On Tuesday, May 2, Dr. Juan D. Villarreal D.D.S. was honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration Lower Rio Grande Valley District at a luncheon celebrating Small Business Week. He was presented with the SBA’s 2017 Entrepreneurial Success Award at the luncheon held in Mission at the Cimarron Country Club.
“Hard work, innovativeness, and service to the community”
The Entrepreneurial Success Award is given by the SBA to “small business owners and champions for their hard work, innovativeness, and service to the community, all leading to business success.”
Expanded practice from one office to seven despite state Medicaid debacle
Dr. Villarreal has expanded his practice from one large office in Harlingen that already had 140 staff, Harlingen Family Dentistry, to include six more Family Dentistry offices located in Brownsville, Edinburg, Raymondville, Weslaco, McAllen and Austin.
The accomplishment is even greater considering that six years ago Harlingen Family Dentistry, as one of the state’s larger providers of Medicaid orthodontic treatment, was targeted by the then-Office of Inspector General and placed under a “credible allegations of fraud” payment hold that sapped a total of $1.4 million dollars from the practice.
Despite a State Office of Administrative Hearings decision in 2012 that found no evidence of fraud and that the state’s witnesses were not credible, he had to fight for two more years by taking the state to court to get back the funds.
Founded TDMR, became an author, continued community contributions
He founded TDMR in late 2012 as a vehicle to get out the truth about what was happening to dentists in the state because of these vicious allegations that were not backed by evidence and push for due process rights for all Medicaid providers. His ordeal is chronicled in his book “Truth Decay: How Government Corruption Caused a Political Scandal Victimizing Texas Dentists and How It Could Happen to You!” published earlier this year to excellent reviews.
During the same time, he continued his community contributions by providing annual scholarships for deserving JROTC cadets in the Rio Grande Valley and for students seeking a career in healthcare.