December | 2021
The Monthly Incisor
President's Message
The Holiday season has arrived, and the end of the year will be here before you can blink. As always, we will have our annual Toys for Tots drive at our December meeting so please remember to bring an unwrapped toy for a local family in need.

As of January, we will no longer offer a virtual attendance option for our monthly meetings. Though we realize this was a popular option during the pandemic, we are excited to welcome back our entire group in 2022. We have the option to bring this back if COVID dictates this!

As a reminder, FDA dues statements have hit mailboxes near you, please remember to support FDA alliance and FDA PAC by selecting those boxes. I am looking forward to one more virtual / in-person joint collaborative meeting on December 1st at the Club at TI. Hope to see you all there!

Brent Mayer, DMD
PCDA President  
813-417-3346
Upcoming PCDA Meeting
Date: Wednesday, December 1st
Time: 6:00 PM Social / 7:00 PM Business
Location: The Club at TI

Title: Practical Abuse Education for the Dental Professional, Dr. Glori Enzor (2CEUs, required for re-licensure)

Speaker: Dr. Glori Enzor

Hygienists are invited for a fee of $45! RSVP required.

Please consider bringing an unwrapped toy for the annual Toys for Tots Drive!

Program Description: Why Florida Dental Professionals Need This Information: “The suspicion of abuse or neglect provides us with the opportunity to interrupt the chain of events which threaten the life and the well being of our patients. By learning the signs and symptoms of abuse, knowing how to document what is seen, and by fulfilling our legal duty to report suspected abuse or neglect, dental teams may help to mend a family in distress or to save the life of a helpless child or adult.” (ABFO Manual of Forensic Odontology)

Speaker Bio: Glori Enzor, DDS graduated with honors from the University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery and maintains a private general practice in Sarasota. She has been active in the dental profession since 1980 and is a member of numerous professional dental organizations. She served as president of the Sarasota County Dental Association and is a Legislative Contact Dentist as well as a delegate to the Florida Dental Association from the West Coast Dental Association. She believes in giving back to the community and is involved in several charitable dental groups. Dr. Enzor has been involved in forensic odontology extensively since 1999 and is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American Society of Forensic Odontology, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, local Child Abuse Death Review Team, Child Abduction Response Team, and the Florida Emergency Mortuary Operations Response team. She has received advanced training at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Bethesda and is certified by the FBI in NCIC Coding. She serves as a consultant to seven medical examiner districts and numerous law enforcement agencies in the state of Florida, provides expert witness testimony, and lectures throughout the United States on forensic odontology, as well as the recognition and reporting of abuse.
PCDA 2021-2022 Meeting Schedule
Wednesday, January 19, 2022 
No Bone, No Problem: Full Arch Immediate Load Implant Solutions for the Severely Atrophic Patient, Dr. Mike Pikos and Dr. Phil Hedger
St. Petersburg Marriott Clearwater 

Wednesday, March 2, 2022
OMG I got a Bad Review, What to Do?, Dr. Len Tau
The Club at Treasure Island
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
TBD
The Club at Treasure Island

Friday, April 8, 2022
End of the Year Celebration (rescheduled from September 9th)
Parks & Rec, St. Pete
Affiliate Collaboration Virtual Seminar
Series - FINAL
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Practical Abuse Education for the Dental Professional, Dr. Glori Enzor (2CEUs)
Hosted by PCDA *required for re-licensure
Hernando County Dental Association members are invited to attend!

Pre-registration is required for the virtual lecture.
Other Important Dates
FDA Virtual House of Delegates
January 22, 2022

WCDDA Gasparilla Tent
January 29, 2022

FDA Dentists' Day on the Hill
February 1, 2022

WCDDA President's Reception
February 3, 2022
WCDDA Annual Meeting
February 4, 2022

Florida's Mission of Mercy
March 11-12, 2022

WCDDA Summer Meeting
August 5-7, 2022
How to Find the Perfect Office
I hope that made you laugh, as no office is perfect! The search for an office of which you can call your own is not an easy task in this day and age. Doctors are working longer; offices are being bought by corporate; and there are more new dentists looking than there are selling established dentists. I have found there is no precise way to find an office to associate in or purchase- it is what opportunity is available and presents itself at the right time. With that said, it doesn’t hurt to be looking for that opportunity with eyes wide open!

