Signature Smiles - September 2021

Signature Smiles - September 2021

3,917 Lives Changed Through Sedation 1,459 5-Star Reviews, and Counting 152 Years of Combined Experience

The Home of Anxiety-Free Dentistry

Our Annual Cookout Was Back On in 2021 Signature Smiles Celebrates!

SEPTEMBER 2021

When we began Signature Smiles, we knew one of the greatest investments we could make in our practice was the team we cultivated within it. We wanted our practice to be a welcoming environment for our employees, creating a tightknit work family that would feel just as passionate about serving our patients as we do. It was, and still is, our belief that when your team is engaged and working together, your patients reap the tremendous benefits of those interactions. If we wanted to build a patient base that trusted us for their oral health needs, we had to start with the people who represented our team.

We always have fun as a team here at Signature Smiles, but in 2018, we decided to take the good times to another level with our first annual Signature Smiles Family Cookout! We wanted to show our appreciation for the staff who have made our dreams of serving our communities a reality, and since we’re all one family, we wanted to thank them with an old- fashioned family cookout!

I’ll never forget the success of that first year! The children were running around, the bouncy houses were never empty, and everyone enjoyed each other’s company. We all had such a blast that we decided to make it an annual event, and 2019 was an even bigger success with even more team members. We couldn’t wait for 2020’s event when the year started.

Looking back, I would say we achieved that goal!

I had the honor of hosting our entire staff at my home and manned the grill as the head chef. I wasn’t alone though! The entire Salameh family pitched in our recipes and cooking skills to create a feast for our Signature Smiles Family.

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A CAMEO FOR EVERY OCCASION This App Provides Celebrity Appearances on Demand

In 2020, everyone was stuck indoors, leaving many people from the entertainment industry wanting to connect with fans but lacking their usual mediums to do so. The answer? Cameo — a platform on which you can contact actors, comedians, athletes, influencers, and other celebrities to create customized greetings for your favorite people or even yourself. Feeling down lately? Maybe you need a “pep talk” from the famously lazy, shrewd Councilman Jamm from “Parks and Recreation.” Or maybe you need a few kind words from Fran Dresher (“The Nanny”) or Sarah Palin! No matter what your budget is, you’ll be able to find a celebrity to meet your needs.

After it’s accepted, the celebrity will record the video, and Cameo will send it to all of the phone numbers and email addresses associated with your request. From there, the video is free to keep forever and share however you’d like! As you can imagine, Cameo has been a huge help for lesser-known actors, comedians, athletes, and many more during the pandemic — as well as for the fans commissioning their messages! In 2020 alone, Cameo had over 10,000 new celebrities join the platform and paid out over $75 million to its creators. Want a celebrity to support your product or nonprofit? They can do that too! With Business Cameo, you can get a public figure to talk up your mission, services, product, and much more, although it’ll come at a higher price tag, and you’ll only be verified to use it 30 days after recording. Your favorite celebrities can also attend live events with Cameo Live! No matter the occasion, we’ve enjoyed watching the different Cameos people commission for their loved ones. Check it out at Cameo.com to give it a whirl.

The app is pretty straightforward: Once you’ve chosen a celebrity, you’ll fill out a request form and describe what you want your Cameo message to be (up to 250 characters). After you’ve paid and the request is put through, the Cameo talent will have up to seven days to accept or deny your request.

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You know how this story goes: Due to the pandemic, we had to postpone our third annual Signature Smiles Family Cookout, but I am excited to announce the event was back on this year! What’s even better is that our team has grown to 32 people, so this August, we welcomed new members and longtime Signature Smiles staff to my home for the cookout.

I’m proud to say this year was another success — if the children’s laughter, staff smiles, and many servings of food we dished out are to be any indication of how we did. It’s an honor to host this event for our staff, and it’s just one small way we can show our appreciation for a family of employees who ensure our patients receive the quality care they need.

–Dr. Omar Salameh

There are many reasons why I enjoy this event, but one of the most exciting parts for me is sharing some great food with my team. The Salamehs prepared a Mediterranean feast, complete with salads, lamb patties, chicken, and beef. There were fantastic sweets to choose from, too, including a unique take on homemade cheesecake. I loved sharing this with my team.

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Meet Coach Katlynne

A Member of Our Signature Smiles Team Gives Back to Her Alma Mater

We are proud to have many talented, knowledgeable people working at Signature Smiles. This month, we’re sharing one of their stories.

If she had to choose, Katlynne says she enjoys coaching volleyball the most but that basketball season is more fun since she isn’t the one in charge (like she is when coaching volleyball). However, it’s not about the sport for Katlynne. Instead, it’s about making a positive impact on the lives of young athletes — the same kind of impact coaches had on her. “I wanted to have that same effect on the kids I’m coaching,” Katlynne says. “It’s a good feeling to know you didn’t only teach them a sport, but you also taught them things about life.” The Clearview High School volleyball team’s season is in full swing until October, and basketball will begin shortly after that. Once her busy coaching season ends, Katlynne will take over coaching for Spirit, a traveling volleyball team in Ohio. Katlynne also hopes to start an indoor league soon.

Meet Katlynne, a hygienist at our Elyria location and a local volleyball and basketball coach! Katlynne has had a passion for volleyball since the fourth grade and played volleyball and basketball all throughout her four years at Clearview High School in Lorain. She also continued playing for two years at Lorain County Community College and still plays volleyball today.

However, for Katlynne, it’s not just the competition that draws her back to the court each year.

“The coaches I have had have been super influential [in my life],” Katlynne says. “I still keep in contact with anyone who has ever coached me. They have all played really big roles.”

As she continues to coach, Katlynne encourages others to do the same.

It was important to Katlynne to give back what her coaches had given her, so seven years ago, she became the coach for the junior varsity volleyball team at her former high school. Two years later, she moved up into the varsity coaching position, and she also serves as the junior varsity basketball coach.

“If you played a sport or have an interest in coaching, the world is severely lacking in good coaches,” Katlynne says. “If anyone is interested, feel free to reach out to local schools and communities.”

We are so proud of you, Katlynne!

Easy Vegan ‘Cheese’ Sauce

Inspired by ShaneAndSimple.com

Level up your game day nachos with this cheesy, vegetable- packed sauce!

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped • 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced • 1/4 onion, chopped • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • Salt, to taste • 1/2 cup warm water

Our Elyria office is hiring! We’re looking for Dental Assistants. We hire for attitude and train for skill. No previous experience or special license is required. Visit our website at SignatureSmilesOH.com to see what positions are available and to send us your resume! Also, if you have any family members or friends who you think would be a great addition to the Signature Smiles family, send them our way!

DIRECTIONS 1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion, then boil until soft, 15–20 minutes. 2. Drain vegetables. Using a blender, combine vegetables and remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional water as necessary. 3. Drizzle sauce over nachos and dig in!

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

9519 State Route 14 Streetsboro, OH 44241 330-423-6779

Also Serving Elyria! Elyria, OH 44035 440-281-8031

SignatureSmilesOH.com

The Home of Anxiety-Free Dentistry

Inside

We’re Hiring! “9 Questions You Need Answered Before Committing to Dental implants.” Call Now: 800-723-2012

The Signature Smiles Team Celebrates With a Cookout!

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Want a Celebrity to Celebrate With You?

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Our Coach Katlynne Helps Local Athletes

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Easy Vegan ‘Cheese’ Sauce

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Willie the Parrot: The Ultimate Danger Alarm

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Willie the Quaker parrot was a pretty remarkable bird. Like many parrots, he had a knack for mimicking certain sounds and words, including barking dog noises, human kissing noises, and a fair share of swear words. However, what made Willie a hero one day was not just what he said, but also when he said it. Meagan Howard, Willie’s owner, brought him over to her friend Samantha Kuusk’s house while she babysat Kuusk’s little daughter, Hannah. Hannah and Willie were both in the kitchen while Meagan prepared a Pop-Tart for Hannah’s breakfast. After placing the Pop-Tart on the table, Meagan stepped away to use the bathroom. While she was away, however, Hannah got her hands on the Pop-Tart and began to scarf it down, lodging a piece in her windpipe. She started choking and was unable to signal to Meagan that something was wrong. Luckily, Willie came to the rescue. Willie began squawking and shrieking, saying the words “Mama! Baby!” over and over again. In a matter of moments, Meagan knew something was wrong. She rushed to the kitchen to find

performed the Heimlich maneuver until the Pop-Tart piece dislodged itself and shot out of her mouth.

Meagan may have been the one to stop Hannah from choking, but she insists that Willie was the real hero of the story. If he hadn’t used his unique mimicking skills to get Meagan’s attention, she doesn’t know what would have happened. It’s worth noting that before that incident, Willie had never used the phrase “Mama! Baby!” before. He

knew something was wrong, and he knew how to get help.

Shortly after the incident, Willie received the local Red

Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award for his heroic actions.

a very frantic Willie and a very blue Hannah. Meagan jumped into action. She grabbed Hannah and

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