North Texas Dentistry, Volume 3 Issue 1

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1North Texas

Dentistrya business and lifestyle magazine for north texas dentists

HelpingChildrenSmileSave a Smile, led by Cook Children’s

Smiles in the SpotlightGreg Greenberg, DDS & Benito Benitez, DDSA Multidisciplinary Success Story

Mission DentistryMedical Ministry International

Money MattersThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly

YOUR 1ST CHOICE WHEN KIDS REQUIRE

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www.northtexasdentistry.com | NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY 3

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North Texas

Dentistry

BAYLOR COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY50 Years LaterThe Class of 1963 returns to campus to see what has changed

COMMUNITY NEWSSouthwest Dental Conference In ReviewGreat photos of a successful convention

MONEY MATTERSThe Good, the Bad, and the UglyA review of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act

SMILES IN THE SPOTLIGHTDr. Greg Greenberg & Dr. Benito BenitezDental, Skeletal and Facial Imbalance: a Multidisciplinary Success Story

LABORATORY NEWSExcellence in Ceramic RestorationsA guide to material selection for anterior restorations

NEWS & NOTESWhat’s up in the North Texas dental communityCelebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month

MISSION DENTISTRYA Conversation with the CEO of Medical Ministry InternationalMMI launches a new dental care initiative

PRACTICE MARKETINGDesktop Marketing / Mobile MarketingDo dentists need both?

CONSTRUCTION NEWS2013 Offers Doctors Tax Saving OpportunitiesNow is the time to update your office equipment and technology

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218 ON THE COVER:

Save a Smile is helping to put bright smileson the faces of area children. Volunteerdentists are the heartbeat of this vital pro-gram, led by Cook Children’s.

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ON THE COVER

Helping Children SmileSave a Smile, led by Cook Children’s

NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com4

In honor of National Children’s DentalHealth month North Texas Dentistry ispleased to feature the outstanding program,Save a Smile, led by Cook Children’s as thisissues cover story. We have worked with Dr. Tonya Fuqua, program manager forSave a Smile and her outstanding teamnumerous times in the past and it is alwaysa pleasure. Watching this program grow andthe increase in the number of childrenserved has been amazing and all participantsthat contribute to its success should beproud of their efforts.

The Southwest Dental Conference was onceagain a great success! It was good to seemany old friends and make new ones. I appreciate your kind words and feedbackon North Texas Dentistry. I hope youhad the opportunity to complete your CErequirements for 2013 and benefited fromthe wealth of information presented at theconference. Be sure to check out the collageof photos by North Texas Dentistry’stalented photographer, Ray Bryant.

Smiles in the Spotlight presents a dra-matic case of Dr. Greg Greenberg and Dr. Benito Benitez. This multi-disciplinarysuccess story exhibits the skeletal and facialtransformation of a radiant young lady’s faceand smile.

Also in this issue, Baylor College of Dentistrycelebrates the 50th Reunion of the Class of1963 which included a tour of the dentalschool highlighting the many advances in equipment and technology. MoneyMatters discusses The Patient ProtectionAffordable Care Act (Obamacare) and theways it will affect your dental practice.Mission Dentistry provides insight into anew dental care initiative provided byMedical Ministry International. Enjoy thesearticles and much, much more!

North Texas Dentistry is working on itsline-up for 2013 and is looking for recom-mendations for cover stories, profiles,Smiles in the Spotlight cases, engaging edi-torial and information for inclusion in News& Notes. For more information or to make arecommendation call (214) 629-7110 or email:[email protected].

Thanks to all of you who support NorthTexas Dentistry and make this publica-tion possible!

Keep smiling and have a great day!

LuLu Stavinoha, RDHPublisher

from the publisher

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial material published in North TexasDentistry, articles may contain statements, opinions,and other information subject to interpretation. Accordingly, the publisher, editors and authors and theirrespective employees are not responsible or liable forinaccurate or misleading data, opinion or other informa-tion in material supplied by contributing authors. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction inpart or in whole without written permission is prohibited.

Advertise in North Texas DentistryFor more information on advertising in North Texas Dentistry, call LuLu Stavinoha at (214) 629-7110 oremail [email protected]. Send written correspondence to:

North Texas Dentistry P.O. Box 12623 Dallas, TX 75225

North Texas

Dentistry

Ray BryantPHOTOGRAPHY

Tina CaullerWRITING / DESIGN

Publisher | LuLu StavinohaPhotographer | Ray Bryant, Bryant StudiosContributing Writers | Dr. Benito Benitez, Brian Berry,Jennifer Eure Fuentes, Dr. Greg Greenberg, Bob Michaels, Neil Rudoff, Gilbert Young

Remember to “Like” us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/NorthTexasDentistry


If the Class of 1963 could agree on one thing, it’s that there are no more“Jack Rabbits” to be found at Texas A&M University Baylor College ofDentistry.

Dr. George Richards organized the 50-year reunion and describes withfondness the belt-driven drill.

“We used to have a handpiece attached to a belt that went up andaround to an engine. We had a foot pedal to drive it,” he says. “The fur-ther we pushed, the faster the engine would drive to turn the hand-piece. We didn’t sit down. We stood up.”

That’s not to say that change wasn’t on the horizon. Richards did usea high speed handpiece before he graduated dental school — once, hissenior year.

In some ways, the Class of 1963 picked the perfect day to tour the den-tal school. On Jan. 18, the clinics were closed so students and facultycould attend the Southwest Dental Conference. This meant that the 20alumni and spouses got to take an unhurried, in-depth tour of campus,seeing much of the dental school that has so changed over the years.

They visited the Dental Simulation Laboratory, Lab 30, Lecture Hall6, Oral Diagnosis, Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging Center, central ster-ilization area, a practical laboratory, the Third Floor Clinic andAdvanced Technology Clinic along with a few impromptu detours.

Dr. Jim Lowe returned to the college from Oklahoma City for the firsttime in 30 years and admits that while the Hall Street entrance locationis still in the same spot, its appearance is completely different fromwhat he remembers.

“It just blows your mind,” Lowe says.

Another notable change: the basement atrium. “They didn’t give us anychairs or water,” he jokes. “The only water was in the men’s room.”

The building isn’t the only thing that has transformed. So, too, havestudent instruments and technology.

Like the toolboxes dental students would carry to and from campuseach day. Seems there was a love-hate relationship with those familiarblack cases, especially for Dr. Nick Baziotes, who went on to graduatefrom the college’s orthodontic program in 1967.

“We had to call our own patients,” Baziotes says. “If they didn’t showup, then we had to carry our 20-pound black case back to the lab anddo something else.”

Back then, the instruments in those cases underwent cold sterilization— a far cry from the substantial autoclaves and stringent sterilizationprocesses used today.

Gloves and masks were not required, patient records were written withpencil and paper instead of stored in an electronic system, and discus-sion of digital x-rays was not even on the horizon.

Luckily, before the alumni left for the day, there was one familiarity tobe spotted: “They still have the same Buffalo Knives we used,”exclaimed Lowe as the group left the Sim Lab.

