We are so blessed to have such a growing practice. A large part of our growth is because we have dedicated patients like you who commit to regular dental visits and to referring your friends and family to do the same. We are so thankful for each one of you and are glad to provide service to the Brookfield and surrounding communities. We have recently remodeled our office, added a few more staff members and extended our business hours in order to make it easier for you to schedule appointments with us.

Although some of you love coming to the dentist, we are well aware that there are many of you who have some anxieties about dental work. Our top priority is to provide quality care to all of our patients so they can have a healthy, long lasting smile. Second to quality care, we want you to have a comfortable, anxiety free visits with us.

We have many ways to take your mind off of the worries of your visit and make the time fly by fast! In our reception area, we have a beverage station with water and coffee and tea for you to enjoy. Be sure you enter our drawing for free custom whitening trays when you check in! Once you get to your treatment room, you can watch a TV right above your head during your appointment. If you’ve had a longer procedure, we might even treat you to a smoothie or frozen custard shake to help with inflammation and calm a grumbling tummy. And recently, we have even caught a few Pokemon characters hiding around the office! What better ways to make for a more fun visit?

Thank you for being such wonderful patients and allowing us to be your dental team.

If flossing hasn’t been a regular part of your oral care routine, half the battle is just remembering to do it. So, here are our favorite ways to help you remember:

Set an alarm on your smart phone or tablet. Set it for the same time every day and make it a time that is convenient to you.

Write a post it note and stick it on your bathroom mirror or next to your bed.

Keep plastic flosser’s in your car and floss in your driveway before you leave or in the parking lot at work. Just be sure to throw them away in the garbage when you’re done. We hate littering!

If you have been to see us recently, you’ve noticed some big changes (and maybe a little dust). Our office is expanding! We are adding patient treatment rooms in order to make more appointment times available to our patients. Our reception area will be larger as well to accommodate our growing patient base. We will be adding some awesome things to the office to make your time there more enjoyable. We know many of our patients dread their dental visits, so it is our priority to provide quality dental work while making you comfortable and at ease. We will be posting photos of our progress along the way, and of course the final product! Be sure to follow us on facebook to see all of the latest updates and exciting  announcements too. We are scheduled to finish the remodel project in mid to late summer. We are still seeing patients during this transition.

Link to our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elmbrookfamilydental/

A few times during the year, the doctors plan an event where the staff can get together and forget about work for a while. On Friday, May 6th we worked hard all day at the office moving the front desk to it’s new temporary location. The assistants and hygienists moved some of the treatment rooms around in the back, getting a few steps closer to the end of the remodeling project. After a day of hard work, the staff headed to the Ronald McDonald house to make and serve snacks to the families staying there. The temporary residence enjoyed walking tacos, antipasti kabobs, strawberry shortcake pops and veggie tarts.

The Ronald McDonald house is a temporary housing facility for families to stay in when they have loved ones receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital as well as surrounding hospitals. The newly expanded facility can house up to 70 families per night and runs on donations provided by McDonald’s, the community  and the families who stay there. If a family is unable to pay, they will never be turned away. In addition to housing, they also provide therapy services which include an adorable pup named McNugget who brings smiles and cuddles to those staying in the Ronald McDonald house. We were truly thankful to be able to tour this facility and provide some yummy snacks to those staying there.

To find out how you can donate or volunteer, visit the following link: http://rmhcmilwaukee.org/how-to-help/

We LOVE a good recipe, and around here we are all a sucker for good Mexican food. For this Cinco De Mayo, we thought we would share a few yummy and easy recipes with you! Enjoy 🙂

Easy Tortilla Soup recipe: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-tortilla-soup/5073c9a2-0219-40ea-a516-808dc3318d3f

Guacamole: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14231/guacamole/

Shredded Chicken Tacos: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/215224/shredded-chicken-tacos/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=17752&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Spring has officially arrived and we want to make sure YOU are up to date on your cleanings! Seeing your dental hygienist and dentist at least twice a year is the best way to prevent and detect cavities and gum disease at an early stage. We help you come up with an individualized routine for your home care so that we can keep your mouth happy and healthy. Most of our patients schedule their next routine visit up to 6 months in advance, so be sure to think ahead in order to get a flexible appointment time. We are adding office hours soon to make it even more convenient! So, call our friendly front desk staff here at Elmbrook to schedule soon.

New to our office? No worries! We are accepting new patients as well and would love to meet you.

Gum (periodontal) disease is the unhealthy inflammation, swelling and even infection of the gums and the surrounding  bone. Early stages of gum disease are referred to as “gingivitis” and can be reversed with better brushing, flossing and rinsing at home. If gingivitis is not reversed, it then often advances to the more severe disease called “periodontal disease”. Periodontal disease refers to an advanced, non-reversible gum disease involving bone loss and even tooth loss. Signs to watch for are sore or swollen gums, gums that bleed during flossing or even brushing, foul smell or taste or even wiggly teeth. Chances are that if you see your dental office twice a year or more, they are measuring your gums and keeping a close eye out for signs of gum disease. If it has been a while since your last visit, no worries! We have seen it all and love helping people to get back on track to a healthy smile.

Smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease as a non smoker is. Smoking decreases the ability of your immune system to fight infection and heal. It can dry your mouth out and constricts the blood vessels in your mouth as well. Aside from a higher risk of gum disease, smoking can leave ugly stain and cause bad breath. It is a habit your body would prefer you to quit, and we would be happy to give you some pointers!

For happy, healthy gums, you should brush 2x daily, floss daily, refrain from smoking and see your friendly Elmbrook Family Dental Hygienist twice yearly.

Elmbrook Family Dental is hosting our Seventh Annual March Madness college basketball tournament for our current patients! (Patients having 1 cleaning within the last 12 months)

Last years, our NCAA tournament contest was a hit and this year we are making it even better by awarding prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places!

To sign up, go to https://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/frontpage and create an account. Once  you have logged in, click “My Groups” link toward the top of the page. Type ELMBROOK FAMILY DENTAL in the search box. Our group password is TEETH. Create your own bracket, and please use your actual name as your team name (so we know who you are!) and pick who you think will win. For more information, click the “How to Play” link.

Prizes are as follows:

1st place: $150 Bartolotta gift card
2nd place: 4 Brewers tickets (dates tbd)
3rd place: 2 sets of custom whitening trays (share with a friend!)
4th place: 4 movie tickets

You must sign up and pick your teams by the tip-off of the first game onMarch 17th in order to play. You will not be able to pick your teams until the tournament field is announced on March 13th.

The contest through ESPN is open to anyone, however in order to be eligible for a prize from Elmbrook Family Dental you must be current patient, meaning 1 cleaning within the last 12 months.

Sincerely,

All of us here at Elmbrook Family Dental

Ok, ok. We think this will be the last baby post for a while! But, check out this gorgeous baby girl. Our hygienist Sarah and her husband welcomed their baby girl Emerson Ann into the world in late January. She was 8lbs 3oz and 21.5 inches long. Enjoy your time with this little one Sarah! We miss you here.

In mid January, our hygienist Kerrie W. and her husband welcomed a new baby boy into their family. Jude was 8lbs 9oz and 21 inches long. He is a sweet, beautiful baby and we are excited to share this beautiful picture with you! Congratulations Kerrie. Enjoy that beautiful little one.