Wow! Can you believe we have been hosting this contest for 6 years? We always have such a blast doing this with you all,  so we thought we would keep the party going. Some of you may have received an e-mail with all of the contest details, but if you haven’t, all of  the information is listed here is well. Good luck and have fun everyone.

To sign up, go to http://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 choose who you think will win. For more information, click the “How to Play” link.

All patients who have seen us for a routine cleaning within the last year are eligible to enter our contest. Brackets starts on Sunday, March 15th at 7pm, and can be filled out until tip off of the first game on march 19th.

We are awarding prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place this year. Here is what you can win:

1st place: Apple iPad Mini
2nd place: 4 Brewers tickets (date choices still to be determined)
3rd place: Custom whitening trays and a $25 Jose’s Blue Sombrero gift card
4th place: $25 Jose’s Blue Sombrero gift card

Last week we celebrated a special birthday for our assistant Tonia. The staff brought some great food and treats in for us all to enjoy. She was able to spend the weekend celebrating with her boyfriend and family. After a special dinner at Cooper’s Hawk with her boyfriend, they spent time celebrating the holidays with his family. Sunday she cheered on the Packers for a win at her parents house. Happy birthday Tonia! Thank you for letting us help you celebrate.

What a wonderful success our food drive was! We collected 27lbs of food, and also $70 in cash donations. Thank you so much to all of you who donated! We are so thankful for patients like you who enjoy helping those in need as much as we do. Patricia K. donated 18 bags of food and was the winner of this wonderful gift basket. Thank you Patricia! We hope you enjoy all of your goodies.

The holiday season is upon us and our office hours will vary through the end of December. Here are dates to be aware of:

Thursday, November 27th and Friday November 28th: CLOSED

Wednesday, December 24th- Friday December 26th: CLOSED

Happy Holidays!

November 11th, 1918 was the day World War I ended. Today, we celebrate November 11th as Veterans day. A day to remember all of the men and woman who have served in our military and who currently serve. We take this day to remember the commitment these people have made and still make for our country. Many local businesses reach out to those veterans by offering some great free goods. So, if you’re a veteran, check out this list of some great free things that JSOnline has posted today. Enjoy!

Thank you to all of you who serve and who have served in the past. We are so grateful!

Follow this link: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/282155401.html

We hope you have been having a wonderful year!  As the end of 2014 is quickly approaching, we are writing to share a tip that can help you take full advantage of any dental insurance benefits you may have remaining.

Every year you receive a maximum amount of dollars from your dental insurance company that you or your employer pays for. Those of you who have incomplete treatment ought to utilize your available benefits otherwise this paid benefit is lost for the year.

If you have funds set aside in a flexible spending account (FSA) or healthcare saving account (HSA), now is the time to schedule treatment so your copayment amounts can be applied to this year’s deductions.

Your health is important to us and we want to provide the care you deserve. Calling ASAP will afford you the opportunity to obtain a more convenient appointment time. We find that the holiday season is always our “busy time”, as patients wait to call last minute to use these benefits. So call soon and we will happily accommodate your schedule.

Call today to schedule your appointment!

On a daily basis, we put our teeth through a lot of work! While those pearly whites are helping you to smile, bite into those yummy sandwiches and chew up that fantastic food, we need to remember to keep them safe from gum disease, breaking and decay. Follow these simply steps to lower your risks:

Use your teeth for biting and chewing food. Contrary to what a lot of us do, teeth are not made for removing tags from that adorable new shirt you just bought. Or as a bottle opener! Yup, we’ve seen it all. Using your teeth for things like this can cause to chips, cracks or breaks. Don’t worry, if you didn’t read this blog in time, we are only a phone call away and can get you fixed!

Avoid sipping on juice, sports drinks, coffee, soda and diet soda all day. These liquid sugars and acids pose a much lower risk when they are consumed with a meal. Just remember the catchy phrase: “Sip all day, get decay.”

Brush twice daily and floss daily! Rinse with water between meals or chew sugar free gum. Having these simple things in your routine greatly reduce your chances of getting gum disease, cavities and build up.

See your favorite Elmbrook Family Dental team members twice yearly for routine cleanings, exams and x-rays. Early detection and prevention lead to lower cost dental visits in the future!

Many of you have consumed xylitol and didn’t even know it. So let us tell you a little bit about what it is, and how it can help improve your dental health.

Xylitol is a product often used as a sugar alternative. It is the main ingredient in a few common sugar free chewing gums than many of us chew. It is what makes your piece of gum sweet and tasty! So, how is it so good for your teeth? Use of xylitol through chewing gum, xylitol mints, toothpaste or other products may lower your risk of getting tooth decay by a third. It helps to stimulate a healthy salivary flow and can promote remineralization of enamel. Less cavities? Sounds good to us!

Next time you’re in the check out lane at the grocery store, stop and check out labels on the sugar free gum. Consider chewing a piece after meals, or when your mouth is feeling a little dry. Xylitol products and a good water intake can play a key role in pushing off your next trip to the dentist.

As many of you may have heard, our hygienist Miranda had her baby boy! Beautiful Henry Ray was born on July 8th. He weighed 10 lbs 6oz and was 22 inches long. He is absolutely adorable and very easy going. Mom and baby are doing great.

Today we celebrated Dr Tacks 33rd birthday with some yummy (but mostly healthy) snacks! Dr Tack enjoyed a dinner at Harbor House with some of her good friends on Monday. She was able to spend some time with her Mom and got a mani/pedi, and also got her groove on to some great reggae music at the Skyline Music festival. She enjoyed every moment of the great music despite the rain.

We hope you had a wonderful birthday Dr Tack! We are thankful to be able to celebrate with you and are so glad you’re part of the team.