Holiday Card Design Contest: Some inspiration from last years entries!

Now that I've explained some of the snafu's to avoid to keep you in the running for the iPad in our Holiday Card Design contest, I thought I would give you a peek at some of last years entries for a little inspiration!

The winning entry, created by (then) 13-year-old Avery Spear, of Norwich. She hand drew a picture of our doctors as elves, then scanned it to complete her design digitally. It was really pretty awesome!

We also used this snowman, and greeting, drawn digitally by Melissa Blesso, of New London, on the inside of the card.

We couldn't believe all of the awesome, unique entries we received last year and can't wait for this years entries to start pouring in too!

Annual Holiday Card Contest: How to Keep Yourself in the Running for the iPad

It’s getting to be that time of year again and I can’t wait to see all the entries we receive for our annual Holiday Card Contest. Last year, we received over 100 great entries, and boy, was it hard to choose -luckily, picking the winner wasn’t up to me! Judy (one of my awesome OASECT teammates) and I sifted through the entries and gave the doctors about 15 of the best ones to choose from so THEY could decide who won the iPad.

However, amongst those 100+ entries, there were some that we couldn’t even consider because they weren’t reproducible, were not original work, or did not meet the digital file size specifications. So here’s a brief rundown of things NOT to do to keep you in the running for that iPad:

• Make sure your card design is reproducible. We got some really, REALLY cool designs last year, which we unfortunately couldn’t consider because they were three-dimensional. We loved, loved, LOVED these designs but there was no way that we could replicate hundreds of them. Keep that creativity flowing, just channel it into a one-dimensional (flat) masterpiece. These cards were AWESOME, but there was just no way we could make it work.
• 

• Please do NOT submit anything to us that you haven’t designed yourselves! This basically means, if you googled “holiday cards” and save a cool image design you find and send it in, you WILL NOT be considered for the prize. It’s one thing to use images you find online to help create or inspire your design, but something completely different to just submit something that’s not your own work – and legally, we can't use it for our holiday card. Somebody turned this card in to us last year – it’s one of the first images that comes up when you google “holiday dove,” and unfortunately we couldn’t even consider their entry because of this.

• Pay close attention to the digital file size requirements. We got quite a few digitally designed cards last year that we had to pass on because they did not meet the specifications we gave. In order to reproduce a digital file, it needs to be a MINIMUM of 200 dpi (dots per inch) or else it will start to get blurry and pixilated. You may not realize this just looking at a file on screen, but it makes a big difference on printed materials.

If you have questions about these guidelines, please feel free to email me (Brenda) at info@oasect.com – I’m responsible for a lot of the designs you see in our office and online and am glad to help.

Dinner and a Movie with OASECT

Here at OASECT, we love to do lots of fun things for our patients, like “The Prize is Right,” which patients get to play on the day they get their braces off, or putting an entire freezer chest full of ice cream out to help patients stay cool during the recent heat wave!

Well, come August, we’re going for BIGGER and BETTER!

We are throwing a one-of-a-kind patient appreciation party, and it’s going to be awesome! Join us for Dinner and a Movie with OASECT! On Thursday, August 18^th, we will have a 21-foot movie screen set up outside for your enjoyment – we will be watching the summer classic, “The Sandlot.”

But first, chow down on wood-fired, brick-oven pizza from The Old World Pizza truck.

They will be cooking fresh, homemade pizza for us all night in addition to salad, coffee, espresso, and... GELATO (you can tell this is what I’m super psyched about)! Hailing from New Haven, The Old World Pizza truck, a restored 1942 Chevrolet, has been catering for over 30 years. Check out a selection of their pizzas and more about them here.

Then get ready to wax nostalgic about your childhoods (and share this fantastic movie with your own kids) watching, “The Sandlot.” Set in the summer of 1962, it is the story of a group of neighborhood boys, whose love for baseball is matched only by their fear of “The Beast,” a dog in the yard neighboring the sandlot where they play. When a ball autographed by Babe Ruth is hit over the fence into The Beasts domain, the boys must devise a plan to get it back. A sweet and funny coming-of-age adventure, this movie reminds you of what was important to yourself as a 12-year-old.