According to Dean Lawrence Wolinsky, there are some other assetsthat remain constant throughout the decades.

“You spent most of your time doing what you do best: hands-on,restorative dentistry,” Wolinsky told the group. “It comes back to thebasics of dentistry. It all comes down to your hands, your mind andthe instruments.”

Betty Springer served as one of the tour guides and says getting tospeak with the 1963 alumni as her own graduation approaches helpedput her career in perspective.

“I loved seeing dentists that graduated so long ago who are still so pas-sionate and enjoy what they do,” Springer says. “It makes me look for-ward to beginning my career in dentistry.” n

Jennifer Eure Fuentes is a communications specialist at Texas A&M University BaylorCollege of Dentistry. A 2006 graduate of Texas Christian University, she has workedin the communications and editorial field for five years.

By Jennifer Eure Fuentes

50 YEARSLATERThe Class of 1963 returns to campus to get afirsthand look at what’s changed at TAMBCD. Hasanything stayed the same?

Dr. Zoel Allen and members of the Class of 1963 observe a demonstration of the college’s digital technology now used in dental anatomy and histology courses

The problem:

Untreated dental disease can adversely affect learning, com-munication, nutrition and other activities necessary for nor-mal growth and development.

n Children from low income families suffer twice as muchtooth decay as their more affluent peers and their disease ismore likely untreated.i

n According to parents, almost 43,000 children ages 0-8years old do not receive all the necessary dental care.ii

n Sixty-seven percent of school nurse administrators inTarrant County report inadequate community resources forreferring low-income children for dental treatment.iii

i U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000). Oral HealthAmerica: A Report of the Surgeon General

ii Community-wide Children’s Health Assessment & Planning Survey(CCHAPS) 2012

iii Children’s Oral Health Coalition, 2011

Program overview

Dental screenings (limited oral evaluations) are conductedannually by licensed volunteer dentists in the participatingschools to identify children with current or potential dentalproblems. Depending on the severity of the dental problem, ageof the child, translation requirements and financial/insurancestatus, a referral is made to the appropriate volunteer dentalprovider participating in Save a Smile.

Volunteer dentists are matched with qualifying patients anddental care is given in the dentists’ private offices, free of chargeto the families. Children with CHIP or Medicaid are connectedwith a provider selected through their coverage.

Save a Smile partners with Communities In School (CIS) ofGreater Tarrant County, a non-profit organization providinghealth and social service resources to students at high risk fordropping out of school. CIS employs a Licensed Master LevelSocial Worker who is dedicated to the Save a Smile program.The social worker manages multiple Community HealthWorkers and Case Aides who work directly in the schools with

Helping Children SmileSave A Smile

cover feature


Helping Children SmileSave a Smile

SAVE A SMILE, FOUNDED IN JUNE 2003 BY COOK CHILDREN’S AND THE CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH COALITION IN TARRANT

COUNTY, PROVIDES LOW-INCOME CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY AN INNOVATIVE, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, COLLABORA-

TIVE PROGRAM DEDICATED TO PROVIDING RESTORATIVE AND PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE ALL THROUGH THE WORK OF

VOLUNTEER DENTISTS. CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM ARE PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE WHO

ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR DENTAL DISEASE FROM SCHOOLS PRE-SELECTED BY THE SAVE A SMILE PROGRAM.

students and their families to determine additional needs theymight have. Often these needs are uncovered after the prelimi-nary dental screening at the school when the CommunityHealth Workers/Case Aides are following up with the familiesto pursue a course of treatment.

IMPACT:Since the inception of the program:

n An average of 90 percent of eligible children have beenscreened and classified.i

n 51-73 percent of Class 1 children* have received dentaltreatment.i

n 1,598 children who completed comprehensive dentaltreatment are cavity/disease-free.i

*Most severe cases

i Results from a program analysis of Save a Smile, led by the SystemPlanning department of Cook Children’s.

Volunteering… good for the soul

Renan Williams, D.D.S., P.A., has been involved with Save aSmile since the very beginning. He learned about the programthrough the Fort Worth District Dental Society.

Dr. Williams is, by nature, a giving individual.

“I’m happier donating my services than I am making a living,”

he explains. “One of my favorite aspects of the program is thatthese children are treated just like any of our paying patients.They receive first class treatment in our offices and our entirestaff gets to be involved.”

Dr. Williams believes that volunteering his services for Save aSmile is more rewarding than any paycheck. After seeing thelook on the faces of the children that he treats, you would haveto agree.

Giving back - Tarrant County College Dental Hygiene program

Two times a year, the dental hygiene students at Tarrant CountyCollege (TCC) participate in a Save a Smile event that givesthem pediatric dental experience and gives young patients achance for much-needed preventive dental care.

While the children receive exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoridetreatments, oral hygiene instructions, dental health kits andsealants when necessary, the Community Health Workers/CaseAides work closely with families to determine and assist withany social services needs they might have in addition to theirdental issues (emergency assistance, school supplies, trans-portation, translations, etc). Volunteer dentists oversee thetreatment plans that are developed.


Dental screenings (limited oral evaluations) are conducted annually by licensed volunteer dentists.

Dr. Renan Williams enjoys seeing the smiles on children’s faces after theyare no long er in pain.


According to Cindy O’Neal, RDH, MS, Coordinator, DentalHygiene Program, the Save a Smile program offers TCC stu-dents a great opportunity to be involved in a community project.TCC has been involved with Save a Smile since 2005.Participating in the program allows the dental hygiene studentsto see a wide variety of diagnoses and exposes them to thingsthat they usually do not see or experience.

“Most of the patients seen by the students are healthy, so oftentimes the disease they see in these children blows the studentsaway,” explains O’Neal. “Getting the opportunity to treat thesechildren provides an entirely different and eye-opening per-spective from the ‘typical’ patients they usually see.”

The students also like the fact that by meeting and treating thesechildren, they get the opportunity to observe other health con-cerns outside of oral health issues. The Save a Smile programrecognizes that oral health problems can impact a child’s overallhealth.

“Some of the kids will come in crying because they are scaredto see a dentist,” says O’Neal. “When we see them leave with asmile, it is so rewarding.”

It’s not just about teeth

A unique aspect of the Save a Smile program is the holisticapproach used to help the children and their families. Each fam-ily’s scenario is assessed on an individual basis by the social

worker and the Community Health Workers/Case Aides. Inaddition to making sure the dental needs of the children aremet, families may receive help filling out an application forMedicaid or CHIP, gaining access to the food bank, assistancewith medical/eye exams or getting help with school supplies orclothing.

Children with dental needs are referred to a dentist free ofcharge. If a child has no way to get to the appointment, Save aSmile provides transportation to and from the dentist’s office.

Leah Brown is the licensed clinical social worker with CIS ded-icated to the Save a Smile program. She manages theCommunity Health Workers and Case Aides who work directlyin the schools with students and their families.

One of the most rewarding parts of this program for Brown isseeing the relief on a child’s face after he or she has receivedtreatment for something that was hurting. She loves being a partof a program that helps so many families who never knew thiskind of support existed.

