During the past six years I have had the very unique opportunity of serving on the Board of Dental Examiners and as an examiner for the Central Regional Dental Testing Service. This service has truly been a privilege. Among many of the opportunities this experience has afforded me, I have been given the chance to glimpse into the full range of Dentist and Dental Hygienist practices from the solo practitioner to multiple office chain, from weak practitioners to the truly excellent, and from the professionally isolated to the totally involved Dentist or Dental Hygienist.

For most of us, the MDDS Mid-winter meeting provides an opportunity to create new friendships, reestablish old ties and grow educationally and professionally. Too often, this is the only time of year this happens and for a small percentage, dental school graduation was the last formal contact we had with our colleagues. Physicians are often brought together by hospital-based interdisciplinary treatments resulting in fewer doctors becoming isolated from the rest of their profession.

Whether a Dentist or Hygienist is a solo practitioner or is in a group practice in no way translates into being an isolated professional. It is our involvement with our profession through contact with colleagues or exposure to quality professional journals and consultants that determines our level of isolation.

As you may expect, the isolated dentist is more often not the best clinician. The isolation alone does not make the clinician weak, but the lack of exposure to new ideas, developments, and points of view can facilitate a complacency that stunts professional growth. Ultimately, patient care will suffer and the dentist may need to defend his or her quality of care to the Board.

Being under the scrutiny of the Dental Board is not a pleasant experience for the practitioner or the Board, and I highly recommend that steps are taken to avoid this kind of attention. The time to do this is long before the patient ever arrives in your office and long after they leave. A thorough critical evaluation of patient care and a knowledge of the standard of care to compare it with is vital. Involvement with your colleges is essential to this process. Midwinter is just one arena of involvement in the dental community. A more valuable area may be a close tie with colleagues. Study clubs can foster these kinds of relationships. I have a colleague who is a member of a study club with five other members each from different regions of the United States. They meet annually at the office of one of the members often with a consultant as a facilitator and review all aspects of the practice including staff, patient care and financials. Everything is fair game. The emphasis is on openly and honestly sharing the strengths and weaknesses of each member’s practice to ultimately enhance all of the practices. This is an extreme example, but it illustrates the kind of scrutiny that is required to maintain the highest standard of care.

The first step toward the highest standard of care is an honest (often-painful) self-examination of your practice or the practice in which you are employed. The primary questions to ask yourself are "What is in the patient’s best interest? Am I meeting that goal? And how can I reach that goal?"

When a patient puts health and trust in our hands, we are accepting a great responsibility. With that responsibility comes the obligation to deliver the highest level of care. Our patients expect and deserve no less. When compensation issues and insurance contracts dictate our level of care, and the patients’ care becomes secondary, a focus on quality of care is lost and can quickly fall below the standard of care.

As health care professionals, we are charged with the responsibility of maintaining the quality of care we provide. It has been my experience during my tenure on the Board of Dental Examiners that for the very best practitioners, actively evaluating and improving the quality of care they provide is an integral part of their everyday practice. Adopting this habit will insure the highest quality of practice for your patients but also result in the most gratifying type of practice for the professional.

You-or someone you know-

may have a drug or alcohol problem,

financial problems, or family difficulties.

Maybe it is depression or another mental health concern.

Whatever the problem, if it could affect your practice

and you don’t know where to turn,

it may be time to call the

Services provided by Peer Assistance Services, Inc.

You Don’t Know

By Laura Jacob, RDH, MA

"You don’t know, what you don’t know" is one of the most profound statements I recite regularly in my professional practice. At first glance, it simply appears a double negative. It may be clarified by yet another cliché – the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.

Your ability to prosper in dentistry or dental hygiene is dependent on several factors including your license to practice. Your state-regulated license is crucial to your ability to practice. Guard it with vigilance! Read your Colorado Practice Act; adhere to the statutes; understand and comply with the rules, regulations and policies of the Dental Board. These three tiers of guidance govern your license.

