Self Praise Stinks

My mother always said, "Self Praise Stinks."

I understand that she didn't want us to grow up to be the type of people who walked around telling everyone how great we were.  She did not want us to be conceited.  She wanted us to be respected.  That didn't mean that she couldn't tell of all the achievements of her children and grandchildren, after all that was her prerogative.

I business, especially a health care field, where people don't really know whether you did a good job but rather how you made them feel while you were doing it, some self praise is okay.

I have adapted this philosophy when it came to my children.  Don't be a braggart, but you can tell people if you are good at something.  If you don't say it who is going to know.  My daughter is a magnificent figure skater and very good with languages.  My son's language is mathematics and computers, and he puts the rest of us to shame that we don't understand the instruments we use daily, the way he does.  As a parent it is my prerogative to state these things.

Ivan Misner, founder of Business Networking International recently wrote the following as a facebook posting:

Many of us are taught as kids that we should refrain from bragging about our successes, but there’s a real caveat to those rules that our parents usually didn’t teach us, and it’s important to understand that it really helps our business to do certain things that capture our success stories. Now, success stories about businesses and entrepreneurs are really vital for those who are dedicated to learning all we can in order to make our own enterprise as successful as possible.

Cocky, Self absorbed, self praise may stink, but self-promotion is the entrepreneurial spirit. 

Just Sayin'

Thanks Mom

Which do you prefer, Horses or Zebras?

Which do you prefer, Horses or Zebras?

I had a professor in Dental school who always said when you hear hoof beats think horses not zebras.  What does mean?  It means that in the worlds in which we live the horse is much more common, whereas the zebra is more rare and exotic.  So, when troubled by making a diagnosis, think common, more probable first, then widen your scope to the rare. (think common cold before rare virus from across the world, where you have never been)

In medical and dental school we are bombarded with all types of information and knowledge, much of it necessary, but some of it a bit on the fringe.

I recently had a patient in, whom unexpectedly and quite suddenly had some pain in her face below her right eye.  It subsided a bit but the next morning when she awoke it was slightly swollen, and quite painful.  Her sister works for an ophthalmologist, so her sister recommended that she come into her office for an exam, because if here is an infection in you r eye you could lose your sight.  Logical and rational.

The ophthalmologist saw the patient for the pain below her right orbit.  He concluded that it was not eye related and sent patient to the ER for facial pain evaluation.  In the ER they thought there might be a small stroke. The patient had CT scan at hospital, no stroke, no sinus issues noted, but they unable to determine cause of pain.  The ER gave her pain meds sent her on her way and told her to perhaps call her dentist.

Luckily for our patient we are one of those offices that bend over backwards for our patients, especially those in pain. We were able to see patient immediately following, she was very grateful and expressed it several times saying that we never fail her. 

 

Pain was below the right orbit in line with root structure of teeth #5 & 6.  1 periapical x-ray was taken of #6 since it has the longest root.  No lesions noted.  Pulp tested the teeth in the area.

Tooth #5 tested at a level determining that the nerve was dying and a probable cause of the pain.

Patient was advised that the tooth would most likely need endodontic (root canal) treatment.  On the x-ray, we showed her how low the sinuses were and how close they were to the apex of the tooth and that this would be a better treatment than extraction. 

After root canal therapy the pain went away.

The reason I am retelling this story is that simple solutions go a long way.  As Physicians we are all limited by our scope of practice and what we are familiar with.  Facial pain could be your eye, your nose, your mouth or perhaps stretching a bit a possible stroke.  You need to be vigilant in your own health care process.  Look for solutions, address the poignant issues and seek all areas of help because your problem is more likely a horse rather than a zebra.

Just Sayin’

There are Good People out there

While My son and I were in San Diego a  few weekes ago for Comic Con International I wrote a few blog articles.  Our internet access was intermittent so they will be posted over the next week or two:

What are the odds of losing something in place crowded with 130,000 people and being able to find it?  Better yet have someone else find it and turn it in to the lost and found? And what if this item is a highly sought after commodity.

On our first night here in San Diego Comic Con, we made a purchase that was awkward to carry, so we decided to bring it back to our hotel room and then return to the convention floor.  Our hotel is a few blocks away but we hoofed it in order to get back before the con closed for the night.   While in our room, my son noticed that his ID credentials were missing from the lanyard around his neck.

Because of the sheer volume of people, you can't even enter the convention center building without your credentials.  We rushed back to the convention center, my son waited outside the building and I tried to retrace our path.  When that proved to be a dead end, I was directed to the lost and found.  Now we all know that lost things rarely wind up in the lost and found, but it was worth a try, if nothing else they could direct us how to possibly get him new credentials.

I have failed to mention the value of the credentials, SDCC is sold out a year in advance, passes go for $175.00 (the monetary value is not the issue), and photo ID is required to pick up your passes along with a secure individual bar code that was issued several months ago.  To the uninitiated it is difficult to understand, but these tags are the holy grail of geekdom.  They allow you access to a world unlike any other, one they consider home.

Alas there are good people about there.  I went to the lost and found, told them that my son had lost his credentials, they asked me his name.  They had his badge, someone had turned it in, YAY!!!  But they wouldn't give it to me.  He would have to show ID in order to get it back, ah, here is the catch 22, without his badge he can't get into the building and without getting in to the building how can he show them his ID?  One of the staffers was nice enough to walk to the door where he was to check his driver’s license and give him back his credentials.