“Before coming to work with Save a Smile, I had never seen aprogram like this. Often times, I think we just assume thateveryone has access to dental care,” Brown says. “Beinginvolved in this program has really opened my eyes to the factthat dental care often isn’t a priority with these families. Thefamilies we treat have to focus on where their next meal is goingto come from and things like dental care often get overlooked.”

Dental hygiene students at Tarrant County College participate in Save aSmile events that give them pediatric dental experience and gives youngpatients a chance for much-needed dental care.

One of the greatest aspects of the Save a Smile program is that it providesmore than just dental care. CHWs/Case Aides often provide transportationso the children are able to get to their dentist appointments.


Andrea, five years old, couldn’t sleep at night because she was inso much dental pain. She complained of pain when she ate and hadstarted limiting her diet to foods that were easier to chew.

During a screening at her elementary school, a volunteer dentistfor Save a Smile found serious dental disease in Andrea’s mouth.She suffered from large cavities and the potential for things toworsen if she did not receive help soon.

Andrea was referred to David Hunter, D.D.S., an oral surgeon, tohave six teeth removed due to the severity of dental disease.Andrea was then referred to Janell Plocheck, D.D.S., a pediatricdentist, for needed restorative treatment on many other teeth.

Despite her fear, Andrea has remained very brave in all of her visitsto the doctors’ offices. She tells her mom that visiting the dentistis still a little scary but when her mom reminds her about how muchbetter she feels when she leaves, Andrea’s fear soon fades away.

Today, Andrea is a lively first grader with a smile that can melt yourheart. Her mother is very grateful for the care provided by Save a Smile, Dr. Hunter and Dr. Plocheck.

Helping the fear fade away – Andrea’s story

Employees from the local Kohl’s department stores volunteer their time each year for the annual assembly of the Save a Smile dental hygiene kits for childrenparticipating in the program.


Save a Smile - a family tradition

With the entire family involved in the Davis Family Dental Careoffice, it’s easy to see that taking care of others runs throughtheir genes. Daughters Dakota and Lauren followed in theirfather Paul’s footsteps as dentists, while mom Demmie runs theoffice. Lauren even married a dentist.

Practicing dentistry is more than just a career for the Davis fam-ily, caring for others is part of who they are. Paul calls his choiceto become a dentist, “extremely rewarding.”

Paul became familiar with Save a Smile while serving as presi-dent of the Fort Worth District Dental Society. “I like the Savea Smile concept because of the consistency for the children.They get to see the same doctor the whole time. When you vol-unteer with other organizations, the children never get to seethe same doctor.”

Lauren knew early on that she would join her father as a dentist.She was always at her parents’ office and liked the atmosphere.“Watching how they treated the patients, I could see the impactthey were having on these people’s lives and it seemedextremely fulfilling,” says Lauren.

When she joined her parents’ office, she was still establishingher own practice. She used that time to see Save a Smile kids.Thanks, of course, to her mom’s encouragement… and sched-uling as many as possible.

“Kids come in and they’re terrified,” Lauren said. “We tell themeverything will be OK, and when it does turn out OK, to seethose kids… it’s just awesome.”

While Lauren was in dental school, she would share her expe-riences with older sister Dakota who was trying to figure outwhat her career path would be. “After listening to Lauren andtalking to my dad, I decided that following in their footsteps waswhat I was meant to do,” explains Dakota.

When she began dental school, Dakota’s decision was con-firmed. “From the very beginning of dental school, I thought itwas so cool,” Dakota said. “I felt I had an aptitude for it.”

“I like what I do. I like coming to work and talking to patients,”Dakota said. “It’s fun for me to talk to these patients and helpthem with these services. Your oral health has an effect on youroverall health, so if they come to me and are afraid of other doc-tors, maybe I can help them to not be.”

Becoming involved in Save a Smile was natural for Dakota. “Ihad been to an event or two before I even graduated from dentalschool,” Dakota said. “As soon as I got out of school, one of thefirst things I was doing was going to elementary schools andseeing kids. I went to three screenings the first year because Ihad time, while building my practice. It was fun. The kids wouldlove you and hug you.”

Paul sits back and listens as his daughters talk about the impor-tance of Save a Smile. It’s an organization that means so muchto him and he knows that the future is in good hands.

“It’s great to have Cook Children’s leading the way, but it’s thevolunteer dentists that are the heart of this program. Withoutthem, the program wouldn’t exist,” Paul said. “We are doing alot of good for the community. Statistics show we’ve had atremendous impact and that is a wonderful thing.”

“I obviously want to hand this practice over to my daughtersand I have all the confidence in the world in them. They havesimilar values as their mother and me. I don’t have to questionif my patients will be taken care of. I don’t have to question ifSave a Smile is important to them. Seeing the smiles on the kids’faces and seeing how happy the parents are, knowing their chil-dren don’t have to suffer anymore.”

As Paul speaks of his family with pride, you see this parentsmile. His daughters soon follow with grins of their own. Afterall, it’s in the genes. n

For more information on Save a Smile, contact Tonya K. Fuqua, D.D.S.,program manager of Save a Smile, at 682-885-6731 or by email [email protected].

The entire Davis family donates their time to Save a Smile. Pictured fromleft: Dr. Dakota Davis, Demmie, Dr. Lauren Drennan and Dr. Paul Davis.

creating compelling professional images thatspeak for your practice

214.369.1850817.966.2631www.Bryant [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A

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community news

Photos by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios

The 2013 Southwest Dental Conference

was another great success.It was fun to see old friends

and make new ones!



The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is nowthe law of the land. With a slim majority of the popularvote and a significant victory in the electoral college, the

reelection of President Barack Obama ended many months of spec-ulation from states and businesses on health care reform andwhether all of the PPACA’s provisions should be considered orimplemented. Regardless of your political persuasion, PPACA isthe law. As a dentist, employer, and business person running a den-tal practice in Texas, you need to understand the law and start plan-ning for its impact on your practice.

Having this issue settled so you can move forward and start plan-ning for the future is a positive. Of course, that does not mean therewill not be challenges. Some of the first things to expect will be reg-ulations spelling out how to implement mandated changes. Thereare significant provisions and regulations that must be imple-mented and they need to be detailed. These include the exchanges,the types of policies that will be available, the benefits, the premi-ums, the individual mandate, the employer requirements andmore. Many have said that a “flood” of regulations will be comingfrom the government as we move forward with the law. As most ofus know, floods are not typically associated as good events so youshould expect a fair amount of confusion and frustration whichonly the Federal government will be able to resolve by providingthe specific details for all of these items.

Understanding and getting more information is a good place tostart. Consequently, the following is a brief summary of the PPACAthat you should consider.

The GoodPPACA is the law of the land and all the uncertainties aboutwhether or not all or part would be implemented are largely gone.This is good because for the first time in a couple of years, regard-less of who you wanted in the White House, you can move forwardknowing the law isn’t going to be repealed or changed significantly.

