Louisiana Dental Association
7833 Office Park Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 926-1986
FAX (225) 926-1886

Operation Blessing: Dental volunteers are needed immediately to serve in Operation Blessing's dental field clinic that provides FREE care to residents in New Orleans. The field dental clinic is located at 5501 Read Blvd. and contains all the needed equipment. The clinic is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and serves walk in patients only. Operation Blessing offers free accommodations and meals to all dental volunteers. Contact Karen Ball at 757-226-3858 or karen.ball@ob.org to volunteer or receive more information.

Free Stress Management Consultation and Crisis Assistance Services
The Minnesota Dental Foundation, with financial assistance from the Minnesota Dental Association and district dental societies and individual dentists in Minnesota, is making available to dentists (and their immediate families) in Louisiana and Mississippi free stress management consultation and crisis assistance services. These services are provided to dentists and their families as a member benefit for Minnesota dentists and are being extended to dentists in Louisiana and Mississippi. Please call 1-800-632-7643 or click here for more information.

LDA Disaster Grant Rules As Amended
Click here to download an LDA grant application!

L. Grants to Dentists Affected by Disasters
1. Purpose: The purpose of disaster grants is to provide a small measure of immediate financial assistance to needy eligible beneficiaries who are victims of a disaster. A disaster shall be defined in the same manner as by the ADA Foundation for similar grants, and can be both natural and caused by human conduct. Examples include, but are not necessarily limited to: civil disorders (excluding acts of war), explosions, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, tidal waves, forest fires and hurricanes.

2. Eligible Beneficiaries: Any Louisiana dentist who is a victim of a disaster may apply for a grant, provided that:
a. He or she suffered property damages as a result of the disaster.
b. A "disaster" has been declared by a governmental agency, or has been determined by the Board in accordance with the definition provided above.
c. Application is made using the LDA Disaster Grant form during the period of time in which a State of Emergency related to that disaster is declared to be in effect by the State of Louisiana, or within 3 months of the occurrence of the disaster, whichever occurs at the later point in time. (Currently, that deadline is October 20, 2006.)
d. The dentist has not applied for an ADA Disaster Grant for Dentists in the previous 10 days.

3. Evaluation of Application and Procedures for Processing:

a. Upon receiving the application, the Fund shall determine that (1) a disaster did occur under the definition provided by the ADA Foundation and in these Rules, (2) the disaster was declared by a governmental agency, if applicable, (3) the applicant suffered damages, (4) the application form is signed by the applicant, and (5) the damages appear to be commensurate with the requested claim. This may require, for example, a visual inspection by an investigator or a copy of an insurance claim report.

b. The Fund shall also verify that the application was submitted within the appropriate time frame, in accordance with section 2.c. Should a deadline date be published, reported or otherwise disseminated that does not accurately coincide with the lifting of the state of emergency or three months from the date of the actual disaster, applications will nonetheless be evaluated for timely submission solely on the basis of the actual deadline as stated in section 2.c., and it will be the obligation of the applicant to ensure submission is prior to the actual deadline rather than any deadline mistakenly or erroneously communicated by any party.

c. Assuming affirmation that the application satisfies all criteria under 3.a. and 3.b, it may be approved by the Fund’s Administrative Officer and Executive Director for an amount, up to the maximum allowable, that is consistent with the damages suffered and financial impact on the applicant attributable to the disaster. Applications not satisfying all criteria under 3.a. and 3.b. must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

4. Term and Amount of Grant: Grants for disaster assistance shall be offered only once per applicant per disaster as defined in these Rules, and shall not exceed $1,500.

Looking for dental equipment or supplies that were donated to the Katrina and Rita Recovery Efforts!
If so, go to http://lovelaceandassociates.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php?c=3 to see what items are available.

Hurricane Mediation Program

LSUSD Library Services

Although we’re not presently located in the dental school, librarians from the LSU School of Dentistry are available to assist you with online database searches, reference questions, and document delivery. Our collection of books and journals has been removed from the library for storage until we return to the school, but we continue to provide information electronically.

Please contact Elizabeth Strother, head dental librarian, or Julie Schiavo, dental reference librarian, if you need help with any dental, medical, or related topic. We also have a dental library mailbox that we check daily. Our email addresses are: Elizabeth Strother, estrot@lsuhsc.edu, Julie Schiavo, jschia@lsuhsc.edu, and dental library, dentlib@lsuhsc.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.