Being informed and compliant are your individual responsibilities. Be proactive! Further, be the resource for your dental team. Many dental team members are not licensed and/or regulated. Often these individuals have no knowledge of the existence or value of your license. Thus the phrase…You don’t know, what you don’t know! How can those team members possibly respect the Colorado Practice Act (your license) if they don’t even know it exists, much less what it means?

As the Board reviews complaints, the frequent defense of a licensee is that it was his/her team member, not the licensee, who was the actual person who violated the Practice Law or was responsible for the conduct. The Board does not accept this defense. The Board holds the licensee accountable for the actions/treatment rendered in their practice, including those performed by others under the licensee’s supervision. So many complaints could be avoided/prevented by increased education and communication amongst the dental team. When it comes to your license, you are solely accountable. Become informed, compliant and communicative. Insist that your team understand and comply as well! Make certain that they value your license (your ability to practice) as passionately as you do! The Board takes no pleasure in interfering with the status of your license. It is simply our charge to enforce the Colorado Practice Law in an effort to protect the public.

Our web site at http://www.dora.state.co.us/dental may have the answer! There is information on the site on the following topics:

More information is being added almost monthly, so periodically look the site up.

Every year some dentists and hygienists discover that their license wasn’t renewed! Sometimes they simply forget. Sometimes no one knows where the renewal went but it didn’t get to where it needed to go! Here’s a brief review to simplify and expedite your renewal process.

Every time you move, send your change of address to the Board within 30 days.

When you get your renewal notice, complete it immediately and mail it. Don’t let it get lost in other mail.

Fill out the renewal notice completely and sign it. Remember to complete the blanks with the name of your malpractice insurance and your policy number if you are seeking an active license. If all information is not received, your license will not be renewed and the material will be returned.

Send a check or money order with the renewal notice in the enclosed envelope. Please don’t use your own envelope – it will delay your renewal.

Remember that a bank handles renewals very much like credit card payments are handled. Staff of the Board does not receive the renewal mail. Board staff cannot "check the mail" to see if a renewal has been received.

To see if your license has been renewed, use the Board’s web page at www.state.co.us/dental and click on Locate Colorado Dentists and Dental Hygienists ON LINE, searching for your own license’s expiration date. Data on this service is updated every night and will reflect if the license has been renewed.

FDA Public Health Notification

This is to notify you of the potential for harmful lead exposure from dental films stored in containers lined with unpainted lead. There may be hundreds of these lead-lined boxes currently being used to store dental films. Some of them may have been in use for decades. Most of these boxes are the size and shape of shoe-boxes, made of wood, and lined with lead that has apparently not been painted or coated.

Dental films stored in these boxes have been found to be coated with a whitish film that is about 80% lead. In many cases there are highly dangerous levels of lead on the film, enough to potentially cause serious adverse health effects in patients and health care professionals. These adverse health effects include anemia and serious neurological damage.

You may obtain more information about public health concerns related to lead from the OSHA web site: http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/lead/index.html. You can also call the Office of Surveillance and Biometrics at 301-594-0650.

Q: Must I release records to a patient? I was taught that I should only give the records to another dentist.

A: Yes, you must release records to a patient upon receipt of a written request. The Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPHE) has promulgated rules regarding the release of records. According to the rules, you cannot withhold the records due to an outstanding account balance. You must produce copies within a reasonable period of time, usually 5 days and can charge a reasonable sum for copying, not to exceed $12 for the first 10 pages or fewer and $0.25 for each additional page. However, the patient must pay the actual costs for the reproduction of x-rays. You can obtain a complete copy of 5.2 in Chapter 5 "Patient Records in the Custody of Individual Health Care Providers" from CDPHE.

Q: How many hours of continuing education are required for dentists and hygienists for renewal?

A: Colorado law at this time does not require continuing education for the renewal of a dental or dental hygiene license.

Q: Can assistants scale teeth above the gums?

A: No. The Dental Practice Law, section 12-35-125 (4)(a)(VI) states the following: "A dental auxiliary shall not perform scaling (supra and sub-gingival) as it pertains to the practice of dental hygiene."