Beginning January 1, 2014, health insurance exchanges will com-mence operation in each state, offering a marketplace where indi-viduals and small businesses can compare policies and premiums,and buy insurance (with a government subsidy if eligible). If thestate does not elect to set up a state exchange, the federal govern-ment will provide one.

n Health insurance companies will be required to issue policiesregardless of any medical condition, referred to as “guaranteedissue”. The same premium must be charged for all applicants ofthe same age and geographical location without regard to genderor most pre-existing conditions (excluding tobacco use).

n Minimum standards for health insurance policies are to be

The Good, the Bad, and the UglyThe Patient Protection Affordable Care Actby Bob Michaels, CLU - TDA Financial Services Insurance Program

money matters


established and annual and lifetime cover-age caps will be banned.

n Firms employing 50 or more people butnot offering health insurance will also paya shared responsibility requirement if thegovernment has had to subsidize anemployee’s health care.

n Small businesses, including most den-tal practices, will be eligible for subsidies ifthey purchase insurance through anexchange (subject to guidelines).

n Copayments, coinsurance, anddeductibles are to be eliminated for selecthealth care insurance benefits consideredto be part of an “essential benefits package”for Level A or Level B preventive care.

n Low income individuals and familiesabove 100% and up to 400% of the federalpoverty level will receive federal subsidieson a sliding scale if they choose to purchaseinsurance via an exchange.

n Rate increases above 9.9% are review-able by the state department of insuranceor Federal Government if it is deemed the state department is not adequatelyequipped to review the increases.

n Health plans must provide rebates toenrollees if their medical loss ratio – thepercentage of premiums spent on reim-bursement for clinical services and activi-ties that improve health care quality – doesnot meet the minimum standards for agiven plan year. For large group insurersthis is 85 percent; individual and smallgroup insurers must spend at least 80 per-cent of premium dollars.

Policies issued before the PPACA provi-sions take effect are grandfathered frommany of these provisions; however a mate-rial change cannot be made to these poli-cies so insureds are “frozen” in that theycannot increase deductibles, coinsuranceor copayments to offset rate increases.

The BadPerhaps as many as 35 or 40 millionAmericans are expected to go online forhealth care needs in 2014. This meansboth federal and state health insuranceexchanges will continue working to meet

that deadline. These exchanges are sup-posed be ready for enrollment by October2013. As of this writing, Texas is one of thestates that have elected not to set up a stateexchange, which means the government issupposed to provide a Federal Exchange.

A shared responsibility requirement, com-monly called an individual mandate,requires that all individuals not covered byan employer sponsored health plan,Medicaid, Medicare, or other public insur-ance programs purchase and comply with

an approved private insurance policy orpay a penalty or tax. Exceptions are madefor individuals who are members of a rec-ognized religious sect exempted by theInternal Revenue Service, and in cases offinancial hardship.

Employers will have new and additionalregulations to comply with, including newinformation for W2 forms and changes tohealth care Flexible Spending Accounts.

(continued on page 25 4)


SMILESin theSPOTLIGHTLEADERS IN NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRYCREATING UNFORGETTABLE SMILES

Initial PresentationWhitney presented to our office with a chief concern of “I have alarge overbite.” Extraoral examination revealed a convex profile withmandibular retrognathia and a short lower anterior face height. Uponsmile, there was 100% incisor display with narrow buccal corridors.Intraoral examination revealed a full Class II malocclusion withexcessive overjet, deep overbite, moderate crowding in the maxillaryand mandibular arches, and bilateral buccal crossbites on the max-illary 1st premolars. Tooth #25 showed gingival recession as well.She had no previous orthodontic treatment done as a teenager. Dr. O’Dell Marshall examined Whitney as well and diagnosed herwith: obstructive sleep apnea, maxillary transverse hypoplasia,mandibular retrognathism, traumatic palatal occlusion and gingivalinflammation, and decreased nasal airway.

Treatment PlanAfter discussing the various options with Whitney, we agreed on fullupper and lower braces with orthognathic surgery to correct herskeletal and facial imbalance. We decided to address the recessionon #25 after the treatment and orthognathic surgery was completed.As with all orthognathic surgery cases, the third molars needed tobe removed at least six months prior to surgery, which was done by Dr. Marshall.


ResultsWhitney returned to our office from surgery three weeks later and rub-ber bands were used to hold the Class II correction. Her braces wereremoved seven months after surgery and minor detailing of the occlu-sion and final space closure was completed. She will be retained witha clear maxillary retainer and a mandibular Hawley retainer. Whitneywas thrilled with the final result and as of writing this article, she wasplanning her wedding in the upcoming weeks.

Greg Greenberg, DDSBenito Benitez, DDS

Dr. Greenberg began practicing orthodontics in 1988 in his LakeHighlands office and is pleased to have been able to serve the samecommunity for his entire career. He has met wonderful people andseen many children grow up to be successful adults who are confidentenough in him to bring in their children as well. In 2008, he openedhis Frisco office to serve the surrounding communities as well.

Dr. Benitez recently joined the practice of Dr. Greenberg in March of2012 and has been enjoying working with such dedicated people wholove to see people smile. Dr. Benitez is a native of the Dallas-FortWorth area and attended TCU and Baylor College of Dentistry. Herecently moved to the Lake Highlands area and is proud to be part ofsuch a great community.


Dallas: 8510 Abrams Rd. Suite 508 Dallas, TX 75243 (214) 503-0060 Frisco: 6801 Warren Pkwy. Suite 121 Frisco, TX 75034 (972) 335-1300

www.rxsmile.com

ProcedureGAC Inovation Clear brackets were used from canine to canine andmetal Inovation brackets/bands were used for the posterior segments.Alignment of teeth begins with a small flexible round NiTi wire and pro-gresses slowly up to a stiffer and more rectangular stainless steel wirefor the surgery. Steel wire ties were placed on all brackets to allow Dr. Marshall to utilize any pattern of rubber band wear needed afterthe surgery. The surgery consisted of a segmental three-piece LeFort Imaxillary osteotomy with bone graft, a bilateral sagittal split ramusosteotomy mandibular advancement, and an anterior mandibular bodyosteotomy (sliding genioplasty) to augment the chin projection.

It is often said that a beautiful smile is magic;creating one is not. In today’s appearancedriven society, selecting the ideal restorativematerial can be a challenging act, a jugglingact and a game of Russian roulette, some-times all at the same time.

Today more than ever, the use of dentalceramic materials for esthetic anteriorrestorations aim at avoiding the use of tradi-tional metal-ceramics while providing notonly better esthetics, but comparablestrength when bonded to tooth structure.

Although the materials and techniques avail-able today for esthetic anterior restorationsare many, the criteria for the selection of theappropriate restoration can be confusing. Foradequate material selection, the practitionermust take into consideration several impor-tant factors.

All-ceramic anterior restorations can bedivided in two main categories based on thecementation technique: Adhesive retainedrestorations and conventional cementedrestorations. There is still a reasonable num-ber of practitioners that prefer the traditionalcement retained techniques for full coveragerestorations with a zirconia or alumina rein-forced core. These restorations can also bebonded as per the techniques and studiesdescribed by Blatz, et al (1-3).

