WDAJ-May '09.indd - Wisconsin Dental Association

May 2009 WDA Journal
Page 4
Messages
Dentists should be able to help with
tobacco cessation efforts
Dentistry is in the unique position
of being able to establish close personal
relationships with our patients throughout
their lifetimes.
Unlike medicine, in which the majority
of patient encounters are driven by disease
management often under the guidance of
different medical specialists, our dental
profession, which consists of 80 percent
general dentists, focuses on preventive visits
and affords us the opportunity to help
our patients maintain their oral health as
they encounter other health challenges.
This relationship is further cemented by
the fact that dentists often end up treating
multiple generations of the same family.
These lifelong relationships give a
unique position to develop trust with our
patients and help them by encouraging
healthy lifestyle habits. Marketing experts
have long understood that repeated messages
will have an impact on behavior,
and we, as dentists, are well positioned to
provide this service.
Tobacco cessation has been recognized
as the most significant act people can take
to improve their health and is recognized
as a substantial reduction in financial
health risk by the insurance industry. With
tobacco’s effect being a significant factor
in diagnosing and treating inflammatory
disease and cancer of the oral cavity, it
is well within our venue to be actively
involved in helping our patients quit.
In response to an inquiring dentist in
January 2008, Wisconsin Department of
Regulation and Licensing legal counsel
issued an opinion stating it was outside the
statutory scope of practice for dentists to
prescribe tobacco cessation medication in
conjunction with tobacco counseling.
The Wisconsin Dental Association
has asked this position be reconsidered.
To date, the information we have
received from outside agencies involved
with tobacco cessation has overwhelmingly
supported dentist involvement. The
Dentistry Examining Board’s approval
and the WDA’s support of the American
Dental Association’s definition of dentistry
will go a long way in resolving such
narrow legal interpretations in the future
and allow dentists the latitude to better
serve our patients.
As medicine turns toward the understanding
that oral pathology can be an
early marker of systemic diseases and the
presence of oral pathologies such as periodontal
disease can exacerbate a patients’
morbidity, we may see further blurring of
the boundaries between our professions.
We can better encourage healthy habits
like tobacco cessation, proper nutrition
and high blood pressure and diabetes control
when we make support and resources
more accessible to our patients.
As health professionals, it’s our responsibility
to ensure we have the appropriate
training, knowledge and understanding of
the level of services we offer our patients
and the discernment to know when to
refer to our partners in health care.
President H. Michael Kaske, DDS | mkaske@wda.org
“As medicine turns toward
the understanding that oral
pathology can be an early
marker of systemic diseases
and the presence of
oral pathologies such as
periodontal disease can
exacerbate a patients’ morbidity,
we may see further
blurring of the boundaries
between our professions.
”
Editor Dennis Engel, DDS, CDE | dengel@wda.org
“...I can understand how
one might associate the
term greed with dentistry.
It’s a hard label to fi ght
when we have seminars
titled, ‘Are you ready to
love dentistry, have fun
and GET RICH?’
”
Free enterprise not about greed
The stock market lost half its value, the
Madoff Ponzi scheme was uncovered, banks
are failing and the buzz word on the street
is GREED. Mortgage companies extended
credit to individuals without proper collateral
relying on the theory that real estate
will never decrease in value.
CEOs and company executives were
promised millions of dollars in bonus
money for their roles in these shady deals.
These people were labeled greedy.
As a member of the dental profession,
it’s rare I have to address the term “greedy
dentist”. I’m distressed by its ever-increasing
use, but because of the current economic
times and the ignorance of some, I
can understand how one might associate
the term greed with dentistry.
It’s a hard label to fight when we have
seminars titled, “Are you ready to love dentistry,
have fun and GET RICH?”
It doesn’t help when our vendors focus
on how much money a certain product
or procedure will bring into our practices
instead of focusing on improved patient
care and, as a result of the efficiency, our
practices will be reimbursed at an appropriate
rate.
How do we fight comments like this:
“Dentists are just so greedy; how dare they
expect to actually get paid for working? It’s
their entire fault, even though they were
not properly consulted on government
reform that forced a system of payment
upon them that was about as likely to work
as trying to drill through pavement with
your forehead.”
I think we have to change our posture
from one of defense to offense and adjust
our message accordingly. I’m afraid this will
take a little education on our part.
I believe greed is a selfish and excessive
desire for more of something (like money)
than is needed.
Despite hearing echoes of socialism
throughout our Legislature, capitalism still
reigns supreme. It is an economic system in
which the means of production and distribution
are privately or corporately owned
and development is proportionate to the
accumulation and reinvestment of profits
gained in a free market.
Free enterprise is the freedom of private
business to organize and operate for profit
in a competitive system without interference
by government beyond regulation
necessary to protect public interest and
keep the national economy in balance.
When you work in a free enterprise
system, it is hard to keep money out of the
conversation.
The questions now are, “If you work
for profit are you considered greedy? If your
mechanic, plumber, electrician or grocer
doesn’t give you a break on their charges,
are they greedy?”
A friend of mine worked in the field
repairing phones for SBC (the phone company);
he’s 62 years old, retired and has
a $260,000 boat. Is he the greedy phone
guy?
When the electric company turns off
electricity due to nonpayment, are they the
greedy electric company?
By definition you would have to answer,
“NO”.
The message is clear; if you want free
enterprise, businesses must be allowed to
make a profit.
At current reimbursement rates,
Medicaid dentists don’t get paid. As a matter
of fact, they have to pay out of their
pockets to treat these patients. Just like the
banking industry, too many bad patients/
loans and the business collapses.
Government seems very keen to blame
its own failings on those who deliver frontline
care. They are very good at getting
that message to the public.
It seems that there is a bit of a common
theme here. We have a government-created
oral health care system that is evidently
failing and the blame is being laid at the
door of dentists.
My message to them is it has nothing to
do with greed at all. It’s about priorities and
the ability to stay in business. It’s not about
finding the money; it’s about the people
and prioritizing quality oral health care.
History has proven the money is there;
let’s strive to get oral health higher on the
priority list. As long as we live in a capitalistic
society, business must be allowed
to make a profit and our representatives in
government must respect this.
EDITORIAL POLICY
WDA Journal reserves the right to edit all communications and requires that all letters be signed. The views expressed in letters, editorials and editorial cartoons are those of the
individual author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the association or its subsidiaries. WDA Journal readers are invited to contribute their views on topics of interest
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