Check out a trailer for it:

To R.S.V.P. all you have to do is go to http://oasect.eventbrite.com/ and let us know how many people are coming.

See you there!!!

Club Starfish at OASECT!

One more reason to love visiting us here at Orthodontic Associates of Southeastern Connecticut: Club Starfish!

We recently launched our new club just for patients who aren’t quite ready for braces just yet!

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children visit the orthodontist by the age of 7 for a growth and development assessment. Club Starfish is an exciting club for patients in our practice who are destined for full braces one day, but who aren’t quite there just yet. Club Starfish is open to all OASECT patients who have completed a new patient exam and are seeing Drs. Kozlowski, O’Leary, and Hack growth and development observation appointments.

Growth and development appointments are important for monitoring your growth and determining the perfect time to initiate your orthodontic treatment. At these important observation appointments we want to ensure that your jaws are growing as expected, your teeth are erupting as anticipated, and that your bite is developing correctly. The cool part is we can monitor your growth before we even place braces on your teeth.

Club Starfish also welcomes patients who have completed a first phase of treatment with a second phase around the reef!

Club Starfish members receive their own special tee shirt and an awesome Club Starfish Passport with lots of opportunities to earn Sand Dollar Rewards, which can be redeemed for cool prizes like activity books, something from our toy chest, movie tickets, or gift cards!

Some examples of things you can do to earn Sand Dollar Rewards are:

Completing a New Patient Exam

Wearing your Club Starfish shirt to your observation appointment

Becoming our fan on facebook

Reading 10 books between appointments

Losing a baby tooth

Participating on a sports team

Earning an A on your report card

And many more!

Here is our VERY FIRST Club Starfish member, Tahir!

Don’t miss out on all the fun! Join Club Starfish at your next appointment! “Sea” ya soon!

Goodbye Gooey Impressions: Cadent iOC system powered by iTero!

Back in 2002, when I got braces on, taking an alginate impression in order to produce study models was de rigueur for orthodontic treatment. I don’t remember the exact procedure for taking them, but I do remember really NOT liking it. The impression material was gooey, had to be in my mouth for much longer than I liked, and was a bit gag-inducing. For those without a strong gag reflex, it isn’t so bad, but for me? Let’s just leave it at not pleasant.

Fast forward nearly 10 years, and enter a cutting edge technology- the Cadent iOC digital impression system powered by their iTero scanner - and we just got two of them here at Orthodontic Associates of Southeastern Connecticut- We will be using them for new patients starting treatment with us!

Our clinical assistants have been busy training to learn to use the iTero scanners, and I volunteered to let Diane practice scanning on me so that I could tell you all about the experience! I’m writing this to explain the patient experience, as I am one of the team members here at OASECT with very little clinical knowledge-I do technology management here so I work almost exclusively managing our computer equipment and network.

Let me start off by saying that I am a big baby when it comes to my teeth. I have hated going to the dentist ever since I was a child and had a really traumatic tooth extraction. So I went into it a little apprehensive, but curious nonetheless.

Diane explained to me that essentially, what she would be doing is taking images of each individual tooth, my bite, and palate, and putting them together like a puzzle. The iTero scanner uses both optical and laser scanning technology to create a 3D virtual replica of your teeth. There is NO radiation, as it is not an x-ray, and provides a more accurate and precise model of your teeth than conventional impressions ever could.

I leaned back into the chair and took a deep breath:

Diane began with my lower left teeth, worked her way to the lower front center, then continued with the lower right and worked towards the lower front center on that side.

After the lower arch was completed, she began on the upper arch, followed by the bite on each side. Finally, she finished by taking scans of my upper palate to complete the digital model.

The iTero scan was very, very cool. It was almost unreal to watch as my teeth appeared on the screen. Diane explained each step to me as she was doing them, so I was able to understand how what she was doing translated into the digital model that appeared before me. The screen showed a real time image of my teeth and what the scanner was going to capture, and as she scanned each section it was automatically built into the digital model. See it as it happens here:

It was way more comfortable than a traditional impression; the only thing I really noticed was that the iTero blows air to help keep tooth surfaces dry as you are scanning- so you will definitely want a sip of water when you are done.
Here is what a finished digital impression looks like:

Pretty cool, huh?