The criteria for selecting anterior restorationscan be based on whether the restoration is aconservative, minimally prepared tooth orteeth or a full coverage restoration. Porcelainlaminates, 3/4 veneer crowns or any restora-tion that restores a small portion of the coro-nal part of the tooth is considered anadhesively retained restoration.

In general, an all-ceramic restoration can beselected based on:

n Color control (management of the colorof the underlying tooth structure)

n Thickness of the restoration

n Track record (long term performanceover 5 years)

n Ease of fabrication

n Dental ceramist’s individual preference

Factors that can affect the color ofthe final all-ceramic restorations:

n Non-discolored vital tooth

n Discolored, non vital tooth

n Post and cores of various materials

When matching existing natural dentition ormasking undesirable tooth color, careful consideration must be given to the above mentioned factors. While a full coverage all-ceramic core supported restoration can yieldadequate masking, a very conservativerestoration will require the expertise of thedental ceramist and an intimate knowledge ofceramic layering materials to properly tran-sition the color of the restoration to theunderlying natural tooth, so a natural andrealistic result can be achieved. Proper pho-tographic documentation is key in the com-munication with the dental ceramist.

3/4 veneer preparation for a vital tooth.

Notice the warm color of the gingival areaand the translucent quality of the incisalarea. This will require layering of specificceramic powders during the fabricationprocess so the harmonizing colors of the nat-ural tooth can transition into the restoration.

It would be a disadvantage to utilize a mono-chromatic, non-layered, ceramic material forthis type of preparation.

It is necessary to incorporate the use of special ceramicmaterials that contain fluorescence and variousdegrees of translucency so the color of the underlyingtooth structure can blend with the restoration.


Excellence in Dental Ceramic RestorationsMaterial Selection for Anterior Restorations by Gilbert Young, CDT

laboratory news

Final restoration fabricated using several color transitionlayers of ceramic to achieve a natural appearance.

This patient needs esthetic anterior restorations toreplace deficient porcelain fused to metal restorationsdone in the past. Additionally, the problem is furthercomplicated with inadequate gingival levels of the lat-eral incisors. A crown lengthening procedure will allowfor the fabrication of esthetically acceptable all-ceramicrestorations.

Non-vital discolored preparations can negatively affectthe appearance of the final restorations. This patientcan benefit from all-ceramic layered restorations with aZirconia-reinforced core. A color dot in the correspon-ding area of the fabrication die is a simple technique togauge the relative opacity of the Zirconia-reinforcedsubstructure. The color dot in not visible under the sub-structure.

Post-treatment final Zirconia-reinforced restorations.

Conclusion Bonding techniques allow a wider modality ofall-ceramic restorations to be used pre-

dictably when treating the anterior dentitionwhile greatly improving the esthetic qualityof the treatment; from ultra-conservativerestorations to full coverage crowns.However, it is necessary to understand howto manage the color of the underlying toothstructure so adequate materials can be cho-sen. The more conservative the preparation,the more critical this becomes. It is importantthat both the dentist and dental ceramistunderstand what each other needs in order toachieve the best results for their patients.

The author thanks Dr. William Bruce and Dr. Stephen Dallal for their clinical expertise,embracing the art and science of all-ceramicbonded restorations and for faithfully docu-menting the final results of the two casesshown in this article. n

REFERENCES

Blatz MB, Sadan A, Kern M. Resin-ceramic bond-

ing – A review of the literature. J Prosthet Dent

2003;89(3):268-274.

Blatz MB, Oppes S, Chiche GJ, Holst S, Sadan A.


Influence of cementation technique on fracture

strength and leakage of alumina all-ceramic

crowns after cyclic loading. Quintessence Int

2008;39:23-32.

Blatz MB, Richter C, Sadan A, Chiche G, Swift EJ.

Resin bond to dental ceramics, part II: high

strength ceramics. J Esthet Restor Dent

2004;16(5):324-8.

Gilbert Young, CDT is a master ceramist andowner of GNS Dental Studio, Inc. in Plano,Texas. He also lectures and teaches nationallyand internationally on the subject of dentalceramics, restorative designs and esthetics andis an accredited member of the AmericanAcademy of Cosmetic Dentistry since 1997. Forquestions or comments, please email GilbertYoung, CDT at [email protected] call (972) 473-9366.

Restorations in this article fabricated by Gilbert Young,CDT c/o GNS Dental Studio, Inc. All images used in thisarticle are copyrighted and all rights reserved.

Our only business is working with TDA Members and their sta� s.

We are committed exclusively to servicing TDA membership’s needs.

Protection is our Business

Bob Michaels, CLU Local Associate214-696-5103

Disability Life Health Long Term Care Malpractice

www.tdamemberinsure.com 1-800-677-8644


Irving pediatric dentist donates more than 3,000 toothbrushesin celebration of National Children’s Dental Health MonthDental-related illnesses cause children to miss51 million school hours a year according to OralHealth in America: A Report of the SurgeonGeneral. To help reduce cavities and other oralillnesses among children in our local commu-nity, Children’s Dental Centre of Irving willdonate, for the second consecutive year, morethan 3,000 toothbrushes in celebration ofNational Children’s Dental Health Month inFebruary.

Dr. Reena Kuba, DDS, MS, the Centre’s boardcertified pediatric dentist, is committed to work-ing with the community and parents to create apositive, educational atmosphere to get childrenon the right path to a lifetime of optimal oralhealth. The toothbrushes will be donated to pre-Kand/or kinder students at 12 local schools.

“Proper diet and brushing habits are essentialin preventing dental problems. We are pleasedto be able to do our part to help the children inour community,” said Dr. Kuba.

Along with toothbrushes, the staff of Children’sDental Centre of Irving will provide free dentalhealth presentations to many of the schools.

Children’s Dental Centre of Irving provides comprehensivedental care for children agessix months to 18 years of age.

Drive for a Smile children’s toothbrush driveFeb. 1 - March 1 In support of National Children’s Dental HealthMonth, the Children’s Oral Health Coalition, ledby Cook Children’s, is collecting soft, individu-ally wrapped children’s toothbrushes for at-risk children. For more information, please visitwww.cookchildrens.org/toothbrushdrive.

Here’s how you can help:n Sign up to become a toothbrush collection site.

n Encourage employees and customers to donate!Any business or organization can take part.

To register, call (682) 885-4162 or visit www.cookchil-drens.org/toothbrushdrive.

n Donate at www.cookchildrens.org/toothbrush-drive. Your monetary donation will be used to buy tooth-paste and toothbrushes at a discounted rate.

n Collect new, SOFT, individually wrapped chil-dren’s toothbrushes.

