Westchester's online newsletter for December 2017
2975 Westchester Avenue, Suite G02, Purchase, NY 10577
• www.oralsurgeryofwestchester.com
How Early Diagnosis Can Save Lives THE LUCKIEST UNLUCKY SITUATION
The holiday season is a time to be with family, and this year especially, I am grateful to have my family members with me. Just last month, my mother-in-law, Karen, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis was a huge shock. In late October, she started to suffer from vague abdominal symptoms. When she went in for a check-up, the doctor noticed she looked a little yellow, so they ordered some tests. The doctor suspected a gallstone blockage, but instead, they found a tumor.
an important step in catching cancer early is awareness. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center warns patients to be aware of the following risk factors when looking out for pancreatic cancer:
• Age: Almost 90 percent of pancreatic cancer cases occur in people aged 55 and older.
• Race and ethnicity: African-Americans are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than Asian-Americans, Caucasians, or Hispanics.
THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN HAVE IS THE HEALTH OF OUR LOVED ONES. “
This was a severe blow to our family. Karen has been healthy all her life, and she’s the sort of person who’s always vibrant and full of energy. Hearing she had pancreatic cancer was a chilling experience. Though I’d been exposed to many patients with cancer during medical school and residency, it is a completely different situation when it hits so close to home. In all the terrible news, there was one silver lining: The cancer had not yet spread far beyond the pancreas.
• Obesity: Individuals with a body mass index of 30 or higher have a greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to recent evidence. • Diabetes: Having Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, and in some people, the sudden onset of Type 2 diabetes may have been caused by pancreatic cancer.
• Chronic pancreatitis
Being located where it was, the tumor compressed her bile duct, and that is why her
• Tobacco use: Between 20–30 percent of all pancreatic
complexion turned yellow. Without the jaundice, this tumor, like most pancreatic cancers, would have gone undetected until it was very advanced. It is the luckiest of unlucky situations. Fortunately, an operation was still possible. Additionally, she happens to live in NewYork, allowing her access to one of the best cancer treatment facilities in the world —Memorial Sloan Kettering. Within a week of her diagnosis, Karen was in the operating room, being treated. When people hear the words “pancreatic cancer,” they interpret it as an immediate death sentence. Most of the time, they’re right. Only 1 in 5 pancreatic tumors are operable, which means 80 percent of patients are diagnosed with a case so advanced there’s nothing even the best doctors in the world can do about it. That said, if you are able to catch it early enough, as we were lucky to in this situation, there is hope. Understandably, we cannot visit our doctor everyweek and go through all the tests searching for cancer, nor should we. Existing in constant fear of cancer is no way to lead a healthy life. However,
cancers have been linked to smoking cigarettes.
The greatest gift we can have is the health of our loved ones. Karen’s operation was a success, and she was able to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family. While she’s not out of the woods yet, she has a fighting chance, and for that, we are incredibly grateful. It is a reminder that, even in the most troubling of times, hope is possible. If you believe you may be at risk for cancer — pancreatic or otherwise — then, for your sake and the sake of your loved ones, I encourage you to see a doctor and get tested. An early diagnosis might save your life.
Happy holidays to you all. May you and your loved ones find good health and happiness in the newyear.
Dr. Harrison L insky Westchester Office • 914-251-0313
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5 Networking Tips for Small-Business Owners
Successful networking benefits all business owners, whether they’re just getting started or trying to grow their business. These face- to-face meetings with other entrepreneurs, however, can be awkward and difficult for some people. Interfacing with industry leaders, experts, and like-minded CEOs doesn’t have to be anxiety-inducing, even if you’re naturally shy. Here are some tips to help you network more effectively at your next industry seminar or small-business conference. 1. Prepare Beforehand There are a few great ways to get yourself into the networking mindset before an event. You should have a few talking points ready. It shouldn’t sound like a formal presentation with bullet points. A fewwords about who you are, what you do, and why you do it will suffice. And you don’t want every word drilled 3 KILLER A tight-knit team benefits every business, regardless of size or industry. Every one of your employees is working toward a common goal, so a sense of camaraderie is crucial. As a leader, bringing your team together is one of the best investments you can make. What’s even better is that you don’t need to take everyone to Cancun to build real connections. Here are a few activities that will delight your staff without crushing your budget. Back-to-Back Drawing Team communication is vital to an effective workplace, so why not have a little fun testing that skill? Break your staff into groups of two, or do it by department if you have a larger workforce. Each pair sits back to back, and one is given an image to describe to their partner, but they cannot just say what the image is. The other
down. Remember, networking is not the same thing as a sales pitch. 2. Don’t Forget to Listen Networking works best when it’s a two-way street. You can’t expect somebody to listen to you for five minutes, only for you to head to the snack table as soon as they start telling you about their company in return. The mutually beneficial nature of networking allows for a conversation about business to become a platform for building a relationship. Odds are everyone at your conference is trying to network just as much as you are. 3. Have a Card, Seriously Imagine this scenario: You’re at a conference and you just finish up a fruitful, engaging conversation. The person you’re talking to hands over their business card, and you realize you don’t have one to provide in
return. Nobody wants to end up scribbling their contact information on a napkin. 4. Network From Home LinkedIn isn’t just for finding a job or screening employees. It can be a powerful networking tool for business owners. Because you can see the connections of your connections, it’s not hard to reach out to people in similar roles or industries. 5. Be Yourself Your personality and values should be an integral part of your business, and networking should be an honest conversation, even when the end goal is developing a business relationship. Be confident in who you are, and you’ll find that people will believe in your vision. solution, they’ll have the satisfaction of seeing their work put to the test. ACTIVITIES Top 5 Anything Introducing a new employee to your group can be a challenge. “What’s your name?” and “Where are you from?” are boring questions and don’t really let someone express themselves. A great way to let a new employee share a passion or interest is to simply ask them to share their top five favorites from a category of their choosing. An avid reader might choose top five novels, and a home cook their top five favorite dishes. The great thing about this activity is that gives an employee the freedom to talk about something they love, while also letting the group get to know them. Sure, everyone loves a free lunch and a chance to escape the office for a few hours. But these team- building activities, which require no travel at all, can be even more rewarding.
partner has to try to replicate the image, and whoever comes closest wins.
