What is a name?

Shakespeare was correct, a rose by any other would smell as sweet. Today we were at the Westfarms Mall here in Connecticut, and we went into one of my favorite stores, Teavana. for those of you that know me well, know that I don't drink coffee and am a lover of tea (not the fruity non-tea herbal stuff, but black, green, and white teas). I started placing my order for the flavors of loose tea that I generally drink, and the 'tea specialist' stopped me to tell me that they had changed the name of my favorite tea. Years ago it was called Almondina Biscotti, then it changed to Almond Biscotti, and today it was called Almondina Rose. The flavor has not changed but the name is ever evolving. The name aside this still one of my favorites. If you ever find yourself in a Teavana try this tea mixed with some Matevana for the added caffeine and a hint of chicory and floral essence. Change is expected, but please leave the names of the things I like alone, so that I may identify them. Thank you just Sayin'

Today is our office holiday party. It is a time to look back upon the year and start to look forward to the holiday season and the new year. It has been a year of constant change. We hired a new doctor in our office and she has been a great addition. We have both our children in college, hence we are now considered empty nesters. Doesn't seem so empty, we have found many things to do to keep us busy. A year ago, who would thought that I would be writing this blog from my family room on an iPad. Over the next few blogs, I will reflect more. Just Sayin'

Time is running out

Time is running out!!

Sounds ominous.

Actually I'm referring to dental and medical benefits

For most dental and medical plans the new year brings new benefits.  the average dental plan covers anywhere from $1000 to $1500 per year.  Practically nothing in these economic times. 

If you haven't used all your benefits this year, you may want to take advantage and use the benefits that you are paying for.  Contact your family dental provider to help you maximize your benefits, they are on your side, not the side of the insurance agency.  They are looking out for your your dental health, not their shareholders' pockets.

Just a note... Just Sayin'

Thank you

Today is the 70th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Little else needs to be said, but a great big thank you to the service men and women who gave their  lives so that we can live free!

It is also a time to thank those that serve and protect us yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Just Sayin'...

Let the count down begin...

It is that time of year again... have you been naughty or nice?


No matter whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or any thing else there is something in the air this time of year, and I don't mean the flu virus.  The air is crisp with an anticipation that can't be quantified.

Is it children anticipating gifts wrapped with colored papers and ribbons?  Is is adults hoping for an end of year bonus or gift?  In this economy is it just the thankfulness of having employment? or the hope that the new year will be a better year?  As the trees lose their leave and prepare for winter hibernation and await spring's 'renewal', so do we...

Whatever it is, there is an extra spring in people's step.  They Smile more, and in my business that is a currency all its own.  I hope to spend some time reflecting on the past year and planning for the next.  After all, failing to plan is planning to fail.

What are your plans over the next few weeks? Other than trying to avoid the crowds at the mall.  Will you utilize the Internet more?  Big Box stores or Shop Locally at local small businesses?  Whatever you plan, do it wisely, and safely, with a smile on your face.

A smile is small gift that keeps giving, be nice to the clerks in the stores, they are trying to survive this time of year like everyone else.

So, naughty or nice? only you know for sure.

Just sayin'...

Can you kill a Scarecrow?

Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide (such as manslaughter).

We arrived this morning at our office to find the Scarecrow that we had painstakingly built and nurtured in in a heap on the ground with his round pumpkin head bashed all over the sidewalk.  Was this murder?  Was it premeditated, or a crime of opportunity? or plain ignorance and vandalism?

At the Preston Scarecrow Festival with a Patient

He was a good Scarecrow, Dr Snaggletooth.  He was a cousin to the scarecrow that we had entered in the Preston Congregational Church Scarecrow Festival, which won an award for most humorous.

Dr Snaggletooth with one of his faithful assistants

 We revisited the scarecrow idea to help the Griswold Youth Center raise funds.  people in town could vote in favor of our scarecrow or the others throughout town by placing money in the collection jar in the office.

Dr Katzoff investigating the crime scene

All that remained of his head, one eye

bodily remains

There are those out there that just don't care that other people worked hard on something to benefit others.  They just need to destroy.

He brought joy to those who knew him.  His job was to put a smile on peoples' faces, and in that job he succeeded.  He will also serve to remind us that doing things for the community, will always be the right thing to do.  We just need to keep moving forward.  Keep on swimming.

Vandals may have destroyed our Scarecrow, but they  have not destroyed our Community Spirit.

We believe that there is Magic in your Smile and with that note, may we all have a safe and happy fall season.

Just Sayin'
Dr K

Whole=Sum of its Parts

We've all heard the expression, " You are what you eat."