Q: Why did the Board revoke the legal immunity to office inspectors?

A: The Board had promulgated rules extending governmental immunity to office inspectors and practice monitors. However, the Colorado General Assembly found that the Board had exceeded its legal authority and caused the rules to expire (becoming no longer effective). Because the legislature found the Board had no authority to make such a rule, the Board has no alternative in this matter but hopes the matter is addressed in the Sunset Review process since legislative action is required to amend the Dental Practice Law.

Q: What is Sunset Review and why is it important?

A: Licensing laws are enacted and specify a date by which the licensing action will cease to exist. The Dental Practice Law specifies that it will expire on July 1, 2003. If allowed to expire, there would be no more licensing of dentists or dental hygienists. The Board believes this would expose the public to receiving dental treatment from uneducated and incompetent practitioners. Sunset review is a process by which the need for continued regulation is studied and changes are recommended for the Dental Practice Law. The Office of Policy and Research of the Department of Regulatory Agencies conducts the process. All interested parties including professional associations, licensees, and the public are encouraged to participate.

Q: How does a dentist or dental hygienist become certified to administer nitrous oxide?

A: Both dentists and hygienists must be certified by the Board in order to administer nitrous oxide. To become certified, dentists and hygienists must submit an application and evidence meeting all requirements of Rule XVII. This Rule entitled Administration of Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Inhalation applies when conscious sedation is accomplished solely by means of nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation techniques and is also available from the Board office or on the Board web page.

Q: I want to employ another dentist as well as a dental hygienist. How do I know if an applicant is licensed?

A: ALWAYS contact the Board at 303-894-7758 to see if a potential dentist or hygienist employee holds a current Colorado license and if there are conditions on the license.

Many licensees call and ask for the phone number of some of the non-profit agencies providing dental care so they can "give back" to their community. Here’s a listing of the non-profit agencies of which the Board is aware. If you know of others, call the Board office with the information. And consider joining those who are "giving back!"

The survey that was included in the last renewal was a collaborative project for manpower research purposes, between the Board and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The results of the hygienists are not available to date. The results of the dentists who responded have been compiled and follow below. Over 77% of the renewing dentists completed the survey and the Board wants to thank each of you for taking the time to do so. There are many factors impacting dental manpower in the State and your responses are extremely helpful in health care planning for the State. Following are some of the results of the survey.

Over 71% of the responding dentists live in Colorado.

Dental practitioners are overwhelmingly male (88%) with an age range of 26 to 90.

The largest age group of renewed dentists is 51-55 years old. More than 50% of dentists had graduated from dental school by 1980.

Almost all renewed dentists are actively practicing (95%) and only 3% are retired.

The ethnic background of dentists is 92% white, less than 1% African American, 3.3 % Asian, 2.2% Hispanic, and less than 1% native American. There is more ethnic diversity in urban areas than in rural.

The largest primary specialty type reported was general practice by 74%, then 8% in orthodontics, 5% in oral surgery, 4% in pediodontics, and 3% in endodontics.

The mean for hours in direct patient care weekly practice was 34 hours. Over 95% report practicing up to 40 hours per week.

Greater than half of the dentists reported being a managing dentist (56%) in their practice, with 60% of those managing at least one other dentist.

Over 90% of the dentists reported that 2 years ago they were in the same location as present.

If you are tempted to communicate directly with a member of the Board concerning complaints or disciplinary actions, you may affect the outcome of a pending case. It is important to remember that as individuals, Board members have no authority. The Board can act only during lawfully convened meetings when a quorum is present. A Board member who is contacted directly may be forced to disqualify himself/herself from the discussion or vote regarding a given case. If you have any questions, please contact the Board office at 303-894-7758 and it will direct you to the appropriate personnel.

The Colorado Division of Insurance publishes an excellent brochure entitled: What Happens When Your Health Insurance Company Says No: Your Rights Regarding Insurance Pre-Authorization and Grievance Procedures. The brochure provides valuable information for both practitioners and patients. You can request a copy by calling (303) 894-7490 or (800) 930-3745.

