Category Archives: Office News

Top Five Dental Problems For People 50 +

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Many of our patients have been visiting us for well over 20 years. As these patients reach 50 years of age and above, we see a significant shift in the risk factors whichj affect them from a dental standpoint.  There have been several instances of patients who have suddenly developed rather severe decay, gum disease, and general tooth attrition resulting from bite problems. These are patients who for years required only minimal and basic preventive and restorative care.

As a result, I decided to list and describe the top five dental problems which those of us who have reached age 50 and beyond are experiencing. In our next blog article, we will present the top treatments which have been successful at addressing these issues. As always, the best treatment and care which every dental patient needs is preventive care. Preventive care includes proper homecare and routine dental exams and cleanings. Those who are seen regularly in our office are much less likely to develop the major problems which some 50+ year olds experience.

The top five dental concerns are:

1. Dental decay especially around the gumline.

features-teeth-1Often, as we get older, our gums recede leaving root surfaces exposed and gaps between the teeth.   As the root surface is less smooth and softer than enamel, decay in these areas is quite common here. And between the teeth where spaces have developed, food and plaque become trapped and lead to decay as well.

 

 2. Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia.

The amount of saliva in our mouths can decrease as we age. In addition, many medications can cause a reduction in saliva production leading to dry mouth. The importance of saliva in protecting our teeth and gums cannot be overstated. Saliva acts as a buffer to help neutralize the acids which are the main cause of dental decay and gum disease. Acids are formed in our mouths when the bacteria in plaque ingest carbohydrates like sugars which we eat.

3.   Gum disease (periodontal disease)

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It is not uncommon to see patients who have had mild to moderate cases of gingivitis in the past begin to develop more serious periodontal disease. Gingivitis is inflammation which is limited to the gums and results in redness, swelling and bleeding gums. If this problem progresses, the underlying bone may become involved and the attachments of the teeth becomes increasingly jeopardized. In its most severe form, teeth will become loosened and may eventually literally fall out.

4. Oral cancer

Traditionally, the use of tobacco and alcohol has been associated with oral cancer.   Today HPV  (Human papilloma virus) which is sexually transmitted has become the number one cause of oral cancer. In this case, the best offense is a good defense meaning regular dental checkups which include a proper oral cancer screening.

5. Crowded teeth

We have seen numerous examples of patients whose teeth have been slowly shifting over the years resulting in marked overlapping of especially the upper and lower front teeth. Teeth which are crowded tend to collect more debris and plaque than those which are straight. In addition, overlapping teeth are more difficult to keep clean. As a result, such teeth are more prone to both dental decay and gum disease. In addition, because crowded teeth do not meet the teeth in the opposing arch evenly, such teeth exhibit increased wear and chipping as they become more and more thin.

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We will address possible solutions to each of these problems in our next blog. In the meantime, if you have any questions about any of these issues please feel free to contact us by telephone at 908.359.6655 or via our website at www.DesignsForDentalHealth.com

 

Our 30th Anniversary Hillsborough High School Scholarship

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The artwork which you see displayed in our office has been created by six Hillsborough High School Seniors who have applied for the Richard M. Nadler DMD, PA 30th Anniversary Scholarship.  One student will be selected to receive this scholarship based on their artwork submitted for display as well as letters of recommendation from two people who were influential in the selection of fine arts as their college path.  

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This scholarship is our way of expressing thanks to the Township as well as the people of Hillsborough for having been hosts for our dental practice for the past 30 plus years.  You may ask why would a dentist sponsor a Fine Art scholarship? Wouldn’t a career in science or medicine make more sense? Well, you may already know that I originally began my working career as an architect. I actually practiced that profession for a period of some ten years before returning to school to become a dentist.  One of the reasons that I chose architecture as my original career was because of my love of drawing and art. I have always had tremendous respect and admiration for those creative individuals who have the ability to express their imagination through the visual arts – whether it is on paper, canvas, film or in three-dimensional sculpture. So, I decided to also encourage a potential, local, up-and-coming young artist to pursue his or her career in the arts.

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I hope that in some small way this scholarship expresses the gratitude that our entire team has for the people of Hillsborough.   It is you wonderful people who have made coming to work each day our life’s fulfillment.

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Celebrating 30 Years- Thank You, Mentors!

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I had wanted to complete all of our anniversary “Thank You’s” in November, but that was not meant to be.  Liz and I enjoyed a wonderful long Thanksgiving weekend with our family and I decided not to rush through the final couple of articles as the people to whom they are directed have been important mentors in our lives.

With that being said, I feel extremely fortunate during my career for having found the perfect mentors who I needed at the exact time when I needed them. Each of these mentors helped our office and me personally to grow and focus on what is important and point out and help eliminate our weaknesses. I firmly believe in the value that mentoring provides for people in every situation and in every decade of life. It is my sincere hope that at some point in the future, I may give back to younger dentists some of that which I took away from my mentors over the years.

mentorsI have already mentioned in an earlier thank you article the first mentor who had a significant impact on my career – Dr. Peter Dawson. Shortly after dental school, I knew that I did not want to be an “ordinary” dentist who filled teeth all day, every day. I had also come to believe that a thorough understanding of occlusion was mandatory if I was to be an excellent dentist. The reason is because occlusion has an impact on just about every condition in the mouth including gum disease, TMD, appearance and everything having to do with the longevity of dental health. Since Dr. Dawson wrote the most important modern book on the subject, I decided to take his course and began to learn about this most complex subject. As I mentioned in the previous article, I had the amazing luck to run into Dr. Dawson in the airport as I was coming home after his class. It was at that meeting when he recommended that I begin studying at the L. D. Pankey Institute which I did.

It was on a gorgeous day in the summer of 1987 or thereabouts that I sat in my lounge chair with an occlusion textbook (which had been recommended as adjunct reading) on the beach at Spring Lake. That day was a turning point in my life as that was the day when occlusion began to make sense to me. To this day, whenever I choose to improve my understanding of any subject, I find no better place to do it than in a chaise lounge on a beach.  Now, some 25 years later, I am still studying occlusion and have attended the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies where I learned another philosophy on the same subject.  Thank you very much Dr. Dawson for helping me to begin on the right path.

Then, a few years later, as the office was getting busier, it became apparent that our lack of business management savvy was becoming an issue. My experience and reading had taught me that most businesses go through a progression of plateaus and the best businesses do what is necessary to face and address challenges as they arise. Common challenges include time management, team building, financial controls and the myriad of systems which make a business work.

mentorsTo that end, I was extremely fortunate to have met Dr. Michael Schuster. He and I shared a similar practice philosophy as he, too, practiced Pankey style dentistry and had a school called the Center for Professional Development (now called the Schuster Center) where a philosophy of practice management and the tools necessary to run a dental practice were taught. My team and I studied in this center in Scottsdale, Arizona for two years; and, during that time, traveled there on several occasions to learn how to better manage our office. In addition to the meetings in Arizona, there were monthly phone conferences, many books to be read and book reports to write. This course of study was like an MBA for dentists. After the first year, I clearly remember feeling so positive that I had recurring dreams about being able to fly –  seriously!

This course of study helped me to organize my entire life as well as our dental practice that eventually began to run like a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, along with the process of self-discovery and success with the dental practice came the end of my marriage. I believe that if it were not for Dr. Schuster I would not be as successful as I feel today both professionally and personally. There, I was taught the value of setting goals and looking inward to take control of my life in a positive way. Thank you Dr. Schuster. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to you for providing exactly what I needed at that time in my life.

mentorsFinally, I’d like to thank Dr. Charlie Martin who is a dentist in Richmond Virginia and who ran conferences four times each year and facilitated a “mastermind” of like-minded dentists. Charlie is a passionate and hard-working dentist who has the ability to engage others with his point of view and extensive knowledge on various subjects. He was most helpful to me in helping to decide the most current direction in our dental practice. He provided what I needed to know,  and, as a result moved to the next level of my career. Unfortunately, Charlie has retired, but the effects of his efforts on all of our mastermind members will be felt for years to come.   Thank you Dr. Martin! This course of study helped me to organize my entire life, as well as our dental practice, which eventually began to run like a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, along with the process of self-discovery and success with the dental practice, came the end of my marriage.

