Levin on outside experts; EPA proposal on amalgam separators; Fla. Medicaid reimbursements

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Some of the most important decisions practice owners must make are in areas they know little about. Take advantage of outside experts' knowledge and experience when faced with major decisions in areas such as real estate, law, and financial planning, Dr. Roger P. Levin advises. You and your practice will benefit enormously.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week proposed a rule under the Clean Water Act requiring dentists to install amalgam separators to help cut discharges of dental amalgam to the environment. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's article here.

A change in Florida's Medicaid policy to reimburse medical primary care providers for basic oral health screenings and cavity prevention has increased the likelihood of children in the state receiving these essential services by 20%, according to a recent study by University of Florida researchers. Read more here.

And in California, Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that establishes standardized requirements for dental plans to disclose how they spend patient premiums. It also puts the state on a path to establish a minimum percentage of premium dollars that must be spent on patient care. Read more here.

We present our six most-read stories of the summer. Reflecting the diversity of interests of DrBicuspid.com readers, our most-read stories from the summer include the latest in the ongoing debate between film and digital radiography, the insightful series authored by Dr. Michael W. Davis on scams played on dentists, a video interview with an infection-control expert, and relevant business news. Read more here.

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