Kidstown Dental Update

When I signed a lease in early 2011 I had no idea that building an office could take so long!  Now that we are hopefully 3 weeks away, time seems to be moving at warp speed!  The construction had been moving along on a perfect schedule, however the parent construction company, who is building the shopping center, has had delays in getting electricity and water.  As a result, instead of June 21 for construction completion (making opening June 25th) it will likely be later!  I am hopeful that June 28th, a Thursday, can be our new target day.  I'll keep you all "posted".  This is a let down to be sure, but as I have said before I feel confident that the timing will be exactly as it should be in the grand scheme of things!  I want to say thank you to all my sweet friends and family who have emailed, called, texted, scheduled at Katy Dental or HCDC and some by waiting on their children's check-ups promising to be some of the first "Kidstown" patients.  I am honored by your faithfulness and very grateful for your patience!!

This weekend takes me to Michigan for training on one of the programs I plan to bring to Katy.  This particular program teaches, motivates, and empowers children to do their very best with their oral hygiene and understand important nutrition concepts.  There are age-appropriate, hands-on experiments and lots of facilitated time for questions and answers during their new and re-care appointments.  The concept for this program is, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and feed him for his life."  This is a philosophy that resonates with our practice.  In America our health care system seems to be focused on patient's reliance on healthcare providers to treat diseases, not on education and prevention.  I have been in the dental field for 22 years now, and I see the same model.  From the very beginning, you go to the dentist, get lectured for doing a poor job, not flossing, and schedule whatever procedures need to be done to repair the damage your "poor job" has caused.  I used to eat lots of candy, drink lots of sodas and never floss.  (This was when I was less than 18 years old and really just didn't know any different.)  It wasn't until I became a dental assistant and worked for a wonderful dentist (Terry Dickinson) that things began to click.  By the time I left that office to finish my degree in Nutrition, I was a regular "juicer", had completely given up sodas and candies, and was on my way to dental school.  It was through the life changing experiences in that office that I began to understand and be motivated to live differently.  I had extensive dental work prior to age 18 years old, and since those changes, and flossing, I haven't had another cavity.  It's because of personal experience, research and evidence, and mission trips where I witnessed  change in orphans, that I feel strongly about minimal intervention, education and hands-on experiences to facilitate transformation in children's understanding of their own health and their ability to shape it.  I can't wait to unveil this program and be blessed by the stories of change and excitement I know it will bring!

Next month I hope to visit an extraordinary practitioner who developed a program to make going to the dentist possible and less dramatic for Autistic patients.  This program is unique, well-tested, and helps most Autistic and special needs patients, including adults, develop the skills and comfort needed to have their dental care done without general anesthesia or restraint.  More about this program, no-gag x-rays, cavity detection without x-rays, alternatives to fluoride for fluoride-wary parents, and no-shot dentistry in a later blog!

For now, I that's all I have.  I can't wait till the office opens to see everyone and began the long-awaited journey of Kidstown Dental!  Thank you again for your patience and your wonderful encouragement!