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE should be provided to all staff members in the dental office. Along with training on the use of the appropriate PPE for tasks or procedures the employee will perform. It is highly encouraged for all employees to to use the PPE which has been provided for their safety.

The types of PPE typically provided to employees of a dental practice are as follows: Examination gloves, eye protection (shields/goggles), masks, lab jackets with snap up fronts and cloth at wrists, long pants and shirts.

All staff need to be aware of the location of the personal protective equipment in the office. OASECT strongly encourages employees to use the PPE that has been provided to them. It is also highly recommended that ...

*Hands are washed immediately or as soon as feasible after removal of gloves or other PPE. We also have automatic no touch hygiene stations throughout all of our office locations.

*Removal of PPE after it has become contaminated, and before leaving the work environment. Used PPE can be placed in a laudry receptacle labeled "Biohazard". The items stay there until laundered.

*Wear appropriate gloves when it can be reasonably anticipated that there may be contact with blood or OPIM (other potentially infectious materials). Clearly gloves need to be worn for all patient care in the clinical areas of the office.

*Gloves be replaced if torn, punctured, contaminated, or if their ability to function as a barrier is compromised.

*Never was or attempt to decontaminate disposable exam gloves for reuse.

*Wear appropriate eye and face protection when splashes, sprays, spatters, or droplets of blood pose a hazard to the eyes, nose, or mouth. If you have been in the field for a while it is probable you got splashed a time or two while dropping instruments into the untrasonic cleaner. This probably was a good reminder to wear your protection.

Does everyone in the office know the location of the eyewash station, first aid kit, and epinepherine (epi-pen)? If not, they should by the end of your next staff meeting. The eyewash station should be tested annually and your first aid kit should have non expired components. Have a staff member delegated to check these areas. Universal Precautions must be used in all direct patient care and procedures performed of course. Universal Precautions refers to a set of precautions designed to prevent HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens in a healthcare setting. Wipe down,use barriers, and sterilize the same for all patients. Universal precautions are procedure specific, not patient specific. Disease Transmission is a lenghy topic and books have been written on this subject. I will try to summerize disease transmission in the dental office. Disease producing microorganisms that may be harmful are called pathogens. Infection control is the primary means of disease containment in the dental office. All staff members need to have a clear understanding of the following both in theory and clinically...Handwashing, vaccinations, barriers, sterilization, and disinfection. There are many forms of disease transmission. I think one of the most common aspects is means of transmission. Simply put, how diseases are spread. There are three ways. Direct contact: transmission by touching an infected individual (unprotected). Aireborne transmission: the pathogenic microorganism is inhaled by the host (person). A sneeze, aerosol from the highspeed handpiece, etc... Cross Contamination: basically this is when contaminated surfaces (door knob, gloved hand, instruments) come into contact with the host. Are you taking intraoral photos on patients and then passing the camera to an unsuspecting co-worker? Are you carrying the chart to the front desk staff with contaminated gloves?

Handwashing is one of the most critical steps for reducing disease transmission and infection control in the dental office. There are specific incidences when hand should be washed which include:

*when hands are visibly soiled.

*before donning gloves and after removing gloves.

*after non gloved hand touches an inanimate object or surface likely to be contaminated by blood, saliva, or other potential infectious materials.

*before and after treating each patient.

Alcohol based hand rubs are great for several reasons. They save time and reduce the use of paper. These units can be placed almost anywhere and come with a "no touch" dispenser.

I start with "hand hygiene" because it is simple and everyone knows how to do it! We tend to get caught up in the busy day of customer service, scheduling, & the hustle and bustle of the clinic that we need to remind ourselves of some of the things that are OSHA recommended. An annual review of OSHA policies in the office is a great idea to keep everyone current.