This is used to help us understand nutrition.  Junk in Junk out, Healthy stuff in Healthy stuff out.

This should be every one's first hint that your oral cavity is connected to the rest of your body.  Health is a whole body experience.  Athletes don't perform their best if they use the wrong 'fuel'.  We all need to go back to basics and realize that we are a whole person not just individual parts.  What happens to your foot can affect your hip which in turn can affect your back and so on.

Unlike Vegas, what happens in the mouth does not stay in the mouth.   From the nutrition we take in, to the care we take of our teeth, gums and bone, the problems and solutions don't stay only in the mouth.  If you have an infection in your mouth, it is safe to say that the bacteria is your blood stream and traveling to other parts of your body.  Poor Oral health has been linked to cardiac conditions, low birth weight and other systemic issues.

There is an expression in Dentistry, 'you only need to brush and floss the ones you want to keep.'  Perhaps we should rephrase it to, 'you only need to brush and floss in order to keep your heart ticking.'

Just Sayin'


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ih7LTPPoE&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

I'm a PC, but...

I'm a PC, but I love Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak's concepts of the personal computer.  While my business applications and home personal computer are all PCs, I own a myriad of Apple products., Ipods (6 in fact), and an Ipad.

We love browsing the Apple store for the latest and greatest in innovations.

Steve Jobs will be missed by millions, but mostly we will all miss what he may have thought of 10 or 20 years from now as technology caught up with his visions. ( perfect example of this is George Lucas waiting so many years and having to create his own tech in order to continue the Star Wars series, because 1970's tech wasn't where we are now)

I'm a PC but, I'm gonna miss Apple's core!

"You can Help Prevent Forest Fires"-Smokey the Bear

At a recent meeting of our Hygiene department we discussed being more proactive in our patient care approach.  Perhaps we can help our patients do a better job preventing cavities, and reduce our need for searching for them later.  Probably the most important conversation we have in our office with people is about home care.  We work with our patients, and help them find things they can do regularly to maintain the health of the mouth. We try to set attainable goals with them so that both our patients and ourselves won’t be disappointed, and hopefully this will help with their compliance.

Most people brush regularly (or so they say), so if we can use this behavior, and modify it to a more powerful tool, it is a win/win situation.  We try to make Brushing and Flossing more effective by adding in adjunctive therapies, such as: Prescription strength toothpastes in various modalities (for dry mouth, sensitivity, and enamel protection), Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse 0.12%, topical paste with bio-available calcium and phosphate, and many others.

Effectiveness of these products comes from proper introduction and expectations of the products along with patient compliance.  Throwing too many items at once at a patient won’t make them use all these items, but introduced in a slow methodical and comprehensive approach has been observed by us to be effective.  Baby steps before running.  These simple steps have us believing the perhaps we can help prevent dental decay, thus reducing the amount of routine restorative procedures and the frequency need of radiographs.

We are working towards a cavity free society; we just need our patients to help us in this journey.   We only see a person a few times a year, and we have a limited time to get our message across, so we need to be effective and informative in explaining why and what we are suggesting for them.  After all, the other 360ish days their teeth are their own responsibility.  We just want to help.  Just  Sayin'.

QR Nation

OK, so who knows what a QR code is?  Those of you involved in Social Media do, but what about the rest of the general public.  People recognize them, but don't know what they are.  They are Quick Response codes,or the funny looking  square  bar codes that are popping up all over the place.

You can find them in all areas of our life:

Magazines
Supermarket packaging
online
promotional items

even in our Dental office.

We borrowed the idea from Dr Jason Lipscomb, of Social Media Dentists, and have a QR sign in each of our operatories that will link your smart phone/device directly to our Facebook page, so that more of our patients can be 'likes', and participate in what we are doing. 




While many people in our rural area don't have smart phones and question what the black and white squares are for (this I expected), I was surprised by the number of QR  symbols I saw at Comic Con and how few people seemed to know what to do with the information.

They were everywhere.  I found them on walls, banners, posters, even on a coaster in a restaurant.

They were used to get free goods, tickets for events, links to movie trailers, even a QR code scavenger hunt to win prizes.

Just this morning in my office I showed a patient how to connect to our Facebook page with the QR app on her phone.

It is no longer just good enough to be aware of ones surroundings, but now our surrounding s can take us to even more places than ever before.

Just Sayin'

Hiatus Over

For those of you that actually missed my Blog, here I am again.  For the rest of you, I'm back anyway.

Life  was getting in the way of living.  Too many obligations and responsibilities this summer interrupted my available time to sit down and type.  I think I'm getting back on track.


