People's Perceptions

I recently had a situation where a person said something negative about our practice. When in fact what they stated on the internet is actually evaluated, they merely don't understand the role of the dental team members or how their particular insurance works. It's hard to not feel that things are unfair when someone takes out their frustration on you for things that they simply don't understand. But in the end it is important to remember that none of us can control the things that people say about us or even do to us. We are in charge of our own behavior and reactions and in fact an eye for an eye just leaves everyone blind.

On another note we just seated a very nice prep-less veneer on a patient's right front tooth and she couldn't be happier. Veneers that require no tooth reduction can only be used in specific situations, but when they can they are a great product that leaves Dr. and patient very pleased as this person was today.

We have been listening to a lot of 1970's music in the office this week. My assistant created a Pandora station based upon the Gerry Rafferty song "Bakerstreet". Many of you may remember Gerry Rafferty from the group Steelers Wheel and more specifically the song from the film The Reservoir Dogs "Stuck in the Middle with you". It is often mis-credited to Bob Dylan but is a very fun upbeat song that seems to allow Pandora to pick some very chill 1070's music.

Father John Misty performing "I'm Writing A Novel" on KCRW

Keeping the Plates spinning

It's been a while since I blogged. I've had a birthday, there have been births(other people's not any children of mine) we've even had the holidays. We at the office continue to focus on all aspects of dentistry done well. The focus for 2013 will be implant dentistry. It is something we've always done well but never enough. Well done and priced appropriately implants are the greatest thing since sliced bread. When I do implants people are some of the happiest I have ever seen. Invisalign and Cosmetic dentistry are the only things that come close. Not many people know that dental implants are over 99.9 percent successful and can not decay. They are not alive so they are not affected by the acids produce by the bacteria that causes decay, S. Mutans.

Of course we are continuing to grow our new location on 1169 Eastern Parkway in the Medical Arts Building. Every day I am amazed at how great a team we have at both of our locations, both patients and the team are very happy we have assembled this group with a common interest of providing great, caring and gentle dentistry with a modern, bio-esthetic approach.

As usual its a bit of a mix of music at the offices. I hear that Dr. Kulb likes her more post modern pop like Neon Trees and maybe even Owl City. She is so skilled and experienced I often forget we are almost a generation apart in music tastes as I grew up in the 70s and of course you know I am going to be at the Yum! Center screaming for Stevie, Lindsey, John and Mic at Fleetwood Mack in April!!

As usual, I couldn't be happier with Louisville's live music scene. I plan on attending father John Misty tonight if I am able. He is the former drummer of the Fleet Foxes and really a talent in his own right.

Music at East Springs

If money grew on trees and everyone loved teeth.

I love teeth. I'm not sure how true that is because if I loved them so much I wouldn't have taken so many of them out over the years, right? Well not so much as they say. Some teeth are just too costly to repair, some are non restorable and some are even removed on young people for orthodontics. A few folks even have extra ones, you be surprised how many folks have few or more than the most often seen 32.

But what I don't like about teeth is when people have to make financial decisions while making dental decisions. Sometimes this is due to neglect and others its just a lack of education or even bad luck. But money doesn't grow on trees and nothing is truly free. Often I hear "well I didn't have insurance for a long time" but if asked many of these folks with dental problems have nice clothes and cars and the latest Apple or samsung mobile device with its data plan and a nice protective case. In a lot of cases a monthly cell phone bill is more than the recommended twice a year cleaning.

Even if dental care or medical care were free people would probably still go to bed after a tasty Coca-cola or as it could also be described carmel colored, acidic, high fructose corn syrup beverage. Many of these carmel soda pops can be used to clean the build up off of batteries, yet many are surprised they are bad for their teeth. So even if money grew on trees many of the people that don't visit the dentist wouldn't have great teeth because they don't love them. But I'm sure they would have nice cars, clothes and cell phones or Ipads or whatever was cool to have in their social network and socio-economic area. We've been playing a wide mix of music these days but it seems Dave Matthews has snuck back into rotation and also up front the hygiene area and reception seems to have added in some country music to its mix: a little more Toby, Kenny and Sugarland seems to be floating around the office. I've been stuck on the last two Eric Church albums.

That's why they call them growing pains.

I haven't written a lot this summer because I have been very busy. What began as helping another local dentist out has ended with having an additional location at which I will be practicing dentistry. We have also welcomed a new Dr. to our Chamberlain Lane office who will also be working at the Eastern Parkway office. Dr. Kassandra Kulb has joined our staff and I am pleased to say she is one of the brightest and hardest working dentists I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with in private practice.

So I've been busy working at both offices this summer while Dr. Kulb became a new mother. We look forward to seeing her family grow as our dental family grows as well. I'm glad to have her back because in the interim I've been working nine and ten hour days taking care of both offices. She is here today at the office doing her normal, professional, confident version of dentistry that I love.

In other news its NFL season now. So Fantasy Football is in full swing and I'm happy I think I picked up a couple of good players in Eli Manning(oops not last night) and Cam Newton. As usual I also got My Steelers for Defense. This week is going to be a tough one because Tony Romo has already hit me for 35.

Today we are flashing back to last year listening to The Bird and the Bee cover Hall and Oates.

Sugar and Children's teeth

Parents often ask me about their children's tooth decay and juices and what they should drink. I am not a nutritionist and am in now way what one would call a "health food junkie" but what all evidence seems to point to is that as a country we have been affected by sugar in our diets. We know sugar causes tooth decay. It's a metabolic process of bacteria and and sugar that creates tooth decay. We can't remove the bacteria, only the sugar. We can remove the bacteria with our oral hygiene but in between brushing we eat and thus the need to control sugar.

I'm including a link to a very informative lecture on what sugar does to us and how we might begin to stop this childhood obesity and diabetes epidemic. This link was pointed out to me by an orthodontist friend of mine from Texas. His wife is a pediatric dentist and it is always very informative to talk dentistry with folks who see a lot of children day in and day out. Although my practice is almost fifteen percent pediatric patients and I take a lot of continuing education courses in pediatrics it is great to hear what happens in the practice of boots on the ground folks in the battle against childhood caries.

As long as there are companies benefiting from the selling of pop, juices, and other dangerous food items there will need to be a healthy debate about what we can and do feed our children.