Aberdeen Smiles February 2019

Aberdeen Smiles February 2019

February 2019

Aleaha Fettig, DDS Valerie Drake, DDS

1409 6th Ave. SE #8, Aberdeen, SD 57401 | 605-225-2236 Aberdeen Through and Through www.AberdeenSmiles.com |

Giving Back to Your Community

Hello there!

Since I’ve spent most of my life in customer service, I know it can be a stressful job, but I love helping people. Even

My name is Tammy Swanson, and I’m the hygiene coordinator over at Aberdeen Smiles. I’ve lived in Aberdeen my whole life — born and raised, with no plans on leaving! This might be partly because I was terrified of flying for most of my life, but I also just love living in Aberdeen. All my family lives here, and there’s a wonderful sense of community that you can’t find anywhere else. As the hygiene coordinator at Aberdeen Smiles, my job is to make sure every patient who comes into the office has a smooth experience. I’m at the front desk greeting people as they come in, making sure

when I’m not at the office, I look for opportunities to help others and serve my community. That

often means I get to babysit my granddaughter Brooklynn, which I love to do. Not to sound biased, but Brooklynn is the cutest little girl in the world.

When I’m not babysitting, I do a lot of work with the confirmation program at my church. I love assisting all people, but I especially enjoy working with teenagers and being an outlet for them. That time of life can be a difficult one, and when these kids are having a particularly rough go of it, I want them to know they have someone in their corner offering support and cheering them on. I started out working with a small group of ninth-graders preparing for their confirmation. This grew into being a mentor for 10th-graders in the program. At some point, I found myself with the opportunity to do respite care for foster families through Northeastern Mental Health Center (NEMHC). How could I say no? This is my way of giving back to the community that’s been there for me my whole life. Aberdeen is a wonderful place that I’m proud to call home. I’m happy to have the opportunity to help out at my church, at NEMHC, and every day at Aberdeen Smiles. Tammy Swanson

paperwork is all in order, helping new patients fill out the forms, and managing the schedule. I also make a lot of phone calls. If you ever get a call from the office, it’s probably me on the other end saying hi! I love the people I work with, and our patients are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Being at Aberdeen Smiles can be a surreal experience at times because I worked here back in April of 2013, when Dr. Opp ran the office. After about a year, I got a new opportunity in a different field, but I always missed being at a dentist’s office. I’ve worked in customer service for over 25 years, and there’s something about dentistry I really enjoy. The team tends to revel in their work, and as a hygiene coordinator, I get to know people far better than I would while working in customer service in a different industry. It’s really nice to recognize people when they come in and be able to greet them by their name. I came back to the office in June of 2017, when it was officially Aberdeen Smiles.

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SAFE AND SWEET Allergy-Friendly Valentines for Your Child’s Classmates

For a parent of a child with allergies, every day can feel like a battle with food labels and ingredients lists — and Valentine’s Day only exacerbates this fear. Avoid the danger of an allergic reaction on Valentine’s Day by creating alternative, candy-free valentines that the whole class will enjoy! Get Creative

mindful of latex allergies, you can purchase little toys that kids will love that won’t break

your bank. Think bouncy balls, mini skateboards, Army men, yo-yos, puzzles, rubber ducks, hand-held games, markers, or bubbles. Adorn these little gifts with yarn, ribbons, or personalized tags, and slap on cute sayings to make them fit for the holiday. Finish off the masterpiece by having your kiddo sign their name on each valentine, and you’ve got a kid-approved Valentine’s Day favorite. Fancy Up Some Fruit If you’re worried about food allergies but still want to make a yummy treat, ask your child’s teacher for a list of students’ allergies, then just work around them. Fruits are usually a safe bet, but it’s best to double check. You could skewer strawberries and heart-shaped pieces of watermelon onto kabob sticks for a sweet and fun snack, or pass out goody bags with apples, bananas, and clementines. Offering a group snack that is allergy- friendly will keep your children and their friends safe and healthy, and it can also help children with allergies feel included in the festivities. As with all Valentine’s Day gifts, keep in mind that it’s not the item or money spent that means the most. It’s the thought behind each gift that makes receiving valentines the sweetest part.

This valentine idea taps into your kids’ desire to create by using commonly found household items. Have your children draw

pictures, create cards, mold tiny sculptures, or braid together friendship bracelets to create one-of- a-kind gifts that will be safe for their classmates to enjoy. Kids can put their own effort into gift-giving, and their valentines will have a personal touch candy cannot replicate. Think Like a Kid If you’re looking for a creative valentine that will be safe for all your child’s friends to play with, check no further than the toy aisle of your local dollar store. While being “Love these guys. I switched over first, and now the whole family is here. This is not an overstatement: Everyone from the office is great. Super friendly and I always feel like I am in good hands.” -Deborah A. “This team is amazing! Was expecting to hear the worst and get the hard-sell on implants, but I was happy to have other options proposed. They made me feel very comfortable, and I have gradually recovered from gum disease and dental neglect. Although they’re unable to ‘undo’ years of bad dental habits, I still have much of my original dental hardware and go for six-month cleanings religiously. My whole family relies on these folks for all dental and orthodontic needs.” -Alan W.

OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST

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But there’s some evidence to suggest our desire to kiss comes from a primal instinct. Monkeys commonly show affection and greet one another through kissing, and bonobos — the most affectionate primates — kiss all the time. Other animals nuzzle their noses together as a form of what scientists believe is kissing.

BIRDS AND BEES DON’T DO IT

So Why Do Humans Kiss? Giving your sweetie a smooch or kissing Grandma’s cheek as you leave is a common practice few of us think twice about. But philematology, the study of kissing, is devoted to discovering why humans kiss. The search for an answer has produced a few likely theories but no concrete answers. Most philematologists agree that humans continue to kiss because the thousands of nerve endings on our tongues and mouths make it feel good. Yet one of the more popular theories of why we kiss stems all the way back to our cave ancestors. It’s believed that mothers chewed food and transferred the mush into their toothless babies’ mouths, pressing their own lips to their children’s in the process. Philematologists theorize that kissing evolved from this maternal act into a learned social greeting and romantic gesture because it was taught to impressionable babies. The theory is backed up by the fact that there are some tribes that don’t kiss at all because they were never taught to do so.

Additionally, researchers have discovered that women often select mates based on their perception of a man’s ability to parent and produce healthy kids. The scent of the man’s pheromones tells the woman whether he would be an ideal mate. If so, the woman is attracted because humans have a basic desire to continue as a species. Philematologists have concluded that women use kissing to decide if they find the other person attractive. This Valentine’s Day, continue a centuries-old tradition and pucker up for your sweetheart. Maybe don’t share all the history about food mashing and monkey kisses beforehand, though.

SPICY SALMON Tartare

Have a Laugh

Ingredients • 1 8-ounce boneless, skinless salmon fillet • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice • 1/4 teaspoon lime zest • 1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced • 1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced • 1 1/2 teaspoons shallots, minced • 3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced • 1 1/2 teaspoons grapeseed or vegetable oil • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • Crackers or chips, for serving

Directions 1. Place salmon in freezer for 20 minutes to make slicing easier. 2. Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients for mixing. 3. Thinly slice salmon into sheets and cut sheets into strips and strips into cubes. When finished, you should have 1/8-inch cubes. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine salmon with all other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish with chips or crackers and serve.

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Hours: M–F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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1409 6th Ave. SE #8 Aberdeen, SD 57401 605-225-2236 www.AberdeenSmiles.com

Aleaha Fettig, DDS Valerie Drake, DDS

Inside This Issue Get to Know Tammy Page 1 Candy-Free Valentines Page 2 Hear From Our Happy Patients! Page 2 The Science Behind Kissing Page 3 Spicy Salmon Tartare Page 3 Ordering Coffee Just Got Easier Page 4

ORDERING COFFEE JUST GOT EASIER How Starbucks Helps the Deaf Community

If you’ve ever visited a Starbucks coffee shop, you’ve likely heard a patron rattle off a drink order that was more specific than your grandma’s pecan pie recipe. For example, they might say, “I’ll take a Grande, four-pump, nonfat, no-whip, extra-hot mocha.” Without missing a beat, the barista scribbles the order on the cup and starts making the drink. Orders like this one are a mouthful for even the most seasoned Starbucks guru, but for deaf people, it can be difficult to even order a cup of black coffee. Adam Novsam, a deaf utility analyst at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, set out to address that difficulty by heading the launch of the company’s first deaf-friendly signing store. Washington, D.C. Its overall success relies primarily on its purposeful operation and design elements. In 2005, the ASL Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University created the DeafSpace Project using design elements, such as space and proximity, sensory reach, mobility, light, and acoustics, to address potential challenges for deaf people. Starbucks’ signing store incorporates these aspects of DeafSpace to make their store more accessible. For customers new to sign language, the store features some high-tech options for assisting with communication, ordering drinks, and Operation The store’s grand opening took place in October in

receiving beverages at the handoff counter, including digital notepads and a console with two-way keyboards for back-and-forth conversations.

Aprons All store partners at the signing store are proficient in ASL, whether they are hearing, hearing-impaired, or deaf. However, deaf partners wear special green aprons embroidered with the ASL spelling of Starbucks. What’s more, these aprons were created by a deaf supplier! Education For hearing customers who aren’t fluent in ASL — even those just ducking in to grab a cup of coffee to go — the signing store offers an opportunity to learn something new. For example, they can learn how to sign a word like “espresso” in ASL merely by reading the chalkboard above the register with the “sign of the week.” Starbucks’ decision to make their product more accessible has benefited thousands of customers all along the East Coast. Hopefully, as time goes on, other corporations will choose to follow suit so we can make a more deaf-friendly society.

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