Ala. bill would regulate dental nonprofits; overcoming the 'Google effect'

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

New legislation that would give the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners oversight of nonprofit dental clinics -- including Sarrell Dental, the largest provider of Medicaid dental services in the state -- is being discussed by state legislators in a public hearing today.

This is the latest development in an apparent power struggle between Sarrell and the state dental board that began last year when the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry stopped allowing its students to get hands-on training at Sarrell clinics, prompting an investigation by the Federal Trade Commision and a lawsuit against the state dental association.

Click here to read why HB 451 -- which would exempt nonprofit clinics from the state's Dental Practice Act but require these clinics to register with the dental board -- is supported by Sarrell but opposed by the board.

In other Practice Management Community news, have you recently joined a new practice or relocated your existing practice? Is so, you might want to make sure Google is aware of your new address, or you may end up competing with yourself in Google searches. Read more.

And a four-day Remote Area Medical clinic in Northern California this week drew thousands of individuals in need of free dental, medical, and vision care. While organizers were well-prepared to meet the demand, they say the need for these kinds of clinics is growing nationwide as states cut adult dental Medicaid services and unemployment rates remain high. Read more.