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January/February 2023
MY FIRST YEAR IS IN THE BOOKS!
And just like that, my first year as the owner of Newman Springs Dental Care has come to a close. Last year, on Jan. 30, 2022, I took over this practice with excitement, anticipation, ambition, and admittedly, a little fear. While Dr. Friedman certainly left behind an amazing and organized practice with a sound foundation, I still knew I had my work cut out for me. In 365 days, I have learned so much. It’s been a marvelous yet exhausting hands- on experience, and I’m so blessed to have been granted this opportunity. This year, my goal is to expand on the vision Dr. Friedman has laid out, to maintain the culture that makes Newman Springs Dental Care feel like home for both our team and patients, and to continue to grow together as one big family. Here in the office, we will continue to work hard to provide the best care possible for our patients through training, loyalty, honesty, and transparency. The needs and well-being of our patients always come first. February is the American Dental Association’s National Children’s Dental Heath Month, a time when we raise awareness on educating children early about how to properly care for their teeth. Positive oral care starts with building a good foundation and a solid routine at a young age, so we want to help our patients foster this in their own homes. Reflecting on My First Year as Owner
Here at Newman Springs Dental Care, we see many young children in our office. We place a priority on ensuring the dental experience is fun, exciting, and inviting. Good habits and a positive relationship with dental procedures start young. We recommend that you bring your little ones into the office for the first time at 1 year of age to check their growth pattern and introduce them to the office and atmosphere. As a general rule of thumb, to protect your children’s oral health at home, don’t let your baby go to sleep with a bottle in their mouth because the sugar in the milk can combine with bacteria in their mouth to create an acid that damages their teeth. If your child doesn’t yet have teeth, wipe their gums clean before bed. If they do have teeth, make sure you brush their teeth thoroughly. Do your best to limit their exposure to sugar, too! Good habits start young! If you have a child, the time is now to begin and continue to carry out healthy and positive dental care. Make 2023 your best year yet for oral and dental care! For all of your dental needs, questions, or concerns, we are always here! Give us a call today at 732-702-3753! We Are Hiring! If you or someone you know is interested in joining our front desk administrative team and our Newman Springs Dental Care family, please reach out — we’d love to get to know you!
–Dr. Aparna Menon
Brothers Joshua, Noah and Elijah, who come all the way from Cape May!
You can now book your appointments online via our website at BestLincroftDentist.com and on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewmanSpringsDental. It’s easy and convenient. You can even check availabilities to choose the date, time, and provider (Dr. Menon & Dr. Sayroo) that work with your schedule. Returning patients may also choose their dental hygienist (Laura, Pauline, or Kelly).
Call Us! 732-978-4522 • BestLincroftDentist.com • Newman Springs Dental Care • 1
TEAM SPOTLIGHT For 19 years, Newman Springs Dental Care has been blessed to have Jennifer Demarco, our certified and registered dental assistant and clinical team lead! In February of 2004, Jennifer joined our team and, since day one, has been an integral part of the practice. Most of you have met and know Jennifer and love her just as much as we do. In return, Jennifer loves the office and our patients. In
Highlighting Our Practice’s Backbone: Jennifer Demarco
fact, she calls Newman Springs Dental Care her second home. Her primary duties include overseeing the clinical team; training new and existing team members in systems, practices, and procedures; conducting patient scans; answering calls; placing same-day crowns; and many other dental procedures. One of Jennifer’s greatest strengths is that she never stops learning. In 19 years with us, she has continued to advance and expand upon her wealth of knowledge and skills. As our backbone at the practice, she is integral, and we cannot imagine the office without her. Jennifer, we are so lucky to have you. Thank you for choosing to make Newman Springs Dental Care your second home! We love you!
Over this past year, Jennifer has worn more hats than ever before. Many of you may be aware of our staff shortage and the additional work the entire team has put in to keep us running at our full potential. Jennifer has gone above and beyond by helping out at the front desk and stepping in wherever she can around the office to fill in all the gaps — she’s our hero. Her daughter, Ida, has also come in to help when she is available as well!
YOUR INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS MATTERS! CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO EXPAND YOUR MIND
1. Learn a new skill. One of the main components of intellectual wellness is working to acquire more knowledge. This doesn’t need to be physics or engineering but can be something as simple as cooking a new healthy recipe, learning to draw, or attempting a DIY home repair project. The important part is that mastering something new provides an information-based approach to the world around you. 2. Remove subjectivity. We view every situation with a pre-formed opinion or bias. The truth is our brains are wired this way to streamline thinking, but to be intellectually healthy, we must work hard to push past it. Remove subjectivity by learning a different way to perform a task or challenge yourself to understand (or simply read) the ideas of others. Be objective, even when you disagree with them.
These days, as taking care of our health becomes more important than ever, we hear a lot about our physical wellness and how to improve it using nutritious foods and exercise.
But what about our intellectual wellness?
What is intellectual wellness? The University of New Hampshire defines intellectual wellness as “being open to new ideas, thinking critically, and finding ways to be creative.” Essentially, this means thinking about the world around you with an open mind and putting energy into what you’re thinking, not just allowing your brain to run idly. Signs of healthy intellectual wellness include: • Ability to see an issue from all sides • Purposeful exposure to ideas, beliefs, and people who differ from yourself
3. Improve your critical thinking. Next time you’re engrossed in
• •
Awareness of your core values Capacity to learn new things
conversation, try being thoroughly engaged and think about what is being said. Ask questions to yourself and others, and hash out what you agree with and things you don’t. Work to keep your brain active in everything you do by finding a connection to everything around you.
