Page 3 - GP Fall 2025

GP SPRING 2019 different companies, and I have to pay three
From the Editor
times each time I need a medical report
By Janice Pliszczak, DDS, MS, MBA, MAGD
SPRING 2019
submitted. Write the insurance company
contact information on the medical report
good year for me, and
The Journal of the 2025 has not been a form. It seems repetitive, but the provider
refused to send anything to the insurance
I would like to share
New York State Academy my experiences and companies since I did not write the address
of General Dentistry offer some advice, myself, even though it was preprinted on
especially for our the insurance company form. Not only is
New York State Academy of General Dentistry younger members. In it the fee, but it’s the nuisance of having to
19-02 Whitestone Expressway, Suite 204 a nutshell, I fell on the fill out forms for multiple companies.
Whitestone, NY 11357 ice in February, broke
Telephone: 718-747-3353 my right (dominant) Scan your tax returns (both personal and
Fax: 718-747-3355 business) to ensure they are easier and fast-
To Contact the NYSAGD, visit our website wrist, tore the thumb tendon, had surgery, er to submit.
at www.nysagd.org and have been dealing with that ever since.
The body doesn’t heal as quickly as we
Janice Pliszczak, DDS, MS, MBA, MAGD would like, and here are my thoughts re- Please submit all your information via
Editor garding insurance, particularly disability email or through a secure website to ensure
Analia Veitz-Keenan, DDS, FAGD insurance. that your submissions are received. Plus
Co-Editor it’s much faster and less expensive than
Paula Bostick Get disability insurance as soon as possi- snail mail.
Executive Director ble, which is probably the best piece of ad-
vice I ever received. Getting a policy at a Learn the reports available through your
2025 Executive Council young age usually ensures better rates. Try dental software. Some reports are only
to get a policy with the shortest waiting pe- available at year end, while others can be
President – Analia Veitz-Keenan, DDS, FAGD riod available. I was fortunate that my first generated on a monthly basis. The insur-
NYU College of Dentistry, 345 East 24 Street, disability policy had no waiting period, but ance companies seem to know your den-
th
New York, NY 10010 tal software and will tell you exactly what
those don’t exist anymore. Then, supple-
President-Elect – James Keenan, DDS, MAGD ment with additional policies when you are reports they require. Unfortunately, one of
NYU College of Dentistry, 345 East 24 Street, able and try to stagger the waiting periods. the reports they requested was a year-end
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New York, NY 10010 The longer the waiting period, the lower report, but they were looking for a different
Treasurer – Joseph DiDonato, III, DDS, MBA, FAGD the policy’s cost will be. twelve-month period.
680 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620
Secretary – Katayoon Noroozi-Leibowitz, DDS Keep up with your policy payments. Don’t If you are a practice owner, get a business
overhead disability policy as well. These
NYU College of Dentistry, 345 East 24 Street, miss any payments since that could lead to
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New York, NY 10010 non-coverage. policies have waiting periods just like per-
Editor – Janice Pliszczak, DDS, MS, MBA, MAGD sonal disability policies.
4827 Broad Road, Syracuse, NY 13215 Ensure you understand how full disabil-
ity and partial disability are defined and Keep good records and read each corre-
National Trustee – Ira Levine, DDS, MAGD spondence from the insurance companies
111 North Central Park Avenue, Suite 208, addressed. Know if you need to be fully in detail. They seem to group policies to-
Hartsdale, NY 10538 disabled before declaring partial disability.
Any bit of dentistry (even doing hygiene gether, even though they may have differ-
Regional Director – Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, MAGD exams) moves you from full to partial dis- ent waiting periods. For example, I have a
110 East 40 Street, New York, NY 10016 30-day and a 90-day waiting period policy,
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ability. Keep a record of what hours you
Immediate Past-President – Shahram (Sean) Shekib, worked because insurance companies will and both were denied because I didn’t meet
DDS, JD, FAGD, FICD, FAADS, FPFA, FACD ask. During my full disability, I was in the the 90-day waiting period.
2178 63 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11024
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office every day so my hygienist could
work, although I was unable to do any ex- Have an emergency fund. Even with dis-
GP – Journal of the New York State Academy of ams. I looked at x-rays and photos to deter- ability insurance, they don’t pay out until
General Dentistry is published twice a year by mine future work needed, and from there, at least 30 days after the waiting period
the New York State Academy of General Dentistry. we created a wait list for when I was able to begins. For instance, even with no waiting
The issues are mailed out in March and September period, they did not pay anything until after
to all the members of the New York State Academy return. I would go through the list and select a month of full disability.
of General Dentistry and are available on-line the easiest procedures to start with. When
at www.nysagd.org. All correspondence should able, try not to overwork yourself. I began
be addressed to the Editor at 19-02 Whitestone with one surface fillings and impressions Try to pay as many bills with credit cards,
Expressway, Suite 204, Whitestone, NY 11357. with rest time in between appointments. so you have a thirty-day float, plus you
The views, opinions and recommendations have the opportunity to earn rewards or
expressed in this publication are those of the points.
respective authors and are not necessarily Make sure your policies are own-occ,
endorsed by the Academy of General Dentistry. which means that you’re covered if you
Placement of an advertisement in GP – Journal can’t do dentistry, but can still do some- Some disability policies don’t require pre-
of the New York State Academy of General mium payments while one is out on disabil-
Dentistry does not indicate an endorsement thing else. ity. However, I recommend paying the pre-
of its products or services by the Academy of
General Dentistry. Try to keep your policies with one insur-
ISSN 2770-2391 ance company. I have policies with three continued on next page
www.nysagd.org l Fall 2025 l GP 3