Take a look at our March newsletter!
March 2021
THE HEIGHTS SM I L E Herald
5825 Lande r b rook Dr i ve , Su i t e 124 , May f i e l d He i gh t s , OH 44124
( 440 ) 483 - 1003
A Day in the Life of a Dentist CELEBRATING NATIONAL DENTIST’S DAY
One thing I appreciate, too, is making sure every day is planned out as much as possible. You know where you start and you know where you want to finish. Ideally, the day follows that planned course. The reality is usually very different, however. There are always going to be things that come up that weren’t on the agenda — someone may call with a toothache, or a patient may call in telling us they’re feeling under the weather and need to reschedule their appointment. But that’s okay! While we might not know exactly how our day is going to play out, it keeps us on our toes. But the more we plan, the easier it is to stay focused. And it’s not just the clinical stuff. You never know who in the office might get a call from their kid who isn’t feeling well or who needs to be picked up from school. There’s always a lot of family stuff that needs to be taken care of as well. It goes along with our motto: “Family first, office second.” If anyone needs to take time off for their family, whether it’s one hour or a few days, we’re here for them. Everyone is ready and willing to pick up any slack to make sure any team member can take care of their family, no matter what their needs may be. In between appointments and patient work, we check on lab cases and follow up with patients who had procedures done in specialty offices (such as extractions or root canals). We ask if they have any questions or concerns or need anything. Or we may follow up with patients who are getting ready to move to their next step of treatment.
Behind the scenes, we may check up on any new rules or regulations from the Department of Health. Over the last year, there have been plenty of changes and updates to keep track of, so we stay on top of it. There are also a ton of administrative things to take care of. They say it takes a village — and that’s very true of a dental office. Everyone is essential in order to make sure everything from patient care to scheduling gets taken care of. At the end of the day, I use my commute to decompress. That way, by the time I get home, I can help plan dinner and make sure the kids have their homework done. Or, if the kids need to get somewhere for a practice or a game, I’ll make sure that’s squared away, too. My ideal way to wind down at the very end of the day is with a cup of chamomile tea and an old episode of “Law & Order.” As old school as it sounds, I have the series on DVD. I pop in a disk and sit back and relax. I don’t think I’ll be running out of episodes anytime soon. In all honesty, I look forward to getting into the office every single day. I love that nearly every day has plenty of surprises that keep me on my toes. But I also look forward to when the job is done and I go home. It’s wonderful to be able to look forward to both work and home life. -Dr. Jason Schermer
National Dentist’s Day is March 6. It’s a day all about dentists, and it goes hand in hand with Dental Assistants Recognition Week (March 7–13)! In recognition of National Dentist’s Day, I thought I would put together a write-up on a day in the life of your friendly neighborhood dentist: me! It starts at about 5:20 a.m. when the alarm goes off. My wife joins me as we get ready for work, and I feed the cats and give our diabetic cat an insulin shot. As I get ready, I typically make lunch for myself and our middle child — my wife has already made lunch for the youngest, and our oldest has everything figured out. Then, it’s off to work! On my way there, I usually listen to a podcast to help me prepare for the upcoming day. Once at the office, I get ready for our morning huddle, brew some coffee, and take care of scheduling. When we officially open for the day, we start getting phone calls and texts from patients who are ready for their appointments. Calling and texting ahead allows us to make sure everyone follows social distancing rules and stays extra safe.
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AN EASY WAY TO DRINK MORE WATER AND AVOID DEHYDRATION
Dehydration is a big problem. Many people don’t drink enough water each day — some reports show that 75% of adults in the United States don’t drink enough water, and over a quarter are dehydrated. Though those statistics aren’t widely agreed upon, it’s obvious that most people need more fluids. Even if it feels like you’re drinking a lot of water, remember that water leaves your body every time you sweat, go to the bathroom, and even breathe. Not keeping up with proper water intake can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can cause health problems and impact your brain, heart, skin, and other organs, which can lead to headaches, confusion, fatigue, and gastrointestinal distress. We all know the solution to dehydration is to drink more water, but exactly how much water do we need each day? The amount will differ depending on the person, but one simple way to approximate your necessary daily intake is by dividing your body weight in half and drinking that much water (in fluid ounces)
each day. For example, if you weigh 175 pounds, you’d need to drink 87.5 fluid ounces — over half a gallon — of water per day.
That might seem like a lot of liquid, but you can easily drink it without trying too hard. All you have to do is be proactive: Start keeping water any place you frequent during the day. Keep a bottle in your car, at your desk, by your favorite chair, near your workout equipment, etc. Having water easily available in the places you spend the most time each day helps increase your chances of actually drinking it. An alternative approach is to purchase a giant jug that can hold all the water you need to drink in a day. Seeing it all in one place might be intimidating at first, but this method makes things very simple. Keep the jug close, and your water intake will likely increase without too much additional effort. And if you’re just not motivated to drink plain water, you can always add sugar-free flavoring or lemon to make it more enticing.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “I was thoroughly impressed from check-in to checkout. The entire staff was very professional and explained exactly what was happening every step of the process. This was my first visit to Exceptional Smiles as my dentist retired. They showed me how my previous dentist was complacent with my dental care. I now have a plan put together to get me back on track. My hygienist did a great job of letting me know what was next and how my appointment would play out with my cleaning and X-rays. I could not have been happier.” -Lori C.
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RECOGNIZING OUR DENTAL ASSISTANTS
IT’S HARDWORK!
As we mentioned in the cover article, Dental Assistants Recognition Week is March 7–13! Dental assistants are a crucial part of each appointment because they help keep things running smoothly and provide so much help to dentists. So, to honor Dental Assistants Recognition Week, we wanted to highlight a couple of our great assistants! Alyssa: “As a dental assistant, I’m tasked to not only assist the doctor during appointments, but also help patients when it comes to the treatment itself. Oftentimes, patients have questions or concerns about the treatment that has been recommended. It’s important to put patients’ minds at ease and get them prepared for the appointment prior to the doctor coming in. “The thing I enjoy most about assisting is building relationships with my patients. Building relationships also makes them feel more comfortable and welcome. I will also be graduating from Case Western in a few months and will soon be able to place fillings for the doctor, which I am really excited for!”
Erika: “Every day is different for a dental assistant, which is not a bad thing! Being a dental assistant at Exceptional Smiles, I’m trusted by the doctors to prepare rooms and make sure I have everything ready for them before patients arrive. I’m also trusted by patients to help them feel comfortable. This has meant even more during the pandemic. It’s our top priority to help patients feel as safe as possible in the office. “My favorite part about dental assisting is connecting with the patients. There are some procedures that take multiple visits, and during these visits, there are down times where you can really learn a lot about each patient, including their interests and topics that you can both relate to, which makes these visits less stressful. Dental assisting can be challenging, but helping patients and being trusted with something as important as their smile — and confidence in themselves — is what makes this job worth it!”
Green Goddess Smoothie
BAD DAD JOKE OF THE MONTH
If you’re looking to get your green on, why not try this light smoothie?
Because real rocks are too heavy. Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day?
Ingredients •
1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• • • • •
1 organic apple, peeled and chopped
1 medium frozen banana
1 1/2 cups fresh organic spinach
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 medium avocado
Directions 1. In a large, high-powered blender, add in all ingredients. 2. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, or until all ingredients are well combined. 3. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. 4. Serve immediately and enjoy! Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com
If you would like your favorite joke featured, email Office@ExceptionalSmiles.com . You may see it in our next issue!
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exceptionalsmiles.com
(440) 483-1003
INSIDE 5825 Landerbrook Drive, Suite 124 Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
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A Day in the Life of a Dentist!
How to Easily Increase Your Water Intake
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What People Are Saying About Us
Celebrating Dental Assisting!
Green Goddess Smoothie
3 Irish Travel Destinations for Your Bucket List
3 Irish Travel Destinations for Your Bucket List DON’T MISS THESE HISTORIC SPOTS!
Traveling to Ireland might not be an option for you right now, but like a leprechaun hoarding gold, you can still fill up your bucket list with all of the pubs, rolling hills, and lucky sites you’d love to see. This month when you’re planning your trip to Dublin, Galway, or Cork, add these spots to your itinerary.
Spanish flu, odds are good that it will make it through this, too! Soon, you’ll be able to raise a glass in the same rooms where the noblemen of nearby Athlone Castle shared drinks in the 12th century. Find more historical tidbits at SeansBar.ie.
house, murder hole room, and bloody chapel at LeapCastle.net and meet the many ghosts that haunt its halls.
A Famous Smugglers’ Shortcut Newcastle, County Down
Ireland’s Spookiest Castle Coolderry, County Offaly
Get ready to tie up your hiking boots! This roughly 2-mile hike, called Hare’s Gap, is one of the most famous and beautiful routes in Ireland. When you climb through this pass in the Mourne Mountains, you’ll be rewarded with views of glacial cliffs, boulder fields, and ancient-looking stone walls. Legend has it that the pass was part of the Brandy Pad smuggling route, used to ferry goods like soap, leather, spices, and coffee.
The Oldest Bar in the World Athlone, County Westmeath
If you’re a fan of thrillers and true crime podcasts, you won’t want to leave Ireland without visiting Leap Castle. This 16th-century haunt was built by the fierce O’Bannon clan, who famously ordered two brothers to throw themselves off a rocky cliff as a test of strength. The survivor was named clan chief, and later Leap Castle was built on that very site — beginning its long and bloody history. Read more about its haunted priest’s
When Sean’s Bar closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire country of Ireland groaned. The pub is famous for its Irish whiskey, music, and history, which stretches back to 900 A.D., far enough to earn it the title of “Oldest Bar in the World.” As of this writing, Sean’s is slated to reopen when it’s safe again, and considering it has already survived the bubonic plague and the
Safe travels, and ádh mór (good luck)!
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