Effective Stewardship of Public Resources
Small Smiles is committed to ensuring that all dental services and items provided meet professionally recognized standards of health care, including Federal and State health care program and state dental board requirements, and professionally recognized standards of health care as articulated in all AAPD Guidelines and other relevant literature.
Small Smiles Dental Centers maintains a detailed compliance program, employs a Chief Compliance Officer, and runs an expanded Compliance Department to train, monitor, identify, formally track and follow up on all compliance-related issues. Small Smiles Dental Centers is subject to a detailed Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services, and our compliance, quality of care, and training efforts are reviewed by an independent review organization and monitor.
We also operate a comprehensive training and education program regarding compliance and quality of care issues; maintain effective and rigorous internal auditing and monitoring; and have established a record of responding promptly to concerns, enforcing standards and taking corrective action.
Small Smiles Dental Centers' compliance department is staffed by an experienced team of professionals who - along with assistance from the Chief Dental Officer - are dedicated to auditing, licensing and credentialing. The team is led by Lorri Steiner, who heads Small Smiles Dental Centers' Compliance Committee, which includes representatives of several of our associated dental centers.
Small Smiles Dental Centers compliance efforts are prevalent at all levels. Every Small Smiles Dental Centers-associated dental center has a compliance liaison, and the Small Smiles Dental Centers Board of Directors includes a Compliance Committee that meets at least quarterly and annually certifies Small Smiles Dental Centers' compliance with the Corporate Integrity Agreement and with its quality of care and compliance mandates.
Since Small Smiles Dental Centers' ownership change in 2006, company leaders have also encouraged a culture of compliance that sets high standards and encourages feedback from employees and parents. Driven by new leadership at the executive level and increased transparency among its associated dental centers, Small Smiles Dental Centers' compliance program is rigorous and effective.
