Thursday, April 06, 2006
Some out-of-state firms look for the opportunity in the state Medicaid program's revamped dental plan.In recent months, Atlanta-based cool Smiles PC and Pueblo, Colo.-based Forba LLC, a dental-management firm, had opened few clinics in metro Richmond looking to target children enrolled in Medicad.
Sponsors are more willing to work with the revamped program because it tends to increase payments, requires less paperwork and no longer entails dickering with different managed-care organizations.
Selina Bing moved at the Small Smiles clinic last week with her five children, those are between from 14 months to 14 years. The clinic, owned by Colorado dentist Robert Andrus, and managed by Forba, is in the Brookhill-Azalea shopping center on Chamberlayne Avenue.Bing said she liked the practice because it could take all five kids at the same time."In the past . . . it would be a whole month of doctor's appointments," she said.
The clinic's staff eventually will include four dentists, three dental hygienists and 12 dental assistants
"They have streamlined the process to make being a provider in the state of Virginia more favorable," said Todd Cruse, spokesman for Small Smiles.Sonja Lauren, office manager at Small Smiles, said many of the children come in after not having seen a dentist in a while, so they require extensive treatment.
"The majority of our children have serious cavities," she said. "We have to clean up what happened, then educate and prevent it from happening again."As more children have access to dental care, Medicaid spending may increase.
"Certainly, it may cost more money in the short run but could result in long-term savings to the program -- more preventative care versus tooth extractions and other more costly services," said Karen L. Cameron, executive director and chief executive officer of the Central Virginia Health Planning Agency.
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