Sabal Dental Airline - November 2019

Sabal Dental Airline - November 2019

November 2019

2222 Airline Rd., Suite A4, Corpus Christi, TX 78414 |

www.SabalDental.com

| (361) 853-8999

What’s More Fun Than Numbers? From Electrical Engineering to Dentistry

My father was a dentist, and from the time I was 15, I’d go into his office after school and help him with extractions. Apparently, none of the dental assistants wanted to help with that procedure. Believe it or not, pulling people’s teeth out wasn’t what made me decide to go into dentistry. In fact, when I started college, I originally wanted to become an electrical engineer. Fortunately, after a year of going to school for electrical engineering, I went on a two-year mission to Mexico with my church. While on my mission, I talked to some dentists down in Mexico and asked them what they thought about their work. It was clear they loved being dentists. They liked helping patients and fixing their smiles. By that time, I already knew calculus and I didn’t get along well. I realized that working with people would be a lot more fun than staring at numbers all day. When I returned to school, I switched my major and started my path to dentistry. My first practice was in a small town up in northern Idaho. Very early on, I learned that people who live in a small town rarely want to leave, even to see a specialist about a dental emergency. I’d recommend my patients see a specialist for implants, wisdom teeth extractions, or orthodontics, and the answer I’d always get was, “No, Dr. Thompson. Can’t you do it?” I had no choice but to start taking classes for specialty procedures so I could perform those treatments for my patients myself. Eventually, there came a day when I got sick of being cold all the time and started looking for the warmest place I could find. I’d recently taken up kiteboarding, and when I learned Texas had the best kiteboarding in the world, I was sold. Being able to create beautiful smiles is the best part of my work. I got into dentistry so I could work with people, and I take great pride in being able to use

implants or orthodontics to help a patient feel confident in their smile again.

While I’m sure being an electrical engineer has its joys, I’m grateful this is the path I chose. In addition to spending the last few decades working with wonderful patients, I’ve been married to my wonderful wife, DawnEtta, for 27 years. Together we have five kids who are scattered across the globe. Being a dentist gave me the ability to support my family while still being there to see my kids grow up. Today, it also gives me plenty of time to go kiteboarding or fishing. Living this close to the Gulf of Mexico has given me many opportunities to enjoy the sun and the sea. At 15, I never thought I’d end up following in my dad’s footsteps. But after a few decades, I’m happy to say that working with people is still more fun than staring at numbers.

–Dr. Chad Thompson

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ENGAGE YOUR KIDS ON THANKSGIVING

Guess Who? To play gratitude-themed Guess Who?, have each participant write down their

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. Pictionary Want to bring out your kids’ creative sides? Pictionary is the perfect way to encourage artistic expression

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.

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?

“The entire staff is friendly and welcoming. My young children had a great experience, and after one visit know them by name. My son willingly got his fillings done ... no pain. They explained every step to him, making sure he was 100% comfortable.” –Jennifer D. OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST

“Such a great dentist office with amazing and caring staff! I highly recommend them if you don’t want to feel just like another patient they’re trying to see and get out. They care about what’s going on in your life and do an amazing job on their dentistry work. Everyone was friendly but also professional!” –Gabriella H. “I was pretty nervous about going to a new dentist because I came from out of town. I heard good things from a friend, so I came here and took my husband with me. I was more than impressed with Dr. LaPoint. Very knowledgeable and honest. She truly cared about addressing our concerns and taking the time to explain things to us. Staff was wonderful and have some of the best hygienists. We had a wonderful experience, thank you!” –Lindsey D.

