Putnam Dental Nov 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

CARL F. ERN, DDS VINCENT M. CAFARELLI, DMD JEANNINE HOLZ, DDS

smile, conversation, meal, and kiss! For your EVERY

FAMILY MATTERS

For the past 36 years, I have worked as a dental assistant with Putnam Dental Associates. Before dental assisting caught my

time. These patients radiate confidence as they walk out of our office with a beautiful smile. It’s rewarding to know that I was a part of that process.

Building relationships with patients is another great aspect of my job. When you see patients for 36 years, you see them through many seasons of life. I have seen patients who first started

eye, I worked as the office receptionist. However, the practice quickly grew, and before we knew it, we needed more help in the back. I volunteered to start training for dental assisting, and I fell in love with the job. I appreciate all aspects of my work, but dental surgeries hold a special place in my heart. Some people are grossed out by the thought of assisting during surgery, but to me, surgeries offer a great opportunity to develop new skills, and they are just plain interesting. Maureen with her daughters and husband at the Jets and Giants game

Maureen’s daughter, Savannah, and their dogs, Charlie and Jax

coming to me when they were children, and now they are bringing their own children to see me. Most people don’t consider their workplace to be an environment for making meaningful friendships and relationships, but that’s exactly what happened to me. I am grateful to work at a caring, professional practice with such a fantastic team of people. Putnam Dental Associates is truly a special place. When I’m not at work, I am spending time with my husband of 33 years, Mark, and our daughters, Brianna and Savannah. Brianna is a speech language pathologist, and she got married in September. We put in a lot of time to plan her day, and it was beautiful! Savannah teaches 4-year-olds at a local school, and we love to cook together. I stick to my cookbooks for recipe inspiration, but Savannah is always showing me new ideas from Pinterest. We are always trying new recipes, which Mark loves since he’s our taste tester. Continued on page 3 ...

Above all else, patients who have dental surgery leave the procedure feeling transformed, especially when they haven’t had any work done in a long

Maureen’s daughter, Brianna, and Dan at their wedding on Sept. 23

Inside This Issue:

New Faces at Putnam Dental

Can Tall Tales Destroy Your Teeth?

Page 2 Stars & Smiles

Page 4

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In order to commemorate Veterans’ Day, Putnam Dental Associates in Brewster will be changing the life of one lucky U.S. armed forces veteran whose smile is standing in the way of acclimating to civilian life with a full smile makeover (valued between $5,000 and $40,000). WHY STARS & SMILES? Are you a veteran that has overcome great obstacles, only to find the last hurdle is the first thing people notice: YOUR SMILE? Do you find yourself being embarrassed by the way you look? Many people with poor teeth tend to hide their smile (or refuse to smile at all). It may keep them from having open and genuine relationships. It can be so devastating that the person becomes withdrawn or a loner. They may feel that their dental issues have prohibited them from advancing in their career or even getting a job.

We understand this feeling of hopelessness. And we want to help change someone’s life. If this is you, read on. WHAT IS STARS & SMILES? Dr. Carl Ern and his team at Putnam Dental Associates believe in giving people confidence with the power of a perfect smile. Stars & Smiles is our way of giving back to those who have served our nation. Many simply cannot afford the treatment needed to create a healthy, beautiful smile. Many have simply given up hope. We developed this program to give one local veteran the confidence and security that comes with the ability to smile with confidence, something many take for granted. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? All veterans within a 50-mile radius of Putnam Dental Associates in Brewster, New York, are invited to apply.

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Thankfully, my family lives in close proximity, so we see each other often. I come from a large, close-knit family, so quality time is important to all of us. Mark, Brianna, Savannah, and I especially love going on vacations together, and the extended family is always getting together for a holiday party or a celebration. For example, every year, Mark and I throw a big St. Patrick’s Day party where the whole extended family comes over for food, drinks, and company. Similarly, my niece throws an extravagant Halloween party each year, which is a blast! In my free time, I enjoy working in the veggie garden. It’s a challenge each year to keep the deer from eating everything. I also love singing in my church choir, playing in the bell choir, and reading. My dogs, Charlie

and Jax, keep me on my toes, while our cat, Baxter, lounges around the house.

