renew – Beyond the Bite

By Brooke Martin, FDC Meeting Coordinator

As an FDA member, you have access to exclusive benefits to help you through the license renewal process for the upcoming 2014-2016 biennium. Membership has its perks, and we want to make your renewal process as seamless as possible! Below are some of the benefits the Florida Dental Association (FDA) offers to assist you in the renewal process.

CE Broker
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) now automatically reviews your continuing education (CE) records in the DOH’s electronic tracking system — powered by CE Broker — at the time of license renewal. It is mandatory for all Florida-licensed dentists to renew their license through CE Broker for the 2014-2016 biennium by midnight on Feb. 28, 2016. The FDA provides an exclusive members-only discount for CE Broker accounts.

Basic Account: FREE
Professional Account: $24 (non-members $29)
Concierge Account: $90 (non-members $99)

Click here to learn more about your account options. Contact Brooke Martin at bmartin@floridadental.org or 850.350.7103 for the discount code. Did you know you can update your CE credits on the go? Click here to download the FREE iPhone CE Broker app today.

Renewal by Mail
Your license should be renewed online through CE Broker. However, certain situations require you to renew by mail:

You need to change the status of your license.
You do NOT have a credit card or debit card to complete the transaction online and need to pay using a cashier’s check or money order.
Your license is in an Active Military status.
Your license is in a Volunteer status.
You need to request a name change.

To renew by mail, you must properly log into www.FLHealthsource.gov and print your renewal notice by selecting the Renew License link, then click on the Renew by Mail option.

Online CE
The FDA offers a variety of FREE 1-, 2- and 3-hour online CE courses to help you get the CE hours you need to renew your license. Course topics include: aesthetics, communication, treatment planning, sleep apnea, restorative dentistry, practice management and much more. Along with these courses, the FDA offers two legal CE guides and bimonthly “Diagnostic Discussion” articles in Today’s FDA.

Click here to learn more about the FREE FDA online CE courses.

FDA CE Courses
All CE-eligible courses taken at the 2014 or 2015 Florida Dental Conventions have been automatically reported to CE Broker on your behalf. FDA online CE credits are reported to CE broker the first Friday of each month. Courses taken by a national CE provider must be self-reported to CE Broker.

CE@RENEWAL
The Florida DOH is a great source for renewal information! Click here to access a helpful 30-minute webinar to learn more about how to report your CE credits through CE Broker as well as other useful information. Don’t have time to join the webinar? Click here to learn more about the renewal process, how to report CE credits, the benefits CE Broker has to offer and much more!

Questions?
For the FDA CE Broker discount code, information on the biennium, the renewal process, CE Broker or your FDA-earned CE credits, contact Brooke Martin at bmartin@floridadental.org or 850.350.7103.

By Ken Jorgenson, Carr Healthcare Realty

If you love your space, location and yes — even your landlord — start setting yourself up for a seamless lease renewal today. Renewing commercial leases can become a nightmare fast when tenants fail to pay attention to important renewal details. Early action is everything. Use these seven simple steps to save money and your space.

1. Start the process early.
Even if you’re not sure that you want to stay at your current location, you should begin the renewal process at a minimum of 12 months before your lease’s expiration. Then, whether you decide to stay or not, you will have done the research and preparation, and have multiple options. Having options is your greatest asset in lease negotiations. The longer you wait to begin the process, the fewer options you will have, and the more power you’ll give the landlord. So, start early and give yourself plenty of time to create a substantial list of possible locations.

2. Know the conditions of your lease renewal clause.
Oftentimes, leases incorporate renewal clauses as a safety net; if you have the clause, your landlord must allow you to renew your lease according to its terms. Depending on the market, using the lease renewal clause will either benefit or harm you financially. First, find out if you have a renewal clause. If you do, study its conditions (rate increases, notification time frame, etc.) and determine whether you want to act within the clause or start new negotiations.

3. Study your lease.
Before researching other locations, you really need to know the terms and conditions of your own lease. What kind of lease do you have? Is it a gross lease or net lease? Is it a triple net or full service? Also, what are you paying per square foot? Not to overwhelm you with questions, but these all are important factors for you to know when entering negotiations. Along with your rent, you also should take note of what, if any, concessions were afforded to you at the start of your lease.

4. Research the market.
Knowing your market can be a bit of a challenge because commercial real estate listings are not open to public access like residential listings. Multiple listing services (MLS) for commercial properties require expensive subscriptions that typically only real estate agents purchase. When going it alone, the best place to start is within your own building complex and immediate surroundings. Find out what new tenants in your area are paying. Do the rates appear to have dropped? Gathering this information may require making several cold calls, but it will equip you with the information you’ll need to be effective in negotiations.

5. Find alternatives.
While researching your market, you should compile a list of locations that would be viable options for your business if you had to move. Remember, having other options is essential for negotiating a better lease at your current location. Don’t give your landlord the upper hand. It’s essential that you walk into the renewal negotiations equipped with other locations to show your landlord that, while you want to stay, you have other options and can leave if the new terms are unreasonable. Set yourself up to save money and receive other accommodations.

6. Negotiate with everyone.
After creating your list of potential locations, you should begin negotiations with all of them, not just your current landlord. Use your market research, current lease conditions and potential alternative locations to negotiate for favorable lease terms with each landlord. While you may not actually want to move, getting great lease terms with a location comparable to your current location will provide leverage for you to negotiate a successful lease renewal, which equates to money saved for your practice.

7. Rewind and get an agent.
As you may have noticed, like the creation of a lease, the lease renewal process requires extensive and time-consuming work. Negotiating a successful lease renewal demands a lot of research, in-depth market knowledge and strong negotiating skills. Most businesses do not have the time or the desire to become experts in commercial real estate. If you would prefer to have an agent take care of the vast majority of the last six steps for you, then start your successful lease renewal process by contacting a commercial real estate agent.

Ken Jorgenson is a commercial real estate associate with Carr Healthcare Realty, representing only tenants and buyers, and exclusively working in the health care real estate space. Carr Healthcare Realty offers expert advocacy without conflict of interest. They understand the unique real estate needs of health care professionals and their vast experience saves their clients time and money. Learn more and get a free lease or purchase evaluation at carrhr.com.

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