During February, drop them off at:

Tarrant County College Dental Hygiene SchoolNortheast Campus: Health Sciences Building828 Harwood Road, Hurst, TX 76054 (817) 515-6325

Drop-off times: 8am-5pm, Mon-Thu or 8 a.m.-noon, Friday

Dental Health Arlington201 N. East Street , Arlington, TX 76011 (817) 277-1165

Drop-off times: 8am-5pm, Mon-Thu or 8 am-1pm, Friday

ONE-DAY DROP-OFF EVENT on March 1 at:Cook Children’s South Rehabilitation Clinic 1919 8th Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 7611010 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2013

Spina Bifida Associationof North Texas40th Anniversary Gala CelebrationSaturday, April 6

Dinner, Music & Casino Fun!7:00 to 11:00Orion Ballroom400 S. Zang BoulevardTickets $75.00

Celebrate 40 years of service to theSpina Bifida community in NorthTexas and honor those who have sup-ported these efforts!

Visit spinabifidant.org for details and ticket sales.

NEWS& notes

Tell the North Texas Dental community your news! Submit your news to [email protected]


Sam Smith, C.E.O. of MMI, recently visited with us aboutthe work of Medical Ministry International and the launchof a new dental care initiative aimed at providing morerestorative and preventative care to the world’s poor.

What is unique about Medical Ministry Internationalas a volunteer organization?

We seek to be people of excellence in all we say and do. MedicalMinistry International is not about going on a quick trip, doinggood work, and then leaving. We plan and execute strategies thatresult in lasting change for communities around the globe. MMl isultimately about trying to give people the ability to support them-selves and live normal lives. We have staff on the ground yearround and thus can assess the needs and prepare to host those withthe skills that can help to address the issues that are found. Thisstaff provides for the execution and also the follow-up and assess-ment of the projects once the team has left. One of the importantaspects about serving the poor is to have a team in place that canprovide the follow up care and support needed. This staff ensuresthat each project team builds upon the previous teams’ work. OurHealth Centers give us the chance to make the services a year-round effort in the community.

What do you say to those who ask why you work in thesefaraway places when there is so much need right here inthe United States?

The truth is the poor in the United States have it a lot better thanin the places our teams serve. For example, a man has an abscessunder his tooth. This would be no big deal in the western world. Inthe areas we serve there is little to no dental care available and ifleft untreated, it can result in serious medical problems that couldultimately lead to death. Our Health Centers and Project Teamsseek out these areas of need and provide a level of care that changeslives.

Specifically, how does MMI address the dental needs ofa region?

We provide the poor a variety of services like fluoride treatments,routine dental cleanings, extractions, and restorative procedureson most of our projects. We all know that tooth decay doesn’t hap-pen overnight and MMI believes the loss of teeth is just as prevent-able in developing countries as it is for the rest of the world. Withthe recent additions of portable dental suites for our Project Teams,we expect to double the amount of restorative care we provided in2012 and over time we expect to see the number of tooth extrac-tions to decrease.

Medical Ministry International is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers and staff

members focused on providing compassion and healthcare to the poor in 22 countries around the

world. MMI’s international office is based in Allen, Texas.

A Conversationwith the CEO of Medical Ministry International

mission dentistry


2013 is an exciting time for our Dental Program! We expect it to beone of the biggest areas of growth for the Ministry in the next 5years and hope to more than triple the impact that our currentteams are achieving.

Who can go on one of MMI’s project teams?

Anyone with a servant’s heart — our teams are usually multiple spe-cialties. We may have, for example, primary care, dental, vision andintegrated health (preventative, spiritual, and wellness care) allhappening at one time. We have a triage area where we determinethe specific issues that need to be addressed, and then the patientsare escorted to the various program specialties for care. Our vol-unteers are both medical and non-medical. Each has a very impor-tant role to play in the process. If you have a skill, we usually canfind a place for you. This also helps couples and sometimes evenfamilies, to join our Teams as there will be a role for each personto fill. Many find that they go to serve the poor and in return theyend up getting more from the trip than they ever expected. Livesare literally changed before your eyes.

MMI volunteers describe people with common medicalissues, such as vision problems or decaying teeth, whoselives are changed dramatically after they are helped.What is the long-term impact on a culture that receivesbasic medical care?

This is a big question, but I will try to give a concise answer. Basiccare is the basis for life. You need clean water to live and qualityfood to sustain a healthy life. This is why we have water, sanitation,and agricultural programs as a part of our medical services. If a

person cannot see, then he cannot support or help his family. A 15-minute eye surgery can totally change his life! Without teeth,we cannot eat; people who cannot smile have a tendency to closeup and not interact with others. People born with correctabledefects are considered cursed in many areas we serve, and theytend to hide from society. We give them a chance to come out fromhiding and live.

MMI Programs utilize Project Teams to address need and build asupport infrastructure. Health Centers are built to provide yearround attention and are supported by our Project Teams. We alsoare building capacity by training others through our ResidencyTraining Program. Local physicians and support staff are provided


training to increase their skill sets and then go back to their com-munities. It’s all encompassing as you can’t just train doctors andnot train the team around them. At the end of the day, we seek tobuild medical capacity while trying to eliminate the issues thatcaused the illness in the first place. It’s an amazing thing to see inaction and we invite those that want to make a difference to join usand change lives! n

Visit www.mmint.org for more information and follow us atwww.facebook.com/medicalministry or on Twitter @medministryintl


(continued from page 15)

Flexible Spending Accounts will be limitedto $2,500 per year. This could potentiallyimpact your practice indirectly becausepatients may delay or decide against hav-ing elective or cosmetic procedures if theycannot prefund these on a tax preferredbasis.

The UglyPPACA’s provisions are intended to befunded by a variety of taxes and offsets.Major sources of new revenue include amuch broadened Medicare tax on incomesover $200,000 and $250,000 for individ-ual and joint filers respectively, an annualfee on insurance providers, and a 40%excise tax on “Cadillac” insurance policies.The income levels are not adjusted forinflation, leaving the possibility ofincreased taxes on incomes over $250,000inflation-adjusted dollars after more thantwo decades without indexing throughbracket creep. Unfortunately, dentists as agroup will be targeted and can expect tohave more of their income and savingstaxed at significantly higher rates.

Insurance companies that do not have sig-nificant health insurance business will exitthe market by terminating the agreementsor by selling their business to anotherprovider. This will mean fewer options inselecting policies and companies.

The range of plans and benefits offered inthe Exchange will be determined by theFederal government and you will probablyhave less choice in picking the type of pol-icy for your situation – for instance ahigher deductible, an HSA type plan, or aplan with or without maternity coverage.

Grandfathered plans will eventually goaway as the premiums will force insuredsto the Exchanges.

Healthcare facilities and providers willcontinue to consolidate into bigger and big-ger groups who will be less flexible in nego-tiating with insurance companies fordiscounting fees. The trend will be backtowards the HMO model rather than theopen PPO model of the past 15 or so years.

