Caring Modern Dentistry - Spring 2021

Caring Modern Dentistry - Spring 2021

Spring 2021

1109 S. Park Drive, Reidsville, NC 27320

www.caringmoderndentistry.com

(336) 342-0889

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HELLO FROM ANGIE!

Angie found us when we posted an ad recently. It seems to have worked out for everyone. Now we have a new Insurance Coordinator, and Angie gets to join the awesome Caring Modern Dentistry team! We’re excited to have such a dedicated, hardworking person on this job, and it’s wonderful to see her already advocating on behalf of patients so that they can have the smallest bill possible. Angie says she is driven by faith. “I am very devoted to my church. I’m at church more than I’m at home!” she says. Family is also important to her, as is making a positive impact on others. “I love the ability to promote faith and positive ideas.” Of course, nobody works all the time, and even if she’s rarely at home, Angie does have a few things she likes to do in her time off. “I love getting to be with my grandkids and my children,” she says. “I also love being able to laugh and make others laugh.” It isn’t always easy to balance life and work duties or to live in this complicated modern world, but Angie depends on a higher power to carry her through. “As long as I’ve got Him looking out for me, I’m okay,” she says. “I overcome challenges by knowing that God is on my side and He can carry me through anything.” Angie’s other hobbies include traveling, where she turns out to be quite a shutterbug. “I love taking pictures of God’s artwork,” she tells us. Otherwise she’s spending time with family and trying to do the best she can at work. We’re immensely grateful to Angie East for sitting down with us, and we expect big things from her once she’s settled in. So, if you have insurance questions, stop and say “hi” to her the next time you’re in our office.

Back in 2019, I took on the role of Practice Administrator, and that meant also doing the job of the Insurance Coordinator. But that was a short-term fix at best, and we’re glad that, as we’ve grown and changed, I’ve been able to focus my energies more on growth and forward momentum. We wanted someone to replace me in the Insurance Coordinator position, and recently Angie East became that person. She was an excellent candidate, and we couldn’t be happier to have her here. –Margenia New team member Angie East is no stranger to the dental field. Starting in this profession in 2000, she’s worn a lot of hats since then. “I started as a dental assistant,” she said. “Then I worked the front desk, as an office manager, and now I’m working as an insurance coordinator for Caring Modern Dentistry.”

As it turned out, dentistry was a real passion for her. “Little did I know,” she says, “I was applying for jobs that said ‘no experience necessary’ and a dental assistant position was one of them.” But Angie had passing familiarity with the field. “I have always been self-conscious of the appearance of my mouth and my dental health. I had braces as both a child and an adult.”

-Dr. Adams

(336) 342-0889 • 1

Providing quality dental care for you and your family

The warm summer sun may be enough to beckon your family outdoors, but lawn games will guarantee hours of fun outside. If you’re handy, there are plenty of great lawn games you can make yourself. If not, buy an off-the-shelf alternative and enjoy the easy setup. GIANT JENGA: EASY DIY All you need to build a giant Jenga tower are two-by-fours that are cut to length. If you’re handy with a saw, you can do this at home. If not, ask to have the wood cut at your local lumberyard. Be sure to sand down the edges before stacking the boards to create a classic Jenga tower! For extra fun, pick a few paint colors and paint each board. Visit ABeautifulMess.com/make-this-giant-jenga to see a complete set of instructions. Buy: Skip the project and buy GoSports Giant Wooden Toppling Tower online, which retails for about $70 and stacks over 5 feet high. CLASSIC HORSESHOES: INTERMEDIATE DIY Tossing horseshoes is a great way to pass an afternoon. To play, you’ll just need to set up two sand pits in your yard. Get a handful of horseshoes, and you’re ready to go! Many DIY plans are available online, including one from HousefulOfHandmade.com/ultimate-diy-horseshoe-pit. DIY OR BUY? Lawn Games for Family Summer Fun

Buy: Check out the kid-friendly rubber horseshoe set from Wayfair.com, which requires no installation, can be used indoors or alongside your outdoor game, and is safe for younger children. CORNHOLE: ADVANCED DIY The humble beanbag may be the most versatile backyard game piece. It’s used in the popular game commonly known as cornhole. To build your own cornhole set, you’ll need a couple of sheets of 1/2-inch-thick plywood along with two- by-fours, some hardware, and a variety of tools including a drill, jigsaw, and sander. Visit DIYPete.com/cornhole-board- plans to get both written and video instructions. Buy : Ready to play ASAP? Cornhole sets are available from many large retailers around summertime, or you can order a customized set featuring your favorite team, family name, or characters from your favorite movies by looking at Etsy.com. Whether you buy or DIY, remember to have fun and always supervise your children while playing outdoors, especially when it comes to yard games!

OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST!

