dentist in Asheville, NC

Once More Unto The Breach: A New Year’s Resolution

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,” he said as I went back in to retrieve the fractured root that necessitated the removal of his tooth and fabrication of a three-unit bridge.  An unfortunate turn of events, but one taken in stride by my 88-year-old patient, a retired army colonel who served through several wars, beginning with WWII,... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

Grinches Like Turkey, Too!

It’s only a few days away, now.  Mere days until my staff becomes overly giddy and obsessed with the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas.  Mere days until the Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, and The Bells of St. Mary’s raise the alarm for everyone to start Home For Christmas—be it White or Blue—and start burning Yule logs and mulled cider.... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

How’s This For Scary? A Dentist’s Halloween Trickery…

Scares me too.  Right when I picked up the dental handpiece, an eerie glow came up from below, and off in the distance, I heard the unmistakable laugh of Vincent Price.  If only “Thriller” had started blasting through the speakers, the mood would have been complete…. Not too bad for an iPhone camera and an upturned dental lamp, huh?  I think... read more »

best dentist in Asheville, NC

Best Of WNC 2011: Thanks For Voting Us #1!

The votes are in.  The wait is over.  And boy, are we excited! Each year, our local newsmagazine, Mountain Xpress, celebrates all things regional by asking the reading public to vote for their favorite local businesses, restaurants, bars, and of course, dentists!  This year, we are honored to be chosen #1!  Read more here:  www.mountainx.com/bestof Thanks to all of you who... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

Check Out My New Toy….It’s A LASER BEAM!

Dentists are gadget people.  We just can’t help ourselves.  If there’s a seminar on new techniques or technology, we flock to it; if it’s a seminar on practice management, you can almost hear the crickets chirping over the speaker’s voice, it will be so empty. My instructors always taught me never to be the first to adopt new technology, but... read more »

best dentist in Asheville, NC

Teflon Teeth: Can A Sugar Actually Help Decrease Cavities?

As everybody knows, sugar is the arch-nemesis of the dentist.  Think Spiderman vs. Green Goblin, Batman vs. Joker, Mr. Krabs vs. Sheldon Plankton (for you SpongeBob fans!). Well, think again!  There is a tooth-friendly sugar out there in the universe that actually helps decrease the incidence of dental cavities.  That sugar is xylitol, a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol that can be... read more »

On Any Given Tuesday: A 9/11 Reflection

I was preparing two crowns on a friend of mine that Tuesday morning when an assistant told us that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.  Dismissed right out of hand by us as an accident, I remember my friend’s face going pale—his mother lived close to the Twin Towers—when we found out there were two planes with... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

Dental Practice Management & The View From 30,000 Feet

I have to admit it:  I still become very kid-like whenever I fly.  Whenever possible, I get the window seat so I can gaze out at the landscape as we take off, cruise, and land—there’s something about the change of perspective that I find very relaxing. And so it will be tomorrow morning when I take off for NYC--the Big... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

My 30th High School Reunion: A Feeling Of Community

Summer is usually the time for high school reunions, and so it was for mine this past weekend….30th to be exact.  It was fun to see many of my high school classmates, some that I had gone to school with from K – 12, and some I hadn’t seen since graduation. I grew up in an interesting time and place: ... read more »

dentist in Asheville, NC

Panning For Gold: Lord Of The Flies Redux

As I crept back into the water—the same place I place I had my knock-the-rust-off instructional lesson just a week ago—I silently remarked to myself how devoid of fish the stream looked. To the most casual observer, it was a beautiful stream:  a happily babbling brook, 8 – 12 inches in its deepest recesses, with smooth moss-covered rocks and a pretty canopy of old... read more »