Oh my goodness, we are sliding into the holiday season!  At this time of year, it gets busy at Big Grins with coordination with school activities, end-of-year benefits and the extra time of coats and travel issues! As ever, we are so grateful for you choosing us to help you raise those kiddos!

We are lately finding that, with everyone’s busy schedules, a 24-hour cancellation notice is no longer enough time to schedule another family into a missed appointment.  We have decided to extend our cancellation notice to 48 hours to give us more time to accommodate your needs.  That makes more sense now too since our text and calling will automatically alert you three weeks out from your appointment, one week out, and now 72 hours out.  With a simple click, you can confirm or call in to find a better time for your family. This cancellation notice update will take effect on Monday, Nov 16, 2021.

And just a friendly reminder that we like to have fun at Big Grins but our mission is serious, teaching your kids to take care of themselves and their mouths. We still think of ourselves as teachers, so missing school for a 40-minute appointment may be an excellent use of your child’s time.  Since about a third of our kids visit us in the summer months, that really only means one or two appointments per school year for the development of important life time habits.  Uh, oh, preaching to the choir!  Should I add that young kids do MUCH better in the morning?

As a reminder, our no-show or late cancellation fee is $35 with a family cap of $50, just like my gym helps to incentivize me.  So call us just as soon as you can, and we will help you get in at a good time and keep your family on a healthy schedule.  As always, If I can answer questions on this or any other kids’ dental topic my email is greg@gobiggrins.com and my cell phone is 970-481-6728. Happy Holidays!

Yours,

Dr. Greg

October is finally here…or maybe you feel like it crept up on us. Either way, we have been back in school, readjusting to our new schedules and hopefully establishing some great oral health routines.

Our focus this month is twofold: first, we are going to talk about orthodontic health (yay braces!) and then of course give some pointers on Halloween candy pitfalls! Stay tuned for the blog on Halloween candy.

Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Your pediatric dentists have extensive training in orthodontic care. After dental school, Dr. Greg and Dr. Rachel both received training in growth and development as well as training in braces during their residency programs. This portion of their residency training made up about 25% of their time! That is why every time your child visits for their regular check-up and cleaning we evaluate their bite and monitor their growth and development. We are the first step to assessing the need and timing of orthodontic care.

One of the most common questions we get asked is why do kids with baby teeth get braces? Braces are wonderful tools we use for two main reasons: most commonly known to straighten teeth, but we are also using them to help facilitate growth if needed. In the latter scenario, some kids will have an arch length discrepancy (when the upper and lower jaws don’t match up in size) or maybe a crossbite (when a lower tooth or teeth overlap in front of an upper tooth or teeth). In these Phase I cases (meaning kids still have some baby teeth present) we can put a little extra pressure on the bones while your child is still growing to help in their growth pattern. This is usually called expansion and can help avoid the need for long term braces or even tooth extractions later in life.

Another common question we get asked is the need and timing of braces. There are a lot of factors that go into assessing when orthodontic treatment plans should start and which treatment plan is best for your child. The American Academy of Orthodontics recommends every child have their first orthodontic assessment by the age of 7. Here at Big Grins, we have been completing these orthodontic assessments every time your child comes in for their checkup. We will let you know if we are seeing issues that need to be addressed by an orthodontist and then will give you guidance on when to receive that first consult with the orthodontist!

‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ – Benjamin Franklin

Hooray, it’s time to head back to school! I am always excited for this time of year as it’s a great time to get your family back into a routine. Although this time can be hectic, going back to school is a good opportunity to re-evaluate your family’s habits and incorporate a good oral health routine. To help you prioritize your family’s oral health, we have outlined a back-to-school checklist!

First, we recommend getting into a good oral hygiene routine. As we are re-establishing our family’s morning and evening routines, it is important to keep oral hygiene a priority. We always recommend finding a time that works best for your family to make oral hygiene a consistent habit. If brushing before breakfast means that it will be a consistent habit then brush before eating. Always remember to brush for 2 minutes twice per day and to floss. Make sure to check everyone’s technique!

Second, start a new school year with a new toothbrush! How old is that toothbrush? It can be difficult to remember when everyone changed their toothbrush last. We recommend using the school calendar as a prompt to remember to change out your toothbrush. You can also use winter and spring break as prompts to switch out that toothbrush. We recommend switching it approximately every 3-4 months or when the bristles start to splay.

Third, what new sports or activities will your kids be participating in the fall? Any contact sports on the schedule? If so, make an appointment to be evaluated for a mouthguard. We take a quick impression and make a model of your kid’s teeth. We then fabricate a mouthguard in your kid’s team colors that are low profile and a snug fit. Comfort is key with mouth guards; they don’t work if they aren’t used!

Fourth, start making a game plan for healthy lunches and snacks. Send your kids to school with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy proteins like string cheese and yogurt. Variety is key! Consider packing water or non-sugary beverages, and stay away from simple carbohydrates and sticky sugary snacks such as goldfish crackers, dried fruit, soft bars, and juice.

Last but not least don’t forget to schedule a dental checkup. As you call your pediatrician or family physician for well-child checks, make sure you check in with the dentist. For ease of scheduling, we recommend grouping your family’s healthcare checkups together. If possible, try to schedule these checkups a month or so before school starts so any issues can be addressed quickly to avoid missing school days.

We hope your family has a wonderful school year ahead! We can’t wait to support you in all your oral healthcare needs.

At long last, Big Grins is getting back to a state of normal! Hugs and handshakes are back!  With over half our county population vaccinated, the CDC has relinquished the mask mandate for adults. Vaccinated adults need not wear them in our office. Unvaccinated adults are encouraged but not required to wear masks. Unvaccinated children will still wear masks in the office  (like school) while not in the treatment chairs, but they can play before and after (sometimes during) their appointments in the play area.  The games and dance floor got turned on today, and that made some kids super happy!  We will still be wiping down touched surfaces, but we are super happy too. And just in time for our very hot June, parents are welcome in the front lobby and play areas instead of their hot cars. Our coffee machine has been stocked! We will again talk to parents at the asides in the treatment room.

We did learn a few things from our Covid-19 precautions. One was that most kids do very well in an atmosphere where they are one-on-one with the assistants.  Your trust in us to teach directly to your child is appreciated by our team as well as your child!  Let’s keep that school atmosphere going,  and make these appointments valuable and instructive. The second thing was kids learn best with structured time. We have engineered our appointments to keep their minds stimulated, praised and moving along. The third thing was kids have different priorities than parents — our patients reminded us how important playtime, a fun atmosphere, and that toy selection are to their appointment!

A few things are still not normal in the office. We are experiencing a nitrous oxide mask shortage, not enough flexible plastic I guess.  Our gloves will be every color under the sun since we had to buy from so many vendors.  We are still going to use our closed-door rooms for aerosol-producing procedures for the time being.  But hey, those things are a small price to pay, and our kids will hardly notice.

The entire Big Grins staff, Rachel and I thank you sincerely for weathering the storm with us.  That was the craziest 15 months I have ever been through. As you come in, be sure to say hello to our new assistant Monica — she is a local young lady who used to work with Rachel.  Cheyenne will leave us shortly to pursue full-time school in prep for dental school!  Now, more than ever, we want to help you raise healthy, happy children. For any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to me on my cell 970 481 6728 or email greg@gobiggrins.com. Happy Summer!