Arendt, Paul, D.D.S., #104047, Letter of Admonition -- June 7, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S.

Armstrong, Jack C., D.D.S., #104658, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- March 22, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Barnes, Bruce, D.D.S., #5927, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- September 20, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Beasley, Michael, D.D.S., #6670, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- February 14, 2001. Prima facie violation of 12-35-118(1)(i), C.R.S. Probation and compliance with the dentist rehabilitation contract.

Beene, John M., D.D.S., #7018, Stipulated Admonishment and Final Agency Order -- March 22, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Admonished and continuing education.

Berg, Leonard, D.D.S., #485, Letter of Admonition -- October 2, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S.

Birner, Mark, D.D.S., #6097, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 6, 2000. Respondent consents to the charge of 12-35-118(1)(dd), C.R.S. Reprimanded, installation of a compliance plan with compliance officer to monitor.

Branca, Richard, D.D.S., #164, Letter of Admonition -- February 25, 2000. Violation of 12-35-107(h) (I) (i), C.R.S. and 12-35-118(1)(h) (bb), C.R.S., and Rule XV.

Bryans, Douglas, D.D.S., #3089, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- August 9, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(b) and (1.5), C.R.S. Relinquishment of license.

Chew, Charles, D.D.S., #546, Stipulation and Order -- April 26, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1) (j), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Cortese, Anthony, D.D.S., #6478, Stipulation & Final Agency Order -- June 12, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(b) (c) (h), and (y), C.R.S. License suspended through 5/18/00, professional evaluation, full compliance with conditions of criminal probation, limited practice until 7/27/00, five years probation, complete the Dentist's Rehabilitation Contract, practice monitor, not apply for DEA privileges for a minimum of one year, and continuing education.

Daiss-Ehrhard, Pamela, D.D.S., #6062, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- June 16, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), and (y), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Dufrene, Wanda, D.M.D., #7079, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 6, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j) and (y), C.R.S. Probation, jurisprudence exam, and continuing education.

Ellis, Dana, D.D.S., #7667, Letter of Admonition -- April 26, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(dd), C.R.S.

Garbiso, Gilbert, D.D.S., #105679, Stipulated Letter of Admonishment and Final Agency Order -- April 26, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S. Admonished, practice monitor, and continuing education.

Garcia, Noralma, D.D.S., #7172, Stipulation & Final Agency Order-- July 12, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S. Probation, continuing education, and jurisprudence exam.

Gerard, Nicholas, D.D.S., #7250, Order of Summary Suspension in accordance with 24-4-104(4) and 12-35-118(1), C.R.S. -- July 20, 2000.

Gioia, Michael, D.D.S., #7153, Stipulation & Final Agency Order -- March 22, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Gohl, Frederick, D.D.S., #6388, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 5, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation, continuing education, and practice monitor.

Gold, Dennis, D.D.S., #202, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- October 9, 2000. Early Expedited Settlement. Violation of 12-35-118(1.5), C.R.S. Censured, probation, continuing education, and community service.

Goss, Michael, D.D.S., #104409, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- April 1, 2000. Prima facie violation of 12-35-118(1)(f), C.R.S. Respondent agrees to Letter of Admonition, jurisprudence examination, and cease and desist.

Haggerty, Edwin, D.D.S., #2532, Stipulation & Final Agency Order -- February 23, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation, continuing education, random office evaluation, proof of compliance with OSHA requirements.

Hansen, Jason, D.D.S., #7268, Stipulation & Final Agency Order -- July 12, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j) and (dd), C.R.S. Probation, continuing education, and practice monitor.

Hasenauer, C. Bruce, D.D.S., #104642, September 20, 2000 -- Voluntarily relinquished license.

Hasenauer, C. Bruce, D.D.S., #104642, Addendum to Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- September 6, 2000. Early Expedited Settlement. Respondent agrees to cease all practice of orthodontics unless or until all conditions of the Stipulation are successfully completed.

