Elkins Dental September 2018

PREPARE YOUR GARDEN

Autumn Steps for a Better Spring Garden

CHICKENWIRE After you’ve planted your bulbs, there’s a risk that uninvited guests will dig them up.There are a few ways you can ensure that your bulbs remain undisturbed throughout the fall. One way is to place chicken wire over your bulbs after they’ve been planted.This keeps rodents from digging them up and allows the plants to grow through the gaps in the wire. KEEP YOUR GARDENTIDY Once you’ve harvested your best fruits and vegetables, go back through and harvest the rest, even if you don’t plan to eat them. Make sure your garden is clear of old vegetables, fallen leaves, and weeds. Leaving decaying plants in or on top of the ground can spread diseases into the soil and attract unwanted pests to your garden. HEALTHY SOIL Pulling up weeds and all of your vegetables can help keep the earth free from rotting plants, but there are other steps you can take to ensure that your soil stays full of nutrients. Pick up a kit to test the pH levels of your soil. Most gardens thrive in soil with a pH of 6.5. Add compost to your soil supply now to give it time to break down during the winter months.

With fall just ahead, it’s a good time to think about your spring garden. For a beautiful garden next year, begin preparing

this fall. Here are a few ways to get a head start! PLANTING BULBS If you want beautiful flowers in April, you should start planting bulbs now. Many flower bulbs need to be in the ground before winter settles in; this helps activate the bulbs’ biochemical process that allows them to bloom. Getting the bulbs into the ground before it freezes allows their roots to grow deep enough to protect them from the biting winter weather. Among the flower bulbs you should plant soon are tulips, daffodils, irises, and hyacinths.

Melissa Goes Above and Beyond for Patients

different experience than any other office.” According to her, it’s not that way everywhere. “Having been an assistant for a long time, you get used to patients leaving upset.That’s not the case here.They set the bar high to make this a really great experience.” Awesome coworkers are also part of what makes this a great place to visit and work. Melissa has great things to say about the people she works with: “Robin is a great manager, and working with Dr. Elkins is amazing.They put a lot of time into training, put a lot of trust in us, and then allow us to do our jobs. Everyone works well together. We are always thinking about how what we do affects the other person.” After work, Melissa is most likely spending time with her family, often outdoors. She and her husband have three kids, and they all love getting outside to fish, hike, or hunt. With two boys and a girl, Melissa appreciates what each one brings to the family. “Boys are so fun and a lot of energy — they love hard,” she admits. When their youngest, Avonlea, was born, Melissa was excited to have someone to enjoy other activities with, like manicures. As for Cody and Stetson, they think she’s the greatest thing ever. It sounds like a happy family. We’re so glad to have Melissa on our team and we know you will be too!

As our financial coordinator at Elkins Dental, Melissa is a wiz at taking care of all things money-related. She goes above and beyond to make sure our patients’ questions are answered and helps with tricky insurance information. In Melissa’s words, “I always like to make sure patients understand what they’re looking at. It’s their dental care, their health care. It’s the most important thing to know about. It’s my biggest goal when I talk to anyone — to get them the most accurate, helpful information possible.”

Melissa’s expertise comes from years of working in the dentistry field, from starting as a dental assistant to working for an orthodontist. After taking a few years off to be at home with her children, she wanted to return to dental work, and when she met the Elkins Dental team, she knew right away it was the perfect fit. For Melissa, what makes Elkins Dental exceptional is the quality of care and attention to detail. “The staff really make sure this is a

2 | Elkins Dental

Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker