Thank You!

Well the 2nd annual Spring Fling Dental Hygiene Expo was a smashing success. I really appreciate your eagerness to participate and learn. Knowledge is the most powerful thing that we all can possess. I learn from you as much as I hope to teach to you.

Thank you to Noel for speaking to us about Meth Mouth and the damaging effects that this and other drugs can have on the body and families of those we love. Unfortunately, someone we know will be affected by this and other terrible issues.

I really look forward to any questions that you might have and will try to answer the questions that you submitted very soon. If there is anything that I can do to help you out, whether with your patients or anything else, don't hesitate to give me a call.

Thanks again.

Get Ready for Spring Fling 2009

May 1st! Mark it on your calenders and get you registration in pronto! You know or have heard how fabulous the meeting was last year and this year is going to be as good or better. A great chance for knowledge, friendship, and CE, mixed in with some fun for all.

We want to get the science mixed with practical knowledge so that you can go back to work and practice what is preached. Go to www.everythingdentalhygiene.com and register now! Spaces are already filling up fast. Don't wait because there is limited seating available.

See you then!

Dental Hygiene Equipment Tip

I want to give a tip every now and then about what makes my job easier. I have found that a couple of extra instruments added to your daily maintenance kits and your SRP kits can make all the difference.

Files are a necessary part to any routine, even if you are a big time ultrasonic user. There are a couple of different names or brands, but I like Hirschfeld Files. They can fit into tight spaces very nicely without extra damage. The can be used to access deep areas without having to completely numb an area. They give you added tactile sensitivity when used with a light touch.

Give yourself or your hygienists a Christmas present and add these or similar files and your patients will like things better.

Being Thankful!

I want to first thank everyone for their interest in increasing their knowledge on how best to help patients. I try to be fun and informative with a variety of things. Some are for my own interests, but most are for yours and your patients.

I cherish your friendship and your support more than anything. Working as a family we can take care of many people and help them to be more health aware and take better care of themselves.

Take some time this holiday season to enjoy yourself and your family. Time and the little things in life are precious commodities that we can't ever get enough of. Also take the time to give to others during this time of need. There are many less fortunate people in the world and in our own communities. It is our responsibility as caring people to help others. In doing so you'll get back 100 times more than you will give.

Say prayers for our loved ones and our health. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Don't Panic

It has been a little bit of time since I've posted here, so today I'm going to give some advice. Most of you know that my hobby is investing and financial matters, and I think that individuals should be very involved in their own futures.

We've heard a lot of talking heads about the economy and personal finances lately. This doesn't really help, it only causes a panic. Unless you are just about to retire, you should be thinking that this time is a great time to be able to invest. Everything you do now will shape your future.

We must cut our personal spending to keep things within our means and normal expenses. Don't be frivolous now! We must personally save more money every month into a savings account for that rainy day. Think of it as a bill that you have to pay yourself every month. It doesn't matter how big or small the amount is, just do it without question. Automatic deposits this way are the best.

Once you do that you must pay down your debt. When the economy is in trouble, you must contract yourself and get rid of things that are extraneous, that includes debt. Start with credit card debt first and then cars and finally the house. Being debt free is a great advantage.

Begin to look at stocks, bonds, and mutual funds like you would if you were investing your own money into buying a company. If you blindly put your future money with someone you don't know without making them accountable, don't expect that money to be there in the future when you want to retire and when you need it.

Why do I spend as much time as I do on knowing the financial world? It's important to know what is going on in the world so that we are better informed to talk with our patients about issues and so we can relate to them when we are recommending treatments. It is also better to take care of yourself. If you are financially secure, then your stress and worry are way less so you can concentrate on your day to day tasks.

Take care and be smart!

Great Time Was Had By All

I want to thank everyone for coming to the Hygiene Boot Camp 2008. I also want to thank Deanne White and Invisalign for being there. I think at meetings like these, I receive more from you than I can possibly give to you. The hygiene community in Oklahoma is a great crowd and highly committed to making themselves and their careers special.

I want everyone to look forward to many years of great adventures with our family learning together. I want to challenge everyone to challenge me to present to you things that you can use to help your careers to be fulfilled and your patients be healthy.

Thank you again!

Gingival Augmentation

Greetings everyone and I hope that you had a wonderful weekend. Summer is over for the most part and now we are into the year-end push. I don't know about you, but it seems that most people base their year based on major holidays or vacations. It's easier to compartmentalize your brain into smaller segments to get your goals accomplished.

Most of you who know me know that I'm a pretty simple person and try to view the world and the tasks of the world that way. You will make fewer mistakes and have fewer troubles if you break everything into small packages. Better organization.

Bear with me, I'll get to the title. Dentistry is no different when it comes to organization. The most efficient and productive offices know that organized systems and procedures make for nicer days, nicer patients, and more productivity.

How does a talk about organization lead to gum grafts? There are a ton of different ways to do grafts, and a lot of reasons to do them. All grafting can be put into one big category which is to make things thicker and stronger. When we have thin tissues, either bone or soft tissue, we have a lot more problems. With thin tissues you will have more inflammation, infection, bone loss, tooth loss, crooked teeth, recession, etc. You all know the problems associated with these issues.

The role of gingival grafting is simply to restore lost structure and prevent further loss. Grafting of gum tissue has been around for a while. And since 1985, root coverage grafting has been achieved successfully. This is important for all of the reasons that were previously mentioned, in addition to successful restorative outcomes and prevention of root decay, which is one of the most common types of decay for your older population.

Grafting of the tissue can be taken from either the palate or a package. In our office we use donor tissue most of the time. In my experience, it works better, is easier to work with, the patient has much less trauma, the matching of tissue is better due to the technique, and the overall experience is less stressful.

That's how it relates to the organization part in the beginning!

So with your patients, look at the gums and recommend grafting. It no longer has to be done the old painful palatal way if it is not necessary.