General, Cosmetic Dentistry

Created for the Patients of Mark Fried, D.M.D. — Winter 2012-2013
Julie Werman, DMD
General, Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Julie (Lauenger) Werman, a Framingham native, is the newest
addition to our staff. She is excited to be practicing in her hometown.
She received her Doctoral degree in Dental Medicine
from the University of Connecticut School of Dental
Medicine. Following graduation, Dr. Werman
completed a one-year Advanced Education in General
Dentistry Residency at the University of Connecticut
Health Center. She is a member of the Academy of
General Dentistry, American Dental Association, and
Massachusetts Dental Society.
Dr. Werman consistently attends continuing
education courses to remain current with the latest
technology, materials, and techniques. She provides
all aspects of restorative and cosmetic dentistry and is
a certified Invisalign provider.
Dr. Werman resides locally with her husband, Scott. She enjoys being
outdoors, painting, and spending time with her family.
We’re growing!
We’ve had big machinery, we’ve had storage pods, we’ve had
3-year-old boys coming just to watch the action – we’ve been under
construction for way, way too long!
Now, as winter is moving in... we’re nearly done. We appreciate
everyone putting up with noise and ramps and walking from a
parking lot across
the street.
The expansion
adds three treatment rooms with
state-of-the-art
equipment, a
couple of new
parking spaces,
and it creates
room everywhere.
Skylights were added while we renovated nearly 95% of the internal
space. By the time you get this, we should be nearly done! The plan is
for the parking lot to reopen with two extra spaces – right about now!
Now, where exactly is the new main entry door?
Periodontal Specialist
Dr. Shih Welcomed
Although she’s been working in
our office for more than a year, we
officially welcome Sarah D. Shih,
DDS, MS, DMSc to the practice.
Dr. Shih is a 1987 graduate of
the University of California, San
Francisco School of Dentistry
where she received her DDS
degree. Following four years
of private practice as a general
dentist in Beverly Hills, Dr. Shih
began periodontal training at
Baylor College of
Dentistry where
she received
her periodontal
certificate and
MS in 1993.
Dr. Shih also
completed
a Doctor of
Medical Sciences
degree (DMSc)
in Oral Biology at Harvard School
of Dental Medicine in 1997 and
currently teaches in the Graduate
Periodontology Residency.
Dr. Shih lectures locally and
internationally on her techniques for gum grafting and
dental implantology and has
authored several research articles
and textbook chapters. Dr. Shih
is a two-time recipient of NIH
Research Fellowships and was
recognized by the Los Angeles
Free Clinic and Boston Healthcare
for the Homeless for her volunteer work. Dr. Shih has been a
Diplomate of the American Board
of Periodontology since 1999.
Lucky tooth? Not a keeper…
Earlier this year, a “celebrity news” network story
caught our eyes. They cornered world-famous dentist
Bill Dorfman who treats some of the biggest stars on
Earth (mostly in Hollywood). He admitted to keeping
the teeth he’s plucked from the mouths of his famous
patients. Jokingly, he says he’d sell them online.
He would not divulge whose teeth he has collected –
but he’s know to have treated Lindsay Lohan, Jessica
Simpson, Usher, Ozzy Osbourne, Anne Hathaway
and Eva Longoria.
“I actually save famous people’s teeth when I pull
them... I can’t tell you who ‘cause it’s like patient
confidentiality,” he said. “I thought one day maybe I
could sell them on eBay.”
Dorfman insists he always offers the teeth to his
patients first, but they mostly decline, “So I put it in
the back and I just hold on to it,” he says on camera.
It’s legal for dentists to keep the teeth, but most
throw them away.
We pledge that we are NOT going to keep your teeth
– no matter how special you are!
Quality Dental Plan a big hit!
We realize that if you don’t have dental insurance,
the cost of dental care can add up quickly. That’s why
we offer a discount plan called Quality Dental Plan.
It’s a great deal!
You pay an initial fee of $379 for the first family
member, and $279 for additional family members.
You get 2 cleaning appointments and yearly x-rays
(which can cost $395-525 per person). You also get
20% off fillings and 15% off of other work (implants
excluded) when paid-in-full on the day of service.
You’re Getting Our Attention!
We’ve been using a firm to send you appointment
confirmations by text message and email for more
than a year now. The same firm sends out a text or
email after your appointment giving you the opportunity to review our service.
We get notified every time you reply. I can tell you
this, we read those comments – IMMEDIATELY– and
take them all to heart. It’s been great to hear what
you’ve had to say, and we constantly try to improve
and address any concerns you may have.
Special Offer – Free Whitening Kit!
New Patients – Earn a free Crest Whitening
Strips kit with your initial exam and cleaning.
Existing patients also can earn a free whitening
kit for referring a new patient to the office.
Expires 6/30/2013
(You can substitute $50 off bleaching trays, if you prefer.).
Dental
Tidbits
Wifi/iPad Available
Anytime you’re in the office
you can sign in to the office Wifi
(toothbrush) with the password
twice a day! Also, feel free to
borrow our iPad if you’d like,
though we always try and keep an
interesting set of magazines available as well.
Soon – Fewer Needles
A new anesthetic delivery system
is coming. It’s a nasal spray mist
which will numb your upper teeth
from 1st molar to 1st molar. A
Colorado company is in phase 3
clinical trials (the final step) after
having had a favorable phase 2 result.
The drug may be on the market in
2013. The mist while as effective as
needle injected dental anesthetics
in numbing the upper teeth, did not
numb lips or cheeks, another plus!
New Panoramic X-Ray
Machine – Hope for
the Gagger!
With the remodel, we’ve also invested
in a brand new Panoramic x-ray machine
with a special feature. It can take bitewing
films- the cavity detecting x-rays we take
every year. The machine takes x-rays
without using films inside of your mouth,
so is perfect for anyone who has a hard
time tolerating dental films inside their
mouth.
Crowns for Kids’ Cavities?
Putting Care First Should be Absolute
A story this year highlighted
concerns in selecting a dental
practice, particularly if one were
considering a practice of a large
corporation or ‘chain.’
In June, a national TV network
exposed how some corporate
dentistry chains have not only
gamed the Medicaid program to
fraudulently collect huge amounts
of money, they’ve intentionally
forced unnecessary and expensive
procedures on young children and
older adults in the process. What
might have looked like a bargain
deal turned into pain and suffering
– even significant debt – for some.
The report focused on large,
national dental chains exploiting
situations where poor individuals
had little or no access to dental care
and states allowed larger-thannormal payments for treatments.
PBS’ Frontline (with the Center for
Public Integrity) examined allegations of overtreatment and fraud
at the national, for-profit clinic
Kool Smiles which does operate in
Massachusetts.
The PBS investigation highlighted hundreds of cases of
unnecessary dental treatment.
Similar investigations are ongoing
in Massachusetts. The show
reported an analysis of Texas
Medicaid data that found children
under 9 have almost a 50% chance
of receiving steel crowns to treat
simple problems like cavities.
This started four years ago when
Connecticut dramatically increased
fees it paid dentists through
Medicaid to provide access for
poor families and to settle a
lawsuit. A flurry of private dentists
signed up, soon thereafter, dental
chains specializing in Medicaid
began opening offices there.
One of them was Kool Smiles.
The Atlanta-based chain is the
largest Medicaid dental provider
in the country, serving roughly 2
million children with 129 offices in
15 states and DC.
Within months, the state’s
Medicaid dental director said she
became alarmed when she saw
a disproportionate spike in kids
getting stainless-steel crowns to
treat cavities ($230 for crowns
compared to $100 for a filling).
In 2009, Massachusetts reported
that three Kool Smiles offices
had overbilled Medicaid by $1.2
New Alternative to Porcelain Veneers
We are happy to be one of the first offices in Metrowest to offer a new
composite veneer designed as an affordable alternative to porcelain
veneers. Componeer™ veneers, are created and installed in one visit and
will cost roughly half of what it would cost for porcelain veneers. While
not quite as durable as porcelain, they will still provide a significant
improvement over directly placed composite, which previously was our
only alternative.
Componeer are a completely new class of veneers. They are made from
“highly filled nano-hybrid-composite” to ensure excellent homogeneity
and stability. The extremely thin veneer coatings from 0.3 mm allow a
high level of conservation of hard-tooth substance during preparation.
The direct composite veneering system lets patients have a new aesthetic
smile in just a single session, and set off with a “smile to go.”
million, primarily by taking X-rays
that weren’t needed. Auditor Joe
DeNucci, talking about those
Kool Smiles offices, said, “There
appears to be a culture of using the
system to maximize benefits to the
providers, which leads to reduced
services for people in need and the
waste of taxpayer funds.”
These national chains are very
different than practices like mine
in multiple ways. I assure you,
while we are thorough in our
evaluations and testing we never
recommend anything unless it is
necessary. And we always go over
all the options. Our fee structure
provides no incentive for me to sell
services you don’t need. We can
always justify treatments and are
glad to explain the reasons.
Chains have tantalizing lower
fees on the surface, but there could
be hidden costs. Please be a careful
buyer. Your health is at stake and
should not be compromised for
anything. Always feel free to ask us
about treatments we recommend.
Year-end Reminder:
Maximize Your Benefit
Each year thousands of dollars
are wasted when insurance
benefits are not used. If your
employer provides you with dental
benefits, it’s part of you compensation package. It’s your money.
You work hard for it. You earned
it. Insurance companies hope/bet
that you don’t use it – so they can
pocket it.
Taking full advantage of your
benefits can be like getting these
services for 50 to 100% off! You
should at least find out if you need
anything. Right now is the perfect
time. We often can plan treatment
that you might need to take full
advantage of your benefits before
the end of the year.
Most insurance benefits cover
100% of an exam and cleaning so
call today for an appointment.
Prsrt Std
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #6
Hudson, MA 01749
Brought to you by:
D.M.D.
61 Edgell Road Framingham, MA 01701
Here’s our staff in the huge new waiting area. Front
row, from left: Sue Morand (hygenist), Tina Beder
(manager), Cathy Joy (receptionist). Second row: Kristie
Barry (receptionist), Sheila Gaglione (assistant), Kristin
Morgan (hygenist), Jessica Card (assistant), Kelly Washek
(assistant), Rhonda Lyons (receptionist). Back row, Susan
Piaget (hygenist), Dr. Mark Fried, Dr. Julie Werman, Karen
LaBaire (assistant), and Holli Tierney (hygenist).
For 14th Year In A Row We’re Named ‘Best Practice’
Again, you’ve voted us best Dental Office in the
Framingham area – this for the 14th time in a row! In
addition, you’ve voted us “Best In Region” as well
(the region being Framingham, Natick, Southborough,
Wayland and Sudbury).
We’ve always tried to treat everyone as friends and
family, and provide the best and most advanced care
available. We’ll always give you an honest assessment
of your mouth and the options available. And you’ll
never be pressured into receiving any treatment you’re
not comfortable with.
I continue to be blessed with a staff that works hard
without prompting, is excellent at what they do, and
gets along well with each other and the people that
come in. I can honestly say that they make it easy for
me to come to work.
That is also the way I feel about you. Most days I
feel like I’m coming in to see my friends. Watching
kids that came in before they were school age grow
up, go off to college, and become adults, has been an
amazing and rewarding experience (particularly since
their parents and I haven’t aged a day). Thank you all
for letting us be a part of your lives.
OFFICE HOURS
Mark Fried, D.M.D.
61 Edgell Road • Framingham, MA 01701
Monday
8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Tuesday
7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday
8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Thursday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Saturday
By appointment
Appointments & Emergencies
508/872-9339 • 508/872-3574
Also, see us on the Web at www.drmarkfried.com