your self-esteem and consider being treated by an Emory trained prosthodontist.

Many people avoid smiling because they are ashamed of their teeth or unsure of how they will be received by the dentist after so many years of procrastination.  Our practice has over 4 generations of patients who are not ashamed of their smile.  Before Dr. Neal Kopp past away in 2008, and Sidney Tourial retired, we had over 5 decades of experience in prosthodontic dentistry.  Originally, all of us either practiced, trained or taught at Emory University’s School of Dentistry.  Cosmetic dentistry by a prosthodontic based practice involves improving the aesthetics and function of your smile with the right smile, to make you look and feel more attractive.

Click www.rightsmilecenter.com and see for yourself.  We have over 1000 unedited reviews by patients with real life experiences in our practice.  Don’t believe me, read what others have to say – good, bad or otherwise.  If cosmetic dentistry is right for you, then we are right for you.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Bock, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

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Dentist East Cobb: What you probably don’t know about Cosmetic Dentists

It seems to be prevalent in that most dentists these days are calling themselves cosmetic dentists, but there is no cosmetic specialty in dentistry.   And quite frankly, all dentistry is cosmetic.   I don’t know anyone who took the ‘ugly’ teeth class in dental school, because it doesn’t exist.  Regardless, the fact remains that the majority of dentists are general dentists, but call themselves ‘cosmetic dentists’.

They all have undergraduate degrees with either a BA or BS and at least four years of dental school with either a DDS or a DMD as the result.  But not one of them has a ‘cosmetic specialty’ in dentistry.   Those dentists who choose to make the claim do so by virtue of deciding to focus on cosmetics in their general practices.   The American Dental Association (ADA) traditionally has nine recognized post dental degree dental specialties and cosmetic dentistry is not one of them.  These specialties range in one to six years of advance training beyond dental school.  At the end of their post doctorate degree, these dentists receive additional certifications in their respective specialties, thus becoming what should be considered experts within their fields of dentistry.   Some are either board eligible or board certified.  These ADA specialties are:

Dental Public Heath, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Surgery, Orthodontics, Endodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and the least known, Prosthodontics.

Prosthodontics: (crown, bridge, and implants) A Prosthodontist has a dental specialty license pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes. Most dentists are not trained prosthodontic graduates of a dental school – rather they take short continuing education and utilize trial and error experience to be able to understand how size, shape, color and symmetry all work together to create what a prosthodontists is trained in their post graduate work.   On the other hand, the prosthodontist is trained at a university to create the smile that implements the use of veneers, crowns, bridges and the increasingly more common procedure of dental implants to ensure that the right smile is achieved, both functionally and aesthetically beautiful.  If anyone has a specialty in cosmetic dentistry, it would be the prosthodontist.  So when you are seriously looking for a cosmetic dentist, look for a prosthodontist.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Bock, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

 

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• Atlanta Dentist – Dr. Novy Scheinfeld, Prosthodontic Trained by Emory University(therightsmile.wordpress.com)
• Dentist Sandy Springs – ADA Accredited Prosthodontist is Your Cosmetic Dentist (therightsmile.wordpress.com)

 

Covid and Dental Insurance

The Dental Care System is MORE Broken since COVID. The insurer-controlled dental care system has been broken for years! And now, a model that did not work prior to COVID-19 is only getting worse. Patient distancing has forced lower patient volumes and decreased production, while the cost of PPE and infection control further misaligns practice costs and PPO reimbursement. Can your dentist be profitable on our existing PPO fee schedules and terms with a 25-35% decline in production and a 5-10% increase in costs? What happens when PPOs lower your dentist’s fees next year and subsequent years? 

We know you would like to see the cost of delivery come down, but it’s not.  In the new Covid environment it costs more to deliver your dentistry and the insurance companies are fighting dentists tooth and nail to deny these increases in delivery.

We need your help in pushing back on your insurer.  You need to contact your insurance commissioner and let them know your needs are the same, but your coverage is under attack and being reduced by the powerful insurance controlled dental care system.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Bock, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

Howard Abrahams, DDS

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road,

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

FAQ of the Right Smile Center

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What type of insurance does the practice take?
We will be happy to work with most dental insurance programs and process your forms at no charge. We will accept assignment of benefits for the portion covered by insurance and will help you make financial arrangements for your personal balance.

We are an out of network provider, but we do have an in-network provider on staff. Our business office staff will assist you in determining what portion of your treatment is covered by insurance. We will strive to help you obtain your maximum benefits by prompt and efficient processing of your claims. When questions arise regarding your insurance, please feel free to ask. Please bring your insurance card or papers on the first visit. We will help you in every way possible. Please understand that you are ultimately responsible for payment of all services. Should your insurance not cover what is predicted, you will be responsible to pay any uncovered portion.