I am so thankful for my wonderful life. This year, we will celebrate Thanksgiving at my niece’s house in Connecticut. As always, the whole family will be there. Each of us have been asked to bring a dish, so I will be making butternut squash soup. I am thankful for my loving, close-knit family and all the great times we’ve shared. I am also thankful for my health and my job. I feel truly blessed in life, and I look forward to celebrating another holiday season with loved ones.

FRONT DESK TEAM New Faces at Putnam Dental ENJOLI GUZMAN

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we will see you soon. Maureen Sergio

The Annual Blues & BBQ Festival!

The Rotary Club of Patterson, New York, donates all of the proceeds from the Blues & BBQ Festival to a variety of important charities.

whose motto is “Service Above Self.” All of their proceeds are donated back to those in need.

Dr. Ern and the Putnam Dental team are very active members of this group and participate each year in this incredible event!

Patterson Blues and BBQ Festival is one of the Patterson Rotary Club’s premier fundraising events of the year. They are a

ENJOLI GUZMAN

This year, Putnam Dental Associates was a proud sponsor of the Kid Zone and donated company beach balls for the kids and attendees!

group of people joined together as a service organization to promote goodwill, fellowship, and charitable fundraising,

Dr. Ern and Ralph Rosenfield, fellow Rotarian and patient

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Connect with us! @ PutnamDental

Carl F. Ern, DDS 2435 Route 6, Middlebranch Office Brewster, NY 10509

SEDATION DENTISTRY COSMETIC DENTISTRY IMPLANT DENTISTRY

INVISALIGN PREFERRED PROVIDER RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY SAME-DAY CROWNS

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY FAMILY DENTISTRY TEETH TOMORROW

Hours

Mon/Tues – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wed – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thurs – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fri – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Contact Us :

Tel: 855-347-7476 Fax: 845-279-8144 [email protected] www.putnamdental.com

THIS BAD ADVICE WILL RUIN YOUR TEETH

Most people like to be helpful. If someone is having a hard time, we’ll happily offer some advice. However, even the most well-intended advice can have damaging consequences. When it comes to our teeth, there is a lot of misinformation going around. Here are some common bits of “wisdom” you can ignore. Bad Advice: Use activated charcoal to whiten your teeth. Activated charcoal, which is not the same as the bricks in your barbecue, is the latest beauty craze, thanks to its ability to absorb chemicals and toxins. Walk down the health and beauty aisle, and you’ll find charcoal in soap, face masks, shampoo, moisturizer, and deodorant. However, before you use charcoal to whiten your teeth, remember most stains are beneath the surface, where the charcoal can’t reach. Furthermore, scrubbing the gritty, abrasive substance across your teeth is likely to erode your enamel and damage your gums, leading to more dental problems. Bad Advice: The best kind of mouthwash has alcohol. If your mouthwash burns, it likely contains alcohol. Some insist the burning means the mouthwash is working, but alcohol isn’t necessary for mouthwash to be effective. Alcohol just stabilizes the formula. It isn’t what kills germs or freshens breath. In fact, alcohol in mouthwash has been known to cause dry mouth, which can make your breath smell worse

and lead to more germs. Studies from BioMed Research International found alcohol-free mouthwash may have a better effect on the gloss, color, and hardness of your teeth. Bad Advice: Don’t brush bleeding gums; give them time to heal. Bleeding gums are often a symptom of gum disease or a warning that gum disease is on the horizon. When plaque is allowed to build, it hardens into tartar. This calcified material irritates your gums and can potentially wear them down. The only way to remove the damaging plaque buildup is to brush your gums regularly. Not brushing due to bleeding will only lead to further problems. However, it’s important to determine the cause of bleeding, as it may also have something to do with your toothbrush or diet. If your gums are bleeding regularly, let your dentist know. When we give advice, we certainly mean well, but the best of intentions don’t make up for bad results. Let’s stick to what we know and leave the dental advice to the experts.

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