My goal to blog while I was at Comic Con with my son, never occurred.  i sent some tweets and the occasional Facebook update, but no real blogging.  For those of you unfamiliar with Comic Con, it is an extraordinary event with over 125,000 people mulling about the San Diego Convention Center.  Not just comic books, but TV, movies, media, books, Science fiction, fantasy, a tribute to the creative arts and popular culture.

If there is one thing that one takes away from this experience is patience.  Waiting in line at Disney is simply practice for the immense lines at this event.  Not just the thousands of people in them but the length of time they take.  It is a great place to meet people with similar interests, not unlike going to a convention based upon your profession, such as a Dental Conference (for me that is), but really do we all want to wait?  Apparently people don't mind if it is for things they 'want'.

One of my pet peeves is waiting, I am an on time person, I hate to wait.  I don't like to wait and I don't make my patients wait.  Unless there is an emergency appointment in my schedule, I will be on time.  We are in control, there is no saying, It was beyond my control.  We,re the ones who schedule the appointments, we have the control to keep things moving.

My thoughts for next year's Comic Con are a new pair of sneakers (running shoes for the younger crowd), and perhaps a collapsible folding chair to occasionally sit on rather than the concrete ground.

Just Sayin'

Midway to Where?

While sitting in Chicago Midway Airport, I’m wondering midway to where?  We are heading from Connecticut to California, and admitted my geography is not perfect but this isn’t midway. Part way perhaps.

While McD and other fast food chains thrive in a airport environment, these ‘smaller’ regional airports need to learn from the big guys, people need to eat.  If you have a two hour layover a sit down restaurant might be preferred over the quickie chains.

People, even travelers want service.  Whatever you do service with a smile.  A warm friendly setting is the true heart of any business’s success. 

As a service professional in a position where ‘no one supposedly likes to go’ we pride ourselves on our ‘customer services’.  We go out of our way for our patients, pillows, blankets, xm radio, et cetera. 

Just Sayin’ Safe travels everyone.

I have an App for that

There's an App for that.

This unusual phrase has become a very common sentence in our societal conversations.  Cell phones are a great means of communication, whether it be by voice or text.  But now they are the new swiss army knife in your pocket.

Admittedly, my phone doesn't have 2 different screw drivers (it has other drivers), a bottle opener, a scissor or a blade, but it has APPs.

Apps or applications are the ability to take a phone where phones have never gone before and they include:

Games: Angry Birds in particular
Flash Light
Strobe light  (in colors) for that disco mood
Camera
Camcorder
barcode scanner
air hockey
restaurant menus (with the calorie count, I'll never eat  again)
etc...
and my favorite...

The lightsaber!!

It allows me to relive 1977, and battle alongside Obi Wan against Darth Vader.

ok, so email, web access, and facebook and twitter are cool, but they are no match for the imagination of that 15 year old of years ago with a lightsaber in his pocket.

Just Sayin'

strong start

We all start out with the greatest of intentions....

When I started this blog a  few months ago i was posting it daily, including a few weekend days.  Now I am posting a few times a week.  It is not because I can't think of anything to write (ok, well sometimes that is true, but I have reserve ideas outlined), and not that life is less interesting. 

Actually life is very interesting and busy.  Now that the nice weather has arrived and we have more hours of sunshine, it seems like my task list never ends.  And this includes finding time to sit and write.  I am trying to spend quality time with my family and sitting at a keyboard isn't always the right answer.

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. 

A simple phrase, but very true.  This goes for family, friends, co-workers, employees and employers.  We use this philosophy in our office daily, but it applies everywhere.   When we 'yell' at our kids, don we all say I'm yelling because I care.

We recently hired a new dentist, who starts next week.  I am looking forward to her 'strong start', and her continued steady course in our practice family.  I am sure our patients (our family) will welcome her with open arms once they see the caring person that she is. (you can read about her on our website www.GriswoldDental.net ).

May we all enjoy the time we spend with our various 'families', and start strong and end strong.

Just Sayin'

Brick Walls

Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people.
- Randy Pausch ( 1960-2008 )

What are the brick walls in your life?

I'm not necessarily talking about physical impediments, but the psychological ones as well. 

What stops you, me, all of us?

The fourth of July is right around the corner.  The colonists faced the 'brick wall' of British rule and knocked the wall down, in the process of preparing to become the greatest country in the world.

What holds you back?  Sometimes it is the fear of actual success, or the fear of failure.  Either way it is fear.  If you want something, you have to give it 'the old college try'.

It is time for all of us to face our brick walls and to start knocking them down.  It may not be all at once but, small chips will weaken the wall, also.

As we celebrate Independence Day, push for personal independence and personal growth.