Does the practice offer financing? 
We are sensitive to the financial concerns of our patients. Most dental insurance programs simply don’t cover some or all of the treatments you and your family may require. Drs. Scheinfelds, Orland & Tourial have developed financing services that help meet these expenses. Speak to our patient services coordinator to find out how we can help develop solutions to your financial concerns so that you may receive the treatment that you need.

What are my payment options?
We accept most major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, American Express & Discover). For your convenience, we will also assist you with billing your insurance for your treatment plan at no additional cost to you.

If you have more financial questions…
Our Patient and Insurance Coordinator will be happy to answer any of your financial questions. She can be reached by calling our Sandy Springs, GA dentist’s office at 404-256-3620 or our Chamblee offece at 770-455-6076 . If you would like to contact her by email at info@rightsmilecenter.com.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Bock, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

Howard Abrahams, DDS

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

Dental Reimbursement Rates Drop Again!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.  I am perfectly willing to accept all of the challenges post 2008 and the advent of Obamacare.  But I want the patient public to understand that since Obamacare was created and the recession of 2008 created a lot of opportunities for the injection of corporate DSO’s into the dental industry, the paradigm shift occurring is not a positive one for both the doctor and the patient.

Here are the stats: 

1. In 2017, dentist’s reimbursement rate dropped 0.7 percent. However, between May 2018 and May 2019, dentists experience a 2.7 percent reimbursement rate decline.   Keep in mind, healthcare costs on the supply side are rising while reimbursements are declining.

2. For orthodontists, reimbursement rates dropped 4.9 percent. In 2017, the reimbursement rate decreased 4.7 percent. In their arena, there is also increased competition (and law suits) from private non-dentist companies to provide orthodontics at your local mall or over the internet.

3. Solo practitioners have seen the biggest reimbursement rate decrease at 8.7 percent by May 2019. In 2017, solo practitioners saw a 6.7 percent decline in reimbursement rates.  Think about that, you are paying higher premiums and receiving reduced benefits.  Who’s winning here? Not you the patient and definitely not the dentist.

4. Group practices are expected to see reimbursement rates increase 1.6 percent during the 12-month period. In 2017, the reimbursement rate grew 0.5 percent.  Here again, the increased negotiating power of the DSO’s is pushing out the sole practitioner and supplanting what used to be quality care with essentially oil change dentistry.

5. In total, dental reimbursement rates have dropped 3.3 percent on average.  This makes no sense when dentists are and want to pay higher wages and offer better quality services through high tech developments. 

Who benefits, investment banker backed corporations and insurance companies.  Who loses, you and your dentist.  What is the overall consequence?  Fewer and fewer quality providers will enter the market with the turmoil occurring in the field of dentistry.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecente.com

http://www.rightsmilecenter.com

88% of Dentists Worry about Patients’ Futures

Why?

Because of the cost of delivering quality care with increased corporate dentistry in a declining reimbursement environment.

Dentists continue to struggle with reimbursement as the market changes. Morgan Staley research firm AlphaWise examined the past and future reimbursement rates for dentists. In their survey of 413 licensed dentists, both practice owners and independent practitioners, revealed dentists’ biggest concerns. In 2017, solo practitioners saw a 6.7 percent decline in reimbursement rates. And from October of 2018, solo practitioners will see the biggest reimbursement rate decrease at 8.7 percent by May 2019.

In 2016, insurance company Delta Dental of California paid its former CEO Tony Barth $14.3 million. Compared to Mr. Barth, in 2016 the nine highest-paid Delta Dental of California employees earned more than $1 million each year. In total, the 10 executives earned more than $30 million in 2016. I’m not knocking capitalism, but at whose expense is this occurring?

And at the other end of the spectrum, Aspen Dental and Walgreens team up to bring dental services in-store, while CVS and SmileDirectClub partner to offer in-store services.  Do you really think this paradigm shift is good for you as a patient?  Are you going to get the best care from the best candidate out of dental school to treat you?

Between shrinking insurance reimbursements and growing corporate dental providers, will your dentist be able to survive?  Check out what’s already happening in Florida.  It is facing a dentist shortage.  We are already seeing the impact of what it takes to become a dentist and the impacts discussed above. As Florida struggles with a lack of dentists, a coalition known as the Floridians for Dental Access is already looking to try and fix the problem, according to the Daily Commercial.  You may want to think twice about where you spend you dental health care dollars, because down the road you may not have a quality provider to rely on if this trend continues.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Corporate DENTIST THE MENACE

Are they managed neglect or managed care?

