A+ Family Dentistry - November 2019

San Diego Location: 3780 El Cajon Blvd., Unit 1

Poway Location: 12915 Pomerado Road Poway, CA 92064 Phone: 858-748-5100

Sorrento Valley Location: 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd., Suite #218

San Diego, CA 92105 Phone: 619-265-2467

San Diego, CA 92121 Phone: 858-421-4933

The Definition of Happiness The Happy Tooth

What Are You Thankful For?

“Thinking back on the year and all I have to be thankful for, I feel truly happy and content.”

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I’ve been looking back on this year and realizing I have a lot to be thankful for!

One of my associates, Dr. Zhang, delivered her new baby on Labor Day. I’m thankful to report that both Dr. Zhang and her daughter Emily are healthy. I’m also thankful for my team who pulled together and covered for Dr. Zhang while she was out on maternity leave. Soon, another member of our team, Kimberly, will be out on maternity leave with her new baby. She’s due in December, and right now, everything looks good for them. I’m sure we’ll be able to pull together again and keep things running smoothing while Kimberly recovers and bonds with her new baby. Another big thing I’m thankful for is that we were able to open our new location in Sorrento Valley this year! We had some delays with the opening, but the office is now up and running. Dr. Janice has been treating patients there for several weeks. It’s so exciting to see our practice grow and be able to accommodate patients in new locations. Thinking back on the year and all I have to be thankful for — the strength of my team, the success of our new office, the health of my friends and family — I feel truly happy and content. To me, happiness isn’t having life go perfectly. It’s having challenges but being able to overcome them. We face plenty of challenges at the office every day, but I know I have a great team that will be able to handle any surprises that come our way. When we first acquired our new Sorrento Valley office in May, the plan was to spend 30 days redecorating before opening for patients. Then we found out there were problems with the equipment as well as plumbing and electrical issues in the building. The planned June opening was delayed by four months as the office underwent massive construction and renovation. That wasn’t part of my plan, but it wasn’t overwhelming. With the support of my team, we got through it and successfully opened the new office in September. Life is full of challenges, and sometimes it’s really hard. Trust me, there were moments when I looked at the problems with the Sorrento Valley office and wanted to throw in the towel. Instead, I stepped back and walked away for a

while. Then I revisited the problem later and told myself, “Okay, throwing in the towel isn’t an option. So how do we fix this?” In the end, it all worked out.

After all the challenges of the year, including opening our new location, our whole team is taking some time off to spend with family this Thanksgiving. We’ll be open on Monday, Nov. 26, before being closed from Thanksgiving Day through Dec. 2. I’m thankful for the team I have, and I want all of them to be able to spend plenty of time with their friends and family during the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! May you enjoy good food, great company, and plenty of happiness as we close out 2019.

–Dr. Justene Doan

November 2019 Edition

A+ Family Dentistry | 619-265-2467 | P1

Pictionary Want to bring out your kids’ creative sides? Pictionary is the perfect way to encourage artistic expression and grateful thinking. Try adding a rule where players have to draw something they’re grateful for. This will get your kids thinking beyond turkey and stuffing and give them an imaginative way to express their gratitude. Plus, who doesn’t love a good art contest? Guess Who? To play gratitude-themed Guess Who?, have each participant write down their name and something they’re thankful for on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl. Then, at the dinner table, have each person draw a random slip and read what it says without saying the name while everyone else tries to guess who wrote it. While Pictionary may get your kids talking about what they are thankful for, Guess Who? will tune them into what others around them are thankful for too. Pick-Up Sticks Like regular pick-up sticks, the goal is to remove a stick from a haphazard pile without disturbing the others. However, by using colored sticks that represent different kinds of thankfulness — such as places, people, or food — you can make players think outside the box. This will ensure you get a wide range of creative, thoughtful answers whenever the kids pick up a stick. These modified games are great for helping your kids realize how much they have to be thankful for. Use these to spend some fun, educational, quality time with your family this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is an excellent time to teach children about gratefulness. By planning some fun, gratitude-themed games, you can impart a valuable lesson and spend some quality family time together. Get your kids in the holiday spirit by adding a Thanksgiving twist to these classic games. With These Gratitude- Themed Games Engage Your Kids on Thanksgiving “A+ Family Dentistry always makes me and my kids feel comfortable. They never fail to make us welcome. They always walk us through exactly what’s going on throughout our care, what the cost will be, and what we could do to help or fix issues at home. They’re sensitive to every issue and are always willing to help or navigate each situation.” –Katelyn Hawkins “I truly had a wonderful experience. My back molar broke almost in half. I called them and they got me in within two hours on a Saturday. They were gentle, kind, and, above all, they fixed my tooth!” –Lindsey Boswell TESTIMONIAL See What Others Are Saying

Want to win a $50 gift card to your favorite restaurant? Then we want to hear from you! This month, we’re giving away two $50 gift cards good toward having a meal at some of San Diego’s favorite restaurants. Just leave us a review on Google or Yelp and tell us how we’re doing! As a thank-you for your time, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one of the gift cards. Thank you to all our patients who spent time with us in 2019. Leave a review and share your favorite A+ Family memory for a chance to win big. Reviews must be received by Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Winners will be announced in December.