Just Sayin' Yankee Doodle

the Big Debate

There is a big debate that goes on in my office.

Does your desk need to be that messy?  Just to set the record straight, nothing is growing on it, it just has a lot of papers and things on it.  I know where everything is, but my office staff wants to come in and 'clean' it.  (I think they mean throw everything out)


A cluttered desk is a sign of a busy person.  All that filing, straightening, organizing, lining everything up takes time.  Time I can be using to do other more productive things, like writing this blog.

As a full time Dentist and part time desk Jockey, what time I am at my desk I am usually working not 'cleaning'. Oops, interrupted, my patient has arrived...gotta go...desk straightening will have to wait...again.

love what you do

As we are driving to Lake Placid in the rain, to go to a skating competition, we always reflect on why we do what we do.  My daughter has been skating since she was three, and she has a very simple philosophy:

love what you do, do what you love.

This applies to all aspects of life.  If we don't like what we are doing then the time we spend doing it will drag on.  If we have fun and enjoy ourselves, our lives will be more fulfilled, and meaningful.

Whatever you do in life, Smile and have fun.  That is my goal.  It cuts the stress level in half.

Just Sayin'

longest Day

Everyone always asks for more hours in the day in order to accomplish the tasks they have. 

Well today is your day. 

We haven't added hours, but today is the day of the year with the most amount of daylight.  So by conjecture today is the longest 'day' of the year.

Get out there and do all  the things you wanted to do if you had more time.

Smile a little longer, you've go the time.

Just Sayin'

Happy Father's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day.

This has been a wonderful weekend.  It started with a great course on photography Friday morning.  I had to leave early in order to attend my daughter's graduation. 

As we sat outside in the bleachers watching the graying, darkening sky along with the occasional lightening crackle, we held our breath...would the weather hold?  It did.  The rain didn't occur until shortly after the ceremony was over.

Saturday night we celebrated a friend's birthday at Junior's restaurant at the MGM Grand.  What a  great evening.

Father's day morning I was in the office repairing a young man's upper left central incisor.  He was in town visiting his parents (who are patients of mine).  He broke it eating a spare rib. 

In roughly an hour I helped him be able to smile for his mother and father on Father's Day.

My weekend ended with my daughter baking a pizza sized cookie for us al to share.  Don't worry we will brush afterwards.

Just Sayin' ... have a happy day

Winning Smile

Last night the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972.  Simply amazing!

I remember as a kid growing up on Long Island going to hockey games with my dad. The team was a new young team that grew out of the farm league, Long Island Ducks.  They eventually became the Islanders.

When I was in College in Boston, I remember going into the Old Boston Garden and seeing the Celtics' and Bruins' banners hanging from the rafters.  There was great sense of sports history.

The City of Boston and ALL of New England has a huge Smile on its collective faces, after a seven game series.

And Let's not forget the Smiles in Dallas, after the Mavericks beat the 'dream team' of the Miami Heat.

We all have reasons to Celebrate and SMILE.

Tomorrow my daughter graduates High School, trust me we will be smiling too.

What is the value of a Smile?

What is the value of a Smile?  Can you place a value on a facial expression?

I think you can.  a truly joyous smile is irreplaceable with any currency known to mankind. 

That first smile at about 6-8 weeks old (when you realize it isn't gas), becomes emblazoned in your mindset forever.  It is the currency that you base all other smiles on.

A smile, a wink, a nod, all have value in my book.

To see someone happy is priceless.

The ear to ear smile that crossed my daughter's face friday night as she left with friends for her senior prom, holds the save value as those young infant smiles.  All eminating from true unadulterated joy and happiness.

As a smile designer, we get to see this more often than most.  Many times, lips an tongues are numb while our clients try to show off their new smiles but the radiant happiness that they emit is evident.

A smile is curved line that sets all things straight.

Just Sayin':  There's Magic in Your Smile

Cinderelly

When do our children grow up to be adults?  Is there an answer to this age old question?  They grow before our eyes yet we don't see it til someone points it out to us.  The fact that we can't see what is right in front of us is disturbing.  These are the moments we need to treasure. 

One great way is to TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES.  Even the blurry and not so good ones, will help relive memories, and those 'brain pictures' will be crystal clear.  I have a patient with young children who is doing a great job of this.  Early in life, each month she takes a picture of her baby and toddler, and Chronicles their growth next to the same chair in each photo (that way it is easy to see their growth progress).  The changes over their short lives is amazing and this photo essay a great tribute to their growth.  I would like to thank her for sharing her childrens' development with us.

