So it was the first Monday of the New Year and one of my most beloved patients, having just learned that my office was closed for the holiday, called me on my cell phone to report a dental mishap. As odd as this may sound, I was thrilled to hear from her and to be speaking  with her. (And no, I’m not some sadistic dentist of the Little Shop of Horrors variety reveling at someone’s dental emergency) as  she was very quick to point out that she was not in distress and could wait until tomorrow to see me. Having known each other since 1984, she knows I would have opened the office to see her if need be.

Bernice called me to make sure I would be in the office this week to see her before she jetted off to Israel to attend a Hadassah conference. I was excited to speak to Bernice because she is a most dynamic, compassionate inspirational individual. To be speaking with her at the onset of the New Year was, well it was… inspirational.

You see, Bernice is 98+ years young with the optimism and “can do” spirit that inspires me to embrace 2012 with vigor and optimism. But there is more to this than being “pumped up” for the adventure of a new year; it’s being reminded that to be fully engaged in life is not to look at the calendar and push the restart button with the arrival of January 1^st.  Rather, it’s to take each day as the gift it is (whether it’s Monday January 2^nd or Thursday October 12^th) and to make it count.

As the saying goes, Carpe Diem – Seize the Day…everyday! And before you know it, 35,770 days will pass by (that’s 98 years) and you will still look forward to tomorrow. That’s what I call living a fulfilling life and that’s the lesson Bernice has taught me by example.

While I have already wished you all a Happy New Year, maybe what I really wish for you is fulfillment of a life fully lived.

Michael

Shirley is one of my favorite patients, but she is never on time!

The other day she had a 4:30 pm appointment scheduled. At 4:40 pm she called and asked if I was running on time (I was). But, she didn’t arrive until 5:00!

“Shirley, is everything alright?” I asked as she was whisked into the treatment room.

“I was at the post office buying stamps.” she said. “Now Shirley,” I said, “today is April 15th, tax day. It’s perhaps the single busiest day of the year for the U.S. Postal Service. Just out of curiosity, what time did you get to the post office?”

“4:15,” she replied.

As I sighed, she confessed, “ I have an issue with time management.”

Ya think????

Over the past several weeks, I have met three new patients who share a remarkably similar profile. All in their early twenties with beautiful smiles, straight teeth (thanks to adolescent orthodontics) and not a filling or cavity in sight…that is until I looked at their x-rays!

Surprisingly, all three had several large cavities (one so large that I was concerned that root canal therapy would be needed).

Each told the same tale: “I never had a cavity in my life until now. I’ve been so busy getting situated in the city, starting my new job, socializing and making friends, that I just didn’t think about my teeth. Plus, I don’t have dental insurance!”

Fortunately, I was able to treat all three of them with very conservative bonded (white) fillings and avoided more extensive and more expensive dental treatment. I gave each of them photos of their teeth before, during and after treatment because:

• It’s cool to be able to give people photos of their teeth

• It’s a visible reminder of the need for regular check-ups and cleanings

• Most people are really surprised at what the inside of their mouth looks like.

You know the old saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Even if you don’t have insurance, a small investment in preventive care can save you from needing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars of dental work.

In my practice, we go the extra yard to help make quality care available to all.

P.S. We will work with your insurance and try to make comfortable payment arrangements, too!

One day, I was treating one of my 90-something-year old patients who was having a problem with some failing bridgework (that was built on implants). I told Mr. S. that I could “patch him up” knowing  that the problem would recur in other areas or he could have the crowns replaced. I gave him a special “family discount” for either treatment option.

He looked at me and asked what I would do if I was in his shoes taking into account his age. I reminded Mr. S. that he was almost 80 when he had his first implant placed but that he didn’t have to decide at that moment. I told him “Go home discuss it with your wife and let me know”.

With vigor in his voice he said he needn’t talk to his wife, “Look, I’ve always been an optimist, let’s make the new crowns.” And we did.

That was 5 years ago.

Today I treated one of my dental patients, a ninety-plus year old man. While we were visiting, he reflected on how just about all of his friends from the “old neighborhood” had passed.

He gazed up to the ceiling and said wistfully, “Oh to be eighty again.”

Wow!