If you were covered at any time from March 15, 19914 through November 18, 2009 by medical or dental insurance with United HealthCare Corporation (now known as UnitedHealth Group), Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, American Airlines, Inc. and their subsidiaries and affiliates, you may have been contacted with a Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action and final Settlement Hearing. These insurance companies were accused by a host of organizations including the American Medical Association and the Civil Service Employees Association of providing insufficient reimbursement by using flawed databases to determine reimbursement amounts and by using internal policies to reduce reimbursement and of inadequately disclosing these methods.

JFK Dental Care has been notified that the involved companies have proposed a settlement rather than have the case go further in the court system. The courts must approve their proposal which includes a cash settlement fund in the amount of $350,000,000 plus accrued interest. That’s right, these companies have set aside over $350 million to pay affected providers and subscribers. They have also agreed to stop using the flawed Ingenix database and to contribute $50 million toward funding and implementing a new database. Wow! Isn’t it nice to have so much extra cash?

If you were covered by any of these companies and have NOT received a notice, you can review and get more information about the suit at www.unitedUCRsettlement.com or www.berdonclaims.com. If you are one of our patients and need help understanding what your options are, you can call Dianne Harper Dubin at our 800 number and press 4. She can explain the settlement to you.

We had lots of great referrals from equally great patients, but only one could win. JFK Dental Care patient Mia was the final winner. She received a shiny new purple iPod Nano in appreciation of sending patients to Dr. Barry Dubin and Dr. Shimma. If you are currently a patient at JFK Dental Care, you could win something too. Just look for our next patient referral contest. And even when there’s no contest going on, JFK Dental Care always has a great referral program. It’s a tiered program where you get a small gift and small account credit on your first referral – a larger one for the next – and so on, right on up to 10 patients referred gets you a free Power Whitening. Thats a $1200 value, just for telling other people just like you where they can get fantastic dental care. Its a win-win situation for all of us. You get a gift and account credit, the new patient gets a fabulous new dentist, and we get a fabulous new patient. What could be better? Well, maybe a contest. Keep checking back here for news about the next Patient Referral Contest at JFK Dental Care.

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr. Barry Dubin and Dianne’s beloved little poodle, Teddy on January 7. For 15 years, Teddy was a fixture in the JFK Dental Care offices. It was only in the last 3 years, (yes, folks, he was 18) that he had gotten too old to greet Dr. Dubin’s patients. Many of our patients knew and loved Teddy. They brought him toys and treats and gave him lots of attention. Dr. Dubin and Dianne report that he was the best dog ever and was truly Dianne’s shadow. He will be greatly missed.

Even in death, Teddy is helping our patients. He died of ORAL CANCER! So we hope this will be a reminder to all of our patients of the importance of having yearly check-ups at JFK Dental Care for this deadly disease. We have a simple test called Vizilite that can detect the presence of pre-cancerous cells in the mouth. This easy and affordable test can literally save your life. One American dies every hour of oral cancer and I can attest to the disfiguration and horror of this form of cancer. Please make sure that you get tested every year. Many insurances are now covering the test but even if yours doesn’t, is the $69 you save worth your life? Make Vizilite a part of your yearly cancer screening routine.

Dr. Barry Dubin of JFK Dental Care was the subject of a Special Report that aired on the local 11:00 pm news on ABC TV, Channel 6 on Monday night, December, 21, 2009. The report covered one of our patients, Marcella Crawley, getting a Snap-On-Smile, the revolutionary new way to get a beautiful smile without braces or extensive dental work.

A reporter from Channel 6 approached Dr. Dubin back in the summer about this new technique. Apparently, she had received some press releases about Snap-On-Smile and thought it would make an interesting story and provide viewers with valuable and useful information. She then contacted the makers of Snap-On-Smile to find out what dentists in the Delaware Valley were experienced in this procedure. They gave her Dr. Dubin’s name.

When she came to interview us and ask if we had a patient that she could follow through the process, she got more than she bargained for with Miss Crawley. Marcella , a lovely woman with a personality and heart to match, had a great story to tell about waiting for a beautiful smile before getting married. And we were thrilled to be able to help Marcella. On the day she got her new smile, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Marcella’s story featuring JFK Dental Care and Dr. Barry Dubin will be available for viewing on the ABC 6 website, http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi for at least a month. Just go to Special Reports, Dental Appliance to view the video and transcript of the report, or click on the link below.