After 23 years practicing dentistry in the same small town, I have watched 'my kids' grow.  The other day one of my patients who was nine when I started, came in for a hygiene visit. Nothing amazing in this area, except that she came with her husband, three year old and five week old children (the others were in school).  I feel as if,  I've come full circle, and we are definitely a FAMILY practice.

My daughter's Senior Prom is tonight and she will die of embarrassment if she thinks I am writing about her, but it is my parental prerogative.  Where did the time go?   Unlike Cinderella who was transformed by woodland creatures and a fairy godmother in an instant, my beautiful young woman has slowly progressed into the beautiful Princess that she is.  And it has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life watching her blossom.

To borrow from Fiddler on the Roof:
(Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?

(Golde)
I don't remember growing older
When did they?

(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?

(Golde)
Wasn't it yesterday
When they were small?

(Men)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

Make Time to enjoy your seedlings, and enjoy watching them Grow.

Just Sayin'

yes and no

Sometimes it is not the actual words we use but how we use them and the context they are in.  Occasionally  something 'BAD' is really good.

We've all heard  she said no but meant yes,  and realized it was cop out, and a crock.

NO, does mean NO in this case.

But does yes mean no? Sometimes people when they don't know what to answer will simply nod and say yes.   How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod in agreement and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
Are you a yes man or woman?  Do you say yes and regret it afterwards?  Yes isn't bad if you mean it, but it can get you trapped into something you didn't anticipate.

Saying yes is a good thing, it shows agreement, caring and concern and a willingness to participate, but it is ok to say no and mean it if that is how you feel.

Don't get trapped on the hamster wheel of Yes, mix it up a bit.  If we are true to ourselves we can be true to others.

Just Sayin'

Thx

I understand from some that there was an error when this blog was first posted, and that many of the letters were jumbled, Dr Holden and I actually watched them change on the screen.  It was like a scene out of Harry Potter, watching the letters change.  So here it is again with modifications:

First of all I'd like to thank everyone for the support and encouragement as I write this blog.  It is becoming a lot easier and a bit more fun than when I started.

How often do we say thank you?

Is it only when we receive a gift?
Is it only when customers leave a store, "thank you for shopping at ..."?

I think we don't do it often enough.

The other night we had a late patient with a broken tooth.  Without thinking I offered to do the crown for her right away (willing to be late for my pottery class), and before I could even ask, my assistant said, "I can stay."

I immediately said thank you.  After the procedure was done and we were getting ready to leave I said thank you again.  I'm pretty sure that one of my assistants heard me but I am unsure if the other one who willingly stayed also heard me.   The thank you is to both of them.

If I don't say thank you enough, I'm sorry.  Part of being a team is saying please and thank you.  It also includes occasionally not saying these things and knowing they are implied and that your actions are appreciated.

Plus we need to say thank you to our servicemen and women who serve and protect our freedoms, which allow us the luxury of saying  THANK YOU.
So to everyone out there we need to say the following things:

Gracias, Merci, Danke, Todah, Dziekuje, M Goi, Spasibo, Thanks,...

Just Sayin'

or as this new generation of texters would put it, thx or tx

Fighter

Saw The Fighter this past weekend.  Very enlightening film.  Not only does it show the dark side of drug use, and the struggle to overcome addiction, but it shows how the spirit of one man can change his family. 

Most of the time we all know what to do to accomplish our goals, but we never get there, why is that?  Why is it that some people get all the way?  Are they really better than the rest of us?  Probably not. So what do they have?  I feel liker the Wizard of Oz.  They have....no I'm not going to open my carpet bag and pull something out.

What some of the best athletes have is GOOD COACHING.  Having someone to answer to, to guide you, to see objectively how you are doing, and to be honest with you, that is how you accomplish your goals.

In The Fighter, Micky Ward knew how to box, but needed a change in coaching and management in order to propel him tho the next level.  It is foolish to think that we can go it alone.

Our goal is to coach our patients into helping themselves better.  By the time we reach adulthood, most people have been taught how to brush and floss dozens of times, but they need that reinforcement. 

My daughter needs her figure skating coach to say, "...pull your arms in, leg out, and smile...", she knows all this but we all need reminding.

A few years ago we utilized the coaching services of a Dental Consulting company to help us refocus.  We still use many of the items we learned from them, but if we want to strive to be even better perhaps we need a change in coaching style, technique and direction.

We all want to be better at what we do.  We all seek out teachers, coaches, and mentors.  They encourage and guide us.

Just Sayin'

NBA, NHL, MLB...

It is amazing, it is June, and I am watching Basketball, and Hockey.  It's Baseball, the game of the boys of Summer, that is supposed to dominate the airwaves? 

