Take a look at the latest edition of Straight Talk!
Q2 2021
551 HARRISON BRIDGE RD., SIMPSONVILLE, SC 29680 | 864-336-2965 | WWW.MARSHALL-ORTHODONTICS.COM STRAIGHT TALK
Say ‘Cheese!’ WE’RE GIVING AWAY 2 FREE PHOTO SESSIONS
Way back in February 2020, before all of the COVID-19 chaos, I hired Davey Morgan Photography to take photos of the Marshall Orthodontics office. Davey spent the day here photographing the inside and outside of our building and shooting snapshots of our staff. Right away, I was impressed by his warm, upbeat personality. When the photos came back, our whole team was blown away by his talent! I thought about Davey’s photography business again this Spring when the weather warmed up. Simpsonville is picture- perfect right now — and one day when I was outside enjoying it, inspiration struck. I realized that for our next contest at the office, no prize could be better than an outdoor family photo session with Davey! So, I made it happen. As of April 1, you can enter to win a FREE one-hour photo session by referring a friend or family member to us for orthodontic treatment. Entering takes three easy steps: 1. Pick up a contest card from our office and pass it on to your friend or family member. 2. Remind them to bring the card to their first appointment. 3. Sit back and reap your rewards! If your name and the name of the person you refer to us is drawn from the pot on June 30, each of you will win a free photo session! Each session is a $350 value, so this is a $700 grand prize you can claim with just five
minutes of work. The session will be extremely safe. You can choose your location, and Davey will wear a mask and keep a safe distance the whole time. Afterward, you can view your photos in an online gallery and order prints or canvases directly from the site. If you enter, keep an eye on our social media pages on July 1 for an announcement of the winners! I know not everyone loves having their photo taken, but I promise Davey will make the whole experience stress-free. He and his wife, Marissa, have photographed more than 250 weddings and thousands of families. They’ve also won awards from Nikon, WeddingWire, and more for a grand total of 26. If anyone can cajole a squirmy kid into sitting still or capture the perfect moment on a windy day, it’s those two. If you want to learn more about Davey Morgan Photography, scan the QR code on this page. It will take you straight to his website, where you can check out some of the beautiful photos he and Marissa have taken over the years. Good luck and happy “cheese”-ing! – Dr. William Marshall
All photos: Davey Morgan Photography
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WITH 3 FUN EARTH DAY PROJECTS SPROUT YOUR KIDS’ IMAGINATION
ONE FOR THE BIRDS Making a pine cone bird feeder is a fun and inexpensive project. In addition to creating and hanging your bird feeder, you’ll get hours of extra entertainment from watching the birds it will attract to your yard. If your kids are older, take photos of the birds or note their colors and features and look them up in a field guide or online. This craft just requires a pine cone (the bigger the better), peanut butter, and some twine or string. Top the peanut butter with “sprinkles” of mixed birdseed or small pieces of nuts and fruit to appeal to even more birds. For full instructions, visit TheSpruce.com and search “pine cone bird feeder.”
AN EGG-CELLENT PLANTER Save those eggshells from breakfast (and the paper carton, too!) and use them to start a garden! Your little ones will enjoy planting some seeds, watering them, and watching them sprout and grow into something new. When the sprouts are big enough and it’s warm enough outside, you can plant the shell and carton directly into the ground! This easy project just requires rinsed eggshell halves, some lightly moistened potting soil, and seeds of your choosing. Note that smaller seeds, like those for herbs, lettuces, peppers, or tomatoes, work best for this project. For full instructions, visit GardenBetty.com and search “starting seeds in eggshells.”
STICK WITH MAGIC Nature is a magical place. Many kids know this instinctively and often point out things adults take for granted or overlook, like bright-colored leaves, fun-shaped rocks, and acorn “hats.” Making a nature wand is a great way to let your kids explore their environment, whether that’s in your backyard, on a neighborhood walk, or in your favorite park. Let their imaginations run wild with what their magic wand can do! This simple project starts with a stick and masking tape. Your kids add all the extra flair by hunting for natural treasures and sticking them onto their wand. Complete instructions can be found at LaughingKidsLearn.com/ nature-wands-outdoor-play .
Meet Our Fantastic 4! THESE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERHEROES KEEP OUR OFFICE RUNNING
The fictional superhero team the Fantastic Four includes the Human Torch, The Thing, the Invisible Woman, and Mr. Fantastic. While we don’t have any of those superheroes on staff here at Marshall Orthodontics, we can claim our own Fantastic 4: Celeste Starks, Emily Farmer, Haley Oie, and Sara Jennings. These kick-butt women make up our administrative team and do the heroic work of keeping our office open. Between them, they handle all of our incoming phone calls and do the challenging work of scheduling patients, answering billing and insurance questions, moving appointments, and keeping our office supplies stocked. They’re also the first people our patients see when they arrive and the ones who take care of them until they reach the orthodontics chair. Patient coordinator Emily is our newest recruit. She joined the team’s ranks last September and has been coordinating like a boss ever since. To highlight the Fantastic Four this month, we asked
each of them to share a “fun fact” about their lives. Based on these tidbits, what do you think their superpowers would be?
