Dental Endeavors

Listen!

2012-01-19T15:01:00.003-05:00

Have you listened to Dr. Vander Vliet on WRNJ? He does a radio interview every other Friday morning at 8:15am. WRNJ can be heard at 92.7FM, 104.7FM or 1510AM.

On Friday, January 20th, the topic will be "Why some patients need dental premedication prior to treatment". Here are some of the highlights!

Why do some patients need premedication with antibiotics before dental procedures?
**There are over 100 million bacteria in each large drop of saliva.

**There are over 600 species of bacteria in the mouth, living in a delicate balance.

**Only 40 of these bacteria are harmful.

**Bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream after dental procedures, especially cleanings.

**Not a problem for healthy individuals.

**Patients with heart defects or artificial valves require premedication with antibiotics – usually one hour before their dental visit – to prevent SUBACUTE
BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS which is a heart infection.

**This is a change from the American Heart Association recommendations relaxing the requirement due to the fact that there is more of a risk by taking the antibiotics, eg: allergic reaction and an increase in resistant strains of bacteria.

**The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons in 2009 recommends that all patients with joint replacements be covered with antibiotics to prevent prosthesis infection.

Boston, here we come!

2012-01-03T09:58:00.003-05:00

We are gearing up for the Yankee Dental Congress, held in Boston at the end of this month.

Dr. Vander Vliet is taking us all away again - (you would think he would learn by now...) and we will be hopping on a train on Wednesday, January 25th.

We plan on attending some amazing courses, learning lots of new things, seeing the dental vendors and all that they have to offer, and hopefully doing some sightseeing around Boston. We are crossing our fingers for good weather.

Look for a blog post when we return, we will tell you all about our trip and show you pictures!

Last minute gift idea?

2011-12-08T08:33:00.002-05:00

Looking for that perfect little something to put under the tree? How about a gift certificate for Home Whitening?

During the month of December our Home Whitening system is only $149.00 - normally $375.00!

Call the office today at (908) 852-8858.

2011 Greater New York Dental Meeting

2011-11-30T14:56:00.008-05:00

Once again, we took our annual 'field trip' into Manhattan for the Greater New York Dental Meeting at the Jacob Javits Center. We get the opportunity to see the 'latest and greatest' from all the dental vendors.

Of course, the highlight of OUR day is going to Carmine's after the meeting. The holiday atmosphere, the food, the noise - it's all part of the experience.

Enjoy the photos!

Winner!

2011-11-23T12:06:00.002-05:00

A huge thank you to all our patients that contributed to our annual Food Drive - we were overwhelmed with response and it was much appreciated by The Lord's Pantry at Trinity Church in Hackettstown.

Congratulations to the winner of the $50.00 Visa Gift Card!

Did you know?

2011-11-22T11:06:00.003-05:00

The hygienists are really busy this time of year. You probably didn't know that hygienists have to renew their license to practice bi-yearly, and that time is now. The hygienist must complete 20 Continuing Education courses plus be CPR certified in order to keep their license current. They are busy taking classes to make this happen.

Ask them - I'm sure they would love to share all the new information they are learning!

The Link

2011-11-15T08:33:00.002-05:00

If you are a patient in this practice, you have heard us mention the 'link' between a healthy mouth and a healthy body. The studies proving the link between gum disease and heart problems, diabetes, stroke and other serious health issues are widely known.

A finding being presented Sunday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting suggests that people who visit the dentist regularly to have their teeth cleaned may lower their risk for heart attack and stroke.

In following more than 100,000 people with no history of heart problems or stroke for an average of seven years, researchers found those who had their teeth cleaned by a dentist or dental hygienist at least twice a year for two years, had a 24 percent lower risk for heart attack and a 13 percent lower risk for stroke compared to those who never went to the dentist or only went once in two years.

Let us help you lower your risk. Call today and schedule that overdue cleaning... it may very well save your life.

May Whitening Special!

2011-04-28T14:55:00.002-04:00

For the entire month of May, we are offering our Home Whitening System for $149.00! This is a savings of over $225.00.

It's the perfect time to whiten and brighten... spring into summer with a new smile.

Call today to take advantage of this offer!

Nutrients for Healty Teeth

2011-04-14T09:12:00.004-04:00

The benefits of eating a well-balanced diet are common knowledge these days. But did you know how the different vitamins can affect your oral health?

