UPCDA Newsline
January 2014                      RSVP to the next Meeting
President's MessageTOP
pitts

 

Dear Friends,

     Happy New Year! I hope you all had a blessed holiday season and were able to spend time with your families. My wife, Cathy, cooked for all our family here and then we spent the following few days in New Orleans visiting her family. I love the restaurants in New Orleans. If I lived there no doubt I would be 300 pounds.

    One of the common occurrences this time of year is to reflect on the past year and plan for the next one. Most folks make "New Year's Resolutions". The trouble is these are usually broken by February. I have always found it better to write down goals and keep those goals where I can see them every day. It's a proven fact that we will move towards the things that we focus and concentrate on.

My goals for our dental society in this year would include:

  1. Becoming more involved in volunteering our time to those in need. I would challenge all our members to volunteer at least 4 days in the upcoming year.
  2. Our membership would grow in number and we would truly be the representative face of our profession in Upper Pinellas County.
  3. We would embrace young dentists in our society and get them involved in organized dentistry quickly.
  4. As a society, we would continue to represent the interests of Dentists in the political and legal arenas.
  5. We would continue to uphold the standards of patient care to our community.

By now I hope most of you have scheduled to volunteer your time at one of our local dental clinics for 2014. I also encourage you to volunteer for the Florida Mission of Mercy on March 28-29th.  It will be an amazing experience. If you haven't signed up yet, do so under "Team Upper Pinellas" on www.flamom.floridadental.org.

     Our first meeting of the year is January 15th. Dr. Annalise Driscoll will be speaking that evening at East Lake Woodlands Country Club. You do not want to miss this. She has an incredible knowledge of dentistry and dental practices. You will leave knowing more than you do now. Invite a friend and I will see you there

         May this new year be happy, healthy and prosperous for you and your family.

     "We will open the book. Its' pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunities and its' first chapter is New Year's Day."    Edith Lovejoy Pierce

 

Sincerely,

James R. Pitts II DMD

 

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Upper Pinellas County Dental Association CE Meeting 

January 15th 

 

Location:  East Lake Woodlands Country Club  

Speaker: Dr. Annelise Driscoll 

Seminar: Violations in Employment Law, 1 CEU
Time:       6:00 p.m. social hour, 7:00 p.m. seminar
Exhibitors: ADS FL, Pension Services, Synovus
 
RSVP By January 10th: Please email lissette@wcdental.org or call 727-449-1232 

 

Course Summary

Dr. Driscoll will discuss the most common reasons dentists get audited and sued: violations in Employment Law. 45% of dentists are currently being sued, attend this seminar to learn how to avoid being audited or sued.

  

About the Speaker 

Dr. Driscoll is an accomplished Educator, Administrator, Researcher and Consultant with approximately 30 years experience in Health Care. As the founding Director of the Executive Practice Management Certificate Program for Dentists at the University of Florida, College of Dentistry, Dr. Driscoll has taught Practice Management Courses to dentists at UF for 9 years.          

In addition to teaching and developing the Executive Practice Management curriculum at the University of Florida, College of Dentistry, Dr. Driscoll taught at the University of Central Florida, College of Health and Public Affairs in the Health Professions/Health Informatics Management Department.   

She also works collaboratively as an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Research at the University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Community and Family Health Department, collaborating on research on Oral HPV, Medical/Dental Provider Disconnects and the Oral/System Health Connection.
Practice Management Systems, Dr. Driscoll's personalized consulting firm, specializes in both large-scale dental facility design, build out and operational projects, as well as, one-on-one consulting for dentists on Practice Legal Compliance, Operating Systems Development, and Dental Financial Systems Overhaul for Profit Maximization.     

Two of her largest consultative projects include the design, build out, and dental systems implementation for the UCF Dental Center and the Florida State University Dental Center.  

 

Message from UPCDA: Please help UPCDA keep cost down by referring vendors to sponsor our local meetings. Exhibit cost is $350.00. Exhibitor form

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UPCDA Networking Events

 

Mark your calendar and save the date for UPCDA Bowling Event - February 21, 2014

 

Plenty of notice to get your team ready for the 5th annual UPCDA bowling Tournament!

 

 

Volunteers Needed - Support our Local Clinics
 
March 28-29, 2014 
Florida State
Fairgrounds, Tampa

 

FLA Mission of Mercy (MOM) is the Florida Dental Association's two day event that will provide free dental care to well over 1600 residents of the Tampa Bay area on 

March 28-29, 2014 at the Florida State Fair Grounds in Tampa. It is estimated that 300+ Dentists, Dental Specialists, Registered Dental Hygienists, & Physicians and 1000+ non dental professional volunteers are needed. We welcome the support of dental professionals as well as college students, family members and staff. This is a wonderful community service event and opportunity to volunteer. CE credit will be may be provided. Click here to volunteer.

 

makeadifference 
You can make a difference by volunteering your time.
  

Community Dental Clinic

We are blessed in our area to have many options to give back to our community through volunteering our skills as dentists. A brand new venue is opening in northern Pinellas County. The name is Community Dental Clinic and is located in Clearwater. Volunteer dentists and hygienists are needed to work 4 hour shifts starting on Fridays (expanding to other days soon). Opening day is Friday, September 20th. If you would like to volunteer for any upcoming days please contact the Director, Cheryl Small, at 727-418-0535.