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Stop Wasting Your Benefits! 3 Ways to Use Your Benefits Before They’re Gone

1. Look your best for the next big event! If cosmetic work is covered by your insurance plan, now is the perfect time to take advantage of it! A single whitening treatment can remove years of stains, transforming your smile after just one appointment. And if crooked teeth prevent you from smiling for the camera, ask what Invisalign can do for you. The holiday season is full of office parties and family gatherings. Your remaining dental benefits can help you look your best. 2. Make your health a priority! Dentistry isn’t just cosmetics. Your oral health is a key part of your overall health. If there’s something wrong inside your mouth, that bacteria has a straight path to the rest of your internal organs. Use the benefits you’ve built over 2019 to

Imagine you have a jar that you spent all year putting money in, saving up for a big trip. If you don’t take the trip before New Year’s Eve, all that money will go into someone else’s pocket. Would you start booking your trip today? Of course you would! No one wants to see their hard-earned money go to waste! So why are you wasting your dental benefits? According to the National Association of Dental Plans, over 97% of patients with PPO dental plans fail to reach their annual maximum. This means every year, they’re leaving money on the table. If you’ve been paying into your dental insurance all year, don’t let that money disappear. Here are three ways you can make good use of your benefits before they’re gone for good.

get a jump-start on your New Year’s resolution to be healthier.

3. Say goodbye to pain! Does it hurt when you bite down? Do you have to pass on peppermint mochas or pumpkin spice lattes because of tooth sensitivity? Have you forgotten what it’s like to eat without pain? That’s exactly what your dental benefits are for! Don’t start the new year with old pain. Get to your dentist’s office and enjoy a healthier, pain-free smile before your benefits expire on Dec. 31. Our calendar fills up fast at the end of the year. If you want to use your benefits before they’re gone, call 619-265-2467 and schedule your appointment today!

Word Search

Green Beans With Ginger and Garlic

Turkey is, for the most part, a healthy and lean protein. Thanksgiving sides, on the other hand, tend to be a little more indulgent. This year, eschew the classic, creamy green bean casserole in favor of this lighter, healthier, and altogether tastier option.

Ingredients

• • •

2 lbs whole green beans, ends trimmed

• • •

1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp crushed red pepper

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. To the side of the stove, prepare a large bucket of ice water. 2. Cook beans in boiling water for 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to ice water. Drain and pat dry. 3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and

cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in ground ginger and crushed pepper. Add green beans.

APPLES PIE

CROPS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY FALL

SCARECROW CHILLY SWEATER

4. Cook together for 2–3 minutes. 5. Transfer to plate and serve.

PUMPKIN HARVEST

Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine

A+ Family Dentistry | 619-265-2467 | P3

Office Hours: Mondays: Closed

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Tuesdays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Inside This Issue Aplusfamilydentistry.com 619-265-2467 3780 El Cajon Blvd., Unit 1 San Diego, CA 92105

Overcoming Challenges

Page 1

Gratitude-Themed Games for Kids Page 2

Win a Night on the Town! Page 2

Are You Wasting Money? Page 3

Green Beans With Ginger and Garlic Page 3

Local Events

Page 4

Have More Fun! GREAT LOCAL EVENTS MAKE WEEKENDS FUN AGAIN

The city with the best nightlife in the United States will be hosting the most unique festivals in the world. Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival is bringing 95 beloved artists to San Diego to perform on seven different stages throughout the city. By integrating the city itself into the fabric of the festival, attendees will be able to see their favorite artists, dine at their favorite restaurants, and enjoy unique visual art installations that exist nowhere else in the world. Balboa Park December Nights Where: Balboa Park, House of Hospitality, San Diego

Beatles vs. Stones Where: Belly Up, Solana Beach When: Friday, Nov. 15; 9 p.m. Admission: $21–$23 Website: BellyUp.com/calendar

World-renowned tribute bands Abbey Road Tribute and Jumping Jack Flash are going head-to-head to answer the question music fans have discussed for decades: Which is the better band, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Both Abbey Road Tribute and Jumping Jack Flash are famous for their attention to detail, making sure every song, costume, and concert are as close to the original band as possible. Grab your tickets now, and get ready for the ultimate battle of the bands. Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival Where: San Diego Embarcadero, San Diego When: Nov. 22–24

When: Dec. 6–7 Admission: Free Website: SanDiego.gov/december-nights

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! What better way to start the celebrations than at San Diego’s favorite family-friendly holiday festival? Watch dazzling live performances, enjoy delicious holiday treats, and cross some things off your holiday shopping list all in one place. And don’t forget to bring the kids so they can get their pictures taken with Santa Claus! It’s a weekend of holiday cheer you won’t soon forget.

Admission: See website for tickets Website: WonderfrontFestival.com

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