The Doctors & staff at Orthodontic Associates are animal lovers. Above is a picture of our Team Mascot "Angel". This post is about dog's dental health. Did you know that regularly brushing your dog's teeth and providing her with a healthy diet and plenty of chew toys can go a long way toward keeping her mouth healthy? Many pooches show signs of gum disease by age 4 because they are not provided with proper mouth care. Bad breath is the first sign of a problem. Give your dog regular home checks and follow the tips below, and you'll have a very happy puppy with a dazzling smile.
* THE BREATH TEST: Normal doggie breath isn't fresh smelling. But if his breath is especially offensive and is partnered with loss of appetite it is a good idea to contact your Vet.
* LIP SERVICE: Weekly, with your dog facing you, lift his lips and examine his gums and teeth. The gums should be pink and show no signs of swelling. His teeth should be clean without without any brownish tarter.
*CANINE TOOTHBRUSHING KIT: Purchase a toothbrush made for canines. There is also toothpaste made for dogs. At home you can make a paste out of baking soda and water. Never use fluoride on dogs under 6 months of age. Please do not use human toothpaste on your dog as it can give them a tummy ache.
*CHEW TOYS: Chew toys can satisfy your dog's natural desire to chew, while at the same time making his teeth strong. Gnawing also reduces your dog's overall stress level and prevents boredom.

Dentistry for canines also includes Orthodontics. Yes, braces for the family may now include the family dog! A Dental Veterinarian can tell you if Ortho treatment would be beneficial for your pet.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE DOCTORS AND STAFF AT OASECT

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays in the United States today. No matter what you are giving thanks for this year, it's a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends!

While the harvest has been celebrated since time immemorial, the modern holiday that we call Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. The Pilgrims celebrated their first successful harvest in the New World with a Thanksgiving feast. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln officially established the last Thursday in Novemebr as such.

Over 84% of adults in the United States will attend Thanksgiving dinners this year. Over 94% of those dinners will include cranberry sauce.

TURKEY TRIVIA...*Can fly up to 55 MPH over short distances. *Run up to 25 MPH on the ground. *Have excellent hearing but no ears. *Have a poor sense of smell. *Can see in color. *Have a 270 degree field of vision, making them difficult to sneak up on. *Sometimes sleep in trees.

Over 45 million turkeys are prepared and eaten in the United States for Thanksgiving each year. The five most popular ways to eat leftover turkey from your holiday dinner includes: soups/stews, sandwiches, casseroles, stir-fry, and salads.

"GOBBLE GOBBLE"

Handling Orthodontic Emergencies at Home

What can you eat??? Lots of things, so let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! During your time in braces avoid food that you have to bite into: corn on the cob, whole apples, and raw carrots. You may cut the corn off of the cob and eat it that way. With other items, slice into very small pieces and place in your mouth. Also avoid hard and sticky foods like gum, caramels, nuts, and popcorn. Chewing on hard items (pens, pencils, fingernails) and the foods mentioned above can damage your braces and wires. This can cause treatment to take longer. Of course from time to time a bracket may become loose or a wire is poking. Always call us and we will promptly schedule you an appointment for necessary repairs. There are some things you can do at home to stay comfortable until your appointment.

Poking Wire: Occasionally the end of a wire will work itself out of place and irritate the patient's mouth. Use a Q-tip or pencil eraser to push the wire so that it is flat against the tooth. If the wire cannot be moved into a comfortable position, cover it with some dental wax.

Irritation of Lips or Cheeks: Sometimes new braces can be irritating to the mouth, especially when the patient is eating. A small amount of relief wax makes an excellent bufer between metal and mouth. Simply pinch off a small piece and roll into a ball the size of a small pea. Flatten the ball and place it completely over the area of the braces causing irritation. Not to worry if the wax is accidentally ingested. The wax is harmless.

Remember: Always give us a call and we will get you scheduled to make you comfortable!

October is National Orthodontic Health Month and Halloween

To recognize National Orthodontic Health Month we distributed wax to the school nurse at the Elementary, Middle, and High School level. We did this for 8 towns in the area.

