February 21, 2013

Moms Schedule Wisdom Teeth Removal During Spring Break

Dr. Chilcoat @ 1:45 pm

Being a mom is a thankless job a lot of the time.  It’s a good thing we don’t do it for recognition, we do it out of love!  Raising teenagers is especially trying, especially when it comes to balancing what they want with what they need.  Although you probably won’t be nominated for  the “Mom of the Year” award when you schedule your teenager for wisdom teeth removal surgery, you can make sure that the experience is as easy and as painless as possible for both you and your teen.

This time of year, we at Texas Wisdom Teeth and Dental Implants start seeing a lot of teenagers whose dentists and orthodontists have recommended wisdom tooth surgery in order to prevent dental crowding, gum disease and other dental conditions.  Because having wisdom teeth extracted most often involves a period of recovery time and at least one day missed from school, we find that school breaks like Spring Break and Summer Vacation are especially popular times for teens to have the third molars removed.

This year, most Dallas area school districts are closed for the Spring holiday from March 11-15.  We are reserving extra time for wisdom teeth patients during Spring Break, and are scheduling these appointments now.  Here is what your teen can expect when it’s time to have their wisdom teeth extracted:

  • Easy scheduling!  We can work with your schedule to make a plan that works for you and your student.
  • Our caring and friendly team understands the fear and apprehension many people experience when facing oral surgery.  We know nobody WANTS to have oral surgery, but we can help make it easy and comfortable.
  • Sleep through it!  Our patients appreciate being able to sleep right through their oral surgery, never having to deal with injections, noise or anything remotely uncomfortable during treatment.
  • Knowledgeable clinicians and staff to answer all your questions and help you understand your treatment.
  • Acceptance of most dental insurance plans to help you save the most money on oral surgery.
  • Special “one low fee” pricing on wisdom teeth surgery for patients who don’t have the benefit of insurance coverage for the procedure.
  • Interest free financing for oral surgery procedures
  • Personalized patient care that keeps you in control.  Your teen can choose their own pre and post operative entertainment, select their favorite flavor for exam gloves and they will even get to choose their favorite ice cream upon their in-office recovery from surgery.

If you know you have to schedule your student for oral surgery or wisdom teeth extraction this spring, don’t wait until it’s upon us, go ahead and make your reservation now in order to take advantage of our special rates, extended schedule and the fact that they won’t miss any school.

We’re here when you are ready!

 

 

 

January 16, 2013

My Week In Nairobi On a Dental Clinic Mission (Part Two)

Dr. Chilcoat @ 3:19 pm
Smiling happy faces in Nairobi

The smiling, happy faces of some of the children.

What a life changing experience to spend a week living with and serving some amazing people in one of the most wild and beautiful places on Earth!  Nairobi is a place of stark contrast. Beautiful scenery, amazing wildlife, old culture and traditions are set against some of the most destitute of living conditions.  It is a place of very few means.  Cities are filled with slums unlike anything we see in the United States.  Houses are fashioned from scrap, one on top of the other.  Many have no windows, only skylights made from water bottles, allowing slivers of light into the tiny homes.  In the midst of the dirt streets littered with debris, the scrappy shacks and a small river of something (I don’t want to think about what it is) running through the middle of the street I am struck by the colorful beauty and joyful attitude of the people here.  Handmade dresses in bright, colorful patterns, smiling faces, the beauty and elegance of the people seems out of place in such a rough setting.

So, You Think You Are Poor?

My first impression upon taking it all in:  Here in the U.S. if you think you are poor, if you lament your life because you don’t

The second largest slum in Nairobi

Traversing the streets in Nairobi's second largest slum.

have an I-pad or a BMW; If you think you are struggling to make ends meet, you are still rich.  You have not seen poor anywhere back home, not like this. How blessed we are, and how few of us appreciate our good fortune.

While poor, the Kenyans I met in Nairobi are not to be pitied.  Life has a different meaning when material wealth is taken from the equation.  People give of themselves, lend their skills and talents to others freely.  People smile and laugh, not because they have just upgraded their cell phone, but because they are successful at life in a way that so many of us fail.  They have joy in their lives.  They have a sense of community.  They live to see another year, and appreciate it.

Dentistry Under Armed Guard

I don’t mean to romanticize my experience too much. There are unpleasant realities on the prowl in Nairobi, as is true in most depressed and poor areas of the world.  Traveling through town, through the slums, and to and from my host’s home every day, armed security is required.  The organizers of the dental outreach clinic will allow work only during the daylight hours, and caution strongly against venturing out on your own.  The clinic itself has armed guards providing security at all times.