As a dentist, anytime a transition is made from job to job or practice to practice, your income is effected. Prior to looking to buy a practice, it is recommended to have your personal finances organized. Pay down student debt, save an emergency fund, and be conscious of how much money you need monthly for your living expenses. A useful financial book that was recommended to me by a mentor was, “The White Coat Investor”. Amongst other areas of advice, that book recommended living like a resident as long as you can. Preparing financially for a practice purchase will make the purchase and transition period go smoother.

What to Do When You Find an Office to Purchase

Building a team of professionals you trust is essential to a fair and speedy practice sale. This includes a lawyer, CPA, financial lender, insurance broker, and possibly a practice broker. I am not a master of business acquisitions and as such will not lend any detailed advice on the process. The purchase of a practice is customized to each situation and the goals of the buyer and seller combined.

I wanted to provide a checklist to young doctors looking to transition a practice and for selling dentists to help their transition go smoothly. This is not a comprehensive list, and other resources should be referenced with the above mentioned professionals. This list is assuming purchase prices are negotiated, financing is obtained, and the sale of the practice is progressing smoothly. I want to provide lists that both a seller dentist and purchasing doctor can use to aid in the transition of the practice patients as well as the business.
How to Transition Patient Care

Put yourself in the patient’s shoes- would you like to meet someone for the first time and be told they are working on you that day? That sounds uncomfortable; however many practices are sold turn-key, and this is what they have to maneuver through. Transfer of patient care is determined in the negotiation and practice sale process. In my case, the practice was small, and I started with no patients on my schedule, but did all the Hygiene exams. I subsequently did all the new patient exams as they trickled in. As time continued, my schedule, as the Buyer Dentist, got busier and the Seller Dentist’s schedule got lighter. As the Seller Dentist’s schedule got lighter, we consolidated his in office days to be productive. Over 6 months, my schedule was full and the seller dentist’s schedule got progressively concise. This transition is not for everyone, but worked well in transitioning a small practice.

A practice transition is stressful and time consuming; however, it is yet another chapter in our professional careers. I hope this checklist is helpful to our members of PCDA. 

Article submitted by, Dr. Debbie Lowry
PCDA President-Elect
Do You Volunteer?
Do you volunteer your time, skills expertise or donate dentistry in office or a local clinic? The Pinellas County Dental Association would like to know about it!

At the beginning of each PCDA year, we would like to recognize and award members who support the local community by volunteering their time, expertise and talents to those in need at a local clinic or even in their own office! Each year, one select member will be awarded for their service and others will be recognized for their service.

Thank you for your service to the Pinellas County Community!
PCDA Membership Dues
Membership Dues for the PCDA are Due!

If you've already made a payment, thank you for your continued membership! If you have not yet submitted payment, please use the online link to pay below or contact the PCDA by email/call (727) 342-0374.
Do You Know a Colleague Who is NOT a PCDA Member?
Do you know of a new dentist or a non-member dental colleague in the area? Encourage them to join the PCDA! New dentist member dues are discounted by 50% for the first year! If they are interested in joining, considering sharing the link below! Easy online application and payment option available.
Stay Connected with the PCDA

Would it make your life easier to receive text notifications from PCDA? We encourage you to subscribe and text the word PCDA to 33222.
Executive Board & Committees
2021-2022

Brent Mayer, DMD
President and Delegate

Deborah Lowry, DMD
President-Elect and Delegate

Devin Gapstur, DMD
Vice President and Alternate Delegate

Ronak Shukla, DMD
Secretary and Alternate Delegate

Jesse Jakubowski, DMD
Council Chair-At-Large and Alternate Delegate

Kenneth Grundset, DDS
Executive Treasurer

Charles Ford, DMD
Ethics Chairman

Luis Martinez, DMD, PA
Peer Review Chairman

Gregory Langston, DMD
Delegate

Rita Hurst, DMD
Editor

Kristie Johnson, DMD
Immediate Past President and Alternate Delegate