There are also taxes on pharmaceuticals,high-cost diagnostic equipment, and a 10%federal sales tax on indoor tanning serv-ices. Offsets are from intended cost savingssuch as changes in the Medicare Advantageprogram relative to traditional Medicare. Asummary of these tax increases is below:

n Increase Medicare tax rate by 0.9% andimpose added tax of 3.8% on unearnedincome for high-income taxpayers

n Charge an annual fee on health insur-ance providers

n Impose a 40% excise tax on healthinsurance annual premiums in excess of$10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for afamily

n Impose an annual fee on manufactur-ers and importers of branded drugs

n Impose a 2.3% excise tax on manufac-turers and importers of certain medicaldevices

n Raise the 7.5% Adjusted Gross Incomefloor on medical expenses deduction to 10%

n Limit annual contributions to flexiblespending arrangements in cafeteria plansto $2,500

A law as significant as the PatientProtection Affordable Care Act (PPACA)will never be without its many critics oradvocates. There will be many unintendedconsequences both positive and negative.No one really knows which is probably themost concerning aspect. However, thePPACA is law and you must move forwardand do your best to understand its manyprovisions as a Texas dentist, employerand insured.

If you would like to receive more informa-tion, or would like to discuss the insuranceoptions available, please feel free to contactus at (800) 677-8644 or visit our website,tdamemberinsure.com.

For information regarding other TDAFinancial Services endorsed programs,please visit www.tdafsi.com, or call (512)443-3675. n

Bob Michaels, CLU has been in the insurance business in Dallas,Texas for over 40 years. He has been an Associate with the TDAFinancial Services Insurance Program for the last eight years.Bob’s scope of operation in the TDA Insurance Program includeslife, health, disability income, employee benefits, long term care,and malpractice insurance.

For more information, visit www.TDAmemberinsure.com. You cancontact Bob at [email protected] or call (214)696-5103.

[email protected]“We specialize in customer satisfaction.. ”

www.jhouserconstruction.com817.988.7842

PO Box 325 Canton, TX 75103



They’re everywhere you go. People have them in line at thegrocery store, you see them while waiting for a doctor’sappointment, moms picking up their kids in the carpool

lane usually have them and yes, you probably did just see a 10-yearold with one. That’s right; we’re talking about the seemingly ever-present smart phone. Whether it’s an iPhone, Android, tablet orany of the lesser known variety, the truth is that everyone not onlyseems to have one, but we are using them all the time. So muchso, that Smart Insights recently reported that mobile internet useis set to overtake desktop internet use by 2014. Yes, you read thatright. In approximately one year, more people will access the inter-net (and subsequently your website) from a smart phone or tabletthan their desktop or laptop computer.

So, just what are we actually doing on our smart phones? Email?Searching the web? Angry Birds? The answer is yes, yes and yes,we are doing everything that we normally do on desktop computersand then some. Surprisingly, it’s not just teenagers and earlyadopters who are embracing this new technology. According toSmart Insights, women aged 35-54 are currently considered themost active group in mobile socialization. Additionally, 62% ofAmerica’s moms (who tend to make a majority of the decisionsregarding healthcare for their families), are using their smartphones to search for (and choose) products and services.

Since search engine optimization is one of the many services weprovide for our clients, we are highly interested in how increasedmobile use affects the way that potential patients find dentistsonline. It turns out, the effects are pretty significant. Google’s

research says that 40% of all mobile searches are for local informa-tion. That means that when people are making a purchasing deci-sion, nearly half the time they are on their mobile devices. This caninclude anything from what the best nearby lunch spot is or whattime your local dry cleaner closes to which dentist you shouldschedule a six-month cleaning with. It’s clear that the product andservices searching we once did with the yellow pages or on ourdesktop computer is now being done digitally in the palms of ourhands.

And isn’t that just like technology to change so rapidly? Just as youwere beginning to gain traction on your desktop marketing strate-gies, marketing researchers are now saying that you need a sepa-rate strategy for mobile users. Well, yes, but for business owners(including dentists and oral surgeons), this news is great.Fantastic, actually, because all of this mobile searching usuallyleads to one thing… the ability to easily call or book an appointmentwith you straight from their smart phone, more so than on a desk-top or laptop. In fact, 90% of smart phone searches result in anaction, with 77% contacting the local business and 61% immedi-ately calling the business. Our clients are seeing anywhere from20% to 25% of their visitors coming from mobile devices.

While you definitely shouldn’t ignore or discontinue your desktopmarketing strategies, these statistics have confirmed what we’vesuspected for a while; dentists need a desktop marketing and amobile marketing strategy that works together and optimizes foreach unique platform. While there are several differences that sep-arate the two, there are specific and simple strategies you can fol-

Mobile Marketing.

Desktop Marketing.

Do dentists need both?

practice marketing

by Neil Rudoff


low that will ensure potential patients can both find you and easilybook an appointment on a desktop computer or mobile device.

What’s the Big Deal with Website Design?

Your website may be beautiful. It’s probably modern, sleek andeasy to navigate. So, if it works great on a desktop computer itshould come up on a mobile browser just fine, right? Not neces-sarily. It’s a risky decision to build a website that is made only fora desktop computer and “hope” that it comes up correctly on aniPad, Google Nexxus, iPhone or Android, because if it doesn’t andpeople can’t easily read the information or book an appointment,they’ll take no time in moving on to the next dentist.

When you are planning your website development and design,mobile friendly considerations should be at the very forefront ofyour marketing strategy. However, this absolutely does not meanthat you have to build two (or three) separate websites that lookgood and work correctly on a desktop computer, tablet and mobiledevice. All you have to do is make sure your website is responsive.According to Google research:

“Responsive websites use a flexible grid framework that“responds” to screen resolution so that the grid (or blocks of con-tent) is positioned respective to the user’s device. Responsive sitesautomatically change and realign themselves so that they areoptimized for legibility, navigation and fast display on mobilephones, tablets, laptops, or desktops.”

Need visualization? Here is a sample of exactly how a responsive website alters itself to fit any device:

Looks pretty good, right? Responsive websites are very versatileand can be used on all devices, including smart TVs. The beauty ofchoosing this type of design is you only have to market, update andmanage one website. It’s a simple solution that ensures any audi-ence looking at your website on any device will like what they see.It’s important for dental professionals to adopt a responsive web-site design strategy.

Keep it Simple. This means avoiding “clutter,” wide (hor-izontal) menus and scrolling. Your address and phone num-ber should be prominent.

Make it Fast. This means eliminating unnecessary imagesand optimizing your site for lightning-fast downloads.Experts recommend that webpages should load in 4 sec-onds.

Don’t use Flash. For now Flash cannot be used on manysmart phones. But don’t worry, with HTML 5 and javascripttechnology, Flash interactivity is easily replaced.

It’s All About Contact. Use the native OS features includ-ing click-to-call and Google Maps. People searching for adentist on their mobile devices usually results in a bookedappointment, so make it easy for them.

Optimize. Optimize. Optimize.

Google advises that a responsive website design is the best choicefor businesses who want their website to not only be easily viewedon multiple devices, but also for those who want their website tobe optimized for search engines. So, what does that mean for you?If you want your patients to see your website on their phone or lap-top and make sure you come up on the first page of Google on bothdevices, you need to make sure you are optimized for each. Giventhat YP.com says medical services was the 5th highest growingsearch category in 2012 with an 83% increase, it’s a marketingchoice you really shouldn’t ignore.