Hasenauer, Bruce, D.D.S., #104642, Stipulated Letter of Admonition and Final Agency Order -- May 11, 2000. Admonished continuing education, probation, and practice monitor.

Haviland, Philip, D.D.S., #6566, Final Agency Order -- January 17, 2001. Violation of 12-35-118(a) (h) (j) (t) and (ee), C.R.S. License Revocation.

Haviland, Philip, D.D.S., #6566, Final Agency Order-- October 3, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. License revocation.

Haws, Travis L., D.D.S., #7904, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 21, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(c) (e) and (i), C.R.S. Suspension, probation and compliance with peer assistance contract.

Huntley (Glenn), Falona, D.D.S., #7880, Letter of Admonition -- February 25, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S.

Ivancie, Gerald, D.D.S., #2140, Letter of Admonition -- October 2, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y) and (j), C.R.S.

Karr, Preston B., D.D.S., #7637, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- February 14, 2001. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(h), C.R.S. Suspension continues, probation, comply with dentist rehabilitation contract.

Komanduri, Krishna, D.D.S., #6800, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- July 12, 2000. Prima facie violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Leins, Leo, D.D.S., # 105392, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 5, 2000. Stipulation for failing to meet generally accepted standards of practice.

Ludden, William, D.D.S., #6520, Letter of Admonition -- February 25, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j) (v) and (y), C.R.S. and Rule VI.

Mann, Richard, D.D.S., #6372, Stipulation and Final Agency Order --April 26, 2,000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(n), C.R.S. Probation, continuing education, and jurisprudence examination.

Musolf, Mellisa, D.D.S., #7600, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- February 14, 2001. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j) (y) and (x), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Mutchler, Michael, D.D.S., #6186, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- January 17, 2001. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(c) (e) (h) and (i), C.R.S. License Revocation.

Norton, Neil, D.D.S., #6859, Letter of Admonition -- December 21, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S.

Ontiveros, Michael, D.D.S., #6875, Stipulation and Final Agency Order – September 20, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation and continuing education.

Palmer, Ken, D.D.S., #105098, Final Agency Order -- October 2, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118 (1)(b) (l) (n) (y) and (ee), C.R.S. License revocation.

Purk, Jeffrey, D.D.S., #7038, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- June 7, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(1.5), C.R.S. License suspended.

Rodriguez, Leopoldo, D.D.S., #2481, Stipulation & Final Agency Order -- June 7, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S. Probation, records monitor, and continuing education.

Skromme, Barbara, R.D.H., #201133, Letter of Admonition -- July 18, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S.

Supancic, Jr., James, D.D.S., #7057, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- September 6, 2000. Early Expedited Settlement. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(1.5), C.R.S. Probation, compliance with all terms of California Order.

Tabor, Carl, D.D.S., #5496, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- December 6, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j), C.R.S. Probation, and continuing education.

Van Wechel, Ronald, D.D.S., #104413, Letter of Admonition -- October 2, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(k), C.R.S.

Vieth, Harvey, D.D.S., #2986, Stipulated Letter of Admonition -- March 24, 1999. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(j)(y), C.R.S. Continuing education and practice monitor.

Weber, James, D.D.S., #8180, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- August 8, 2000. Early Expedited Settlement. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(b) (1.5), C.R.S. Probation and comply with requirements of Pennsylvania Dental Board.

Woods, Joseph, D.D.S., #104195, Stipulation and Final Agency Order -- June 7, 2000. Violation of 12-35-118(1)(y), C.R.S. Probation, records monitor, and continuing education.

2001 Board Meeting Dates

The following is a list of scheduled Board meeting dates in 2001. If you wish to attend a meeting, please call the Board office to verify date, location and time. The open section of the Board's meetings generally begins at 1:30 p.m. Discipline items are heard in closed session.

Call the Board office at 303-894-7762 in November for meeting dates in 2002

Change of Address