The thing that makes the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup, games more exciting than other games throughout the year is the amount of teamwork and cooperation it took to get these teams to this point in the year.  The other teams with perhaps a bit less heart and cohesiveness are home watching on television like the rest of us.

This doesn't mean they are not any good, indeed many of them have great players, but do they create a cohesive 'great' team?  This applies to all aspects of our lives.  We don't live in a vacuum as is evidenced by the fact that people outside my home are reading this.  We are all parts of different teams, our schools, churches, synagogues, social and service clubs. 

According to Wikipedia: A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximise his or her strengths and minimise his or her weaknesses. Team members need to learn how to help one another, help other team members realize their true potential, and create an environment that allows everyone to go beyond their limitations.<sup>[1]

The goal in a dental team is to utilize each member to the benefit of our clients oral health care.  This is accomplished by bringing great people together and having them work as one. 

On the side that our patients don't see is the amount of work that goes into being a good team.  Just like in sports, we practice, we continually learn and we work on projects behind the scenes in order to be the team you want us to be.  We participate in continuing education.  We go on team outings together in order to better understand one another and bring us closer together as a team.  Without working cohesively together, we would simply be great people all in the same building.

May the best team win.

Just Sayin'

BTW:  Also saw the French Open (tennis) this weekend, this belongs at this time of year.</sup>

A Good Question

I was recently asked by a prospective patient, why they should come to our office instead of the one they were presently at.

This is a great question.  I hope my answer was as great.

Caught a bit off guard but still prepared to try and win over this family, my mind raced through analogies and metaphors.  From the perspective of someone outside of dentistry, we are all the same.  They can't see the contours of the teeth we've restored, they don't know if my margins are sealed and perfect. 

Mostly they are just aware of how we treat them, the item that has the least to do with the clinical aspect of dentistry, but the most important in the mind of  our patients. 

In the mind of many a hamburger is a hamburger.  So what is the difference between McDonald's and Burger King?   Perhaps you prefer the flame broiling.  So what is the difference from the fast food chain burger and the local diner?  Or the local Diner and a Burger at Michael Jordan's Sport Cafe? 

The fast food burger is say, $3.00, the diner, $8.00, and Michael Jordan's $18.00.  Isn't beef all the same?  So what are we paying for?  Service, ambiance, the intangibles.  Just like the patients perspective it is the thing that is furthest from the kitchen (clinical arena), that we notice and upon which we judge our experiences .

Hopefully in life we get what we pay for.

Just Sayin'

Lost Spring...Beware Hurricanes

Yesterday was June 1st.  The official beginning of hurricane season.

Does this mean that hurricane's aren't allowed to occur before this date.  Since when does weather truly follow a calendar.  Here in Connecticut, we went from cool frost advisory evenings to a near heat wave in a matter of days.  

As the weather gets warmer and daylight gets longer, we all want to spend more time doing outdoor activities.  People seem to go into a trance like 'vacation' mode even while being home.  We've left the winter doldrums behind, and moved on to a sunny rekindling of spirit.

As the weather gets nicer and people begin to smile more, they all of a sudden seem to have more activities to juggle.  This causes many people to forget their scheduled appointments.

Now the question is when an adult responsible for remembering their appointment?  At what point is the 'reminder' call an insult to ones ability to remember and be responsible, and when is it coddling and allowing the individual  to be less responsible and having the office involved take the full burden and blame.  "I didn't show up because YOU, didn't call me to remind ME."

There is no 'season' for responsibility, it is a life time goal and accomplishment.  We are all responsible for ourselves.

Hurricanes come when conditions are correct, irregardless of the calendar (sorry weather people, this is the truth).  As people we are governed by the calendar, and the appointments we put into that calendar.

Just Sayin'

What are you reading??

I am amazed at what people read.  Some people like Shakespeare, some, Stephen King.  Others like mysteries, and some love stories.  I am even more amazed that people are reading ME.

This blog has been going for around 2 weeks, and I am thrilled by the feedback and commentary, both online and in person.  To a certain degree, this started out as an exercise and a launching pad for hopefully something greater, but now in its infancy i am just trying to nurture simple ideas.  I appreciate all the feedback and input.

Your support is greatly appreciated and welcome.  As one friend noted she liked the way I brought it all back to dentistry, well after all, that is what I do 30-40 hours per week for the past 23 years so it does define me a bit.

I wasn't sure if anyone was going to read this, and I am thrilled that you all are, just as I am thrilled when a patient acknowledges that they heard what we have to say.

Thank you for the encouragement.

Just Sayin'

Back to Work?

Monday holidays create a short work week.  It also creates some confusion.  Today is the start of the business week, but is it Monday or is it Tuesday.  It is Tuesday, but doesn't it feel like Monday.

