Medicaid reimbursements for pediatric care; ortho treatment planning; Doniger on patients' cellphones

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Over the past 10 years, Medicaid reimbursement rates for pediatric dental services have not kept up with inflation, but private insurance rates in most states have seen inflation-related adjustments, according to a new report from the ADA Health Policy Institute. Read Contributing Editor Rabia Mughal's article here.

When you have a patient who you are considering referring to an orthodontist, or when you are talking with an orthodontist about treatment planning, what goes into that conversation? In his column, Dr. Vishal Sharma says knowing what an orthodontist will take into account will help you when referring patients.

In her latest Sheri's Solutions, Dr. Sheri Doniger looks for solutions from her patients' cellphones ringing and buzzing during an appointment. While this has become all too common, she says interruptions can be startling at times and may disrupt a procedure.

What would happen to your practice if you had an accident and became disabled? In this column, Steve Edelstein with the Hilb Group writes about business overhead expense insurance, which he posits as a practical solution for practice owners when unexpected issues arise. Find out more here, or visit our Practice Management Community.