Vitamins
Vitamin A - Maintains mucous membranes for gum health - Milk, carrots, dark green vegetables

Vitamin D - Essential for healthy teeth and growth of jaw - Fortified milk, oily fish

Vitamin K - Helps clot blood so gums don't bleed - Dark green, leafy vegetables

Vitamin C - For periodontal and gingival health - Fresh fruit, potatoes, green vegetables

Riboflavin - Cuts on the side of the mouth, red, painful tongue - Green vegetables, milk, liver, yogurt, cheese

Folic Acid - Supports development of all cells in the body - Dark green vegetables, liver, whole meal bread

Minerals
Calcium - Formation of bones and teeth - Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), seafood with small bones like sardines

Phosphorus - Energy production, healthy bone development - Dairy products, meats, whole grains, eggs, legumes

Potassium - Muscle contraction and nerve function - Milk, cheese, whole grains, vegetables

Zinc - Tissue repair, normal metabolism - Seafood, liver, meat, whole grain cereal

Fluoride - Teeth and bone strength - Tea, broccoli, chicken, fluoridated water

Iron - Prevents glossitis (red, painful tongue) - Meats, whole grains

Listen up!!!!

2011-03-31T15:08:00.002-04:00

Every other Friday morning you can listen to Dr. Vander Vliet on the radio. He will be on WRNJ tomorrow, April 1st (no April Fools!), at 7:40am. WRNJ can be heard on 92.7 FM, 104.7 FM and 1510 AM. Dr. Vander Vliet will be speaking about the following important information:

Premedication using Antibiotics before dental procedures.

 Bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream after dental procedures, especially cleanings.

 Not a problem for healthy individuals.

 Patients with heart defects or artificial valves require premedication with antibiotics – usually one hour before their dental visit – to prevent SUBACUTE BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS which is a heart infection.

 This is a change from the American Heart Association recommendations relaxing the requirement due to the fact that there is more of a risk by taking the antibiotics eg: allergic reaction and an increase in resistant strains of bacteria.

 The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons in 2009 recommends that all patients with joint replacements be covered with antibiotics to prevent prosthesis infection.

 People with plates, pins & screws do not need the antibiotics.**

Summary
Patients with congenital heart defects, heart valves or artificial joints require premedication.

Patients that have pacemakers, defibrillators, pins, screws or plates do not generally require premedication.

Recent case – a woman with an artificial knee was hospitalized with a severe staph infection around her artificial joint. It was determined that the infection originated from her mouth due to poor oral hygiene.

*It is advisable to have a thorough exam and a good cleaning before any major surgery to reduce the possibility of infection.

**Medically compromised patients generally need premedication if they have any of the above conditions.

Helping others...

2011-03-29T11:51:00.002-04:00

We have many patients that work for or are a member of Trinity Methodist Church in Hackettstown. As most of you know, we run a food drive every year benefiting their food pantry.

When we were approached to donate some dental items for their mission trip to Haiti in February, we were happy to help. We loaded them up with toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss.

A big thanks to Colgate for supplying the toothbrushes for donation.

The picture below is from the visit to the tent cities, where proper brushing and flossing techniques were shown.

A Well Oiled Machine

2011-03-03T09:55:00.002-05:00

Our office has gotten the reputation of being a well-oiled machine. We hear it from many of our patients - and it always gives us a good feeling to know that our effort is noticed.

Did you ever wonder how we make it look so easy? We meet in a 'morning huddle' every day before our patients come in. We go over everyone's chart and review what's being done. We're all on the same page even before you walk in the door.

After we're done discussing our patient's care, that's when it's time for laughter, which is a great way to start our day. Our first patient often remarks that they can hear our laughter as they walk in the outside door!

Our office is all about making our patient #1. You are our top priority. We want to make sure you receive the best possible treatment, in the best possible surroundings.

A Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-16T10:56:00.005-05:00

Dr. Vander Vliet surprised us all with a fantastic lunch at Fujiyama and gave us each a red rose. Lunch was delicious - it's always fun to be entertained while you're food is being prepared right in front of you.

Enjoy the pictures!

New patients!