How to Foster and Develop Intellectual Wellness Intellectual wellness differs from other
types of well-being. You need to work hard and challenge yourself to stay intellectually healthy. If you’re looking to improve or nurture your intellectual wellness, here are three ways to do it.
Our hygienist Kelly always delivering the best care!
2 • Newman Springs Dental Care • BestLincroftDentist.com • Call Us! 732-978-4522
SUDOKU
DENTAL PROCEDURES SPOTLIGHT
Dental Sedation and Oral Cancer Screening
Types of Dental Sedation Dental anxiety is not something many patients can just “get over” — we know and understand that! In fact, studies show roughly 36% of people suffer from some form of dental anxiety, and 12% have extreme fear. To help put you at ease and minimize stress, anxiety, and negative feelings surrounding dental procedures, we provide sedation dentistry options for a comfortable experience.
Our team is highly trained and qualified to provide three effective sedation techniques and options.
Inhaled Sedation Laughing gas, a mixture of gas and oxygen, is administered to calm your nerves and provide a euphoric feeling while undergoing dental procedures. Laughing gas is effective and safe — even for children. Oral Conscious Dental Sedation To ensure you arrive calm and feel relaxed throughout the entire procedure, oral medication can be provided for you to take before you set foot in the office for your dental procedure. IV Sedation Just like any IV, this form of sedation is administered straight to your bloodstream and is the strongest and most effective form we offer. In just moments, you will feel completely relaxed and in a dreamlike state. Oral Cancer Screening According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, 54,000 individuals in the U.S. will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year alone. Here at Newman Springs Dental, we encourage you to get an annual cancer screening with your next check-up or cleaning. Our FDA-approved VELscope helps us to detect signs of oral cancer in the very early stages by highlighting any precancerous or cancerous cell development, abnormalities, and/or changes within your mouth. Our staff is trained to recognize any signs or indicators of oral cancer. Thus, everyone should be checked out — call us today to set up your appointment!
SOLUTION ON PAGE 4
CHAI-SPICE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com
•
1 ripe banana, frozen
peanut butter, the flavor is overpowering)
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1 cup cubed butternut squash, cooked and frozen
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1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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1/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
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1/2 tsp cinnamon
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1/8 tsp cardamom
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1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
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1/8 tsp ground ginger
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1/8 tsp allspice
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1 tbsp almond, cashew, or pecan butter (do not use
Directions
1. In a large, high-powered blender, add all ingredients and blend on high for 1–2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined. Add more milk if necessary to thin and blend again.
2. Serve and enjoy!
Call Us! 732-978-4522 • BestLincroftDentist.com • Newman Springs Dental Care • 3
539 Newman Springs Road Lincroft, NJ 07738 732-978-4522
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@NewmanSpringsDental
@NewmanSpringsDental
NewmanSpringsDental
@DentistSedation
INSIDE this issue
p.1
My First Year Managing the Practice
p.2
Team Spotlight Intellectual Wellness: What It Is and How to Improve Yours Sudoku Chai-Spice Butternut Squash Smoothie Dental Procedures Spotlight
p.3
p.4
The Unlikely Heroics of Cher Ami
THE STORY OF CHER AMI
How One Pigeon Saved 194 American Soldiers
Animals have always played a role in military efforts during wartime. Cats were kept aboard naval ships for pest control, horses and camels provided transportation for supplies and soldiers pre-World War II, and dogs are still used to this day for search and rescue efforts as well as mine detection. But one animal profession became obsolete with the advancement of communication technology: messenger. Often used during World War I, many dogs and pigeons became responsible for delivering messages of high importance. Of all the animals used during World War I, one pigeon named Cher Ami defied the odds to save nearly 200 American soldiers. On Oct. 2, 1918, Major Charles Whittlesey got trapped along the side of a hill in Northeastern France with 550 of his men. They ended up behind enemy lines with no food or ammunition, and — to make matters worse — his battalion started to suffer from friendly fire since allied troops remained unaware of their location. With nowhere to run, Whittlesey tried to send runners to contact the allies about their predicament. Unfortunately, their enemies consistently intercepted or killed these runners until only 194 men remained. Whittlesey decided to dispatch messages by pigeon. The first pigeon got shot down almost immediately, so he sent a second pigeon with the message, “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?” That one also got shot. Finally, Whittlesey turned to his last pigeon, Cher Ami, and scribbled down a quick note on onion
paper that read, “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For
heaven’s sake, stop it.” Cher Ami took flight, but even after being shot down by the Germans,
the bird defied the odds and actually took flight again! The effective delivery of this message helped
save 194 men, but Cher Ami did not escape unharmed. He had been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, and had a leg hanging only by a tendon.
Army medics treated Cher Ami enough so he could travel to America, where he eventually succumbed to his wounds. The bird was then taxidermied and displayed in the Smithsonian, where you can still see him today. So, the next time you’re in Washington, D.C., stop by the “Price of Freedom” exhibit at the National Museum of American History where you can personally see this brave pigeon.
4 • Newman Springs Dental Care • BestLincroftDentist.com • Call Us! 732-978-4522
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