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about teeth. Dr. Harris had unwittingly made his proposal during a huge struggle amongst the U of M faculty. The board of trustees had recently taken power away from the faculty and started appointing their own people. One of these people was Dr. Henry Willis Baxley. Baxley was a professor of anatomy at U of M with an interest in dentistry. Baxley

THE HISTORIC REBUFF

How Workplace Drama Created Dentistry Despite having a huge impact on your overall health, dentistry is uniquely separate from the rest of medicine. Your dentist never checks your blood pressure, and your family doctor won’t know what to do if you have gingivitis. The story of how this happened is filled with poor timing and petty office drama. In the early 1800s, there was no formal training to practice dentistry. Anyone who could pull a tooth could set up shop and call themselves a dentist. Around this time, a Baltimore surgeon named Dr. Chapin Harris developed an interest in the field. The more he learned about dentistry, the more Harris realized it was connected to medicine. He went to the physicians at the University of Maryland (U of M) and suggested adding a dental program to the medical school. The physicians responded by telling Harris, “The subject of dentistry is of little consequence.” This curt response became known as the Historic Rebuff. Why were the physicians at the University of Maryland so dismissive to dentistry? It wasn’t because they didn’t care

supported Harris’ proposal, but, unfortunately for Harris, Baxley had also been appointed the chief of anatomy by the trustees. The rest of the faculty saw Baxley as a traitor, so the physicians were probably so quick to rebuff Harris’ proposal because of Baxley’s support. Far from deterred, Harris, Baxley, and many other dentists in Maryland banded together and established the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1840. This was the first dental school in the United States, and it quickly became the epicenter of the American dental movement. The American Society of Dental Surgeons and the American Journal of Dental Science were established soon afterward, further cementing dentistry as a unique field. Through one act of spite, the Historic Rebuff, dentistry emerged as we know it today as a separate entity from the rest of medicine.

Have a Laugh

Paleo Stuffing

Thanksgiving isn’t a hard holiday for those who eat paleo. Almost all of the savory staples were paleo before it was cool. Stuffing is a notable exception, but this recipe’s got you covered.

Ingredients • 2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil • 3 cups onion, diced • 2 cups celery, diced • 1 cup mushroom, diced • 1 cup apple, cored and diced • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 3 tsp poultry seasoning • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 2 cups almond flour • 3 eggs, beaten

Directions 1. Heat an oven to 350 F.

2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat ghee or avocado oil over medium heat. 3. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, apple, cranberries, parsley, seasoning, salt, and pepper to pan. Sauté for 7 minutes. 4. Remove from heat. Stir in almond flour. Once mixed well, stir in eggs. Transfer to oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 5. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Inspired by 40Aprons.com

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2222 Airline Road, Suite A4, Corpus Christi, TX 78414

Inside This Issue

Something Special Page 1 Gratitude-Themed Games for Kids Page 2 Hear From Our Happy Patients! Page 2 Why Don’t Doctors Pull Teeth? Page 3 Paleo Stuffing Page 3 The Gift of Giving Page 4

Supporting the People You Believe In CELEBRATING GIVING TUESDAY

November is usually all about Thanksgiving, but it isn’t the only holiday that encourages generosity. Giving Tuesday is a phenomenal celebration in which millions of people from across the globe are inspired to spend 24 hours giving back to the communities they love. Origin and Goal Giving Tuesday is celebrated every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and this year, the holiday lands on Dec. 3! It was established in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and New York’s 92nd Street Y as a response to consumer-driven holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The purpose of the holiday was to spread the spirit of giving, not only for the people in our nation but individuals across the world. The goal is “to create a massive wave of generosity that lasts well beyond that day and touches every person on the planet.” Technology at Its Best Through the use of social media and technology, the organization hopes to encourage and spread generosity on a

global scale using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. The website states that “... technology and social media could be used to make generosity go viral; that people fundamentally want to give and talk about giving.” Through massive social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the individuals and companies participating in Giving Tuesday can spread their missions and messages all over the world, encouraging others to do the same. How You Can Celebrate Now is the perfect opportunity to support your community and the causes you believe in. The best part of this holiday is that “giving” doesn’t just refer to donating money. People can give back by volunteering their time to help a nonprofit business, donating goods and food, or just buying a stranger some lunch. Even the smallest actions can have the biggest impact. If you’re interested in participating in Giving Tuesday, get together with your friends, family, sports team members, or neighbors to brainstorm on how you can give back. To learn more about how you can participate, visit GivingTuesday.org .

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