THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS HERE!

Season’s greetings from the office of Dr. Jack Bodie!
It’s no surprise that our culture celebrates the Holiday Season so fervently. We hear Christmas songs on the radio and see lights going up everywhere, even before Thanksgiving. Everywhere you look there are signs of the season, and it seems that people just can’t wait for it all to happen.

Most of us look forward to some time off, spending time with our families, and the festivities that go along with the gatherings and celebrations. It really is a wonderful time of year……… for most of us.

What I’m saying is this. There are many, many people that won’t be able to enjoy the Holiday Season this year due to recent disasters. Additionally, illness, disability, those without family or overseas causes much difficulty this time of year. And because charities and food banks are having donation/funding reductions, help is getting harder to find for those in need.

So what can be done about this you say? Well, just look around! Although there are countless charities that will be happy to take money, clothes, cars, food and other donations, some would just as well benefit from a little of your time. Even a small act of kindness to a friend or neighbor would help make this a better Holiday Season.

As a resident of Richardson for most of my life, I think donating locally makes a lot of sense because there are so many in need that are so close to home. One of the many local charities we support and volunteer for is Network of Community Ministries.

NETWORK of Community Ministries, Inc., (www.thenetwork.org), founded in 1985, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization supported by businesses, individuals, and a coalition of religious, civic and social organizations. NETWORK officially opened its doors on February 3, 1986.  It provides health and emergency services to children, low-income families, and senior citizens in need within RISD. The mission is “caring, coaching, and empowering our neighbors in need as they seek an improved quality of life.”

So, we encourage all of you to help those in need by the way of your choosing to make this Holiday Season a little better for all of us. If you would like to help NCM, contact them at http://www.thenetwork.org/ or 972 234 8880. If you’d like to make an appointment in our office, call 972 235 4767 or e-mail us at BodieStaff@DrJackBodie.com. Ask us about big year-end savings we are offering for treatment scheduled during December (treatment may be done in 2018). We can make your smile and your Holiday Season brighter!

Best Regards,
Dr. Jack Bodie and Staff

IS DENTAL INSURANCE DESTROYING GOOD DENTISTRY?

Greetings from the Office of Dr. Jack Bodie!

This may sound like a bit of a contradictory statement, but if you read on, you might just agree!
What’s happening now in dentistry is like what happened in medicine twenty years ago, regarding the way insurance companies pay for services. What happened is, the insurance companies found ways to cut costs by negotiating fees with hospitals and doctor groups. This eventually resulted in complicated formulas to determine fees paid by insurance plans for all medical services, depending on plan costs, plan benefits, doctor enrollment, age and health of enrollees, and many, many other factors.

The major difference between medical insurance and dental insurance is the maximum dollar benefit allowed annually. And the difference is huge! Most medical plans max out at around 2-3 million dollars, with most dental plans providing only $1000-$1500. So just think about that! Does $1000 buy much dentistry these days? The obvious answer is HECK NO! Maybe a couple of cleanings and a filling or two.

So, is dental insurance worth having? Well that answer is yes if someone else is paying for it (i.e. employer). Any help in paying dental bills is worth having. But is it critical like medical insurance? Another big NO! In fact, dental insurance reimbursements are extremely limited and totally dependent on what the purchaser paid for the plan.

Do we see good dental insurance plans? Sometimes we do, although it is rare now and becoming more so. Most dental plans cover only a percentage of treatment and are loaded with limitations. So how does this affect the quality of treatment? This is the real issue of this discussion!

Here is how it works in today’s insurance driven practice. The dentist(s) contracts with the insurance company and agrees to accept the “in network” fee schedule which discounts the dentist’s regular fees by 50-60%. Sounds like a great deal for consumer, right? Hold on! The dentist now must do three to four times as much dentistry to make ends meet financially. Guess what happens next? The list is long: less time with patients, doctors jumping from chair to chair, fewer appointments for treatment, more waiting time in the waiting room and dental chair for patients, rushed treatment that results in poor results, unnecessary treatment (over treatment), incomplete treatment (undertreatment), billing for services not performed, requiring warranties to guarantee replacement of defective treatment, stressed out staff and doctors, and the list goes on!

If you want an experienced dentist and staff, that will spend as much time with you as you like discussing treatment options or just chatting with you to make more comfortable, if you want to see happy faces loving their work, if you want great dentistry that looks great, feels good, lasts a long time, and is personally guaranteed, you should consider the office of Dr. Jack Bodie. And we will even help you with your insurance! Check out our website at DrJackBodie.com or call us at 972 235 4767 today!

                    HOW IS YOUR SPIT?

Greetings from the office of Dr. Jack Bodie!

An interesting question to be sure. One most people seldom if ever think about.  For dentists however, this is a very important question.  Now I’m sure you are beginning to wonder why in the world anyone would be concerned about this! Well, let’s think about that for a minute.

