Clinics sue W.Va. Medicaid program; should you 'friend' your patients?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

A group of eight federally qualified health centers that provide medical and dental services to some of the poorest populations in West Virginia is suing the state's Medicaid program, claiming the Bureau for Medical Services has mismanaged the program and underpaid them for more than a decade. Read more.

In other Practice Management Community news, the popularity of social media offers dentists some real advantages in terms of potential market reach, but it can also be a minefield of legal and professional pitfalls. Dentists are advised to use sites such as Facebook and Twitter to answer patients' questions and let them know about new treatments, but they should avoid blurring the boundaries of professional relationships with patients, experts caution. Read more.

And over in the Cosmetics Community, nighttime mouth breathing can have many negative effects on children, including altered neurocognitive development and craniofacial growth, bedwetting, and poor academic performance, according to a sleep apnea expert. Click here to read how dentists can help assess and manage this condition in pediatric patients.