Biting analysis

Regarding “Medicaid dental clinics targeted, accused of overtreatment” (HoustonChronicle.com, April 30), the outcome of the treatment received by Nevaeh Hall in Houston is tragic and dentists and regulators should work to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Notwithstanding this heartbreaking case, it is a disservice to use this terrible event to unjustly and inaccurately portray the dental support organization (DSO) industry as the root cause of Medicaid dental fraud, which the article acknowledged had nothing to do with Nevaeh’s case.

DSO-supported practices are well positioned to offer Medicaid services and often operate in otherwise underserved communities. With non-clinical DSO support, dental practices are often more financially and logistically able to accept types of insurance like Medicaid, that many independent dentists do not. An analysis done by a former Ronald Reagan Economic Policy Advisor, Arthur Laffer, found that DSO-supported clinics performed fewer services than non-DSO clinics, and that they provided these services at significantly lower costs.

The story also cites the state dental board’s concern about dentists contracting with DSO’s and the potential focus on monetary gain and not patient care. What the story did not mention was the Texas Sunset Commission staff report rejected this claim and, instead, concluded that the dental board “lacks data to suggest that practice models or ownership arrangements are associated with a higher incidence of complaints alleging compromised patient safety or demonstrated harm.”

Erroneously condemning the DSO industry that is unaffiliated with the case is unproductive at best. I have been fortunate to see the evolution of this model and how its growth is helping dentists serve their patients around the country. Quinn Duferrena, executive director, Dentists for Oral Health Innovation