This July I turned 50. Many of my patients have already enjoyed joining with my staff reminding me daily of the fact! As I reach the half way point in my life I have been spending time reflecting on WHY I do what I do.
Why do I get up each workday? Why do I spend my day as your dentist? Why do I ask my staff to work with me? The answer was very easy to find.
I come to work as your dentist everyday to help you stay as healthy as I possibly can. I want you to have pink, healthy gums – infection and bacteria free.
I want you to have your own teeth with which to chew food comfortably and nutritionally for all of your lifetime. And, if you have lost any teeth, I want to replace them with new teeth so that you can chew comfortably and nutritionally for all of your lifetime.
And, finally, I want you to have a smile that reflects your individual personality. Because when you smile with a confident, healthy, clean smile the world takes notice. I want you to have that smile for a lifetime.
When I was in dental school, I visited my grandmother in a retirement home. I remember so vividly sitting across the table and noticing that she had so many missing teeth as she talked.
I asked my mom, her daughter, where her teeth were; as I knew she had removable partial dentures (false teeth). My mom told me that grandma’s teeth did not fit well and that she could not keep them in. She preferred not to talk with them “falling about” and she could not use them to eat meals.
My grandmother only had a couple of her front teeth and none of her chewing teeth in the back. She should not have spent her final years unable to enjoy a fundamental pleasantry such as eating a meal with friends and family…not to mention the nutritional detriment to her overall health because she could not completely chew her food.
Statistics show that people who live a lifetime with comfortable, healthy, functional teeth live longer, healthier, happier lives! It is true. And, it is what I want for all of my patients.
When I say keep your gums pink and healthy, your chewing teeth comfortably functioning and your smile confident for a lifetime, I mean it!
I plan on working for a long time to come. I love taking care of my patient’s health. When you visit my dental practice you should feel my concern for your overall health and my desire to help you enjoy chewing nutritional foods and smiling for all your lifetime.
