Our More Than the Snore Contest starts today, March 22nd, and we are so excited! Each active patient or confirmed new patient has an opportunity to win! First place prize is a Sleep Number Bed with SleepIQ Technology and Second place prize is a luxurious Spa Gift Basket (with 29 chances to win).
The contest will run from March 22nd to April 22nd.
At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry we pride ourselves on giving back to the community and always doing everything in our power to help our patients succeed. On October 5th, 2018 our staff in the Garner NC location got that chance in an incredible life-saving way.
Last fall shots were fired outside of our Cleveland Rd. dental office and our team had to think quickly. Across the street, Isai Ntirenganya was working at the E-Zee Auto Sales car dealership when he was held at gunpoint in an attempted robbery. In his efforts to escape, he was shot twice in his lower jaw & slowly made his way to the Lane & Associates office seeking help. Immediately, our Garner staff members went to the victim’s aid in the parking lot and brought him inside.
Once inside, Dr. Matt Miller, a sedation dentist with prior military experience, and his surgical team were able to monitor and stabilize Isai before paramedics arrived. They began an IV in an attempt to replenish his fluids and account for blood loss while also using materials around the wound to attempt to stop the bleeding.
Weeks after the traumatic event, Isai stopped by to visit the team in Garner that likely saved his life. He wanted to thank them in person for everything they did and our office was so thrilled to see that he survived the attack.
This week it was confirmed that one of the suspects responsible for the attack has been apprehended. We are so proud of our staff for facing this emergency situation and also proud of the Johnston County Police Department for apprehending the suspect. Both have truly demonstrated what it means to be heroes.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Do I reeeeally want to go to the dentist today?” Maybe you even considered not worrying with the dentist at all. Well after reading about one of our Garner NC patients you will definitely reconsider. We want to spotlight one of our patients named Rick Heilmann who came into the dental office for his routine dental exam in January 2018 and found something unexpected. Find out why a routine dental exam could save your life!
Read the article published on page 8 of Johnston Now Magazine here or continue to read below.
CLAYTON — Rick Heilmann thought his January dental visit was going to be routine, much like the many other dentist appointments he had through the decades. Heilmann, General Manager and owner of WKJO Country Superstars 102.3 in Clayton, knew from raising three children that regular dental checkups were important. What he didn’t realize is that they could also be lifesaving.
He went to the Garner Lane & Associates Family Dentistry office for his biannual appointment. “My hygienist came in and did the cleaning, followed by the exam by my dentist. She mentioned a white spot on the bottom of my tongue,” he said. “I said ‘I never see the bottom of my tongue.’ When I inquired about what her concern was, she said it could be cancer.”
While this would be shocking news to most patients, he was relatively calm. A few months earlier, his dermatologist discovered skin cancer below his earlobe. When it was removed, he was told that cancer would not spread to other parts of his body. So, he wasn’t expecting the finding by his dentist.
The follow-up appointment was for a biopsy by NCOSO oral surgeon Dr. Ryan Milewski in the Raleigh office of Lane & Associates. The results came back as squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, a relatively common form of skin cancer with three percent of all malignancies arising within the oral cavity. About one million cases of squamous cell carcinoma are diagnosed each year in the U.S. There are more than 15,000 deaths annually from the disease.
After being referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he underwent surgery to remove cancer in his tongue and to further explore his neck area, where additional Stage 3 cancer cells were discovered.
Heilmann, 64, did not need to undergo chemotherapy but had radiation treatments for seven weeks which were completed in July. He worked throughout his treatments and maintained a positive, upbeat attitude through it all. He’s been married to his wife Teri for almost 40 years. They have three children, Carlie, Jessica and Joey, and six grandchildren — all who live within 50 miles.
“I would have never known I had a problem if the dentist would not have done a thorough exam,” he said. “What if I had gone to a dentist who wasn’t as thorough?”
Dr. Don G. Lane, who founded Lane & Associates Family Dentistry almost 40 years ago in Fuquay-Varina, said dentists are doctors for the head and neck & don’t just look at a patient’s teeth. “We perform oral cancer screenings for every patient during their comprehensive exams,” he said. “We look at your joint, your bite, your oral health environment, possible pathology of your oral cavity and neck, and even how well you sleep. Ultimately, all these things play a vital role in your total overall health.
“It doesn’t do you a lot of good to give you white, bright, straight teeth if you die of oral cancer. At Lane & Associates, we don’t just treat symptoms, we treat disease.”
You don’t have to convince Heilmann of that.
“My experience changed the importance I place on regular check-ups,” he said.
“This is life-saving dentistry.”
At Lane & Associates, we are proud to offer Oral Cancer screenings for every patient at our routine dental cleanings throughout all 29 offices in central North Carolina. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Oral Cancer Screenings or any issues you may be experiencing please reach out to our dentists & give our offices a call!
TODAY’S DENTAL ASSISTANTS strengthen the entire practice and enhance patient satisfaction around the world. Dental assistants are committed to professional development and quality dental care.
March 3-9, 2019, has been designated by the American Dental Assistants Association as the perfect time to acknowledge and recognize this versatile, multi-talented member of our dental team.
At Lane & Associates, we wanted to reach out to all of our amazing dental assistants and show them how much we appreciate them. Check out how we celebrated our amazing Dental Assistants this week! #weTOTESappreciateyou
