This website was created by a dentist who has never met Dr. Shelburne.
Our mission here is to help a good doctor. In his efforts to help his community, he was caught in the crossfire of an overzealous government agency. Most dentists refuse to participate with Medicaid for fear of this very thing happening to them. And, right they are!
It is this dentist's opinion that anyone who has signed on as a Medicaid provider is abdicating his or her autonomy and even constitutional rights. Your are guilty until proven innocent. Whether you are exonerated or found guilty, your career is over. Medicaid notoriously has trouble getting dentists to sign on. Medicaid fees are dismally low. I suspect that once this story gets out, Medicaid will have dug its own hole even deeper. This, of course, helps no one. Personally, I wouldn't risk my career and my family's well-being even if Medicaid paid my own normal fees. My security and autonomy is not for sale at any price. I'd rather provide charitable care on my OWN terms (and do so). To sign with Medicaid is to sell your professional soul... and for minimal reward. It's simply insane, and this case underscores my beliefs.
The prosecution focused on the fact that Dr. Shelburne held "morning huddles." How ridiculous! Thousands... THOUSANDS of dental practices (non-medicaid included) do this every day. I hold such meetings every morning. ALL businesses hold such meetings! It's how you RUN A BUSINESS... by COMMUNICATING with your team!
And, for the prosecution to spotlight Dr. Shelburne's "lavish lifestyle" is truly despicable. And, it demonstrates they had no real case, so they resorted to an emotional appeal to the jury, most of whom do not likely live the lifestyle of a doctor. It's easy to appeal to petty jealousy. It's popular to vilify the "rich" these days. Politicians pander to voters in the same way. "Let's get those evil rich people!" America was built by entrepreneurs. Risks and hard work are supposed to be rewarded, right? RIGHT???
Please pass on the link to this website to everyone you know, and ask them to do the same.
If you have media contacts, please pass this website address on to them. If you don't, I believe our two best shots at publicity are with two TV editorialists with Libertarian bents - Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly. I have already emailed Glenn Beck. If enough of us flood them with emails voicing our concerns, maybe they'll pick the story up. I encourage you to write them at:
Glenn Beck: me@GlennBeck.comBill O'Reilly: oreilly@foxnews.com
Please mail letter letters of support to Judge James P. Jones at:
Dennis E. Jones & Associates
Attorneys at Law
P.O. Box 1237
1 Flannagan Ave.
Lebanon, VA 24266
Or you can attach your letter via email to: dejones@bvunet.net
Governor of Virginia: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm
Another way you can help this story go viral on the net is to "digg it" by clicking here: digg story
Thank you! 