 

Gulf Coast Dental Outreach

Volunteer by contact Dr. Robert Ettleman 

rob@gulfcoastdentaloutreach.org or Executive Director Mr. Harry Gross harry@gulfcoastdentaloutreach.orgFrom the web www.gulfcoastdentaloutreach.org click on "our role" radio 

button or simply call 813-579-3935 ext 101 
or ext 105

Homeless Emergency Project 
Volunteer information: The "on site" person handling paperwork is: Margaret Lett  Phone number - 727-442-9041 ext. 107 Email: mlett@ethep.orgFor information regarding the clinical service aspect - contact:  Dr. Patrick Lepeak.  Cell # 727-424-3559.  All phases of dentistry are needed and appreciated.  An active  Florida dental license is required.  Hygienist services are also very much needed.

 

Healthy Teeth Clinic, Department of Health, Largo 

(click here for more clinic brochure)

Dentist Volunteers Needed! Want to be part of something great that will really make a difference? Volunteer your time and talents to the Healthy Teeth Clinic. Work with awesome assistants and grateful patients in a beautiful office. We work hard to make sure you have a great experience. Tell us the hours and dates that will work for you and the services you're happy to provide and we will take care of the rest. Currently we are in desperate need of volunteer dentists for January, February and March. Call  or E-Mail Christina Vongsyprasom at 727-824-6966 and Christina_Vongsyprasom@doh.state.fl.us for more information or to set up a volunteer date.  

Dentists' Day on the Hill 

Grant for 1st time Attendees 

 
Dr. Dan Bertoch devoted much time to advocacy for the dental profession. Members of the Florida state legislature and many in Washington D.C. knew of Dan and always welcomed him during the ADA's Washington Leadership Conference and FDA's Dentists' Day on the Hill (DDOH). 
 
It is in this spirit that a Memorial Fund in Dan's name will provide funding for first-time attendee(s) to DDOH in Tallahassee on April 2, 2014. This grant is meant to help a dentist who has the passion to meet with legislators to discuss issues affecting dentistry. Any first-time attendee is welcome to apply by completing the application form and submitting a letter to the WCDDA. The grant can be used toward transportation to and from Tallahassee and accommodations at the host hotel. Reimbursement will occur after the event. The deadline for application is February 10, 2014. Click here to download the application.

Renew Your Dental License by February 28th 

 
The end of biennium is on February 28th. Reporting continuing education online to renew your license on February 28, 2014 is NOT mandatory. This cycle is an optional reporting cycle. You may record your continuing education in the tracking system free of charge at this time if you choose, visit www.cebroker.com to report. Mandatory Online Reporting Begins March 1, 2014 The Department of Health, Medical Quality Assurance will verify a practitioner's continuing education record in the electronic tracking system at the time of renewal. Practitioners will be able to view their course history in the continuing education tracking system free of charge. The course history will show all the courses that have been reported for the practitioner. Reporting through the CE tracking system www.cebroker.com will be mandatory to renew your license for 2016. Visit www.CE@renewal.com for the FAQs and updated information.  
NOTICE TO LICENSEES 
ABOUT FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS
 
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) was recently made aware that documents purportedly originating from DOH requesting information of a sensitive nature have been received by members of the profession. These documents request licensees share information that may be used to commit fraud against a licensee or patient. DOH is committed to protecting the sensitive health information of DOH licensees and consumers. The DOH Office of Inspector General is in contact with the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate any fraud perpetrated on our licensees.
 
Should you receive a document that appears to be from DOH, but you believe may be fraudulent, you may contact your local law enforcement agency or DOH at 850-488-0595 for instructions on how to proceed. Your cooperation and assistance is vital in protecting DOH licensees and our consumers from fraudulent activities.

 

 

In This Issue
January 15th Meeting
UPCDA Fun Events
Volunteer your Time
DDOH Grant
Renew your Dental License
Fraud Notice from DOH
Helpful Links
UPCDA Member Directory
Report Pro Bono Services
UPCDA Leadership

Mark Your Calendar

  

UPCDA Meetings

 

2014

January 15th  

Dr. Annalise Driscol  

East Lake Woodlands Country Club

 

March 19th  - Dr. Raed Kasem - Location TBD

 

April 16th  Dr. Indaneel Bhattacharyya,

Oral Pathology

Staff welcome

Bon Appétit 

 

May 16th - End of the 

year party


Other Important Dates 
January 17, 2014
WCDDA Annual Meeting
St. Pete Hilton Bayfront
Click here for meeting info & to register 
 
January 25, 2014
UPCDA & WPDA
Hockey Night
 
February 21, 2014
UPCDA Bowling Tournament
 
February 28, 2014
End of the Biennium
  
March 28-29, 2014 
FLA MOMS 
Florida State Fairgrounds
 
April 2, 2014
Dentists Day on the Hill
 
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Helpful Links
 
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UPCDA 2014 
Member Directory  
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Invite your non member colleague to a UPCDA meeting at no cost. Contact UPCDA (727) 449-1232.

 

UPCDA Membership Application  

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  TRACK YOUR PRO BONO SERVICE AND REDUCED FEE SERVICES

click here   

 

It is important to track and report your pro bono services in order to provide financial and statistical information to state and national legislators. 

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UPCDA

Executive Board

 

Dr. James Pitts

President 

  

Dr. Larry Lieberman

President-elect

 

Dr. John Bindeman

1st VP & Program Chair

 

Dr. Emanuel Kontos 

Secretary

 

Dr. George Kostakis

Council At-Large 

  

Dr. Kristine Allen

Treasurer

 

Dr. Jeremy Albert 

Membership Chairman

 

Dr. Sanjie Jackson

Give Kids a Smile Coordinator   

 

Delegates

Dr. Kristen Burch

Dr. James Carazola

Dr. Robert Churney

Dr. Oscar Menendez

 

Alternate Delegates

Dr. John Bindeman

Dr. William Kochenour

Dr. Larry Lieberman

Dr. James Pitts

 

Peer Review Chairman

Dr. Mark Obman

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