At Halloween many treats can cause havoc for trick or treaters with braces. The hard, sticky, chewy candy can cause damage to your braces which may prolong treatment time. For a brace safe Halloween try our recipe listed below.
We will be distributing orange pumpkin frosted cookies in our Norwich, Waterford, Groton, and Pawcatuck office locations. In addition, on Friday October 29th from 5:00-7:00PM OASECT will participate in the "Trick or Trunk" at Eastern Point Beach in Groton giving out other goodies.
On Thursday October 28th all staff in the Waterford and Pawcatuck offices will be dressing up in PINK from head to toe! This will celebrate Halloween as well as recognize Breast Care Awareness Month. The highlight of the day will be when Dr. Hack dyes his hair pink! The rest of us are wearing wigs, but his hair will be the real deal.

Peanut Butter Eyeballs
Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter, 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons powered sugar, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 1/2 cups rice krispies, 12 oz. white chocolate, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, Food coloring (2 colors).
Directions: Combine the butter, sugar, and peanut butter in a bowl then mix in the rice krispies. Roll mixture into 1/2 oz. balls and refriferate until firm. Melt the white chocolate in microwave in 30 second increments until smooth, adding oil to the melted chocolate halfway through. Dip the balls in melted chocolate and set on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Color the remaining chocolate two separated colors. Dollop one color for the iris and the other for the pupil. When the chocolate has set, place the balls in mini-muffin papers. Makes 36 eyeballs. :)

Damon Clear

The Damon Clear System is here! - This "self-ligating" bracket system greatly reduces the amount of friction between the bracket and the wire, allowing teeth to align much more rapidly than was the case before. Since incorporating the Damon System into our practice in 2002 we have noted that our patients' treatment completion times have shortened significantly. We have also noted a reduction in patient discomfort, as well as a reduction in the need for dental extractions in conjunction with treatment.

The Days of having braces tightened are over. The Damon System uses tie-less brackets that reduce pressure on your teeth, allowing them to move more comfortably to their correct positions. This innovative approach to orthodontics ensures greater comfort throughout treatment.

CLINICALLY PROVEN ADVANTAGES
*Extraordinary results for smiles and faces.
*Fast treatment time and fewer offfice visits.
*Outstanding comfort.
*No headgear or extractions in most cases.
*Easy to keep clean.

Light the Night

Tonight the Doctors and staff will be participating in our second Light the Night walk to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Light the Night is an annual evening walk that celebrates and commemorates lives touched by cancer. Survivors carry illuminated white balloons, while supporters carry red. Gold balloons remember those who have lost their battle.

Light the Night is a two mile noncompetative walk and is held in over 240 communities throughout the United States and Canada. Together we enjoy an evening of family fun and celebration as we take steps to finding a cure.

The Light the Night walk events are evenings filled with inspiration. Orthodontic Associates staff enjoy an evening of fellowship and fun with each other. We raise money within our four offices. We hold raffles, lunches, and dress down days. We also place donation jars in businesses that we frequent for lunch.

Funds raised by teams and individual walkers provide:

*Lifesaving blood cancer research

*Free educational materials

*Local programs such as Family Support Groups

*Comprehensive, personalized assistance through a Resource Center

Summer is Winding Down- How We Spent It

Thanks for submitting your photos for our Summer Photo Contest. We got some really great entries! Before we post the winners, we would like to share some photos from our doctors and staff. Dr. Hack wants to lead off, so here we go!

Dr. Hack spent time in Europe, where his son Austin was competing in the World Rowing Junior Championships near Prague, Czech Republic. After several days of intense international competition, Austin's boat (the men's 8) won GOLD to become Junior World Champions!!!

It was really special to hear the US National Anthem at the awards ceremony following the race.

If you want to watch the final race, check out this video and scroll to 1:48. Beware, the commentary is in Czech! Also, the check out the US Rowing website, it has a more about the teams victory.

Following the racing, Austin joined the rest of the family for a victory celebration for a few days in Austria and Munich, Germany.

Be sure to check out the pictures of the national team, and also, here are some of Dr. Hack's pics from Prague and Austria.