For most people it's just another week, but for school kids it is the beginning of the end.  School will be over soon, things are winding down.  Stress levels increase with exams looming, and the need for hair, makeup and dresses to look perfect for the Prom.  Don't even consider the stress levels involved with wedding season beginning.

When preparing for the Prom or wedding does it ever occur to take a closer look at your smile.  How about making sure your  hygiene visits are up to date. Don't want that special day to be ruined by stained teeth, or heavy tartar build up and bad breath. 

How about considering whitening your teeth professionally so that along with the spray tan you can have a spectacular sparking smile.   We have multiple options for brightening up your smile.

It's your special day, do something special for you.  (whitening is something Men can do for themselves, since they don't usually have too much to concern themselves with in the hair and make up department)

Just sayin'

Youthtopia

First of all I want to thank everyone for all the birthday wishes over the past few days.  My 'holiday' weekend was spent doing things for me as well as others.  Yesterday morning I attended a workshop/demonstration given by Master Potter Peter Leibert.  His work and his artistic eye are amazing, it was an honour to be able to learn form him.

Today, my day was spent at Griswold Youth Recreation's Youthtopia.  This community wide event was truly a spectacular undertaking.  Ryan Aubin and his team are to be commended.  Griswold Dental Associates is proud to have been a partriciapant and sponsor of this event.

For pictures from today's event, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/griswolddental

My wife and daughter will arrive back from Kansas, in a few hours (at my wife's college roommate's dauther's Bat Mitzvah). Tomorrow, monday, Memorial Day, we will all be home together to celebrate my birthday once again.

I think I'm beginning top like this daily celebration, even if my waistline doesn't.

Let us all remember why we have this holiday, to remember those that have sacraficed so that we might celelbrate freely.  When you are eating thos hotdogs and hmaburgers, remember those who came before in order to allow you to choose freedom.

Just Sayin'

Happy Birthday to me?

Tomorrow is my birthday.  Am I supposed to be overly reflective, and look back upon the past XX years?  Are there rules?  How about looking forward.

In the office today we are celebrating by giving gifts and cupcakes to people that come in, even the mailman, Larry. Perhaps he'll hold the bills for a day. 

This birthday/holiday weekend will incorporate some personal enjoyments and giving back to the community.  On Sunday our office team is one of the sponsors of the Griswold Youth and Recreation Department's Youthtopia.  We have a booth and will have all types of things to give out, including dental advice.  So if you are around town , stop by and say hello.

The one thing I will reflect on is a toast that was given at my cousin's wedding almost 20 years ago. their friend stated:  May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.

Along with that ideal and the famous words of Master Yoda, "May the Force be with You."  I will venture forward into a new year.

just sayin'

Password

Is it my impending birthday, or is it the fact that today's world requires a bazillion user names, passwords, user id, random access code provider.  there are days that I feel like I can't remember anything.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I remember almost everything.  I have always prided myself on the ability to multitask and remember conversations, people, events, dates, and the ever changing dental materials and procedures.

But recently I've had to start keeping a notebook with passwords, user id, and which email address  it is associated with.  Recently while trying to log into the bank as I usually do in the morning, after entering my user id, and then password , and then randomly generated access code from my special bank token, I was informed that it was now time to change my password, AGAIN.

It needed to be eight characters:  letters and numbers, upper and lowercase, and include one special symbol, and i had to input it before I could continue.  Online timer gave me 2 minutes before I would be logged out.  Oh, the pressure, no time to plan and think of something clever or that I might remember.  Hence, I now have to WRITE it down in order to remember it.

Technology was supposed to make life easier, when did it become more complex?

Just Sayin'

You want the good news first or...?

First, the Good News: The sun is shining here in Southeastern CT!!

After all these years you'd think I would get over it, but sometimes I can't help it.

Remember the expression: Don't shoot the messenger.

Why is it when we have to give someone news that isn't spectacular, it is our fault. 

We had a patient in recently for her hygiene appointment.  When my hygienist discovered a previously healthy area now had a very deep pocket that would require extensive treatment, the patient made her feel guilty about finding the area. We didn't put it there, we found it.  Better to treat the area than to lose the tooth.   We see our patients only a few times a year, the other 360ish days there oral care is literally in their hands. 

We found it, We can fix it, We didn't cause it.

Just Sayin'

So long, Farewell, Goodbye...

They say things come in threes.