Under these corporate practices, the insurance companies list the dental provider as the corporate entity, not a licensed dentist.  If you go in for an exam, you are suddenly told you need hundreds to thousands of dollars’ worth of work, much of which is barely covered by insurance. The dental work may not even be needed.  Check the complaints on Monarch Dental as an example.  You would think the Dental Board would have stopped the damage by now.

The insurance companies try to further enhance their profits by using these type offices to keep costs low in this economy. Insurance companies were quick to catch on to a plan that focused on efficiency and savings for their interests, so they were instrumental in creating and selling these dental programs to employers.

As a result, employers are dropping their PPO dental insurance for the cheaper HMO policies.  Dental insurance companies can then assign these PPO patients, who used to have freedom to choose their dentist, to these corporate offices.  Dental insurance is always beneficial to the insurance companies, like Las Vegas Casinos.  Unlike health insurance, it is non catastrophic, and it is rarely cost effective for you, the insured.

Your problem is:

1. Dentists are seen as employees of the dental corporations.
2. Dentists have to fulfill patient and productivity quotas.
3. Dentists in these settings often lack significant experience.
4. Dentists in these settings come and go.
5. And there’s an overuse of 3^rd party finance companies involved

We get it.   These organizations are trying to commoditize your oral healthcare, by  offering low fee special introductory offers, discounts and promotions, including things like free tests, cleanings and exams.  What we want you to know is ‘what happens after those offers run out and private practitioners go the way of medicine’?

We offer our patients a personal experience. We focus on the benefits to you, which include quality care, individual treatment and creative solutions, and the expert dental professional of your choice each visit, no “over-treatment” and no “forced credit cards”.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

And

Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Screwed By Your Insurance Company

 HR 1418, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act, if enacted, will amend a section of the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, which exempted the insurance industry from provision of the Sherman Act and Clayton Act.  The only other industry exempt from antitrust laws is Major League Baseball. 

It is preposterous that this anti-free-market exemption is still on the books, and the insurance industry abuses it to the detriment of you, the patient.  This exemption gives insurance companies the power to collude to drive up prices, limit competition, conspire to underpay doctors and hospitals, and price gouge consumers.

Not only will HR 1418 protect you, it will ensure the health insurance industry is subject to the same rules as virtually every other industry.  Patients, doctors, and hospitals all benefit when health insurers compete to provide a variety of quality coverage options. The healthcare market should be patient-centric and should provide a variety of affordable and quality options, all fostered by competition.

There is no reason in law, policy, or logic for the insurance industry to have special exemptions that are different from all other businesses in the US that has allowed the insurance industry to have ruined your healthcare for decades. The government should not be picking winners or losers, and the insurance industry should also have to comply with federal anti-trust laws. It is unthinkable that the health insurance industry has been permitted to avoid accountability for so long under the laws and standards that govern other aspects of American business.

Without repeal, dentists, patients, and the public won’t know the extent to which they have been affected by the McCarran-Ferguson Act’s negative impact on competition within the health insurance industry. Under the bill, consumers may finally receive the relief they need from being under the thumbs of the insurance industry.  CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS AND DEMAND THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, DMD

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

Dentist Sandy Springs: Alert – Denied Dental Procedures

A denied dental procedure does not mean the procedure wasn’t necessary.  It just means your insurance carrier won’t cover it as a benefit of your plan.  Limitations in an employer’s group policy most likely result in these noncovered procedures by insurance company’s design. 

This is a huge problem for your healthcare provider, because your dentist is trying to do what you need and not what is paid for by your insurance carrier.  To compound these denials, some policies are designed such that they do not allow the dentist to charge you for certain procedures.  However, that does not mean your dentist can avoid the procedure because it may be absolutely necessary as a part of your treatment. 

This scenario has left your dentist wondering whether or not you will pay for the services being rendered because your insurance carrier is denying a necessary procedure.  And finally, this scenario has left your dentist perplexed as to how to overcome the perception by patients that they are not being honest with them.

The solution is patient ‘push back’ for the coverage you’re entitled to.  Patients need to question, if not challenge the benefits they have paid for but have been denied.  And patients need to recognize that the contractual relationship is between you and your insurance provider, not your dentist and your insurance provider.  Your dentist has absolutely no leverage with your insurance carrier.

Hopefully, this is a little helpful in understanding the difficulties in receiving your full insurance benefits.   If we can answer any of your concerns or questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD

Hanna Orland, Dmd

Howard Abrahams, DDS

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

and

3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road

Chamblee, GA 30341

770-455-6076

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

 

Thank you for all your referrals.  We truly appreciate them.

Information included is not dental or medical advice.  For your specific information

 be sure to consult your dentist.

 

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