• Haley: “My family has a ‘castle’ in
Norway. The only way to get to it is to fly by float plane, and it has giant trolls at the entrance.”
• Sara: “I’m expecting my rainbow baby, Brody, on June 1.”
• Emily: “I’m the youngest girl out of 17 grandkids.”
• Celeste: “I was born with two extra pinkies for a total of 12 fingers.”
Personally, we think all four of these women would make iconic comic book heroes (or villains)! Next time you come in for an appointment, say hello and share your story ideas — you just might make their day.
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Should You Take Dental Advice from TikTok? 3 Trends to Try, and 3 to Avoid As a general rule, it’s best to take everything on the internet with a grain of salt. That includes the tips, tricks, and hacks proliferating on apps like Instagram and TikTok. As your mom might say, “Just because your friend jumped off the [TikTok dental trend] bridge doesn’t mean you should too!” Mom advice aside, it’s easy to be lured in by the siren song of a 30-second video that promises a smile that’s whiter, brighter, and straighter. The problem is that many of these “hacks” were invented by bored teenagers, not dentists. Some of them, like the three below, even cross over from ineffective to straight-up dangerous. 1. Using a nail file to smooth your teeth will definitely take off rough edges, but it can also damage your enamel and even expose nerves. You could end up with stained teeth and/or extreme sensitivity. 2. Bleaching your teeth with hydrogen peroxide is also a bad move. Too much exposure to this common bathroom product can actually cause cancer. 3. DIY braces are almost as unwise. TikTokers love to show the rubber bands they’ve used to shift their teeth, but in reality, if you put pressure in the wrong place, you could end up losing a tooth.
On the other hand, there are a few TikTok trends and hacks that are safe to try at home.
1. The “American Girl Doll Teeth” trend can be an interesting experiment. Popularized when a fan “burned” “The Bachelorette” contestant Bennett Jordan, this trend involves comparing your front teeth to the prominent chompers of the “Samantha” American Girl doll. At best, the results will crack you up, and at worst, they’ll leave you feeling a little self-conscious. 2. DIY toothpaste is much safer than DIY braces and could actually save you money! This hack has gained traction as a plastic-free, “natural” alternative to toothpaste tubes. If you go for it, choose a recipe with dentist-approved ingredients and without anything abrasive or acidic. 3. Taking a Waterpik for a test drive could also benefit your teeth. The jets of water these automatic flossers produce are video-worthy, but they also do a great job of clearing plaque and food debris from spots traditional floss can’t reach.
BEST Upstate of the
Marshall Orthodontics is nominated in the Best Orthodontist category! We’re so honored by all of the support we’ve gotten from our community — and it’s time for the final push. We will be sending out emails and posting on social media about where and how to vote! Voting runs from May 14 to May 30 — so what are you waiting for? It’s time to make your voice heard! Vote for Us for Best of the Upstate!
Itching to try a trend that isn’t on this list? Talk to your dentist before you take the plunge.
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864-336-2965 WWW.MARSHALL-ORTHODONTICS.COM
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551 HARRISON BRIDGE RD., SIMPSONVILLE, SC 29680
THIS ISSUE INSIDE
1 2 2 3 3 4
Enter to Win a FREE Family Photo Session!
3 Fun Earth Day Projects for Families
Meet Our Office’s Fantastic 4!
Vote for Us!
Should You Take Dental Advice from TikTok?
A Tail That Inspired Thousands
A Tail That Inspired Thousands Winter the Dolphin
Winter the dolphin was only 2 years old when rescuers found her with a crab trap line wrapped so tightly around her tail it was cutting off the circulation to her flukes. Unfortunately, this led to the eventual loss of her tail. In most cases, dolphins can’t survive without their flukes. When Winter first arrived at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, her caregivers worried about her overall health. The infection that had taken over her tail due to loss of circulation was spreading, and if it reached her spinal cord, they knew she would die. Fortunately, her spinal cord remained untouched. Winter adapted to her situation, but then a new problem arose. Without flukes, Winter began moving her body side-to- side to swim, which caused scoliosis in her spine. However, an expert created a custom prosthetic tail for her, enabling her to swim normally again without impacting her spine. Since then, Winter has thrived! The story of what Winter went through, her struggle to recover, and how she fought to live has inspired thousands of people. Children and adults who have lost their limbs or were born with disabilities travel from around the world to meet her. She encourages people to keep fighting, and many feel that if Winter could overcome her obstacles, they can, too. There was even a film made about her called “Dolphin Tale.” In fact, many of the scenes from the movie were shot at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Winter starred as herself. The film captures her triumphant story and chronicles how she inspires people around the world. To learn more about Winter, read inspirational stories, or donate to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, visit CMAquarium.org. And, of course, “Dolphin Tale” is a great film for your next movie night!
Photo: Clearwater Marine Aquarium
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