An insightful and informative newsletter from the Art of Practice Management. A dental practice management consulting company that focuses on revenue and collection systems, front desk systems and forms, dental insurance processing, medical/dental cross-coding systems and employment-law compliance.

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As you are aware, February is National Children's Dental Health Month. Many
practices generously offer dental services to children at either low cost or no cost.
This is certainly of great value to the dental health of these children. However, there
is another area where dental practices can make a huge difference in the children's
overall health.
In the February 2016 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association
an article appeared titled "Weighing in on pediatric obesity". The article stated that
"Pediatric obesity is a public health concern requiring an interprofessional approach
to care. Weight screening in the dental office can promote healthy behaviors to
improve weight and oral health status and reduce systemic and oral health risks."1
This article suggested that dental practices can easily perform weight screenings,
thus creating early intervention by providing education and referrals of patients to
registered dietician nutritionists or to physicians for an in depth evaluation for
patients who are either under weight, overweight or obese.
More and more I am seeing ways in which the dental profession can make a huge
difference in the overall health of its patients. I have written before about dental
practices performing diabetes testing as a significant way to address patient overall
body health. In addition, I have written about sleep apnea treatment in the dental
practice. And now we are being encouraged to address pediatric obesity and other
weight issues.
Often times patients see their dental providers more frequently than they do their
medical providers due to the six month recare schedules that many patients follow.
Why not seize these opportunities to evaluate more than just the patients' dental
health. These are significant steps that can lead dentistry to being recognized as an
integrated part of total health care and, even more importantly, can lead to better
overall body health for those patients.
1
http://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(15)01066-1/abstract, accessed February 11, 2016
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The Secret to Placing Locally-Applied Antimicrobials Easily -
Every Time!
Colleen Rutledge, RDH
I am often asked how I can make placing locally-applied antimicrobials look so easy.
To be certain, I am blessed to have many years of experience, however I have a
hidden secret: the proper instrument!
Below is a brief description of three commonly placed antimicrobial products and the
instruments that make the job easier.
2.5 mg Chlorhexidine Gluconate
PerioChip is an orange-brown, non-antibiotic in a rectangular gelatin chip which is
inserted directly into single site pockets. The chip can be easily placed with 18L
Locking pliers (aka: college/cotton/dressing pliers or 'pick-ups'). Due to the small
size of the chip (4 x 5 mm), the locking feature is ideal for transporting from the
bracket tray to the patient, as well as subgingival placement.
1 mg Minocycline
The handle / cartridge system of Arestin expresses minocycline powder into single
site pockets. Upon depressing the handle, the powder injects efficiently and
comfortably when the first 1-2 mm of the plastic cartridge is 'flattened' by the blunt
end of a #7 cone socket mirror handle. This technique modifies the circular diameter
of the cartridge conforming it to an oval shape. This can also be accomplished with
a Hartman Straight 10cm/4 hemostat
10% Doxycycline Hyclate
Atridox is an antibiotic gel that treats multiple sites and is an excellent choice when
10 - 15 periodontal pockets are present. About a minute after expressing the gel into
the pocket, the product begins to solidify. To ensure it is at the base of the pocket,
use a moistened Balshi gingival cord packer GCPBAL to tap the product lightly
below the gingival margin.
Utilizing these instruments and technique tips will help you place these products
with a new-found confidence and ease! For additional assistance with placing
Arestin, PerioChip and Atridox, email me at: Colleen@PerioAndBeyond.com for a
free "Technique Tips for Locally Applied Antimicrobials" tip sheet for your hygiene
department.
20% OFF the set of ALL 3 DVD's of our CE Course Presentations until March
15, 2016! Use code FEBMEZ in your shopping cart. Please visit
www.PerioAndBeyond.com to shop now!
Dental – How familiar are you with the use of the code D9110? According to
Insurance Solutions Newsletter it is an underreported code. Often times code
D0140 is used for emergency visits that are initiated by the patient due to pain or
discomfort and a non-definitive procedure is performed. Using this code for such
visits may pay a smaller benefit and can limit any benefits for the next exam which
may be a recare exam. D9110 is a code for palliative treatment to alleviate pain or
discomfort and may pay a higher benefit than D0140.
Medical – For those practices that file for TMD procedures with medical insurance,
have you been having difficulty since last July? The code S8262 had been used
pretty successfully but was deleted at that time. This has left many practices trying
Insurance Alert

3. to determine another code to use. Insurance Solutions Newsletter, in their
January/February 2016 issue, suggested that HCPCS code E1399 (durable medical
equipment, miscellaneous) might be an option if the payer requires a HCPCS code.
In addition, if the payer accepts CDT codes, then D7880 can be used. If only CPT is
accepted, then it is possible to use 21299 or 21499 which are considered as
surgical codes and should be prior authorized if required. In addition, narrative
information will need to be supplied. There are two additional codes, 21085 and
21089 which can also be considered but should only be used if requested by the
payer. 21089 will also require narrative information.
Present – Emails have been sent out notifying all CrossWalking manual
purchasers and Quick Look Up Code List purchasers about the 2016 updates for
those products. These updates can be ordered here: 2016 Code Update
January 1, 2016 - Updated CDT codes. If you haven't already purchased your CDT
manual, please do so ASAP. My recommendation is Practice Booster or Coding
with Confidence. You can also order the 2016 issue. To order "Coding with
Confidence" and/or Practice Booster, download the Coding with Confidence
Manual Order Form.
June 1, 2016 - All physicians and eligible professionals, including dentists, who
treat Medicare beneficiaries and write prescriptions, refer, or order for these patients
must either enroll in the Medicare program or opt out of it. Delaying your decision
can be very problematic.
Blueprints to Exceed Today's Hygiene Standard of Care
Friday, March 11, Exton, PA
Saturday, March 12, Trenton, NJ
Friday, April 8, Roanoke, VA
• February 17, 2016 - Webinar - The Basics of Dental-Medical Cross Coding
Mentor Health, 1:00 PM EST
• March 18, 2016 - Houston, TX - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing Basics for
the Dental Practice - Register
• April 8, 2016 - Phoenix, AZ - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing Basics for the
Dental Practice - Register
• April 28, 2016 - Webinar - Understanding the Medical Code Sets for Cross
Coding to Medical, Coding Leader, 1:00 PM EST
• July 15, 2016 - Las Vegas, NV - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing Basics for
the Dental Practice - Register
• September 16, 2016 - Charlotte, NC - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing
Basics for the Dental Practice - Register
• October 7, 2016 - Chicago, IL - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing Basics for
the Dental Practice - Register
• November 4, 2016 - Tampa, FL - Abra-Code-Dabra: Medical Billing Basics for
the Dental Practice - Register
Time Line
Marianne's Seminar/Webinar Schedule for 2016
Colleen's Seminar Schedule for 2016

4. Saturday, April 9, Harrisonburg, VA
Friday, May 6, Woburn, MA
Saturday, May 7, Springfield, MA
Friday, September 16, Rockville, MD
Saturday, September 17, Richmond, VA
Friday, October 21, Syracuse, NY
Saturday, October 22, Albany, NY
Friday, November 4, Atlanta, GA
Saturday, November 5, Braselton, GA
To register: 707-769-8887 or Register online
Favorite Quotes:
"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on
building the new."
~ Socrates
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/05/28/socrates-energy/
Tips
Do you ever wonder why you can't seem to get people to do what you would like
them to do? Dr. Alan Zimmerman has some tips on this topic. This newsletter has
tip #3:
Do a favor first. Paying it forward is growing as a popular way to make small but
positive differences in people's lives. This often times can result in the receiver of
the favor working more harmoniously with you in the future if he or she was the
recipient of your favor.
https://www.aitp.org/news/242439/How-to-Get-People-to-Do-What-You-Want.htm,
Accessed 2/11/16
Points of Interest:
Did you realize that the hand that you write with can affect your teeth?
Those of us who are lefties (and that includes me) tend to chew on the
left side and those of us who write with their right hands tend to chew
on the right.
Delta Dental of Minnesota's Fun Dental History Facts.
http://web.augsburg.edu/hr/wellness/dental/111306.pdf, accessed 2/14/16
Is there someone you think would be interested in this newsletter?
Please feel free to forward this email to them. Thank you!
The Art of Practice Management
2217 Fox Horn Road • New Bern, NC 28562 • Phone: 1-252-637-6259
www.artofpracticemanagement.com • a.p.m.1@suddenlink.net
Perio-Therapeutics & Beyond
724 Fitzwatertown Road • Glenside, PA 19038 • Phone: 267-241-5833
www.perioandbeyond.com • colleen@perioandbeyond.com

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About us | Privacy policy | © Copyright 2016 - Marianne Harper
The contents of this publication reflect the opinion of the authors only. This publication is for informational purposes only.
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