I am saddened to say that over the past  few weeks we have lost three patients.  While this may not be unusual in many offices, based upon size and population, it is rare for us.  Not only were these men long time 'family members' of our practice, they showed us what being a true mensch (a true person in Yiddish) was all about.  They lived long and productive lives, they were pillars in the community and all around great men.  Over the years, I probably spent as much time listening to their stories as I did actually performing dental services.

Their ages ranged from 80 to 91, and they had seen a lot and learned a lot and they were willing to share a lot.  We are nearing the end of a generation that remembers before television existed and extends into a time when carrying mobile devices is common.

We are coming to a end of an era of true gentlemen.  This is one of those occasions when we must learn from the past in order to have a better future.

Jack, Kurt, and Steele, you will be missed.

Respectfully,

Your dental care provider and friend.

Riddle me this..

There is an old riddle:  The more you take away from me the bigger I become, what am I? 

The answer is:

 A hole.

Since we finally had a bit of a break in the rain this weekend, the begonias I bought last week finally got planted.  It seems that the more dirt I remove from the beds I was work on, the more I had to do.   It appeared to be never ending.

I reminded me of a dental patient I saw recently.  We thought we were going to be restoring a small pin hole in the occlusal (chewing surface) of the tooth.  There was no radiographic (x-ray) evidence, simply a small stick and a dark spot.  We figured an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Oh how wrong we were, the decay had infiltrated almost the entire internal structure of the tooth.  The decay even broached the nerve chamber, with no symptoms. 

Alas a root canal. a core build up and crown were eventually needed.  Just like my gardening, the more I removed, the greater the opening  I experienced.  Except with my yard work there doesn't seem to be an end in sight, my patient is luckier.

It is always better to take a proactive approach to health care.

Just sayin'

Would you let me be your Make-up Artist?

While I have a minor in Fine Arts, and a Degree in Biology, prior to becoming a dentist, would you let me do your make up? (I asked the women in my office, no takers, a few snickers and giggles though)

I have an esthetic eye, and I can identify vita tooth shades rather quickly but would you let me apply your foundation, eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow?

I can't sell cosmetics without a license, what would allow a cosmetic store to be able to sell tooth whitening products?  If you read the attached information with their whitening product, everything states that if something goes wrong or there are probelms, contact your dentist.  Should we just start with the dentist and do it correct and safe the first time.

I am very confused.  I think my years of education and clinical practice should outweigh some cosmetic salesperson, when it comes to things to put into one's mouth to alter what nature has given them.

Just Sayin'.

If you are curious about what I am ranting about you can click on the link below.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P281835&om_mmc=ret-n1-201105018innovations---b-h6pban2b---om-us-glosystem-he-h-&emtc=201105018innovations---b-h6pban2b---om-us&ematg=1628951622&dicid=458354:19279718216:32483654

Ark Building

Rainy Days got you down?  We all find these gloomy days, dreary and depressing.  And with all these end of the world people out there we need to try to look on the bright side, if there is one.

1.  Reservoirs will be full, less chance of a drought.
2. Gardens and lawns will be green
3. Kids won't be as anxious to get out of school
4. Won't have to use our well water to fill pool (of course we can't use the pool in the rain)
5. Regrowth and Renewal
6. The sunshine afterwards will seem that much brighter, like a freshly polished smile.



All courtesy of Mother Nature

and it should only last another week or so.

Not so Social media?

As I begin my foray deeper into the social media world, I have to wonder how social is it?  As I registered an additional 17 domain names so that no one else would 'steal' them from me like they did our very first web address, I realized I did this while sitting at my computer all alone.

My family was downstairs watching TV, and eating cupcakes, and my wife brought me a cupcake with the warning not to make any crumbs.  I ate it in silence as I typed. But I ate alone, in a house full of people.

While I may have made contact with numerous people around the globe, did i just miss the ones nearest by?  Don't get me wrong we almost always have dinner togeter and talk but it seemed odd that this 'social' event can be so anti social, also.

Kids today use their thumbs more than their tongues to communicate.

Social media has allowed me to wish an old friend a happy birthday yesterday, very easily and at my convenience.  It also allowed me to engage in a interesting discussion on what we do at a new patient exam, with dentists from across the country.

Ah, the yin and yang of it all.

My first Blog off my website

Another jump into the social media deep end of the pool.  Not sure if anyone will ever read this but I might as well give it a shot. 

First of all I need to learn to type faster and without looking at my fingers.

I just started reading Social media for Dentist 2.0. and I got the itch to expand my blogging arena, so this will start off samll and hopefully grow.

The perpetual rain here in Connecticut is making everything rather  gloomy so I thought trying a new adventure might brighten my outlook.

After all I recently learned from a twelve year old patient, " When life hands you lemons, make lemon merangue pie."

Gotta smile after that one.