2011-02-07T11:53:00.003-05:00

At least once a week we hear from our patients "I wanted to refer my friend to your office, but I thought you weren't accepting new patients" - and nothing could be farther from the truth!

We welcome new patients. We take great pride in our practice and the fact that you have such faith in us, and appreciate all referrals that our patients send us.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-29T08:38:00.012-05:00

Hard to believe another year has come to a close...

We had an excellent time at our Christmas party last week. We went to Benito's Trattoria in Chester for a few hours - had some amazing food, enjoyed opening presents and laughed until our faces hurt.

Here are some pictures - we hope you enjoy looking at them!

Beth & Ginny

Beth, Ginny & Dawn

Beth & Ginny

Beth

Ginny & Dawn

Ginny

All of us!

Sandi & Inga

Sandi, Inga, Beth (Yes, it was VERY funny)

Sandi & Inga
Ok - a little backstory here - Inga loves dessert - and was the only one to order it. She was very gracious to offer me a taste - but look at her face - you can tell she's thinking "don't eat all my cannoli!!"

If only...

2010-12-21T12:48:00.003-05:00

Over the past few days, two patients called in pain. Both patients said the same thing "I wish I hadn't put off coming in for a checkup, now I'm having a problem." In each case, over the past year, we had tried to appoint the patient, but were told that their teeth were taking a backseat to other priorities...

Understandable, but unwise, considering that if they had only kept their hygiene appointments, the problems would have been diagnosed early and a much less invasive and expensive procedure could have been performed.

In one case, a tooth must be extracted and an implant done to replace the tooth.

So if it seems like we call too often or email too much, trying to get you to appoint an overdue visit, we truly are thinking of YOU, wanting your oral health to be as perfect as it can be.

Make it a New Year Resolution... call us.

It's nice to hear a ...

2010-12-15T07:59:00.003-05:00

com*pli*ment
noun
1. a formal act or expression of courtesy or respect
2. something said in admiration, praise, or flattery
3. courteous greetings; respects: send it with our compliments

We love to hear from our patients when they have a good experience - which we hope is every time they come to our office.

Some of our patients have taken the time to write us notes, emails and cards, and I'd like to share some of their words with everyone.

I want to thank you all for the time and hard work you put in. All of your knowledge, technology and dedication really shows. Everyone there couldn't be any nicer and true. All always go above and beyond to make that 'sitting in the chair' experience comforting. ~ AG

It is nice to know there are still folks out there that go the extra mile. ~ MA

Thank you so much for your patience, perseverance and kindness. ~ LZ

I want to take a moment and thank you for great, kind service and always given with a smile. I am happy to be one of your patients. ~ KM

Thanks for your excellent services and friendliness! ~ PM

I can smile this New Year! ~ DC

Thanks to all our patients for their kind words and support.

Donated Dental

2010-12-08T15:27:00.003-05:00

Did you know that there are thousands of people who will not be able to enjoy a holiday meal this year? It's not because they do not have food. It is because they are on a fixed income, or have no money at all to fix their teeth!

There is an organization that Dr. Vander Vliet has been working with for many years now that helps some of these people with this very problem. It is called "Donated Dental" and is a charitable affiliate of the American Dental Association;. Dr. Vander Vliet gets assigned a particular person and donates all his and the staff's time to help rectify their dental problems. The lab also donates their fee and all in all, the net result is one happy person! Here's hoping word gets out and more dental offices will get involved with this great program!

Health Fair!

2010-11-11T10:56:00.003-05:00

Last week we attended two health fairs - both for M&M/Mars - one at their Mt. Olive location, and one at their Hackettstown location.

We met SO many great people, and got to see some of our very favorite patients. Thanks to all that stopped by to say hello, take a chance on a prize, and made our day with all the kindness and generosity!

Please enjoy some of our favorite pictures from the fairs...

Off to Oregon!

2010-09-20T15:33:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow Dr. Vander Vliet is off to Portland, Oregon for the RV Tucker Study Club. We know he's going to come back with many new techniques!

The RV Tucker Study club is fundamentally different than other similar organizations in dentistry. The functioning premise is one of continual clinical participation in a study club setting under the guidance of a mentor.

Inga and I will both be in the office during this week that he's away, working very hard.

Stop laughing.

Jaden's First Visit!

2010-08-19T08:48:00.004-04:00

Meet Jaden. He's 3.

