Texas dentists sue AG; Levin on patient financing; implants in infected sites

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In the latest flurry of finger-pointing lawsuits, eight Texas dentists have filed suits claiming the state and attorney general (AG) "protected" Xerox because they feared a federal clawback for hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent orthodontic claims. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's article here.

No dentist wants to see motivated patients suddenly become "unmotivated" when they discover the cost of recommended treatment. The economy makes this an even more important issue. Fortunately, offering a variety of financial options is a smart solution for patients and practices alike, according to Dr. Roger P. Levin.

Placing implants immediately after an extraction has myriad advantages, but what if the teeth being replaced have chronic periapical lesions? In a new study in the Journal of Dentistry, European researchers placed implants in both a healthy socket and an infected one in 18 patients, and compared the results. Read Associate Editor Rob Goszkowski's article here.

Communication in a busy dental office is vital -- not only for a team's efficiency, but also for the patient experience. The more smoothly a practice runs and the more productive its employees are, the greater the quality of service provided to patients, according to Dr. David R. Brown. He shares some technologies and tools designed to help practices function smoothly.

As the number of lawsuits and conflicting claims continue to increase in the Texas Medicaid reimbursement situation, DrBicuspid.com will continue to follow this story and bring you unmatched coverage and commentary on the story.