ATTENTION ALL LDA MEMBERS! If you know of a displaced dentist from the New Orleans or Nothlake areas, please help us get information to them. Please call (800) 388-6642 or e-mail info@ladental.org and let us know how to contact these members. Even if you have not been a victim of Hurricane Katrina, please read the following information and pass it on to any LDA/ADA members that you may see in the coming months that could benefit from this assistance.

Are you looking for information that you could not find here? Contact us at (800) 388-6642 or e-mail us at help@ladental.org. Also, feel free to come by the LDA Office to fill out your LA Dental Disaster Fund grant application or for any other information.

Click here to download information related to Hurricane Katrina and Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/). Three additional online disaster resources include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Small Business Administration.

Financial Info Compiled by the ADA
ADA Foundation Disaster Assistance
Relocation Database for Dentists - Do you want your patients to find you?
www.FindYourDentist.org
FREE or Special Offers of Continuing Education
Post-Disaster Use of New Orleans Municipal Water in Dentistry
LA Association of Business and Industry (LABI) Katrina Resources for Small Businesses
LSUSD C.E. Courses
DMORT Needs Records From Affected Areas
Louisiana State Board of Dentistry
Certified Public Accountants Offer Free Financial Guidance to Disaster Victims
American Association of Orthodontists
American Association of Endodontists
American Dental Hygienists Association Hurricane Katrina Resources
ADA Hurricane Discussion Board
Housing for Displaced Dentists/ADA Help-a-Dentist Program
Beware of Scams
Contact Information for Insurance Carriers and Other State or Federal Entities
IRS Tax Relief: Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas
Licensure By Credentials
Temporary/Permanent Employment (Including Practices for Sale)
Vendors Offering Supplies/Assistance to Dental Offices
Updates on the LSU School of Dentistry
State Dental Associations' Web Sites
State Boards' Web Sites
Emergency Rule for Sales Tax Relief on Hotel Lodging Charges
Satellite Images of New Orleans
Counseling Services
OSAP's (Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures) Response to Hurricane Katrina
New Orleans Flood Map
Florida Disaster Handbook
Stories from the Front Line (from member dentists and executive directors)
Emergency Rule Concerning the Refunds Authorized by R.S. 47:315.1 of State Sales Taxes Paid on Property Destroyed in Natural Disasters
New Orleans Dental Association
Financial Resources and Information: Federal Assistance Grants and Programs
American Dental Assistants Association

ADA Foundation Disaster Assistance

Recently, the ADA Foundation's Board made the decision to discontinue the Disaster Assistance Loan Program as of July 1, 2006. As you may recall, this loan
program has offered a low-interest loan up to $25,000 for dentists rebuilding as a result of damage caused by a disaster. The charitable criteria for this program, as required by the IRS, provide that applicants must be financially in need and must have been turned down by a bank for a loan in order to qualify.

This decision to discontinue the program was made based upon the information and recommendation received from the ADAF Charitable Assistance Program Committee. Among other factors, there have been no applications for this loan program in four years; the repayment of the existing loans is extremely low; and it is believed the financial resources could be better used to support the Disaster Assistance Grant Program. There were over 650 grant applications in the calendar year 2005.

Therefore, discontinuation of the Disaster Assistance Loan Program will be effective July 1, 2006. Applications for the loan program will be received and considered up to this deadline.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the LDA at (800) 388-6642 or contact Lisa Barron or Rose Famularo at the ADA at (312) 440-4639.

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Post-Disaster Use of New Orleans Municipal Water in Dentistry
(Information provided by Dr. Chet Siew, Senior Director, Laboratories at ADA)

Dentists should not use the New Orleans municipal water supply until approved for use by local health authorities. Follow recommendations by local health authorities for initial steps to be taken before use of municipal water after approval for use.

Recommendations may include:

Flushing pipes for a prescribed period
Temporarily boiling water before use

Dental unit water
Weeks of stagnation likely will have allowed microbial biofilms to grow and establish themselves in waterlines that were previously free of biofilm. Procedures for removing biofilm and reducing microbial numbers to no more than 500 CFU/mL should be performed before placing the dental unit back in service. Guidance on safe water can be found at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater.asp#water. Guidance for maintaining dental unit water quality: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/waterlines.asp.

DMORT Needs Records From Affected Areas
Because of the condition of bodies found in the Hurricane Katrina affected areas, DMORT, the agency of FEMA responsible for identifying bodies, is in desperate need of dental records, particularly x-rays. DMORT will be sending letters to dentists who have practices in the affected areas that will list specific victims’ names, so please make sure to update your temporary address with the LDA at info@ladental.org. DMORT realizes that many offices are flooded, but victims’ records in any condition should be submitted. Many dentists have suffered extreme losses, but it would be greatly appreciated if dentists would assist in helping people identify their loved ones. There is a HIPAA Regulation Exception that permits the release of health information (medical and dental records) to a coroner or medical examiner for the identification of a deceased. For more information or to submit records, call (225) 319-0254, fax (225) 319-0159, or mail to DMORT Family Assistance, c/o Holiday Inn Select Executive Center, 4782 Constitution Ave., Baton Rouge, La. 70808.

Beware of Scams
To report possible scams related to Hurricane Katrina recovery/relief efforts, please contact the LDA at (800) 388-6642 or info@ladental.org. All reports will be forwarded to appropriate officials for investigation and information about verified illegal acts will be disseminated to LDA members and posted here.

Contact Information for Insurance Carriers and Other State or Federal Entities
Hurricane Contact Information for Major Louisiana Insurance Companies (from the LA Dept. of Insurance)
Department of Insurance Press Release http://www.ldi.state.la.us/HurricaneKatrina.htm
*Company/Organization*	*Contact Information*
Robert Ellis & Associates	Please report claims to 1-985-234-4500 or 1-888-503-5547. Call these numbers also for claims on CNA and Zurich. You can also contact Hanover Insurance at (800) 628-0250. For any other information contact Stormy Blair at (985) 264-5063 (her text messaging is working).
Crescent Dental	The Baton Rouge satellite office has opened. Contact Robyn Bossom at (225) 755-0084 or (225) 921-9120.
IPI ProSource / Professional Protector Plan	Call (337) 266-5630 or (800) 256-5530.
Gilsbar, Inc.	Gilsbar extends its sincerest concern for our LDA clients affected by Hurricane Katrina. Gilsbar is fully operational at its Covington, Louisiana headquarters and stands ready to assist you with your insurance needs by calling Customer Service at 1-800-445-7227. Gilsbar Extension of Grace Period - NYL has agreed to the following new extension of Grace Period: Due to continued issues with delayed mail in Louisiana we are agreeable to extending the grace period to 90 days (instead of 60) for August and September due dates and to 60 days for October due dates. This applies to all of the Gilsbar plans and to all insureds--not just those in Louisiana. (As of 10/13/05)
Delta Dental	Delta Dental has set up a special toll-free number for dentists in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area: (866) 303-6571. www.deltadentalins.com/dentist/hurricane.html or professionalservices@ddic.delta.org
Medicaid Assistance	Provider Relations - 1-800-473-2783 (other numbers can be found on the web site) http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?id=92&detail=5152
LA Secretary of State Registration	To look up LA ID numbers: http://www.sec.state.la.us/crpinq.htm
IRS Disaster Relief Hotline for Katrina Victims	To find out their tax ID number, the doctor himself/herself must call, 1-866-562-5227, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Also has all kinds of other tax relief information for Katrina victims.) http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=141489,00.html
DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration	To get duplicate certificates, 1-800-882-9539 http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/phone.htm http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/index.html
LA Attorney General	http://www.ag.state.la.us/HurrKatrina.aspx or 225-326-6705
U.S. Health and Human Services	Click here for HHS flyer and information.

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Licensure By Credentials
The most updated information can be found at http://www.ada.org/prof/hurricane/licensure.asp. Contact information for all state boards can be found at http://www.aadexam.org/StateBoard/StateBoardListing.htm.

Temporary/Permanent Employment
Lovelace and Associates, Inc. (L&A, Inc.) is based in Baton Rouge and has offered services to dentists displaced by Hurricane Katrina. For information on finding temporary or permanent employment or to advertise a practice for sale, go directly to the web site at http://lovelaceandassociates.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php?c=4 and enter your information. Gretchen Lovelace can also be reached at (225) 927-3015 (home), (225) 927-8015 (office), (225) 892-5135 (cell), www.lovelaceandassociates.com or gretchenlovelace@cox.net.

Reservists should also consider contacting their superiors with the Army, Air Force, Navy, etc., and ask them if they can do their duty now.

Click here for information on federal dental jobs and/or Dental Officer GS-0680 positions.

Emergency Rule for Sales Tax Relief on Hotel Lodging Charges
The Louisiana Department of Revenue has issued a Revenue Information Bulletin discussing an newly adopted Emergency Rule providing sales tax relief on hotel lodging charges for persons displaced from their normal places of dwelling by Hurricane Katrina. Revenue Information Bulletin No. 05-016 can be accessed from the department's web site at http://www.revenue.louisiana.gov/forms/lawspolicies/RIB05016.pdf. The Emergency Rule can be accessed via a link within Revenue Information Bulletin No. 05-016.

Any questions should be forwarded to webmaster@rev.state.la.us.

LSUSD C.E. Courses
All C.E. courses sponsored by the LSU School of Dentistry are postponed indefinitely until further notice.

The Enteral Conscious Sedation course will be held in early 2006. The 180-day grace period (from August 15, 2005, when the bill was signed by the Governor) will be extended. Check here for exact dates as they come available.

Louisiana State Board of Dentistry
The LSBD has gone back to normal office hours. They can be reached at (877) 467-4488 or (504) 568-8574. As of September 29, 2005, the LSBD web site is online again at www.lsbd.org.

Officers of the LSBD have agreed with LDA's request for C.E. waivers and will implement as follows:

There will be complete waivers for anyone whose license renews at the end of 2005.
For 2006 license renewals, licensees will need 20 hours of continuing education credits, 10 of which must be clinical. Up to five hours may be obtained online (same standards apply to Internet C.E. providers as for conventional).
For more specific questions, contact the LSBD at the numbers listed above.

The Enteral Conscious Sedation course will be offered in early 2006. The 180-day grace period (from August 15, 2005, when the bill was signed by the Governor) for ECS permitting will be extended to June 30, 2006.

Housing and the ADA's Help-a-Dentist Program
In response to the thousands displaced by Hurricane Katrina, the ADA Foundation would like to support dentists and their families through this Help-a-Dentist program. It is designed to match the dentists in need with those who are willing to provide housing or other assistance. A list will be provided to participants, so individuals can make connections for themselves directly. If you are a dentist needing housing or other assistance, please fill out the Help-a-Dentist Needing Assistance form available from the ADA web site and return it to the ADA Foundation.

Other possible locations for housing (but are not endorsed through the LDA or the ADA):
http://www.katrinahousing.org/offers/search
http://web1.katrinahousing.net/php/search.php
http://www.katrinahomes.org/viewtopic.php?t=47
http://www.shareahome.org/forum/index.php

Relocation Database for Dentists - Do you want your patients to find you?
Gretchen Lovelace has also graciously assisted us by creating a database on her web site for relocated dentists. If you would like your patients to be able to find you, click here and register under the Lovelace and Associates, Inc. database. You can also go to www.findyourdentist.org to register your temporary location.

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ADA Hurricane Discussion Board
For those directly affected by the Hurricane and its aftermath, or those who have helpful insights, this discussion board has been set up for anyone looking for share and receive information related to the hurricane.

Counseling Services
CIGNA is committed to providing EAP (Employee Assistance Program) services to assist residents of the Gulf Coast communities affected by Hurricane Katrina. Phone lines are staffed with trained counselors who are available to speak with individuals about how to cope with grief, anxiety, stress or other issues in the aftermath of the disaster. Any member of the public residing in the affected areas may use the telephone help lines. Any resident of the region can call (888) 622-6470 to reach a trained counselor. The phone line will be open to the public in these area 24 hours a day, seven days a week as long as needed.
The American Psychological Association, www.apa.org, has excellent disaster-related information. Of particular interest is the article, "Managing Traumatic Stress: After Hurricane Katrina," which can be found on that web site.