We are back in, thank you kind stranger for returning this valuable commodity.

A Day in the (Skate) Park

A Day in the (Skate) Park

Dental x-rays, To Do or Not To Do, That is the Question

I'm sure by now you have all heard the news, Dental x-rays cause brain tumors...we are sure that you are all concerned about your health and safety.  I want to assure you that we too are concerned with your health and safety, that is why we do what we do.  We believe that a healthy smile brings a healthy life.

Let me take a moment and help you better understand the brief glimpse of flawed information that the media is capitalizing upon.

Dental x-rays are used to diagnosis and determine necessary treatment of dental conditions. We use them to evaluate and monitor problems such as decay and periodontal disease.

Without x-rays, we are unable to see the true extent of a potential problem, we are literally only seeing the tip of the iceberg.   X-rays allow us to check for decay between teeth, periodontal disease, and any bone irregularities, without them our hands are tied and we are not delivering the BEST possible treatment.  In our office, we take digital x-rays, which use up to 80% less radiation than the traditional x-ray films used in the past.

The epidemiological (solely a statistical study, not a scientific analysis) study linking brain tumors to dental x-rays is flawed in a several areas presented below are a few:

There is no scientific study. In this study, patients were asked to remember their history of x-rays, but their answers were not verified by their dental records, or even insurance records. In our office, many patients do not always remember correctly when their last dental visit was, let alone exactly what type of x-rays were taken.  It is simply one of those things that we file as something we did, you might remember your last visit 6 months ago but do you truly remember what happened at the prior 3 or 4, or 20?We take x-rays according to the recommended ADA guidelines. 

This study discusses exposure with film x-rays which were used in dentistry in the past, few offices still use standard film x-rays. Digital x-rays are used in many offices today, and they reduce radiation exposure by up to 80%.  At Griswold Dental Associates we have been using digital technology  for all x-rays, for the past few years.

There are inconsistencies in the data. The study found a link with 2 bitewing x-rays, but no link with the 16 film full mouth series. If 2 x-rays show a link to meningiomas, logically, wouldn’t 16 x-rays show a much greater link?   the lack of association with full mouth x-rays led one expert  to question the connection.

"They found a small risk (from) a pair of bitewings, but not from a full mouth series, which is multiple bitewings.  That inconsistency is impossible to understand to me," said Dr. Alan Lurie, president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

The benign tumor being associated is a meningioma, which is found in 3 out of every 100,000 people. The way to diagnose this tumor is by a CT scan (which uses radiation similar to dental x-rays) or by MRI.

Radiation exposure: measured in Sv (sieverts)(millisieverts = 1/1000 sievert)

Chest x-ray Computed Tomography (CT scan)    6900Sv
Natural Radiation per year                                    2400Sv
Round trip Flight from Tokyo to New York           200Sv
Chest x-ray                                                                50Sv
4 digital x-rays                                                    .013mSv  (.000013Sv)
full mouth series of x-rays                                  .180mSv  (.00018Sv)


When dental x-rays are recommended in our office please ask why, that is your right.  We will explain their importance, all our treatment is guided by each patient's individual needs.

Remember should you refuse xrays, this would not allow your dentist to accurately diagnose and treat your dental problems. If you are concerned due to this recent report on dental x-rays, please be sure you speak to us. 


sources:
Keio University
www.doctorspiller.com/dental
www.webmd.com
www.reuters.com

 

 

As the World turns… oh wait that’s been cancelled.

As the World turns… oh wait that’s been cancelled.

The original draft of this blog was dealing with the uses of social media, and the ways we all connect with each other.  I was going to discuss how our Social Media guru and I turned my mild mannered Office Manager into the tweeting Queen.  But I have a newer focus now.

Last week on my day off, before the work day was even beginning.  I received a phone call from one of my hygienists, “Terry’s(my Office Manager)  been in an accident, we need you to come to the office.”

Not to worry, Terry is fine.  While waiting to make a left turn into our office parking lot her car was rear ended, crushing the trunk practically into the back seat.  While she was being taken off in the ambulance I was on my way to the office.  What does this have to do with social media and technology communication; I promise I’ll get there.

Using her mobile phone, Terry called her husband and he arrived quickly, right after the accident.  Phones were used to call 911.  My hygienist used her mobile phone to call my mobile phone since we are all programmed into each other.  She could have texted but she knows that I would have called and asked questions so better to talk. 

Via Facebook I received a message from Terry’s sister that she was on her way to meet them at the ER, also by means of Facebook, she kept me up to date on what was happening.  I used her Facebook chat information to keep Terry’s daughter, who lives in Maine, current as to what was occurring by instant messaging her on Facebook.

As she was being released from the hospital, Terry was texting me as to her conditions and I was forwarding the information verbally within the office and a short notice on our office Facebook page.  Later in the day I noticed on Twitter, multiple conversations between Terry and her daughter in regards to what was happening.

How did we keep each other in the loop prior to all this technology?  Are we communicating more or less because of the technology?  I would say more, but will the next generation know how to speak or just type?  Social media and communication works.

Oh and did I mention that they did their new car research online.

Just Sayin’

My Animoto Video

My Animoto Video