DrBicuspid.com Practice Management Insider

Dear Practice Management Insider,

In this latest Insider Exclusive, we talked to officials of the Delta Dental Plans Association about the company's efforts to take a more consumer-centric marketing approach amid what they say is "an evolving insurance landscape." Click here to read how Delta Dental is also participating in the insurance exchanges required by the Affordable Care Act.

In a related story, Covered California -- the state's health insurance exchange -- unveiled two plans for pediatric dental coverage. Click here to read why some are lauding the simplicity of the plans, while others say they create inequities. And insurance companies that offer standalone dental plans through Oregon's health insurance exchange are objecting to a proposal to charge the companies a monthly 93¢ fee for each enrolled member after 2014. Read about the rationale behind the fees.

In other Practice Management Community news, a U.S. Senate report recommends that the Small Smiles dental chain and ReachOut Healthcare America, which operates mobile clinics that treat children, be excluded from the Medicaid program for encouraging dentists to perform unnecessary treatments to boost profits. Click here to read about the report.

Meanwhile, Maine's lawmakers rejected a bill that would have created a new category of dental hygiene therapists, while North Dakota approved doing a study to assess the use of midlevel providers after lawmakers said there are not enough dentists in the state to provide dental care.

And California legislators voted to restore some dental benefits for adult beneficiaries of Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, while Minnesota has become the first state to require all healthcare providers, including dentists, to have certified, interoperable electronic health records in place by 2015. Read about the mandate's details.

In other news, getting an annual prophylaxis, rather than every six months, may be sufficient for patients with no risk factors, according to the authors of a study in the Journal of Dental Research. However, the ADA is encouraging dentists to work with their patients to determine how often they need teeth cleanings.

And are you on top of your online reviews? Practice marketing consultant Mike Pedersen shares his tips for how to grow your dental practice in today's competitive environment by ensuring you create and maintain a positive online reputation. Also, is your practice living up to its teeth-whitening potential? Consultant Gary Takacs shares his thoughts on why now is a great time to increase your whitening business, and offers five sure-fire suggestions for how to make it happen.

Finally, for Ryan Shinska, DDS, moving to Uganda to provide dental care for the poor is a matter of putting his Christian faith into action. Read about the young dentist, who will work in a clinic in Jinja, where most of the residents have never seen a toothbrush, never mind a dentist.