I am also grateful to Dr. Charlie Martin for having introduced me to a wonderful group of dentists who are equally passionate, hard working, intelligent and an absolute pleasure to share time with. I miss them and the conferences in Richmond, and I wish each of these friends much health, happiness and success for years to come!

Celebrating 30 Years- Thank You, Maria and Our Hygienists

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In today’s installment of our Thirty Days of Thanks, I have the pleasure of expressing my gratitude to Maria Slavinsky and all of our dental hygienists. Maria has been an important member of our team for the last eleven years! During that time, anyone who has been a “regular” in our office knows that Maria was married, had a baby and has become a most caring and involved mother. One reason that patients like her so much is that she begins every visit by “catching up” on the past six months and sharing the most recent pictures of her family. She has that natural gift of being able to bond with people and show her true interest in everyone for whom she provides care, not to mention her coworkers, friends and family.

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Patients also appreciate the fact that she is gentle and yet very thorough in her treatment. She provides a complete explanation of what is happening in each patient’s mouth, and has the knowledge to offer solutions for patients’ various issues and concerns.

As a team member, all of us appreciate Maria’s dependability, enthusiasm and cooperation. She has only missed being in the office on two extended occasions.  One of those occurred six years ago just after one of our office holiday parties. Apparently, Italian food jump started Maria’s contractions and she gave birth to her daughter Veronica within a day or so. The other occasion followed an incident in Maria’s kitchen when she was attempting to remove an avocado pit.   Without getting into too much detail, that incident resulted in surgery to properly reattach one of Maria’s fingers. She is no longer allowed to carve up avocados! I guess the only other time she regularly places herself in jeopardy is when she and her husband Dmitri and daughter Veronica go skiing, which I believe is as often as possible.

There is one trait which Maria has that you may not be aware of. It is a trait which I have come to share with her. We have both become rather germophobic over the years, so none of our patients needs to be too concerned about cleanliness around Maria. She and I wash our hands constantly after any questionable contact, and she is always cleaning up to get rid of any potential hazard.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Karen Cummins  I have known Karen for as long as I have been in Hillsborough, as her son Marty and my daughter Meredith were an item at one time. More importantly, Karen has been a part time hygienist in our office for many, many years; and, has a very loyal following of patients who want to be seen only by her. She has been a good friend to us over the years and we truly appreciate all her help.

Similarly, there have been other hygienists in our first two decades who were wonderful members of our team and provided excellent care for our patients. The work that hygienists do is not easy and requires dedication and skill to be done with proficiency.

Thank you to Maria, Karen and all the hygienists for your professionalism and friendship over the past thirty years.

Celebrating 30 Years- Thank You, Our IT Partners

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Thirty years ago, a dentist would not have had any idea that he or she would need IT partners to insure that his or her practice runs smoothly. So, in today’s installment, I would like to thank those companies who help to make our office run like a well-oiled machine while giving us more time to spend on patient care and less on managing our non-clinical affairs.

First there is Dentrix, our dental software company.   It is this company which provides all the software to make appointments, set up individual digital charts for patients, manage each patient’s account, submit insurance claims, and basically keep track of just about everything that goes on in our dental office. I vaguely remember managing all these details by hand until the late 1980s. It was very time consuming and not fun!   Dentrix is our second software company, and we have been with them for about 20 years. It is easy to take for granted everything that this software allows us to accomplish, but I believe that this company offers a wonderful product, keeps it current, and allows us to be so much more efficient.

Second, there is Dexis, our digital imaging company, which provides both the hardware and software for digital radiography (x-rays).  As I mentioned in our previous article, these digital x-rays are a huge improvement over the photographic system that we had used for over 20 years. So now, when we open the patient’s digital chart, all of his or her x-rays and photographs are visible and easily enlarged on our computer screens. The system has improved our ability to make proper diagnoses, explain what we see to patients, and keepg ongoing photographic record of patients’ conditions, which we have found to be so helpful in developing appropriate treatment plans for any given patient.

Third, I’d like to thank the Smilereminder Company (now called Solutionreach).    We have been with this company for close to ten years and they are responsible for the reminders which you receive before your appointments. They also allow us to stay in touch with you via our Digital newsletters, birthday cards, and holiday wishes. We have found that this company is very well managed and provides a great service for us as a dental office and for you as patients.

Finally, I’d like to thank Gilleard Marketing for producing our newest website and maintaining it in a professional manner. We feel that this website reflects a true image of our office and we appreciate Keith Gileard’s photographic and creative skills to produce such a fine website. I consider Gilleard to be a very important IT partner in the day-to-day management of our dental practice and I would recommend his work to anyone who seeks such service.

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I hope that this brief view of our dental management technology has offered you some insight. We always encourage and welcome your comments about this and any other technology. Feel free to ask us about it or offer your opinions the next time that you are in the office.

Celebrating 30 Years- Thank You Office Assistants

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Many years ago, we began hiring high school students who would work after school and help us in various ways around the office. These students offered a breath of fresh air because of their youthful optimism, their lightheartedness, their occasional drama and their desire to help. From my point of view, there seemed to be a symbiotic relationship between these office assistants and our team; they received training in how an office is managed and how to be an effective team member.  They also received a paycheck and accordingly learned something about taxes :).   We received much needed help in the afternoons when it was most needed. This made our dental assistants happy.

In recent years, we have had some outstanding high school assistants. First there was Michelle, the daughter of one of our good friends, who was blessed with an infectious smile and upbeat personality to go along with her ability to learn fast and lend a hand. Next was Marissa, who remained with us for over two years before leaving for college. We watched as Marissa grew to be most helpful around the office and another smiling person who could be counted on as a pleasure to be around.  I am sure that she will continue to be very successful in college and I look forward to watching her educational development. Now, we have welcomed Jacqueline – Michelle’s younger sister – as our current assistant.  She has been a very fast learner and proves to be yet another positive asset to our team.

There have been many other such students who have helped us through the years. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all for being so helpful to our entire team and contributing to the fun work environment that we enjoy.

Office Assistants

Dr. Nadler with Jacqueline and Laura

In addition, over the past few years, we have added a new position to our team – our non-clinical personal assistant. This person is responsible for all non-dental communications with our patients and referring doctors.  It is she who keeps our patients and the public abreast of what is going on in our office, and it is she who creates the various monthly specials and disseminates news and information via social media.   All her efforts have received very positive feedback.

Our first personal assistant was Nicole and she was exceptional in her ability to organize and systematize all of her work.   In addition, she created office brochures, developed social media awareness and introduced me to other doctors with whom I collaborate to help our patients.  After Nicole there was Shilpa and Allison who were friends of each other and were both extremely capable. Our current personal assistant is Laura who you will see in our reception area when you first enter the office. Please make sure to say hello and perhaps ask her what is going on currently.  I am sure that she will have some interesting ideas to discuss.

In closing, our entire team would like to send a big Thank You to each of the high school student assistants and to our personal assistants for all that you have done to help us do what needs doing, and for just being such a pleasure to work with. We wish all the best to each of you for a wonderful holiday season and happiness and success in the future.

30 Days of Thanks- Dental Technicians and Laboratories

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I have had the pleasure of working with several wonderful dental technicians and laboratories and during the past three decades. Since it has always been our goal to provide excellent dental care for our patients, selecting the right dental laboratories to be our partners was critical. In the process of advancing our dental techniques and treatment planning, it was incumbent upon us to find dental laboratories and technicians who shared the same philosophy and passion to do great work. In that regard, to find a good fit, we depended upon word of mouth from our peers. Such has been the case since the late 1980’s and several labs with whom we have worked deserve our sincere thanks.

dental technicians and laboratories

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the use of gold for fine dental restorations was still common. So, to learn how to provide excellent gold inlays and onlays, I took advantage of an opportunity to become a member of the exclusive Richard Tucker Gold Study Club. Members of this club met in dental offices and brought actual patients on whom to practice their technique.  These doctors were very particular; Tucker trained doctors used only Tucker trained technicians.  As a result, I was fortunate to have met a man named Dale Jones who handmade the finest gold restorations I had ever seen. Times have changed, and patients no longer wished to have gold visible in their mouths. So we began doing a similar service using modern dental ceramics for beautiful restorations. The problem was that Dale did not work with porcelain, but I asked him if he knew someone who was as good with porcelain as he was with gold. That is how I was introduced to Krisann Shaler and her lab called Porcelain Designs.

dental technicians and laboratoriesKris and I began working together in the early 90’s and we still work together today. Her lab is in California, but we were able to spend some quality time together around the year 2000.  We arranged to meet while I was taking a course at the Las Vegas Institute and it was then that Kris, Dale and I, along with our spouses, went to dinner and got to know each other on a personal level. Kris actually made the restorations for my wife, Liz, that were being prepared while I was attending courses at the Las Vegas Institute. When I inserted these restorations, the other doctors with whom I attended classes and the teaching doctors commented on how beautiful the porcelain work was. Kris is still providing beautiful restorations like those for my patients today.

As I learned more about restoring patients with major bite problems, the need arose for more complex restorations using increasingly difficult techniques.  As a result, I was introduced to larger laboratories that had both the necessary equipment and knowledge to produce these complex cases.  The two labs which have provided this fine service deserve to be thanked as well and their names are Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories and Microdental Laboratory. Each of these labs have several outstanding technicians, but I’d like to call out Ulf from Aurum and Gloria from Microdental who have acted as integral members of our team during the production of many of our larger cases.

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There are several other laboratories with which we have worked over the years and they deserve our gratitude as well. Many times, it is these laboratories who make us look good because they allow us to provide excellent care and service for our deserving patients. So in closing, I’d like to give a huge Thank You to Dale, Krisann and all of the lab technicians who have taken such great care of us for the last 30 years.

Celebrating 30 Years- Thank You, Marty Schayowitz

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It is a pleasure to write this thank you note to a man who I have known since the late 1980s, a man who has been involved with my dental practice since we first met, and a man who has grown to be my friend – Marty Schayowitz.

Marty was building his new dental supply company around 1987 or 88. I met him at a meeting of a dental study club to which I belonged where he was a guest ostensibly introducing his new company.  I distinctly remember cringing at the way Marty was treated by the dentist running the meeting, so I approached Marty once the meeting had ended and offered my apologies for this bad behavior.  I asked him if he would like to call on me to see if we might work together and I have been with Marty ever since.

Marty is not one to be complacent. After a few years, he sold his business to another bigger supply company but liking Marty so much, we stayed with him. Since then, he has moved on twice more and we are still with him and would not think of working with anyone else.

What makes Marty so successful? He is one of those special people who truly cares about those he calls on. If we ever had an issue, Marty would address it and find a solution pronto. If we needed additional information or recommendations regarding dental materials, disposable supplies, or the myriad of other items which a dental office uses, Marty would either know the answer or find the right person who could answer the question for us. He’s just one of those people who always seems to give more than he receives.

Marty Schayowitz and Richard Nadler

Over and above his caring for us professionally, I believe that Marty actually considers his clients as extended family. Every year, on at least one occasion, Marty arranges “appreciation dinners” or fishing trips or meetings at beautiful restaurants for his fortunate clients.   As a matter of fact, I am attending one such dinner this evening at a restaurant in Morristown where we will learn about new dental restorative materials. Thanks to Marty, my wife Liz and I have enjoyed many interesting and unusual outings with a great group of dentists.

In addition to these professional events, Liz and I had the pleasure of attending Marty’s wedding to his wife Arlyn.  A few years later, we and several other clients of Marty’s were guests at a dinner honoring Arlyn for her public service. Marty has always made us feel like friends rather than just clients and both Liz and I feel a special bond of friendship with him.

In conclusion, Thank You Marty Schayowitz for years and years of caring for our dental practice, helping us when help was needed, and for just being our friend.

Sincerely yours,

Richard and Liz Nadler

30 Days of Thanks- Post Graduate Teaching Institutes

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Perhaps it will not be so surprising to hear that when a person graduates from dental school, he or she still has much to learn. To that end, there are a variety of post graduate teaching institutes available to engage those dentists who choose to carry on the learning process. There are schools or curricula for learning implants, dentures, crowns and bridges, cosmetics, TMJ and a variety of specialties and sub-specialties. It is up to each individual dentist to decide which path he or she chooses to pursue.

After graduating from dental school, and having served an “apprenticeship” in offices other than my own, I knew that basic drill and fill dentistry was not for me. I found that the study of occlusion – how the teeth, jaws and muscles work as a system – was fascinating for me and provided the basis for practicing dentistry with excellence. What we were taught about occlusion in dental school was adequate for a basic understanding only. So, I decided to begin studying this subject and have been studying it ever since.

I will be writing thank you letters to the important mentors in my life later this month, but I must mention Dr. Peter Dawson who is considered by many to be the father of modern occlusion–he actually wrote the book on it. In the late 1980s, I traveled to Richmond, Virginia to take a course from Dr. Dawson. As luck would have it, I ran into him at a restaurant in the airport as I was traveling home after his course. We had a very interesting conversation, and he suggested that I attend the L. D. Pankey Institute in Florida if I was serious about learning and understanding occlusion. I came to learn that this Institute was the premier of its kind and was attended by dentists from all over the world. So I did enroll as Dr. Dawson recommended.

post graduate teaching institutesI traveled to Key Biscayne, Florida on several occasions for the multi-day courses which were offered at this beautiful institute. I pursued the study of occlusion there over a four-year period and learned much, much more than simply occlusion. We learned about the practice of dentistry as well as a philosophy encompassing the balance between work, play, love, and spirit. The L.D. Pankey Institute changed my life, and allowed me to provide a level of dentistry of which I could be quite proud.

Las Vegas Institute_LargeMany years later, as Y2K approached, I became fascinated with providing more and finer cosmetic dentistry for my patients. At that time, the economy was in major growth; and patients had the desire as well as the means to improve their appearance. I had heard about a place called the Las Vegas Institute where outstanding cosmetic dentistry was being taught. The name of the Institute caused a bit of apprehension on my part, because I assumed that dentists went there simply because of its location, but I proceeded to take a course there. I actually brought a patient and performed her dentistry in their clinic after the associated classroom lectures. The patient who came with me was my wife, Elizabeth, and both she and I were ecstatic with the result.

As it turned out, students from all over the world also attended this teaching institution, and like my experience in Florida, they taught a philosophy of dentistry with which I became intrigued. It is here where I learned a different point of view about occlusion, and it is here where I developed my ability to better help those with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction and head or facial pain. I traveled there on many occasions over a period of more than 10 years and completed their entire curriculum of courses. During that time, the quality of my dentistry constantly improved and I loved the entire process.

I feel blessed to have found each of these two institutions which helped to shape me into the dentist that I am today. It is the dedicated teachers and researchers at these facilities who provided such amazing information about technique and materials as well as the philosophical basis for providing excellence in dentistry and life in general.

The next time that you are in the office, you will see two walls which are covered with certificates from those institutes. I am proud to have attended these two prestigious schools and THANK them for shaping my career into one of which I am proud.

To learn more about Dr. Peter Dawson, please click on this link: http://dental.thedawsonacademy.com/author/dr-peter-dawson 

To learn more about The Pankey Institute, please click on this link: http://www.pankey.org/the-pankey-experience/the-institute/photo-tour/

To learn more about The Las Vegas Institute, please click on this link: http://www.leadingdentists.com/about-lvi/

Celebrating 30 Years With 30 Days of Thanks Kicks Off

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30 Days of Thanks Kicks OffThis year, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the opening of our dental practice in Hillsborough. To accomplish this, we have designated the month of November as Celebrating 30 years With 30 Days of Thanks. To that end, we have created a list of 30 different ways to express our gratitude to the many people and business partners who have contributed to the evolution and success of our dental practice. It is all these people who provided the support, fun, excitement, challenge and fulfillment which have made this last 30 years such an amazing adventure.

Each day this month, we will find a different way to express our thanks. Among those who will be honored are my mentors, significant teaching institutions, wonderful doctors and dentists to whom we refer, those who refer patients to us, our partner dental labs, our IT partners, our wonderful team, friends, family and last, but certainly not least, our amazing patients.

We will express our thanks in a number of different ways. Many will receive public letters of appreciation, which will be posted on our blog and social media pages. You may find many of these letters to be interesting as we plan to share stories about the practice and the people involved with it. There will be at least three of these each week during the month. In addition, there will be giveaways each week for our patients and we have ordered special commemorative gifts for that purpose.

Before our dental assistant, April, begins her maternity leave at the end of this month, we will enjoy a luncheon to honor of our fabulous team. Finally, we are working to complete our gift of appreciation to the town and people of Hillsborough. Details will be announced at the end of the month.

To kick off these 30 Days of Thanks, the entire list of people and entities to be thanked was reviewed in order to decide who should come first. Without hesitation, it is our wonderful patients who deserve to be celebrated first. Without these people, we would not be able to do the work that we love. Over the years, we have shared each other’s happy times, sad times, difficulties and joys. Many, if not most, of the patients who began coming to our office in the 1980’s were around the same age as me. So our families have grown up at the same time and we have shared similar experiences.

I will never forget that my team and I hosted a “VIP” (Very Important Patient) party way back in the late 80’s and it was held at my home. Our family of patients was still intimate enough to invite every one of them to this event. It was a summer party and was attended by many families who had children about the same age as my own. I still fondly remember the wonderful afternoon that was enjoyed by our team and patients alike. Many of those patients remain in our practice to this day.

Not too many years later, I turned 40 and a surprise 40th birthday party was thrown for me again at my home. Our entire dental team at that time attended that party and provided some of the “entertainment.” Specifically, an exotic dancer presented herself at my front door and proceeded to engage in a most provocative dance with yours truly – I believe her name was ”Katja”. Talk about embarrassing… That same night, my dental assistant – not Liz – came out of her shell and made quite a hit with some of the guys in attendance culminating in one of them sipping champagne out of her shoe. What a crazy, fun night.

30 Days of Thanks Kicks Off

But enough reminiscing; how shall we thank our patients? Every person who has been a regular patient for at least five years will receive a gift certificate. That certificate increases in value with every five-year period that they have been our patient. Look for yours to arrive by mail. We are still checking, but I believe that there is one person who has been a continuous patient for the last 30 years! Naturally he will receive a special certificate!

In addition, any patient who is seen on a Friday this month will receive a commemorative gift. Also, every Monday, one random patient will receive a special gift. We’ll try to keep you posted on who wins what.  These will most likely be featured on our Facebook Page.

Most importantly, Thank You to all of our patients, both current and past. We are extremely grateful for the pleasure of having cared for you for the past 30 years. You provided us with friendship, laughter, challenges, happiness and fulfillment, which has made our lives meaningful. We Love you all!