Find out the latest news and topics of interest from Dr. James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.!
Archive for the ‘Dr. Hood’s Journal Notes’ Category
Summer and the August 2 Debt Deadline
Monday, August 1, 2011
Hello August!
Believe it or not, August, which signals summer’s end, is already here. Back-to-school sales abound, as do long-awaited 90-degree temperatures.
In everyone’s effort to stay cool and hydrated, don’t forget to get you and your children in for dental check-ups before school starts again.
- Summer fun at Silverwood, north of Coeur d’Alene, ID
In our nation’s capitol, debates are heated on how to avoid the first default in the history of our republic. This keeps many people nervous and unable to enjoy summer weather. Others, unaware and unconcerned about what default would mean to everyone, vacation with abandon.
The August 2nd deadline pressure looms heavy over our elected legislators. The debt ceiling will likely be raised. At what cost is our concern? Once a bill is passed to raise the ceiling, will we understand it? Or will it be a bill that gets manipulated into doing something other than what it was intended to do?
We, as a nation, do not want to go the way of Greece. Hopefully, our government will turn around and citizens will again have faith in our government.
Nonetheless, the United States of America is still the freest and most generous nation on earth. Get out in this summer weather and see a part of this country you’ve not see before. It doesn’t have to be the Grand Canyon. Visit a recreation area in your local area that you’ve not experienced before. Local parks often have surprises that you’ve never thought of. Get a map of your locality and decide how far you are willing to drive (gas is often the limiting factor). Use that distance for the radius of a circle which you draw around your home, and then find an area to explore.
Enjoy your local community. See something you heard or read about yet never visited. There are plenty of places near home to enjoy.
Have fun, enjoy the Inland Northwest, and keep smiling!
Dr. James G. Hood
*~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
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Respect
Thursday, July 28, 2011
As a dentist, I have all types of people sit in my chair for dental care. It is always amazing to me the differences in respect that various individual show.
Persons who have served in the military or often those from the South will answer “yes ma’am” or “yes sir.” I compare this to usually younger people who simply moan “ya.”
Respect is one of those virtues in which the more you give it others the more it is shown to you. Some simple suggestions about how to show respect:
- Use “Yes sir,” “Yes ma’am,” “Yes reverend,” “Yes your honor,” “Yes admiral,” “yes senator,” etc.
- Face the other person and make eye contact (in certain cultures eye contact is not respectful – respect those cultures).
- Be sure your facial expressions and body language are friendly and open.
- Smile (see your dentist if you cannot do this proudly).
- Sit or stand straight and not too far from or too near the person you are addressing.
- Let the other person talk and express their ideas, concerns, feelings, and perspectives, and listen without interruption.
- Speak slowly, firmly, clearly, and calmly, without losing your temper.
- Be nice.
Like anything else, “repetition is the mother of skill.” Practice showing respect and you’ll see quickly how respect is returned.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit “Respect” has been around for a long time. Respect, if you can train yourself to show this virtue, which comes truly from your soul, will be returned to you and also around you for a long time.
There are basically 4 forms of respect, which all of us can work on in one form or another. They are:
- Respect for self
- Respect for others
- Respect for all forms of life and the environment in which we all live
- Respect for truth, laws, and the principles set forth by our society
Practice all forms of respect on a daily basis in your home. More importantly, help others to learn and show respect.
Smiling with respect,
Dr. James G. Hood
*~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
What Do We Deserve?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Summer is at its peak. Garden vegetables and fruits are beginning to generously grace our tables. After a long, cold spring, it’s nice to have warm days of summer in Spokane. Sun bathing and bathing in pools and water parks are suddenly popular. The price of gasoline may have shortened vacations, but everyone deserves to enjoy the long-awaited temperature increases.
Likewise, everyone deserves to have a smile they enjoy showing off.
Within the last week, I’ve had a gentleman in his mid-30s come to me for dental care. He has three upper front teeth missing and multiple teeth with decay in them. Needless to say, this very nice looking gentleman avoided smiling and was ashamed of his mouth. Appearance can raise or lower one’s self-esteem. In this case, our “John Doe” was daily humiliated (or so he felt) by his toothless smile. Further complicating his situation was the fact that he had an exaggerated gag reflex and an extreme fear of dentists. In his favor, he had most of his original set of teeth and, despite the rampant decay, his bone support was very good so his mouth was very restorable.
John Doe was interested, most of all, to get his smile back.
John Doe was so distraught he actually began to cry in the dental chair. Because of the amount of dentistry needed in this case, we recommended oral sedation.
The advantages to this patient in using oral sedation are multiple. We can do much more work in a single sitting. We can make him more comfortable by stopping the gag reflex. He will not shake in fear as he did on the initial exam. Because he’ll be much more relaxed during each dental visit, his post-operative discomfort will be drastically reduced. And most importantly, he’ll have a new smile in just weeks, having gone years with a smile he was ashamed of. Soon he’ll enjoy the warm weather with a new smile.
What kind of smile do you deserve?
Smile,
Dr. James G. Hood
*~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Your Oral Health and Pet Health
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Recently, a family pet was taken to the veterinarian for health reasons. The veterinarian did a great job, and now we won’t have unexpected puppies. While I was in the veterinarian’s reception area, I noticed a lady with obvious periodontal disease. She was concerned and conscientiously taking her little dog to the vet to be pampered and well cared for, which is great, but what about her oral health?
Why do we as humans overlook our own personal health problems, many times especially our oral health, but care for our children and pets? I am reminded of the airline attendant on a recent flight. I’m sure you’ve heard this on a flight, “In the event of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop down from the ceiling. Place your own mask on first, and then place a mask on your child.” It is difficult to provide care to another if you are not healthy yourself.
We as parents and pet owners must care for our own health problems so we can properly care for our children and our pets. Our children will learn and follow what we as parents do. Our pets will enjoy the company of healthy masters much more than sickly or dying pet owners.
Be aware and care for your oral and general health, and then use that knowledge to care for your children and family members. Then you can all work to keep your pets healthy.
Happy smiling!
Dr. James G. Hood
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Happy 4th of July!!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Can you believe it? This weekend is the 4th of July holiday already. I guess our cool spring made us not realize how far into summer we are. And the weather is gorgeous!
For everyone who survived Hoop Fest 2011 this past weekend, we’re headed for a weekend even warmer.
Ice cold drinks, BBQ, and watermelon … is anything more American? And fireworks … don’t we have some crazy holiday traditions? My family is into every holiday in a big way, and the independence of the greatest nation on earth is no exception. This is one day to celebrate all the fantastic benefits we enjoy in the U.S.A. Proudly wave our national flag. We have freedoms found in very few places on earth. Sometimes we get myopic and focus only on the negative or controversial aspects of the politics of our phenomenal republic.
We are able to judge our leaders and all aspects of the American-way of governance. Thank the Lord that we have such freedoms. Looking critically at our laws and leaders only makes us stronger. No one and nothing is perfect so, with constant effort, we can continue to improve the concept of liberty. Our Constitution is a great framework to point us in the right direction with the freedoms expressed within. I am always amazed that the document on which our country is based can, throughout our 235 year history, still clearly guide us.
We are truly fortunate to have such a strong anchor or safeguard to our liberty as the Constitution of the United States of America.
Take time during this holiday from the normal work week and show gratitude to our forefathers and our military, which have made us and keep us a free nation. It is a simple task to be patriotic in this the United States of America.
Thank God for the United States of America!
Thank for reading and blogging!
Dr. James G. Hood
*~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
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