Dentist opens office to Medicaid patients

SPRING HILL –
The story behind the clinic called Giggles and Smiles is not a happy one.
But Dr. Miranda W. Smith wants to change that.
Smith is a dentist. She started poking around people’s mouths 12 years ago in Pennsylvania, then moved here six years ago to do the same.
Kids like her. She didn’t really set out to be a pediatric dentist, but her patience and gentle spirit put anxious children at ease.
What made Smith uncomfortable was having her patients return with little or no follow-up work done to correct their problems. When she asked why, parents would explain they couldn’t find a nearby dentist that would take state medical insurance.
The closest dentists that accept Medicaid are in Tampa and Gainesville; both are often booked solid six months in advance, Smith said.
So Smith quit her job.
On Monday, she will open the doors to her own practice, called Giggles and Smiles. It will accept all types of insurance, including Medicaid.
“That was really the driving force behind this,” Smith said Friday from her new office in the Seven Hills Plaza on Mariner Boulevard, south of Spring Hill Drive. “A child with a mouthful of cavities should not suffer.”
Most dentists do not accept Medicaid because the reimbursement rate is less than half, Smith said.
Smith is also in the process of acquiring a hospital license that would allow her to work on children who have to be put under anesthesia for dental work.
Even though children’s teeth are not permanent, children still feel the same pain of cavities and abscesses as adults, Smith said. And if extraction is necessary, it can affect how permanent teeth grow in their place.
The meaning of Giggles and Smiles is twofold. The giggles are a reference to her younger clientele, who are always giggling and laughing. Adults want the bright smile.
It’s clear, however, from the interior décor that Smith has the former in mind. Examination rooms are brightened by brilliant blues and yellows; the rooms are themed with Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants and Pixar movie classics Cars and Finding Nemo.
On Friday, the office was a hive of activity as Smith and her employees prepare for Monday’s opening.
“We’ve been working feverishly for the past three weeks,” Smith said.
Operating hours will be 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on some days, although exceptions can be made for emergencies. Smith also plans to be open on Saturday.
For more information, call the clinic at 352-397-2139.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or [email protected].