DrBicuspid.com Practice Management Insider

Dear Practice Management Insider,

Are more men gravitating toward "pink collar" jobs traditionally held by women -- like dental assistants and hygienists?

In this latest Insider Exclusive, we talked to New Jersey dentist Raj Upadya, DMD, who just hired a male dental assistant and is one of a growing number of practitioners who are hiring men as assistants and hygienists. Click here to read what's driving this trend and how patients are reacting.

In other Practice Management Community news, cosmetic dentist Sherri Worth, DDS, whose ads boast of treating movie stars and sports celebrities, has paid a $641,542 malpractice judgment for one of six such lawsuits filed against her in nine years. Read about complaints that Dr. Worth did excessive preparation of 22 teeth, plus laser surgery, during a two-hour and 40-minute procedure.

And New Jersey and Connecticut are the latest states to be hit with reductions in reimbursements by Delta Dental within the last year. Click here to read why Delta says the cuts are necessary. In a related story, the CEO of Washington Dental Service offered a qualified apology for saying that dentists should work more to make up for deep reimbursement cuts Delta has made in that state.

Meanwhile, U.S. dentists' net incomes have declined in recent years, due in large part to ongoing repercussions from the economic recession, according to an ADA study. Read how the real net income of independent general practitioners has changed over the last decade.

And North Carolina lawmakers are considering tougher rules for oversight of out-of-state dental management companies. Click here to read about the proposed legislation, which would give the state dental board more control over contracts between dentists and dental chains.

In a related story, a growing number of private equity firms are investing in practice management companies, which they see as one of the few growth areas in the current recession. But several chains are being investigated for Medicaid fraud and overbilling or have gone bankrupt amid government investigations.

However, a dentist who has been employed at a Washington-based dental chain for seven years says working for a practice management company offers many advantages. Click here to see why he's happy with his decision.

And as the debate over the pros and cons of corporate dentistry heats up, dental practice management consultant Thomas Climo uses a clever retelling of the story of Cain and Abel to demonstrate how solo practitioners can manage their way to superior operating results and repeatable net income.

In more political news, U.S. Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) introduced what he called "the most comprehensive dental care legislation in American history." Read about the proposal, which would extend dental coverage to millions of Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans' beneficiaries.

Finally, while electronic health records (EHRs) offer many advantages to dental practices, they also open the door to questions of patient privacy and security, according to a study in the Journal of Dental Education. Click here to read why dental educators say easier access to data makes EHRs ripe for ethical breaches.