Spit (we call it saliva) is produced by glands in around our mouths. In young healthy individuals it is made in amounts sufficient to provide many benefits to our bodies. It aids in digestion. It keeps our lips, cheeks, tongues, and throats comfy. It allows us to taste and enjoy food. It helps us with speech. And, what would a kiss be without it! Yuck!

So you see, spit IS important to us all. And as dentists, we know that spit is truly the water of life for our teeth and gums. We know from research and experience that when a person’s spit goes away, it won’t be long before their teeth go away as well!

Now you may be asking yourself “Why should I worry? My spit seems fine.” Well, maybe, and maybe not. You see, the amount of spit you have changes with age, medical conditions, and with many medications.  Most adults begin to have significant reduction in spit volume in their 50’s and 60’s, continuing to decline throughout life. This also is the time in life when many begin to have medical conditions requiring medication.

The number of medications that cause dry mouth is staggering. Common medications to treat allergies, asthma, pain, high blood pressure, depression, sleep disorders, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, COPD, dieting, and many other disorders cause dry mouth. In our office, it is not uncommon to see patients taking five or more meds with this side effect.  Additionally scary is the fact that patients may have a 50% or more reduction in spit and be totally unaware of it!

What to do? Well fortunately, damage from not enough spit can be prevented and treated. If your dentist knows what meds you are taking and has been adequately trained, interceptive and preventive treatment can be started if diagnosis is made early.  And there’s the only catch. You’ve got to see a dentist!

If you are being medicated for the conditions listed above, or if you are taking medication that has dry mouth listed as a side effect, you may benefit from simple and inexpensive preventive treatment. An examination, x-rays, cleaning and consultation can cost as little as $149.00. If you have questions about dry mouth or would like to make an appointment, please call 972 235 4767 or e-mail us at BodieStaff@DrJackBodie.com.   We can’t wait to help!

Best Regards,

Dr. Jack Bodie

Painless Dental Injection? Is it Possible?

Greetings from the Office of Dr. Jack Bodie!

I don’t know about you, but my earliest memories of going to the dentist as a child were all about that shot in the mouth I was going to get! So, when I first went to dental school, I was determined to find a way to give painless injections. Although it has taken quite a few years to perfect the technique, it is possible to give a painless dental injection in most cases. Here are the details:

Topical Anesthetics

Nearly everyone has heard about these, the most common brand sold over-the-counter as “Oragel”.  These are typically benzocaine in relatively low dose and have only modest numbing effect. We use a specially compounded gel that results in profound numbing of the injection area if placed properly and left in place for 2-3 minutes. The key here is to make sure the injection site is dry and the gel covered with gauze to hold it in place.

Warmed Anesthetic

Warming the anesthetic solution to body temperature not only reduces painful sensations during injection, but also speeds numbing reducing waiting times.

Anesthetic Acidity

Certain formulations of local anesthetic drugs are more acidic and therefore cause more pain than others. We always use the least acidic formulations first, then others as needed once the site is numb.

New Needle Technology

This may sound unusual, but new designs and technology have resulted extremely fine needles that make injections more comfortable.

The Technique

This is the part that only experience can teach. And after 36 years in practice, I have found ways to give injections that are not only painless, but are extremely effective in quality and duration of anesthesia. The details are a little beyond the scope of this letter, but if you are really interested, I’d be happy to discuss details in my office.

If painful dental injections are keeping you away from the dentist, you should give us a call or visit our web site at DrJackBodie.com. We also offer mild and moderate sedation for nervous patients. We’d like to help!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Bodie and Staff

A Dentist Elderly Patients Can Trust

Greetings from the Office of Dr. Jack Bodie!

A large percentage of senior citizens do not have dental insurance and that typically means they do not visit the dentist for preventive care.   Some may be living with unnecessary dental pain because it may be more difficult for them to get to the dentist.   Trust is an important part of the relationship between an older patient and a dentist.  In our practice, we take the time to get to know all patients, and, in the case of older patients, much of that time focuses on getting to know them, their families, and any special needs they may have.

When we have an older patient, we take the time to explain how a few aspects of their age might affect their dental care.  We talk about their overall health and how it’s important to care for teeth and gums each day to avoid periodontal disease which is linked to cardiovascular disease.  Infections that start in the mouth can easily spread to other systems in the body, especially the lungs, so we emphasize good dental care to avoid unnecessary risk of illness.

We also inform older patients that their teeth may not be as sensitive as when they were young. They may not feel pain or discomfort in a familiar way if they get a cavity or small infection.   Because of this, regular visits for cleanings and examinations take on even more importance for the elderly.

We have extensive training and experience in treating senior patients. We will without charge contact these patient’s other doctors to make sure there are not any conditions or medicines that may affect their treatment. We know this is an important part of their care.

We know the importance of trust when working with senior citizens.  That‘s why we focus on the big picture.  Like all our patients, they need to know the importance of dental health for their age and how being diligent in caring for their teeth keeps them healthier.

If you have an elder family member or friend that needs senior dental care, please contact our office today at 972 235 4767. Visit our website at DrJackBodie.com for more information.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Bodie DDS