Vendors Offering Supplies/Assistance to Dental Offices

If you are seeking donated or discounted dental equipment for rebuilding purposes, please e-mail sylvia@ladental.org and provide specific details.

Sullivan-Schein Hurricane Relief Hotline
As clean-up begins after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, we at Sullivan-Schein Dental want you to know that we are here to help you in any way we can. With that thought in mind, we have reopened the disaster relief hotline for our dental, medical and veterinary customers who have been affected by Katrina. The hotline number – 800-999-9729 – is being staffed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. Additionally, we are establishing the Dental Renovation Program. Click on the link above for more information.

Business consulting/planning services are available on a limited basis to dentists affected by Katrina and are looking to rebuild. Contact Neil D. Eisner, DDS, MBA, MSBA-QA, 398 SE Mizner Blvd. Suite 1904, Boca Raton, FL 33432, phone: 561-208-3848, fax: 806-403-2536, mobile: 561-414-3820, and e-mail: neil@gameplansolutions.com.

Fortress Insurance Company
As a professional liability carrier, Fortress Insurance is seeking to alleviate some of the difficulties dentists are facing. If you are unable to practice as a result of this recent storm, Fortress will seek to provide dentists (on a case-by-case basis) with temporary, pro rata premium credit of as much as 100%.

Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc.
Doctors in need of materials for volunteer work, please contact John Howard, Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc., (800) 533-6825 x 6073, (225) 924-6566 x 720, or cell: 504-701-0243.

Advanced Fluid Air Systems
As a Louisiana-based manufacturer of dental air compressors, vacuum systems, and water security systems, we are offering our assistance to the dentists affected by the recent floods. Please click on the link above for more information.

Patterson Dental Supply, Inc.
Doctors in need of materials for volunteer work, please direct all inquiries to your local Patterson Territory Representative or Chris Counce, New Orleans Branch Manager, at (225) 931-2255, (504) 952-9990, chris.counce@pattersondental.com or Patterson at (813) 289-3939.

Click the logo above for information.

Royal Handpiece Repair
For more information, go to www.royalhandpiecerepair.com.

Henry Schein Financial Services

http://www.eschein.com/dental/finservices/default.asp

Gilsbar, Inc.
For information on special provisions, click here.

Provider Billing Assistance
Special Deals for Dentists Affected by Hurricane Katrina from Randi at Medical Billing Professionals - www.medical-billing-professionals.com, e-mail: randi@medical-billing-professionals.com or Kari at Administrative Billing Solutions - www.billingsolutions.us, e-mail: kari@billingsolutions.us
Click here for more information.

Care Credit

Forest Irons and Associates, Inc.
As the largest and most experienced Interim (Locum Tenens) service for U.S. dentists, we are offering to waive customary fees for dentists seeking or potentially providing interim clinical opportunities throughout the country. www.forestirons.com, 800-433-2603

Benco Dental
Benco Dental has a special interest in providing disaster relief to dental practices affected by Hurricane Katrina. In 1972, our headquarters and warehouse were wiped out by an eight-foot wall of muddy water brought on by Hurricane Agnes. We rebuilt and prospered – and we want to help dentists in FEMA zones 1 & 2 do the same. Our Disaster Recovery Assistance Plan includes help with insurance appraisals, reduced financing, free preliminary or spec office design plans, staffing assistance through our newly reactivated Interlink database, plus special equipment pricing from participating equipment vendors including A-dec, KaVo, Planmeca and many others. Dental professionals in the affected regions can find more information on our website, www.benco.com, by clicking on Disaster Relief Recovery Plan or by calling Benco Dental toll-free at 1-800-GO BENCO.

Ultradent
Ultradent wishes to assist those dentists directly affected by the hurricanes and help them in getting back on their feet. If your dental practice has been directly impacted by this tragedy, please call us at 1-800-552-5512 and press #1 or go to http://www.ultradent.com/static.php?act=katrina

FTR Dental Lab

For additional information on discounts on equipment and supplies for emergency clinics, please contact Dwight Edwards of the ADA Foundation at edwardsd@ada.org or at (312) 440-4717.

If you are a vendor who would like to offer supplies or assistance to dentists affected by Hurricane Katrina, click here for more information.

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