Mobile SEO is very comparable to the SEO on your main website,but there are a few differences. The most important being mobilesearches tend to yield more local results than what would normallycome up on a desktop search. Making sure you have an accurateGoogle+ Local listing will help you show up near the top of a searchif someone is using their smart phone to look for a dentist in your city.

Partner with an expert who can help you optimize your mobile siteso that it looks and functions similarly to the main website, but willcome up higher in rankings for people doing a search from theirsmartphones and tablets. Additionally, you should track the num-ber of visitors to your mobile website so determining value is simple.

What about Advertising?

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns can be very effective fordentists, especially if used in conjunction with a good SEO strategy.In fact, Google’s researchers recently studied organic click volumewhen search PPC ads were live and when they were turned off. Theywere interested in seeing if a PPC ad interfered with organic (ie. –free) clicks and answer the question; “Can you get the same numberof website visits by being on the first page of Google organically for(dentist my city) without paying for PPC ads?” The answer was avery loud and definitive no. They concluded that the 89% increasein clicks from paid ads was in addition to the free organic clicks,not taking away from them. In other words, a great PPC campaignonly augments a great SEO strategy because it results in additionalclicks that would not have happened if the ads weren’t running.

So, if PPC ads can help on your main website, what can they do forthe mobile version? Currently, the current mobile PPC landscapeis full of potential. In fact, if you want to ease into the PPC market,mobile would be a great place to start. Google and Bing now offermobile-only campaigns and since there isn’t as much competitionfor keywords in mobile PPC, the average cost-per-click (CPC) is sig-nificantly lower than for the regular search networks in desktopmarketing.

The convergence of desktop marketing and mobile marketing wasinevitable. While it can be daunting to keep up with technologicaladvances and their marketing effects, the emergence of mobilemarketing is a great opportunity for dentists to find more of theirideal patients via people searching on their smartphones. However,it’s clear that a combination of desktop and mobile marketing willensure that when people in your area are searching for a dentist onany type of device, they find you first.

Responsive website design, SEO and PPC advertising are just a fewcomponents in a much larger blueprint to getting patients tochoose you when they search for a dentist online. With expert help,you should be able to build a complete plan to leverage the internetto get high value dental patients; including Website Optimization,Pay-Per-Click Online Advertising, Website Design, Dental Micro-sites and Social Media. If patients are searching for dentists in yourarea and finding your competition instead of you, give us a call. Wecan help. n

Neil Rudoff is the Senior Account Executive atBullseye Media in McKinney, TX. He receivedhis BA from Tufts University in 1989 and hisMBA from UT Austin in 1993, and has beenan online marketing and web design consult-ant since 2003. He can be reached at (214) 491-6166 or [email protected], LLC is a McKinney, Texas

based full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in helping den-tist leverage the internet to grow their practices. For more information, visitwww.onlinedentalmarketing.com.


Why?You can use Section 179 of the IRS TaxCode to acquire and possibly deduct up to$500,000 in capital equipment this year.Section 179 was scheduled to be reducedfrom the $139,000 limit in 2012, to$25,000 in 2013. But part of the Fiscal CliffBill passed January 1 includes a temporaryincrease to $500,000. The depreciationwill be reduced to $25,000 in 2014 unlessextended.

If you’re not familiar with Section 179, thisis the part of the IRS Tax Code that encour-ages small-business owners to invest inequipment or technology by allowingdeductions for capital equipment expendi-tures.

What Can You Deduct?New machinery, furniture, fixtures and off-the-shelf software have been standardSection 179 deductions. However, the def-

inition of property qualifying for Section179 was also temporarily expanded toinclude certain real property, specifically

“qualified leasehold improvement prop-erty” [LHI]. This amount for LHI propertyis capped at $250,000 as it is a part of the$500,000. The property must be used inthe taxpayer’s trade or business and cannotbe used for lodging nor air conditioning orheating units.

OFFERS DOCTORS Equipment &Technology Tax Savings

OPPORTUNITYby Brian Berry, CEO/President, Med-Tech Construction

If you’ve been thinking about updating or expandingyour office equipment and technology, 2013 is the yearto take action.

construction news

The Science and Artof Dental Restorations...

transformed into beautiful and convincing smiles.G N S d e n t a l s t u d i o , I n c .

by Gilbert Young, CDT972 - 473 - 9366

www.gnsdentalstudioonline.comceramo-metal restorations n all-ceramic restorations n implant supported restorations

case planning and design n continuing education provider


A Bonus Deduction!Purchases over $500,000 qualify for 50 percent bonus depreciation. Standardfirst-year MACRS (Modified AcceleratedCost Recovery System) deduction applies tothe remaining amount up to $2,000,000.

As always, Section 179 expense cannot cre-ate or increase a loss in the year it relatesto, but it can be carried over.

Disclaimer: You will want to consult

with your own tax advisor based on your

own individual circumstances. This

information is offered to provide general

guidance in applying tax credits and tax

deductions that may be beneficial to

your growth plans, and should not be

construed as providing financial advice,

tax advice and/or rendering advice on

tax return preparation.

ADVERTISER’S INDEX

AFTCO.................. Inside Back Cover

Bob Michaels, CLU .........................20

Bryant Studios .................................11

Bullseye Media............................... 24

Children 1st Dental & Surgery Center.. Inside Front Cover

Dr. Joel Small ................................. 28

GNS Dental Studio......................... 29

Jameson Management.................. 15

J. Houser Construction................... 25

Med-Tech Construction.... Back Cover

Midco Dental .................................. 30

Reliable Dental Laboratory............. 30

Structures and Interiors.................. 20

Tina Cauller .................................... 19

UT School of Dentistry at Houston. 28


Brian Berry is President / CEO of Med-Tech Construction. Specializingin healthcare construction, the national firm has been named one ofthe Top 100 Aggie owned companies in the world by the MaysBusiness School at Texas A&M University. Med-Tech also received theDallas Top 100 Award as one of the fastest growing Dallas-based com-panies from the SMU Cox School of Business two consecutive years.Learn more at medtechconstruction.com.

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Call 800.232.3826 or visit us online at

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a $2,500 value!

Beverly D. Deacon, D.D.S.(UT - San Antonio 1988)

has acquired the practice of

Joshua E. Foreman, D.D.S.(UT - San Antonio 2008)

Duncanville, Texas

AFTCO is pleased to have represented

both parties in this transaction.

AFTCO is the only company that has sold dental practices with a cumulative value of over $1,500,000,000

AFTCO is the oldest and largest dental practice transition consulting firm in the United States. AFTCO assists dentists with associateships, purchasing and selling of practices, and retirement plans. We are there to serve you through all stages of your career.

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INSPIRING DREAMSMED-TECH CONSTRUCTION FINISH-OUT

REMODELGROUND-UP

North Texas Dentistry, Volume 3 Issue 1

Documents

childrensnorth texas

north texasdentistrya

north galloway ave

great success

outstanding program

program manager forsave

reviewgreat photos

collageof photos