As explained in the story, Snap-On-Smile is a removable appliance that fits right over your own teeth to give you a beautiful smile without drilling, adhesives, needles, or any invasive dental treatment. We just take molds of your own teeth, send them out to the lab, get them back in about 2 weeks, snap them onto your teeth, and off you go with a life-changing new look. It couldn’t be easier or more affordable. You’re heard stories about the many thousands of dollars people have spent on complex cosmetic dental work but for less than $3000 you can have a great smile, too. Give us a call today for a free Snap On Smile consultation.

You may click on the link below to watch the video:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7183202

Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentists of JFK Dental Care have TWO exciting contests this month – One for the staff where you are the judge and one for you with A CHANCE TO WIN AN IPOD!!!

All you have to do is refer your family and friends to get an entry into a drawing that will be held Dec.14. For every new patient you refer, you get another entry into the drawing – the more referrals, the better your chance of winning. So get talking! Our regular on-going referral program will still be in effect too, so you also could get potentially hundreds of dollars towards dentistry. So do yourself and family and friends a favor. Tell them about Dr. Barry Dubin and JFK Dental Care.

Our staff is going to win a prize too by decorating Trick or Treat bags. If you visit us this month you will get a chance to vote for your favorite – WITH CANDY.

JFK Dental Care have some great news for those of you with Guardian and Aetna insurance. Dr. Barry Dubin has signed up to become a participating provider! If you have a different insurance carrier, things will work for you just as always – we do all the paperwork, require payment of only your estimated copay, and try our best to help you maximize whatever dental benefits you have.

Which reminds me…the end of the year is in sight. Make sure you use whatever benefits you have left for this year because, unlike teeth, once that money is gone, you can never get it back. Call Heather today at 866-353-5773 to schedule your needed dental care.

Dr. Dubin, our dedicated Center City dentist, is considering the deadly statistic on oral cancer- which is ONE American dies every hour. Scary huh? Most people are very suprised to learn lives are lost to a disease that is totally curable when caught early.

Are you at risk for oral cancer? Virtually EVERYONE is. Solution…get tested!

Did you know the death rate in United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney or ovary? More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive. Here’s the really scary part, 25% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors.
We offer a simple test called Vizilite Plus, this technology improves Dr. Dubin’s ability to mark and evaluate suspicious areas at their earliest stages, before they can progress to something far more serious, and potentially life-threatening.

Throughout the month of January, the National Cancer Prevention Month, we have been educating our patients endlessly about this horrible disease and encouraging them to schedule a Vizilite screening. A few minutes once a year, is worth it for a healthier life!
For every paid Vizilite Plus exam, JFK Dental Care will donate $10 to The Oral Cancer Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit public service charity designed to raise awareness abour oral cancer. They also offer free health screenings to varies cities and organize cancer walks, in which Philly will have theirs in April. We will keep you posted!
Our office is holding a Vizilite Day on January 30th from 8:30am to 1:00pm. You’ll receive free head and neck exam, and when you bring in a family member or a friend, he/she will receive free oral cancer screening. So give the gift that says I LOVE YOU!

Yesterday, Ocotober 22nd, was the fund raising event hosted by The Hard Rock Cafe. The event was called “MDA Lock up” where volunteer felons are picked up by a real Police Officer! and are taken to the event where they continue to raise more money in an effort to support kids with Muscular Dystrophy. This genetic disorder weakens the muscles that help the body move so, over time, children, teens, and adults who have the disease gradually lose the ability to do the things most people take for granted, like walking or sitting up.

Leang, our Office manager, volunteered to go behind bars for an hour and she needed to raise $3000 to get herself out of jail. The bail money are put to good use: 77% of every dollar MDA raises goes directly to research, healthcare services and education.
We had such a great time! It was fun seeing Leang in handcuffs and riding in the Police van. We have pictures to prove it!

The highlight of the event is when we met the two Ambassadors with Muscular Dystrophy. They just warm your heart, and you can’t help but think they are the most precious kids you’ve ever laid eyes on. Meet little Julianna and Dylan.

Julianna loves to smile and hold your hand.

Dylan absolutely loves the Phillies!