The True Recipients of Gifts

Dr Robert A. Weinstein on dental mission in Kenya

Dr. Weinstein, Dr. Hyodo, Dr. J. Weinstein

I was the guest of one of the dental clinic organizers, Dr. Michael Hyodo, who keeps a residence nearby.  Dr. Hyodo is the Director of World Ministries International, and runs dental clinics in Nairobi. His support and efforts helped make this dental outreach clinic the largest in Kenya’s history.  During the entire week that we were there, the mood and the feeling, everywhere you went, was like a holiday.  People were happy and excited that we were there.  Some of the dental patients had never seen a dentist before, and didn’t even own a toothbrush. People came from near and far in droves to attend the free clinic.

I spent most of my time working in the clinic with dental students, passing along some of my decades of experience to a new generation of dentists. I learned how to make surgical caps in the sewing room, and brought back a few as souvenirs. Having something to offer people here means something. Giving something as simple as the dental care we take for granted, or some of your time, is good for your soul. Hundreds of people were helped through this dental clinic, but the true recipients of the gifts were all of us who were a part of it.

Interested in supporting dental outreach around the world?  Contact Dr. Robert A. Weinstein.

 

photo collage from Nairobi, Kenya Dental Outreach Clinic

More photos from the Dental Mission Trip

 

 

 

October 24, 2012

Dental Emergencies Always Seem to Happen At the Exact Wrong Time

Dr. Chilcoat @ 11:40 am

Tips For Coping With The Cost of Tooth Extraction

Emergency Tooth ExtractionAs a working mom, scout leader and a parent with kids in multiple activities, my day is pretty busy.  In fact, I rarely get the chance to slow down long enough to catch my breath these days.  If you’re like me, when life moves at a speed less than 100 miles per hour, it almost feels like something is wrong.

My life is definitely a far cry from “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”, in fact it plays out more like “Lifestyles of the Stressed and Over committed”.  If you can relate, then this post is for you.

As an oral surgery professional, I’ve learned a few things that are absolute truths when it comes to tooth extractions, dental emergencies and the unexpected.

Your Teeth Will Almost Always Choose the Most Inconvenient Time to Rebel Against You

If you have a big life event coming up soon, are traveling out of the country or getting married, you might want to schedule a dental check- up before the big day.  For some reason, painful or unsightly dental emergencies such as an abscessed tooth, fractured tooth or broken dental crown always seem to happen right before a big event.  Perhaps it’s the added stress surrounding the event which exacerbates an existing problem.  One thing is for certain when it comes to tooth extractions- they are almost never expected by the patients.  It also seems extremely predictable that problems such as toothaches, swelling and abscess begin late on Friday nights, causing their victims to cope with pain and discomfort all weekend long until their dentist office opens on Monday morning.  If this happens to you, my advice is to go ahead and call your dentist’s emergency phone number for help and instructions.  If you need to have the tooth extracted, and must be referred to an oral surgeon like Dr. Robert A. Weinstein ask your dentist to call on your behalf to schedule the appointment.  Your dentist can relate the urgency of your situation much more clearly to the oral surgeon’s office.  The chances of getting a same-day appointment for your tooth extraction increase significantly when your dentist makes the call.  Our Dallas Oral Surgery practice makes it our policy to schedule same day tooth extraction appointments whenever possible in any urgent situation.

 

An Emergency Tooth Extraction Will Happen When Your Wallet is Thinnest

If you have just returned from an expensive vacation, just paid for your daughter’s wedding or have just maxed out your benefits under your dental plan, watch out, because these are financial circumstances which seem to set you up for requiring emergency oral surgery or a tooth extraction.  Again, schedule an appointment with your dentist every 6 months to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.  Catching problems before they become emergencies is the best way to avoid unexpected costs with tooth extraction.  If an emergency does happen, and you find yourself at the oral surgeon’s office with a big toothache and a thin wallet, don’t panic.  Good communication with the business office team is the key to success in this situation.  You would be surprised at the financial resources available to dental patients.  Communicate honestly with the business office team about your limitations.  Ask for options available for deferred payment, interest-free financing and taking advantage of insurance benefits or health savings accounts.  At our North Dallas oral surgery practice, we never want to see a patient leave our office in pain… we’re here to help.  There are several options available to patients who find themselves short on cash and long on dental pain.  Some examples which may be available to you are:

  • Interest free financing through Care Credit
  • ACH checking account withdrawls (monthly payments)
  • Insurance Discounts (Get The Most Out of Your Dental Plan)
  • Cash payment discounts
  • Payment by HAS

schedule an appointment for oral surgeryIf you find yourself in an emergency dental situation, don’t delay and don’t try to treat yourself at home.  Another thing I’ve learned in oral surgery is that teeth don’t repair themselves and nothing takes care of pain as quickly as eliminating the source of it.

For emergency tooth extraction, oral surgery and dental implants information, contact Dr. Robert Weinstein and his helpful, compassionate team at Texas Wisdom Teeth and Dental Implants.

To apply for dental financing through Care Credit, click here.

 

 

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