In Praise of Independence

In Praise of Independence

Have you ever put thumbtacks on a map to pinpoint all the places you’ve been?  Kinda fun—Facebook even has an app that allows you to do this virtually—makes you feel like a real world traveler once you look at all the little red pins dotting your map. My staff are making good map pins this week—we’ve been closed for a... read more »

Something Missing In Your Life?

Something Missing In Your Life?

Stuff happens. You fall off your mountain bike and knock out a front tooth.  You were in college, got a cavity, but didn’t get to the dentist until it was too late.  You bit down on an unpopped popcorn kernel and split your tooth right up the middle.  There are a lot of ways to lose a tooth. Sometimes the... read more »

My Office Coordinator Is Related To A Superhero!

My Office Coordinator Is Related To A Superhero!

But it's not Spiderman. It's the new choreographer, Chase Brock.  My Office Coordinator, Michelle, left on a train in the middle of night (sounds mysterious, doesn't it?) to travel up to NYC to see her nephew's handiwork as "Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark" re-opens after a 3-week hiatus. Chase, originally from Flat Rock, was the one called in to rework the choreography of... read more »

One Proud Dad: Firstborn Graduates From High School

One Proud Dad: Firstborn Graduates From High School

Kind of hard to believe. It seems like it was not that long ago that my wife, Betsy, and I moved all of our stuff—and our two-week old son, Benjamin—from Birmingham, Alabama, to Asheville to open my dental practice. Fresh from dental school graduation, I was ready to take on the world…or at least, Asheville. This weekend, Benjamin—he’s Ben, now—will... read more »

Vinyl Power! Aretha, Sam & Dave, and Me

Vinyl Power! Aretha, Sam & Dave, and Me

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, right?  My creative alter ego is a trumpet player in an 11-piece rock band:  Six horns, a rhythm section, and a male and female vocalist. Classic Soul and Horn Rock covers are our specialties, but we also throw in some newer songs by such artists as Duffy and Cee Lo, just... read more »

Ode To A Hat: The Official Lid of Summer 2011

Ode To A Hat: The Official Lid of Summer 2011

What’s in a name?  That by which we call a hat By any other name would smell as tweet. –Shakepeare…sort of Just in time for Memorial Day–The Official Hat of Summer 2011. Looks great by the pool, at the lake, the beach, the tennis court, the golf course—anywhere fun is found. Watch out, I’ve got 100 of these and am... read more »

Back To The Future! Sometimes Moving Forward Means Going Back

Back To The Future! Sometimes Moving Forward Means Going Back

Not everyone wants the perfect smile.  Sometimes, people just want to go back to where they were before the wheels started falling off! Here is the case of a 40-year old female patient, who, over time, became more and more unhappy with her smile due to the deterioration of some old resin bonding on her four front teeth.  Note the uneven edges,... read more »

Cosmetic Dentistry & Baseball in Boston: Annual AACD Meeting…and Hot Dogs

Cosmetic Dentistry & Baseball in Boston: Annual AACD Meeting…and Hot Dogs

  Later this week, I will be attending the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s (AACD) 27th Annual Scientific Session in Boston.  Esthetics in dentistry is a passion of mine, and the AACD Meeting is the world’s largest international conference dedicated to advancing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry. Now, far be it from me to not engage in some... read more »

Young At Heart: You’re Never Too Old to Smile!

Young At Heart: You’re Never Too Old to Smile!

Here's one my favorite recent cosmetic cases. The story: An aging beauty--mid-70's, back issues, uses a walker--moves with her husband into an assisted-living facility, wherein her social life experiences a renaissance. However, looking at her newfound friends, she notices everybody looks old, especially their teeth--she looks in the mirror and sees the same thing. Not happy.   I restored this... read more »

If Mama Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy: Donna’s Back at Work!

If Mama Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy: Donna’s Back at Work!

Donna Barnhart, one of our dental hygienists, has just entered that territory so familiar to young moms:  she wants to work, but she also wants to stay home with her new baby boy, Cooper! Donna has enjoyed a long history with our practice, starting as an 18-year old office assistant in 1997.  We've watched her grow up, get married, and now,... read more »