Egg Drop Contest You may have done this in high-school physics class, but you’d be shocked at howwell it tests creative problem-solving in your office. Give each team (you can decide the numbers) an egg and a time limit to create a contraption that will allow the egg to survive an eight-foot drop. You can provide materials if you’d like or force them to make due with whatever’s lying around. Not only will teams have to work together to create a novel
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When the roots of a patient’s mandibular third molars are located close to the nerves of the jaw, coronectomy is a viable alternative to extraction, removing the crown of the tooth while reducing the risk of inferior dental nerve injury. However, many general dentists and oral surgeons may hesitate before recommending a coronectomy, for fear the retained root may become infected and symptomatic over time. To investigate the risk, Dr. Yiu Yan Leung and Prof. Lim Kwong Cheung of the University of Hong Kong conducted a long-term evaluation into the morbidity of coronectomy. Ninety-eight patients, 35 men and 63 women, with a total of 135 coronectomy procedures, completed the three-year review. After undergoing a coronectomy in a previous, randomized clinical trial, the patients were reviewed postoperative in the first week and then again in months 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36. Any patterns of root migrations were analyzed, and the morbidities of infection, pain, root eruption, reoperation to remove the root, and the development of any pathology were recorded.
The research noted root migration occurred most often in the first 12 months, but stopped migrating entirely from month 24 onward. Mean root migration by the end of the study was 2.8 mm, with standard deviation of 1.4 mm. In only 3 percent (4/135) of the cases being reviewed, migration resulted in root eruptions and sensitivity. Erupted roots were removed and none of the reoperated cases experienced postoperative inferior alveolar nerve deficit during the rest of the study. As for the remaining patients, no pathology developed in any of the retained roots after coronectomy. Dr. Yiu Yan Leung and Professor Lim Kwong Cheung concluded retained roots after coronectomy produce no complications in terms of infection, pain, or the development of pathologies within the first three years. While root eruption can occur in a small percentage of patients, operations to remove the erupted roots are successful and are unlikely to result in future complications.
Wisdom Teeth and Migrating Roots
3-Year Study Evaluates the Safety of Coronectomy
HAVE A LAUGH
Thai Spaghetti Squash WITH PEANUT SAUCE
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
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1 medium spaghetti squash
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Halve squash and scoop out seeds. 2. Drizzle inside of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place squash on baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. 3. Let cool. Using a fork, scrape out spaghetti squash strands. 4. Place sauce ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 5. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, parsley, and 1/4 of the peanut sauce and combine. 6. Add spaghetti squash and crushed peanuts. Stir to combine until heated through, about 2 minutes. Once served, drizzle with more peanut sauce.
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Olive oil
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Salt
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1 garlic clove, minced
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¼ cup chopped parsley
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2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
Peanut sauce: •
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
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¾ cup unsweetened peanut butter
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¼ cup coconut sugar
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2 tablespoons soy sauce
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2 tablespoons white vinegar
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
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2 teaspoons red curry paste
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Westchester Office • 914-251-0313
2975 Westchester Avenue Suite G02 Purchase, NY 10577
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914-251-0313 www.oralsurgeryofwestchester.com
INSIDE This Issue
The Gift of Health and Family
PG 1
5 Networking Tips for Small-Business Owners
3 Killer Team-Building Activities
PG 2
Will Coronectomy Lead to Lasting Damage?
Thai Spaghetti Squash
PG 3
Get More Out of the Lifetime Value of Your Customers
PG 4
How to Calculate the Lifetime Value of a Customer
The lifetime value of a customer is an easily overlooked and often underutilized concept. Don’t risk doing yourself and your business a huge disservice. Why track customer lifetime value, or CLV? When you know the CLV, you have data you can use to your advantage. This data can be applied to customer retention initiatives, marketing campaigns, referral programs, and, most importantly, keeping repeat customers happy. Plus, when you know the current CLV, you can work to improve that number. There are different ways to calculate CLV, and some methods are more complicated than others. At a minimum, you need to be tracking the following data points: A. The money spent by each customer (the revenue your business gains per customer, factoring in the margins of the products or services you provide)
With this data, you can then calculate CLV:
A x B – C = CLV
Just keep in mind this number is based on averages and will not give you precise information (for a more comprehensive method of calculating CLV, check theWikipedia entry for customer lifetime value). The more data you have to pull from, the more accurate the number will be. For instance, if you’ve been tracking A, B, and C for the past six years, you will have a more accurate picture of CLV than a business that started tracking last year. Think of it as an efficiency formula. With this data, you can determine which are your best customers and which are not. From there, you can tailor your marketing endeavors and get far more out of your marketing dollar.
B. The time frame for each customer purchase (the average amount of time you keep a customer)The initial cost to acquire a customer
C. The initial cost of acquiring a customer
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