This was his very first visit to the dentist, and as you can tell by his face, he was a LITTLE apprehensive at first.

Sonia quickly won him over, and with the help of Mom & Dad, he had a great visit.

We can't stress enough the importance of starting your child early - making a visit to the dentist fun, and something to look forward to. Between fluoride and sealants, we are seeing fewer and fewer cavities in children.

This means better visits, and something for your child to look forward to every 6 months!

B.T.S. (behind the scenes)

2010-07-28T12:05:00.007-04:00

Ever wonder what it looks like from my point of view?

Of course I have the kind of things you would expect... like a calculator, stapler, tape... address stamps... labels etc... as you can see here:

BUT... in addition to all those 'work' type things, I have some unusual items. Say for instance my sock monkey.

Or every box of Sweethearts candies that Sonia has ever given me... UNOPENED.

Or perhaps the most unusual items... our stress squeeze toys (not that there is ever any stress), our cup full of gold stars for when we do an outstanding job and my toy black snake. Sonia and I terrorize each other with this snake as often as we can. You want to hear giggles? Dangle that snake next to her head.

Thanks for coming along on the tour of BTS... Sandi's desk.

Party in Room 2!

2010-06-30T14:30:00.002-04:00

Call us a little crazy, but every so often we need a little dance party! Sonia will bring in a mix cd that her son has so graciously burned for her, we load up her computer and play some music. The dancing begins, and the laughter soon follows.

Of course, this is all done before the first patient of the day walks in the door. So many patients comment that they can hear us laughing in the morning as they are walking into our building - now you know why!

Surprise visit?

2010-06-16T13:58:00.003-04:00

So imagine our surprise when Taylor Lautner, one of the Twilight stars, popped in to say hi.

Of course, we wished it was the REAL Taylor Lautner, but beggars can't be choosers. This was a life-size cardboard version of him.

It was also Dr. Vander Vliet's idea of a funny joke. Propped up in a darkened reception area... awaiting our arrival in the morning... Unfortunately, my arms were filled with the weekend's mail, and that mail ended up all over the floor when I screamed and threw my arms in the air.

I ran back into the breakroom, choking on my gum, as Inga wondered what the heck was happening. I struggled to get the words to come out of my mouth, to let her know there was a person standing in the reception room in the dark... only to see the doctor come out of his office with a big grin on his face.

Taylor ended up posing all over the office - and every time we came around the corner and caught sight of him, we got startled all over again.

Patients tell us all the time how they love that we have so much fun in our office... I can tell you that at 7:20am, throwing mail in the air and choking on my gum, I was not having fun. :-)

Cops & Rodders

2010-06-09T14:52:00.006-04:00

Looking for something fun to do on Thursday evenings? Come over to the Lowe's and Wendy's parking lot on Mountain Ave and join us at the Cops & Rodders Cruise Night!

Dr. Vander Vliet is not only a sponser of the show, he proudly shows his restored 1953 Ford F100 Pickup.

Enjoy yourself listening to the DJ spinning a variety of music and looking at some incredibly beautiful cars and trucks.

NY Dental Show

2009-12-08T14:35:00.002-05:00

Our annual event - a trip into NYC to the NY Dental Show! We get to see lots of new technology and products - talk to dental reps and see product demonstrations. But the best part always comes after the show - off to Carmine's again! A fantastic meal at a fantastic restaurant. Then a walk to Grand Central Station to see the shops... enjoy the pictures!

Health Fair

2009-11-12T10:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, November 11th, we spent the day at M&M/Mars in Hackettstown at their Health Fair. We got to see so many of our patients, and meet potential new patients as well!

The doctor conducted Oral Cancer Screenings with our VelScope, and we had a table set up with tons of give-aways and fun games. Please enjoy some of the pictures from our day...

Food Drive!

2009-10-26T19:48:00.003-04:00

Our office is holding a food drive to benefit The Lord's Pantry at Trinity Methodist Church in Hackettstown.

Now through November 20th, non-perishable items may be left at our office. For every item you donate, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $150.00 gift card.

Please help us help others!

