NEED FOR SPEED

There are many cars on the road today—many popular makes & models that top out at speeds of 150mph or so…and then there is a class of cars that is so unique and rare that they set themselves apart  from any other cars in the industry.  This elite set of cars has over 600 horsepower & can go zero to sixty in almost 3sec or less.  This elite set includes cars such as the Aston Martin One-77 with its 7 liter – V12 engine and 750hp (only 77 made & are already sold) and the Bugatti Veyron Supersport housing a quad turbo W16 engine and 1183hp!  And yes, that number is correct!

Most people lead busy lives, have jam-packed schedules and would love to purchase a car from the elite group-- if only to speed throughout life & accomplish more in a day.  For most, the purchase is unattainable, but the experience is not…let me explain.

I recently scheduled my annual eye check-up.  Nothing too involved, just a regular check-up.  I promptly arrived 5 minutes before my scheduled appointment and saw one name ahead of me, but a room full of people.  “This can’t be good,” I thought to myself.  I had rushed from work to make the appointment in the first place, and now I was waiting...and waiting…and waiting.  They continued to call names from others in the waiting room, & I continued to wait…50 minutes!  I had another appointment, so could not continue to wait & rescheduled my appointment.  (This was the first time I had to wait so long for my eye doctor, so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt & rescheduled.)  “This can’t be happening again”, I thought to myself-- The situation reminded me of my previous medical provider who consistently kept me waiting 45mins to 1.5hrs—for routine check-ups as well!  (Needless to say, I have since changed my medical provider to one who does not keep me waiting.)

As a dental provider, we have patients and we have a reception area.  We also know the level of commitment it takes to keep our patients in a ‘reception area’ vs a ‘waiting room’.  As a dental provider, we must live by a schedule daily and because of our negative experiences with other offices, we committed 2 years ago to never keep our patients waiting.  We know & understand how valuable our patients’ time is and respect their time so much that we committed to paying our patients if they have to wait.  Yes, you read correctly…we pay our patients if they wait. 

So do we have 1183 horsepower like the Bugatti Veyron Supersport?  No.  Do we have the speed of an Aston Martin One-77?  No.  But we DO have an entire team that has committed to doing everything in our power to stay on time & respect yours.  You won’t be able to purchase a Bugatti at our office, but we will certainly provide you with a Bugatti experience…just schedule an appointment and take us for a test drive:)

Why The Heck Do You Need To Know That?

When you come in for your dental visit, you may notice that we do a lot more than examine your teeth & gums.  One of the most important parts of your visit is when we ask you questions about your general health.  But many people have said to us:

"What does that have to do with my dental check up?"
The answer -- a lot!

More and more research is being published linking dental health to overall health, and at DeLand Smiles, we are concerned about both!

A recent study by Columbia University concluded that "Gum disease is an early complication of diabetes."  It continued to say, "70% of adults see a dentist at least once per year"-- this is a perfect opportunity to screen for diabetes and other diseases.  According to a recent article in The British Dental Journal, it works the other way around too, as gum disease can be a contributing factor in heart disease, oral cancer, and other illnesses.

Are you taking any medications, either prescription or over-the-counter?  Many of these can lead to dry mouth, gum inflammation, and other dental problems.  And it's even more complicated for women, as hormonal changes, pregnancy, and oral contraceptives can cause many changes in dental health. (Isn't everything more complicated for women?)

So the good news is, unlike a visit to your physician - you get to keep your clothes on and won't be poked and prodded anywhere other than your mouth!  But as you can see, it is extremely important that we know about your total physical health and any medications you are taking.  Not only can we save your teeth -- we may actually save your life!