Removing Dr. or D.D.S. on Google Sites Which My Name, Gary W. Vollan Appears

My name is Gary W. Vollan. I'm a licensed denturist and for over three years I have worked with four excellent and professional dentists and the awesome staff associated with this dental office in Wyoming. In some of the google sites my name sometimes appears with Dr. in front of it or D.D.S. at the end of it. There is a dentist complaining about this outside of the dental group I work with. This is a concern with the dentists I work with because the complaining dentist is threatening to file a complaint with the Wyoming Dental Board against the dental group I work with. How can I get this correction made with the Google sites associated with this. I have never claimed or advertised to be a doctor or dentist. Thank you for your consideration in helping me with this problem.

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
Basin, Wyoming
vollan@tctwest.net

Dentists Oppose Wyoming Denturist Bill SF49 Moving Forward

Wyoming Denturist Bill SF49 Moving Forward February 4, 2011

The hearing Monday for the denturist bill, SF49 went well with Senator Geis testifying, then Representative Quarberg, and then myself. The room was full of dentists and their associates. As expected they gave unsupportive testimony for denturist and oral health issues, yet the state dental boards and the American Dental Association continues to allow oral piercings to take place in our children's mouths across our Nation. Denturists do no invasive or irreversible procedures.

The dentists once again attacked our denturist education program at Bates Technical School as not being accredited knowing that the American Dental Association's accreditation agency, CODA, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (seal of approval), will not accredit a denturist program. There was no mention that Bates is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The dentists accused the denturist profession of being in a non-progressive state; this being in response to Chairman Scott asking two of the dentists, "with Montana and Idaho and four other states regulating denturists, what was their opinion of the future of the denturist profession". Chairman Scott suggested that the dentist find ways to make this work, the dentists responded that there wasn't a need for denturists and they weren't interested.

The dentists that testified represented the Wyoming Dental Board, the Wyoming Dental Association and one dentist referred to his generational decades of dental practice. Not one dentist mentioned denturist legislation introduced in Kentucky and other states like Maine that improves the existing denture delivery system. They never mentioned, the court cases taking place across our nation, with denturists and their families fighting state dental boards so they can provide denturists services they've been trained and educated to provide. They didn't mention the progressive state of our graduates from Bates and the denturist colleges across Canada that work with community clinics and convalescent centers in regulated states, to provide affordable denture care. They didn't mention the many denture laboratory technicians across our Nation who work for dentists for low competitive fees; having to bushwhack dentures on the side to friends and friends of friends so they're able to make a living.

The dentists that testified never mentioned the many economically disadvantaged people that would never step across their dental office threshold for denture care because they know they can't afford their denture services but these same people will go to the denturist. The dentists did not mention that denturists are on the front lines of oral health care in recognizing healthy tissue and referring these people out to a dentists, oral surgeons or medical doctors that will empathize with their economic situation. The dentists didn’t mention the states work associated with the success and reputation of regulating the denturist profession, that includes referral service between denturists and other professions, licensing, compliance, and continuing education all working together for the patients best interest. This is all about a progressive profession.

After the testimonies the vote was to make amendments to the bill then take a vote on Wednesday. The bill was trimmed down to denturist working with dentists and denturists have to be licensed as denturists and it was passed out of committee with a 3 to 2 vote. It goes to the Senate floor Friday, to be voted on. It isn’t much when it passes in representing the needs of affordable denture care because we will be under the dentists overhead, however, quality denture care will be addressed and as most denturists know, quality denture care is a shortcoming for most dentists. They don't have the chair-time that is needed for dentures. So please consider this as an opportunity, a foot in the door for denturists who want to live in Wyoming. I see it as a reason to celebrate; the Wyoming State Legislator's recognition of the denturist profession. The Wyoming Silver Haired Legislators have worked hard to lobby the cause. Representative Quarberg and Senator Geis have worked hard to bring the bill forward for the sixth legislative session and I’m thankful to the Senate, Labor, Health and Social Service Committee. A good number of Wyoming people have worked hard to show the need for the denturist profession. There is still a lot of work to do after SF49 passes. I'm a praying man and I'm ready to go to work.

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
www.wysda.org

American Dental Association's Anti Denturist Policy – Denturist Data Not Available Through Federal Agencies – Transparency?

Denturist data is not available through federal agencies even though the Denturist Profession has been regulated in six states some for over 30 years. The American Dental Association Policy Handbook clearly outlines the act to suppress the denturist profession and intimidate dental suppliers of dental material to denturists. The American Dental Association and American Medical Association spend big dollars suppressing competition by lobbying against legislation to regulate Alternative Healthcare Professions. A good example of this is the recent federal legislation the American Dental Association lobbied against regarding the Dental Health Aide Therapists Program being expanded outside of Alaska that ADA fought Alaska to suppress.

There are several other programs that would be beneficial to the American people allowing them accessible and affordable healthcare. Due to the fact that these programs or professions are not supported by the American Dental Association and American Medical Association they are not registered with federal and state government agencies. No data is available for these professions. For example, I'm an educated licensed denturist that has fought long and hard for recognition and the right to provide the services associated with the denturist profession to provide affordable, oral prostheses care or denture care directly to the public.

The data for the denturist profession is not listed on federal registries as an occupation or profession even though I and a number of my colleagues over the years have requested acknowledgement of the denturist profession to be included for statistical and informational purposes. The denturist profession was not included in the new addition of the Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook again, even though it's been regulated in six U.S. states providing jobs and services for over 30years in Oregon and Idaho.

I have contacted the Department of Labor over the past three years along with other federal agencies DOC, HHS, DOJ, CDC, FTC, IHS, BLS and AHRQ to have matters of discussion regarding the denturist profession for listing or registration. Montana, Arizona, Maine and Washington State regulate and license denturists. When talking to the different federal agencies I have cited the American Freedom of Information Act in hopes of gaining the information and recognition for the denturist profession but not much has happened.

As a student at the University of Wyoming, doing a paper, I have requested information from several federal agencies and the American Dental Association regarding information about my profession as a denturist. I'm told there is no information available through the federal agencies and the ADA tells me they can't provide the information to me because I'm not a dentist member.

The American people should have statistic and informational data regarding the success and benefits of the denturist profession as alternative oral healthcare providers, in order to consider national licensure of the denturist profession across the nation as it is in Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries. Thank you for your consideration.

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
vollan@tctwest.net
P.O. Box 332
Basin, Wyoming 82410
www.wysda.org

American Dental Association Being Held Accountable for Greed

Republican Senator Charles Grassley’s (R-IA) call for a financial discloser from the American Dental Association (ADA) along with other medical groups is just a start of holding corporate ADA accountable for the money it wastes and spends as a nonprofit suppressing and pushing out competition. The American Dental Association lobbies federal and state legislators to disregard legislation that would regulate the denturist profession in many states that include Kentucky and Wyoming. The ADA spends money to persecute denturists.

The ADA lobbied for exclusion of language to expand the dental health aide therapists programs to states other than Alaska in the recent U.S. Senate Bill 1790. The American Dental Association, wasted money fighting Alaska and lost; trying to prevent dental health aide therapists from providing dental services to Natives of Alaska living in remote areas. The American Dental Association lobbies to suppress dental hygienists from having independent boards and practices.

The American Dental Associations total lobbying expenditures as of October 2009 was $2,110,000.00 reported by opensecrets.org. The ADA’s self-serving political agenda is hurting consumers by suppressing qualified competitors that provide oral health services to those with disparities. The American Dental Association works against its vision and mission statement by suppressing competition that has been trained and educated in providing oral health care services to those that are unable to pay the high prices charged by dentist leaving Americans without needed dental care.

Many people do without needed dental care because of high prices charged by dentist and not being eligible for Medicaid, low income programs and not having dental healthcare insurance. Corporate ADA has the power and money to change the current dental care delivery system for the better if the American public would speak out against the American Dental Associations deceiving and pacifying public relations campaign for a better public image.

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
State Coordinator, Wyoming State Denturist Association
www.wysda.org

References:
137th APHA Annual Meeting (November 7-11, 2009): Denturists: Alternative healthcare providers for oral health screenings and referrals

http://grassley.senate.gov/news/Article.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1502=24413

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/health/policy/08grassley.html?scp=2&sq=grassley&st=cse

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00000729&cycle=2008

American Dental Association Continues to Suppress Competition

No doubt, we need a national healthcare emphasis on the connection of good oral health and its relationship to a healthy body, mind and spirit. It will take a team effort and this includes all professions involved with oral healthcare. The American Dental Association, due to its greed, wastes so much time and money pushing other professions away from the table and preventing our professions from serving those we have been trained and educated to serve.

The American Dental Association uses money to fight Dental Hygienists from having independent practices, the American Dental Association fights and prevents Denturists from having independent practices and in most cases funnels money to state dental associations to prosecute Denturists so they can’t provide affordable denture care to people with disparities. The American Dental Associations waste money fighting Alaska to prevent Dental Health Aide Therapists from providing dental services to the Natives of Alaska living in remote areas.

Is the American Dental Association really concerned about the American people’s dental needs? Yes, I think they are, as long as they can charge what they do and as long as they can keep people waiting for a month or two while the American Dental Association keeps the competition suppressed. I’m licensed and educated to provide affordable denture care as a Denturist. The American Dental Association’s money closed me down and keeps the Wyoming Legislature from regulating my profession. They used to call that a monopoly but the Federal Trade Commission turns their head as long as the American Dental Association claims I’m practicing dentistry without a license.

The money that the American Dental Association is spending on a campaign to polish up its public image; wouldn’t all this wasted time and money I’ve mentioned be better spent providing educational programs to the professions the ADA spends so much time and money fighting? Healthcare reform can not be about greed. Greed is what got us into this mess in the first place. It could be a team effort and I’m here to serve.

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
State Coordinator, Wyoming State Denturist Association
www.wysda.org

Oh, The American Dental Association Is Getting Its Behind Chewed?

(*Please see associated story link below)

It sounds like things are catching up with ADA's bad business policies. It’s nice to see others coming out against the American Dental Association’s unethical business tactics. Accountability is long overdue.

The ADA has put in place a PR campaign to boost it public image while at the same time the ADA's leadership continues to express liberal waste and corporate greed over provisions of affordable dental services to those people most in need. ADA's policies discriminate against the economically disadvantaged Americans by their corporate power of stopping and discouraging competition.

What right does the ADA have to muscle out competition? Does the American Dental Association get Federal money and grants? Is the American Dental Association really concerned about the American people’s dental needs? Why does the ADA waste so much time and money persecuting denturist to keep them from providing affordable denture care services to people in need? What about the money ADA wasted fighting dental health aide therapist in Alaska? What about the money the American Dental Association wastes each year fighting independent practices keeping dental hygienists from better serving the children and adults with preventive dentistry being more accessible and affordable?

Denturists, across America are trying to provide affordable denture care service to the people that are economically disadvantaged but instead we are forced to use our resources to defend our education and our right to serve. Here in the U.S., the American Dental Association does everything it can to suppress the denturist profession across the nation, with ADA's monopolistic grip on dentures and their inflated pricing, leaving the edentulous, denture-less.

Denturists, dental health aide therapists and independent practices of dental hygienists are harassed and discriminated against by the American Dental Association. The answer to healthcare economics, shortages, and quality care is MORE COMPETITION. We need independent practices and more college programs for dental hygienists, denturists and dental health aide therapists. The American Dental Association could better spend its money on establishing accredited colleges and programs for the above listed professions so more segments of our society can receive affordable needed dental services.

Gary W. Vollan, L.D., Coordinator for the Wyoming State Denturist Association www.wysda.org

* http://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/journal-of-the-american-dental-association-letter-to-the-editor/

http://www.wyomingstatedenturistassociation.org/documents/Denturist%20and%20Oral%20Healthcare-final.pdf

Denturists Persecuted by the American Dental Association

Despite being persecuted by the American Dental Association, denturists continue to push for the right to provide oral health screenings and referral services for those in need of denture care. The denturist is qualified to provide oral health screenings and referrals. With the nation wide shortage of dentist and the high cost of denture care by dentists; denture care by denturists has proven to be a safe alternative denture delivery system in six states in the U.S. and across Canada. Denturists are required to obtain education and training in oral health at an accredited college.

Denturists serve all segments of the public, especially people in nursing homes and those with disparities, providing accessible and affordable quality denture care. This is an opportunity for oral health wellness to be recognized by a qualified, educated denturist and referral services provided in the event that abnormalities are found. The denturist plays a crucial part in alleviating the aftermath of the shortage of dentists by freeing up valuable chair time for restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dental care for children and adults across our nation.


The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) statement on oral health care includes policy recommendations. Excerpts from AADR policy statement released July 14, 2009, titled “Oral Health Care within Healthcare Reform,” [1] includes the following.

. “Recent dental research findings are uncovering the full extent to which oral health is linked
to general health.” [1]
· “However, advances in care and treatment models have not been shared equally by all
Americans, and the physical and economic burden of oral disease continues to outweigh that
of other more commonly covered diseases and conditions.” [1]

“In 2000, the U.S. Surgeon General called the nation’s attention to the importance of oral health with the landmark report “Oral Health in America.” The report recognized the associations between oral health and general health and called upon policy makers to “build an effective health infrastructure that meets the oral health needs of all Americans and integrates oral health effectively into overall health”. Nearly a decade later, it’s time to respond to the Surgeon General.” [1] & [2]

The American Dental Association needs to respond to AADR’s report and the Surgeon General’s report to “build an effective health infrastructure that meets the oral health needs of all Americans and integrates oral health effectively into overall health”.[2] Trained and educated in oral health and referral services; denturists need the freedom to serve the people of this Nation who are in need of denture care, without being suppressed by the American Dental Association’s purse strings to lobbyist and ADA’s heavy handedness of persecution against denturists.

Gary W. Vollan, L.D., Coordinator for the Wyoming State Denturist Association http://www.wysda.org/


[1] The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), Statement on Oral Health Care within Health Care
Reform. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from http://www.iadr.org/files/public/09June_AADRPolicyStatement.pdf


[2] A Report of the Surgeon General (2000). “Oral Health in America”.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/oralhealth/nationalcalltoaction.html

American Dental Association Greed ADAG

June 29, 2009

Mary Otto, of The Washington Post did a nice job writing the article, “Putting Teeth in Health-Care Reform” (link below). She quoted a number of dental professionals including American Dental Association’s executive director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, quoting the dental healthcare needs of the American people. No doubt, we need a national healthcare emphasis on the connection of good oral health and its relationship to a healthy body, mind and spirit and it will take a team effort and this includes all professions involved with oral healthcare.

The American Dental Association, due to its greed, wastes so much time and money pushing other professions away from the table and preventing our professions from serving those that we have been trained and educated to serve. The American Dental Association uses money to fight Dental Hygienist from having independent practices, the American Dental Association fights and prevents Denturist from having independent practices and in most cases funnels money to state dental associations to prosecute Denturist so they can’t provide affordable denture care to people with disparities. The American Dental Associations waste money fighting Alaska to prevent Dental Health Aid Therapists from providing dental services to the Natives of Alaska living in remote areas.

Is the American Dental Association really concerned about the American people’s dental needs? Yes, I think they are, as long as they can charge what they do and as long as they can keep people waiting for a month or two while the American Dental Association keeps the competition suppressed. I’m licensed and educated to provide affordable denture care as a denturist. The American Dental Association’s money closed me down and keeps the Wyoming Legislature from regulating my profession. They used to call it a monopoly but the Federal Trade Commission turns their head as long as the American Dental Association claims I’m practicing dentistry without a license.

The money that the American Dental Association is spending on a campaign to polish up its public image; wouldn’t all this wasted time and money I’ve mentioned be better spent providing educational programs to the above mentioned professions the American Dental Association spends so much time and money fighting? Healthcare reform can not be about greed. Greed is what got us into this mess in the first place. I’m in agreement with ADA’s, President O’Loughlins statement on “bolstering the public health system for those with disparities.”
It could be a team effort so please let me serve. Thank you.

Gary W. Vollan L.D. 307-568-2047
State Coordinator, Wyoming State Denturist Association, www.wysda.org

Ref: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062201658.html

June 23, 2009

Re: Affordable Healthcare Choices


Dear U.S. Senate Health Care Committee and U. S. House Committee on Ways and Means,

I request your support in regulating the denturist profession across our nation. In the five states that regulate the denturist profession, we continue to prove our effectiveness in providing quality denture service that is safe and affordable especially for people that are ineligible for Medicaid dentures or other programs showing a needs level and for those without dental coverage in their healthcare insurance. Please consider the service; a nationally regulated denturist profession is capable of providing with the present shortfall of accessible denture service by dentist, along with the shortage of dentist across our nation especially in rural America.

Please join me at the American Public Health Association 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition where I will be presenting my presentation titled, Denturists: Alternative Healthcare Providers for Oral Health Screenings and Referral, scheduled for session 2075.0, addressing Oral Health Workforce Issues on Sunday, November 8, 2009, at 4:30 PM.

The APHA Annual Meeting is the premier public health event taking place November 7-11 in Philadelphia, PA. With more than 1,000 cutting edge scientific sessions, 700 booths of information and state-of-the-art public health products and services, this is an extremely important meeting in the public health field.

You can view my session and get more information about my presentation, detailed abstract and learning objectives by clicking on the link below. http://apha.confex.com/apha/137am/webprogram/Session27637.html

For general information about the APHA Annual Meeting or to find out about other presentations visit the meetings home page at www.apha.org/meetings. Registration and Housing are now open. To take advantage of the early-bird discount, visit the registration page at www.apha.org/meetings/registration

I hope you can attend my presentation as I join APHA in exploring the latest public health practices and challenges.

Sincerely,
Gary W. Vollan L.D.
State Coordinator, Wyoming State Denturist Association
www.wysda.org