“I never thought I would find a dentist that I really liked as much as my longtime dentist in SC, but I have! Hats off to everyone here! Thank you for making me feel right at home!” –JANECE V. “As always, our experience was excellent. We gladly drive 45 miles to come here. They always work around our family’s schedule, and we feel like family here. We love everyone at Caring Modern Dentistry!” –CHRISTINA C. “Dr. Adams and his staff are highly skilled professionals who truly care about their patients not only as it relates to dental care but also in regards to their physical and mental well-being. I highly recommend Caring Modern Dentistry!” –MICHAEL G.

2 • www.caringmoderndentistry.com

Providing quality dental care for you and your family

Swim Into the Latest Holistic Health Trend DOES FLOAT THERAPY REALLY WORK?

John Lennon, Jeff Bridges, Elle Macpherson, and even Homer and Lisa Simpson are fans — but does hanging out in a tank really live up to the hype? In 2004, a survey of 27 studies published in the journal Psychology & Health found that “REST has positive effects on physiology (e.g., lower levels of cortisol, lower blood pressure), well-being, and performance.” The survey’s authors called float therapy a “useful stress management tool.” More recently, a 2014 pilot study with 65 participants found that those who enjoyed 12 float therapy sessions over seven weeks experienced significantly decreased stress, depression, anxiety, and pain. They were also more optimistic and slept better than a control group of nonfloaters who had “no significant results” over seven weeks. That particular study relied on questionnaires, so it’s possible some of the benefits were due in part to a placebo effect. However, in the stressful times we’re living in, even imagined relief might be worth the $50–$100 it costs for a float session. To find a float therapy site near you and judge for yourself, visit FlotationLocations.com.

The tank is white, shiny, and oblong — just big enough for a human to lie down in. When you open it, eerie blue light pulses out along with steam from the water inside. A calm voice from over your shoulder tells you to step in. Would you do it?

That image probably brings to mind an alien pod from an outer space movie, but it actually describes a real-life spa treatment here on Earth: float therapy. The concept of float therapy is as simple as it sounds. You step buck naked into a sensory deprivation tank filled with a foot of heavily salted water. Then you lie down, close your eyes, and someone else shuts the lid. You’re encased in complete womb-like silence and darkness. That’s when restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) can begin.

Dr. John Lilly, a neuroscientist studying sensory deprivation, pioneered float therapy in 1954. Today, it’s gaining traction as a popular holistic health treatment, perfect for those who prefer to unwind in isolation. The health benefits supposedly include relaxation, pain reduction, creativity, and better sleep.

Have a Laugh!

Easy Tuna Poke Bowl

Ingredients

Inspired by TheKitchn.com

Add the cilantro and scallions and stir until well coated. 3. Divide rice between two serving bowls. Top with the dressed tuna, avocado, tomatoes, and sesame seeds. • 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped • 1 scallion, finely chopped • 1 cup rice, cooked and cooled • 1/4 cup avocado, cubed • 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 2 tsp soy sauce • 1 tsp sesame oil • 2 tbsp orange juice • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced • 10 oz canned tuna, drained

Directions

1. First, make the dressing. In a jar, add soy sauce, sesame oil, orange juice, and ginger. Secure the lid and shake until emulsified. 2. In a small bowl, empty the drained tuna and pour the dressing over top.

(336) 342-0889 • 3

Providing quality dental care for you and your family

1109 S. Park Drive Reidsville, NC 27320

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

www.caringmoderndentistry.com

(336) 342-0889

This Issue

1. 2.

Hello From Angie!

DIY or Buy: Summer Lawn Games Our Patients Say It Best

3.

Does Float Therapy Really Work? Easy Tuna Poke Bowl

4.

Superfoods Are Not So New ...

Kale, Seaweed, and Other Not-So-New Superfoods

There’s nothing so trendy as a new superfood or diet, and the “in vogue” ones change constantly. Older readers may remember the Atkins diets and other fads of the early 2000s, but younger ones may not even remember a time before the paleo diet was a thing — and it’s already almost a thing of the past. Many things we associate with these trends, though, are anything but new. We see this most clearly with the grains we turn to in the name of health. Westerners generally wouldn’t be familiar with quinoa, amaranth, teff, or kamut if it weren’t for their presence in the hippest healthy-eating Instagram feeds. Many of these foods hail from Africa or the Far East, so it’s understandable we don’t know them all — but there’s nothing really new about them. People in the Americas and the Old World have eaten quinoa for 3,000–5,000 years. Teff, which is technically a grass seed, was one of the first domesticated plants, emerging thousands of years ago in what is now Ethiopia. Alternate sources of protein and fiber show a similar trend. Seaweed — the perennial favorite of Twitter dieters everywhere — has been consumed in China, Korea, and Japan since before recorded history. If you know anything about recorded history in those regions, then you know

that’s a long time! And kale, whose reputation precedes itself, has been cultivated since at least 2,000 B.C. in Greece, Asia Minor, and other parts of the Mediterranean. So, the next time you dig into your favorite health food, take a moment to Google what you are eating. You might be part of a long line of human beings who have turned to that food for sustenance over the millennia!

4 • www.caringmoderndentistry.com

Providing quality dental care for you and your family