Happy Halloween!

We hope that everyone had a fun and happy Halloween this year! It is hard to believe that it has already come and gone. If you were in the office during the week of Halloween you may have seen some of these pumpkins laying around! We asked you to vote on your favorite pumpkin and here are some of the favorites, with the Pumpkin Pounder as the winner!

Drs. Rick and Travis Evans also participated in the 6th Annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta right here in Tualatin on Halloween day. They both said that it was hard work rowing those pumpkins around the lake but also had a lot of fun doing it! Maybe you'll see them again next year!

Dr. Travis Evans trying to get in his pumpkin!

ADA Convention

In early October, many of the office staff were able to attend the American Dental Association annual convention in Hawaii together. It was a great opportunity to take some continuing education courses in order to become even better at what we do.

A group shot!

Kari, Dr. Rick, Diana, Terrie, Linda, Liz, Emily, Dr. Travis

Father and son

Emily, Terrie, and Linda

The girls

Taking a break from classes

Coming Soon!

Dr. Travis Evans graduated from Boston University School of Dental Medicine on May 15th, 2009. He and his family are now living in Oregon and he will be joining our practice in August!

Dr. Rick Evans was able to attend the graduation ceremony. Here he and Dr. Travis Evans are checking out the diploma.

Travis won two awards at a ceremony following graduation.

Here he is receiving an award from the Department of General Dentistry for Outstanding Achievement and Excellence in Patient and Practice Management.

Here he is the solo recipient in his entire class of The American Association of Endodontists Student Achievement Award in Endodontics- a great achievement!

Congratulations to Dr. Evans! We are excited to have him become a member of our team!

Easter coloring contest- Winners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Easter coloring contest! We had so many great pictures this year! Here is Dr. Evans with our winner, Jocelyn Harper, age 5, who won first place! Jocelyn chose the Easter basket as her prize.
And our second place winner, Katie Crisp, age 10, with her giant Easter bunny and Dr. Evans. (Dr. Evans is the one on the left!) Her dad didn't tell her why they were going to the dentist so when she got to leave with a giant Easter bunny, she was thrilled!

Congratulations Jocelyn and Katie!

(click on each picture to enlarge for a better look at the winning pictures)

St. Patrick's Day

Emily and Terrie show off the all green "freebie" basket put together especially for St. Patrick's Day this year. It was a big hit!

Dakota Fanning on teeth.

Brushing and Flossing...

Toothbrushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.

• Brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums, gently using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
• Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
• Use the tip of the brush head to clean the inside front teeth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.

Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

• Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
• Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
• Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.

Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

Welcome.

To our patients, staff, community, and the rest of the cyber world:

This blog is for your use. It will be updated regularly with recent office news, dental questions and answers, the latest and greatest in the world of teeth, and more! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave it in the comments portion of each post. We look forward to blogging with you!