A Dangerous Myth

2009-03-11T10:22:00.002-04:00

From MSN Health & Fitness:

UV-activated teeth whitening

Why get it: Who doesn't want a mouth full of gleaming, pearly whites? Most whitening methods rely on hydrogen peroxide solutions, but some companies claim the hydrogen peroxide works better and faster when combined with UV lamps.
The problem: New research shows UV lamps don't boost the bleaching process, and even worse, can be dangerous. In February 2009, research published in the online version of the Journal of Prosthodontics showed no difference between teeth whitened with a combination of hydrogen peroxide and light or heat lamps, and those whitened with the solution alone. A January 2009 study in the British journal Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences went further. Not only does light-activation not work, the article reported, but it also exposes users to startlingly high levels of cancer-causing UV radiation. One lamp the team tested gave a dose four times as high as what you'd get from sunbathing for a full afternoon in midsummer.

Off to San Antonio!

2008-10-09T15:08:00.002-04:00

Next week the entire office is winging their way to San Antonio, Texas for the ADA Annual Conference. We'll have 1 day of play, 3 days of seminars and a day of travel.

The courses sound amazing and we're all hoping to learn a lot of new and exciting things!

This also means lots of new pictures to share here, and in the office.

Congratulations to our contest winner!

2008-09-17T15:55:00.003-04:00

Congratulations John! Thanks for your comment, and enjoy your new toothbrush!

^~Blog Contest~^

2008-06-18T10:24:00.005-04:00

Enter our blog contest for a chance to win an Oral-B Triumph toothbrush with Smart Guide technology!

A $150.00 value, this is the first and only toothbrush to provide visual, while-you-brush feedback for optimal brushing. Did you know that 45% of subjects in a clinical study were shown to brush too hard, which can lead to gum recession? Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide can tell you when you’re brushing too hard, so you’ll be confident that you’re brushing your best.

Also, users were 4 times more likely to brush the dentist-recommended two minutes versus brushing with a manual toothbrush. The smart guide timer makes it easy to track 30 seconds of brushing in each quadrant. A smiley face appears after the two minutes.

The contest is simple - just check out our website. WWW.GVDENTAL.COM Read about our office and staff, all the incredible new technology we have, our gallery of smiles and then post a comment on our blog telling us what feature you like best about our website. The blog link is on the website!

Include your first name, and at the end of July we will randomly choose a comment and post the winner!

The contest will run from June 18, 2008 to July 31, 2008. Make sure you check back with our blog on August 1, 2008 to see if your comment won.

VelScope Oral Cancer Detection

2008-01-28T15:53:00.000-05:00

Oral cancer has often been called the “forgotten disease of medicine”.

This year over 34,000 new cases of oral cancer are expected to be found compared to 11,000 cases of cervical cancer. The death rate is expected to reach almost 8,000 compared with 3,700 from cervical cancer.

Dentists now have an opportunity to make a change in these staggering rates due to new technology. The VelScope oral cancer screening system uses light and has achieved a specificity of 100% when discerning between normal tissue and invasive carcinoma.

Dr. Vander Vliet believes everyone should be screened annually for oral cancer since the profile of typical oral cancer patients - 40’s, smokers, drug users - is no longer valid; many people who do not fit this profile are diagnosed with oral cancer. The current five year survival rate is just 52% but when diagnosed early the survival rate can be as high as 80-90%.

New York City!!

2007-12-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

Every year it's tradition for the office to make a trip into NYC to the Greater New York Dental Show at the Jacob Javits Center.

The staff looks forward to going, they SAY it's because of all the exciting dental products and demonstrations - but we all know it's because of the dinner at Carmine's restaurant after the dental show.

This year our Benco Sales Representative, Preston, joined our group.

Here are some pictures of our day...

The Case Against Soda

2007-11-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

Obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, tooth decay. From the very first sip, due to its acidity, even unsweetened soda starts to wreak havoc on your body. It corrodes the teeth, confuses the appetite regulating hormones in the digestive tract, attacks the bones and encourages the organ breakdown that leads to diabetes.

Several studies confirm that adults who drink three or more sodas a day have up to 62% more decayed, missing and filled teeth than those who drink less.

Switch to drinking the healthiest beverage of all - water!

Welcome to our blog!

2007-11-12T09:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our new endeavor - Dental Endeavors! As a team effort, we will provide you with new and exciting things that catch our eye, including news, events, dental updates and happenings in our office.

Please keep us bookmarked and check back in soon!