Dear Caregivers and Insurance Policy Holders,

Now is the time to think about "Open Enrollment" for Dental Insurance and it is also the time to prepare your Flex Spending Accounts for the coming year. Most businesses have this month of September as the time to make changes to your dental plan that will become effective in January 2011. Often, we find that people seem to think they know what they have signed up for, only to find out they wished they had chosen the other insurance for their orthodontic needs. Sometimes this mistake can delay dental and orthodontic treatment for a full year. We would like to help you in making the best choice. Please call the office now for your FREE orthodontic consultation appointment. At this appointment Dr. Sanjideh (our incredible new orthodontist) will do a complete exam and let you know if treatment is recommended. Also, Veronica or Kerin (our incredible treatment coordinators) will go over your expenses to help you prepare your finances and insurance choices.

In addition, having an orthodontic consultation appointment before January 2011 can help prepare you for your medical and dental taxed free savings known as Flex Spending Accounts or Cafeteria Plans.

Tell a friend too! They would be grateful that you reminded them about their benefit.

Best,
Dr. Bob Stella
 

Fierce weather, flu epidemics, gasoline shortages, power outages, and other natural or man-made disasters: you never know when an emergency situation may strike. Since September is America's National Preparedness Month, why not take steps now to gather supplies and make plans? Depending on the type of emergency, make sure that all family members know what to do, where supplies are stored, and how to get in contact with each other. These are simple yet effective ways to give you and your family peace of mind.

Making a supplies kit

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's checklist recommends gathering adequate supplies for 3 days. However, you may want to consider stockpiling up to a week's worth of basic items, including:

• Water for drinking and sanitation (1 gallon per person per day)
• Non-perishable food
• Can opener, eating utensils, paper plates and cups, and paper towels
• Radio, flashlight, and extra batteries
• Whistle
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Dust mask, plastic sheeting, and duct tape
• Wrench or pliers
• Local maps
• Sanitation items (moist towelettes, toilet paper, garbage bags, plastic ties, chlorine bleach, and a medicine dropper)
• Fire extinguisher

Making a first aid kit for dental emergencies

In addition to the government's recommendations, be sure to create a first aid kit that includes supplies for dental emergencies:

• Clove oil (a natural pain reliever)
• Tweezers
• Dental mirror
• Small cotton pellets, gauze, or cotton handkerchief
• Petroleum jelly
• Dental floss
• Soft dental wax
• Ibuprofin (not aspirin)
• Saline solution
• Extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss
• Extra supplies for denture care as needed
• Contact information for our dental office and dental insurance

Presented by Dr. Stella Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics 2700 Bellflower Blvd. #217 Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 627-8800 www.FuntasticDental.com

Many children are calm, comfortable, and confident in a pediatric dental office like ours. That’s mainly because pediatric dentists, like Dr. Stella and Dr. Golian, specialize in treating children, and we choose to work in a pediatric dental office because we like kids and are willing to take extra steps to maximize your child’s comfort during their dental visit. Sometimes however, your child may still feel anxious during treatment and may need more support than a gentle, caring manner to feel comfortable. Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide) is a safe, effective technique to calm a child’s fear or anxiety- that’s when Laughing Gas comes in.

What is Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide)?
Nitrous Oxide, also known as “laughing gas”, is a gas that’s combined with Oxygen to produce a calming effect and a sense of well being when inhaled. Many dentists use Nitrous Oxide to help patients relax during dental treatments. When the dental procedure is over, the dentist will have the patient breathe only Oxygen for a few minutes to eliminate the effects of Nitrous Oxide. Unlike other forms of sedation, the patient should have a clear head within minutes of coming off of the Laughing Gas allowing them to function normally with no lingering effects

How will my child feel when breathing Nitrous Oxide?
Your child will smell a sweet, pleasent aroma and experience a sense of well-being and relaxation. If your child is worried by the sights, sounds, or sensations of dental treatment, he/she may respond more positively with the use of Nitrous Oxide.

How safe is Nitrous Oxide?
Very safe. Nitrous Oxide is perhaps the safest sedative in dentistry. It has the following qualities: It is well tolerated, not addictive, has quick onset, is reversible, can be adjusted in various concentrations, and is non-allergic. Your child remains fully conscious (keeps all natural reflexes) when breathing Nitrous Oxide.

Are there any special instructions for Nitrous Oxide?
Inform Dr. Stella, or treating dentist, about any respiratory condition for your child, such as colds & allergies that can cause stuffy noses, as they may limit the effectiveness of Nitrous Oxide. Second, inform Dr. Stella, or treating dentist, if your child is taking any medication on the day of the appointment.

Will Nitrous Oxide work for all children?
Since all children are not alike, every service is tailored to your child as an individual. Nitrous Oxide may not be effective for some children, especially those who have severe anxiety, nasal congestion, or discomfort wearing a nasal mask. Dr. Stella & Dr. Golian will review your child’s medical history and inform you if Nitrous Oxide is recommended for your child.
 

*Let your child know we have GRAPE, STRAWBERRY, ORANGE, VANILLA, MINT, & BUBBLEGUM scented noses for them. Also, talk to us about providing you with a sample take-home nasal mask so you may practice wearing it at home, that way your child may be better prepared for their Nitrous Oxide visit.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about Nitrous Oxide please email Dr. Stella at Info@FuntasticDental.com

Dear Parents, Guardians, Caregivers,

We're seeing an unfortunate increase in appointment cancellations these days, and we wish we could figure out why. It's always been our contention that your time is valuable. So we have one theory about scheduling -your child deserves our undivided attention. For this reason, we take pride in that we do not double-book like other practices, and accept walk-ins only in the event of an emergency. When we schedule a dental visit for your child, that time is yours. It belongs to you and your child. So when cancellations happen -sometimes as little as an hour ahead of time- we feel like we've been stood up for a very important appointment. An appointment that has everything to do with your child’s on-going dental health. Of course flat tires, illnesses, and family emergencies do happen -and we understand. But the cost of needlessly missed appointments is borne by us all--in overhead, in time and energy, and eventually, in patient fees. Our team has made a promise, professionally and personally, to give your child the concern, respect and care that makes our office a comfortable and pleasant place to visit. Having said this, we would like to inform you that effective immediately, our office policy on cancelling appointments and broken appointments is as follows:

“A minimum of 24-hour notice is required for cancellations. We need this amount of time so that we can contact a child from our waiting list to offer the appointment. If we do not get the necessary 24-hour notice, we reserve the right to charge your account a broken appointment charge of $75 per child. This fee must be paid before a new appointment can be scheduled for your child. Once the fee has been paid, we will not ask you to pay that fee ever again, unless another appointment is cancelled or failed in the future.”

We value your time, as much as we hope you value ours. If you have any questions regarding this office policy or would like a copy of our office policies please email us Info@FuntasticDental.com or call us (562) 627-8800. Thank you for your understanding regarding this matter.

Sincerely,
Dr. Stella Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics