Author: Holly Chestnut

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September is Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM) and Lane & Associates is excited to share our commitment to ensuring safety at our offices!

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP) is encouraging all dental organizations and dental staff to participate in this campaign with the goal of raising awareness, sharing infection control best practices, and joining the conversation on social media.

Our offices will be participating throughout the week in the daily OSAP Challenge on social media which has a specific theme for each day of this week!

INFECTION CONTROL DAILY THEMES:
  • Tuesday: Hand Hygiene Infection Control
  • Wednesday: Dental Unit Waterline Infection Control
  • Thursday: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Infection Control
  • Friday: Dental Instrument Sterilization Infection Control

What is Dental Infection Control?

Infection Control within the Dental Office is extremely important to ensure a clean environment for patients and staff. Due to the close interactions between patients, dental equipment, and dental employees in a dental office, having infection control systems in place and best practices is vital.

Gloves, masks, eyewear, and protective apparel help protect you and the dental team from exposure to potentially harmful microorganisms including COVID-19. It’s up to us to make sure we Break the Chain of infection so that every dental visit is a safe dental visit. Let’s review some best practices we implement in our dental offices.

1. Hand Hygiene

  • Hand hygiene (e.g., handwashing or hand antisepsis) substantially reduces potential pathogens on the hands and is considered the single most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms to patients and healthcare staff.
  • Washing our hands first before donning gloves means we’ve removed germs before putting our gloves on. That means that if the gloves get damaged, those germs will not transfer.
  • For routine dental examinations and nonsurgical procedures, handwashing and hand antisepsis is achieved by using either a plain or antimicrobial soap and water.

2. Dental Unit Waterline Treatment

  • Dental unit waterlines are the long, narrow tubes that run to the dental chair (unit). These waterlines carry water from the public water supply to the dental equipment we use to treat and clean your teeth.
  • We treat our dental unit waterlines on an ongoing basis with products specially designed to eliminate any germs. We also test the water regularly as recommended by the CDC, to make sure that everything is working properly.
  • As an added bonus, our offices are proud to utilize Sterisil Straws which have an automatic shock treatment that is released to kill pre-existing bacteria and the straw releases an EPA residual disinfectant ensuring our waterlines prevent bacteria for 365 days.

3. Personal Protective Equipment

  • All staff are trained on what type of PPE should be used and how to properly don and doff (i.e. put on and take off) their PPE. They are also trained on the limitations of PPE, proper care & maintenance of PPE, and proper disposal of PPE.
  • Patients are also given PPE during dental procedures such as sterile dental napkins & should be wearing their own masks when moving throughout the dental office during this time.

4. Dental Instrument Sterilization

  • All instruments are sterilized by cleaning them first, that’s because if there were any debris stuck to the instruments it would not be possible to properly sterilize them. After that, we place them in special closed pouches or wrap them. Then we place these in a UV sterilizer that kills every germ present on the instruments. The end result is clean and sterile instruments for each of our patients.
  • We test these sterilizers by following the CDC recommendations on using a special test kit containing spores—these are hardier than normal bacteria and germs. Using this test, we can check that the sterilizer is doing what it is supposed to do. If the hardy spores in the test kit are killed in the sterilizer then we know it is working to kill all of the germs, including COVID.

We hope this information is helpful to our patients and other dentists throughout the state. If you would like to learn more please visit the OSAP website here.

PATIENT CONTEST

We want to challenge our patients to follow our lead during DICAM month and want to give away some fun prizes to those that participate! Starting on Monday, September 28th we want to see your #LAADICAM20 posts! These can range from photos of your kids properly wearing their own PPE (their masks) to creating your own dental office at your house to videos of a fun dance while washing your hands!

Our Patient contest will run from Monday, September 28th at 8AM to Wednesday, September 30th at 12AM. We will pick Three Winners to receive Automatic Toothbrush Prize Sets (including Quip, Oral B, or Burst)!

Rules: Must be an LAA patient to participate. Must post your photo or video to your social media page and use #LAADICAM20 to be eligible for entry. We will contact the winner via social media. Good luck to all participants!

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In a fun twist, our Lane & Associates article about Sour Candy was featured as a source on Today.com’s latest article about Chrissy Teigen.

Chrissy Teigen is apparently a major fan of sour candy and admitted on a recent Instagram story that her pregnancy has given her even more cravings. This, of course, resulted in her tongue becoming very raw and starting to flake!

Take a look at the Today.com article here and read our advice when it comes to sour candy and your tongue here.

sour candy make my tongue peel

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The North Carolina Dental Society Foundation Golf Challenge was held this past week in Pinehurst, NC at the Pinehurst Resort. Lane & Associates Family Dentistry was proud to be a Tournament Sponsor where all proceeds, totaling more than $40,000, were donated to the North Carolina Missions of Mercy Dental Programs and its free dental clinics.

Two of our teams participated in the Golf Challenge and our very own Dr. Raleigh Wright won the Putting Challenge (for the second year in a row!). Take a look at the photos below to see more of the golf tournament fun!

Sponsors for NCDSF
From left to right: Dr. Kellan Graham and his wife, Dr. Raleigh Wright, and LAA Hygienist Mark Williamson posing next to $5,000 Tournament Sponsors Banner.
Putting challenge at NCDSF
Nighttime putting challenge course.
Pinehurst Resort Golf Course Charity Golf Challenge
From left to right: Dr. Kellan Graham, Dr. Jeff Hooper, Mark Williamson, and Brian Bunch on Team Lane #1.
Lane employees at NCDSF Golf Challenge
From left to right: Lilly Holcomb, Dr. Alexander Crain, Dr. Raleigh Wright, and Blair Friday on Lane Team #2.
Lane Teams at NCDSF Golf Challenge
Both of our Lane Teams!

Our golfers had a fantastic time supporting the North Carolina Dental Society Foundation while social distancing, and are excited to participate again in 2021!

Learn more about the North Carolina Dental Society Foundation and what they do to help the oral health of North Carolinians by checking out their website here. Also, if you have the opportunity to donate to their cause, you can donate to a great cause and enter for a chance to win a Luxury car worth up to $75,000 here!

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We’ve all been there before, sitting in the middle of a job interview or a first date and realizing that our breath is far from minty fresh. Even when everything else is going perfectly, bad breath can be enough to ruin your confidence and turn a good experience sour. Why do we get bad breath, and what can we do to stop it?

Oral Bacteria And The Food We Eat

In order to effectively fight bad breath, it’s important to figure out what’s causing it. The simplest and most common cause is leftover food particles stuck between our teeth after a meal. The bacteria in our mouths break down these particles, and the end result doesn’t smell good. We can combat this with a good daily hygiene routine, including daily flossing, twice-daily brushing, scraping our tongues clean, and chewing sugar-free gum.

Causes Of Chronic Bad Breath

Chronic cases of bad breath (also called halitosis) might not be solved by good oral hygiene practices alone. Halitosis may be caused by:

  1. Chronic conditions. Sometimes, bad breath is linked to conditions that you wouldn’t think are connected to oral hygiene, such as diabetes, liver or kidney disease, and acid reflux.
  2. Medications. A common side-effect of medications is dry mouth. Without saliva to wash away food particles and neutralize acid, the mouth is vulnerable to problems like bad breath.
  3. Mouth-breathing. Whether it happens by habit or because breathing through the nose is difficult, mouth-breathing tends to dry out the mouth, leading to the same problems as described above.
  4. Mouth, nose, and throat infections. Bad breath can be the result of increased mucous when we have a cold or sinus infection.
  5. Pregnancy. Symptoms such as morning sickness and nausea can cause bad breath, because of the extra acid in the mouth. This is also a problem for people struggling with bulimia.
  6. Tobacco products. Tobacco in any form leaves smelly chemicals in the mouth and can also dry it out. In addition, it increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease, which negatively impact breath as well.
  7. Tooth decay and gum disease. Poor dental health often goes hand-in-hand with chronic bad breath because cavities and periodontitis are caused by the same bacteria that produce those nasty-smelling chemicals.

person brushing their tongue
Brushing your tongue or using a tongue scraper is a good option.

Keeping Your Breath Fresh

Even if strict oral hygiene isn’t enough to keep the bad breath completely at bay, it will help to manage it, and treating the underlying cause may be able to eliminate it. If you are a habitual mouth-breather, try breathing through your nose more. Quitting smoking will eliminate a major cause of bad breath. If dry mouth is the problem, chew sugar-free gum and mints to stimulate saliva production, sip water, and use a humidifier to help keep up the moisture.

Your Dentist Can Help

Discovering the underlying cause of bad breath is a crucial step in fighting back, and the dentist is your best ally here. Schedule an appointment at Lane & Associates so that you can get the answers you need to fight bad breath the best way. We want all of our patients to feel confident about their breath!

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We received thousands of entries to our #VacaywithLAA Giveaway for a 3-night stay at an Emerald Isle Beach house this year and were absolutely blown away by the stories we received. After our finalists were chosen on July 20th, it was up to the public to vote to pick our winners. And here they are!!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

Daniel is our Grand Prize winner of a 3-Night Stay at an Emerald Isle Beach House!

2ND AND 3RD PLACE PRIZE WINNERS:

Jill and David are our 2nd and 3rd place winners who will each win a YETI Cooler!

David's Story

Our remaining finalists will all also receive a Summer Prize Pack!

Be sure to join us in wishing these individuals a hearty congratulations! And thank you again to all of our patients, friends, and staff who participated. We know these times have been challenging for all of us and we thank you for sharing your stories with us. Keep a lookout for our #VacaywithLAA Giveaway in 2021, we hope to see you then!

At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, we love to make you smile!

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So, you want to whiten your teeth. You’re not alone! In fact, when the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry asked what people would most like to improve about their smile, the most common response was whiter teeth.

There Are Several Teeth Whitening Options

With so many teeth whitening products on the market, you may be left scratching your head as to which one you should choose. As with any type of treatment, it’s important to know all the facts so you can make the best choice for you and your unique smile! Some of the most common teeth whitening options are:

  1. Whitening toothpaste
  2. Whitening strips and gels
  3. Tray-based teeth whiteners
  4. In-office professional teeth whitening

Professional Teeth Whitening Trays that look like Retainers

Whitening Is Safest And Most Effective When Supervised By A Dentist

You should always consult with your dentist before deciding to whiten, as this cosmetic procedure isn’t for everyone. There are also many benefits to whitening treatment with your dentist!

For example, if you’re considering a tray-based tooth whitener, seeing your dentist is definitely your best option. Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth so that your mouthpiece tray is customized exactly to fit your teeth. This will ensure maximum contact between your teeth and the whitening solution as well as protect your gums.

If you choose in-office whitening, such as Zoom Whitening treatment, your dentist will provide additional protection for your gums and the soft tissue of your mouth so that no irritation from the whitening solution occurs. To do this, your dentist will apply a gel to the gum tissue or use a rubber shield.

With over-the-counter products, you’re on your own. Your dentist, however, will check your mouth, the type and extent of stains on your teeth, the number of dental restorations you have, and consider your medical history to decide which whitening option is best for your specific smile. They will oversee the process and results of the treatment to ensure the treatment’s safety and efficacy.

A Note To Parents

Teeth whitening is a big trend among teenagers. Parents should always supervise their teenagers’ use of whitening products as overuse or failure to follow directions can damage tooth enamel or irritate gums. Be sure to consult with your dentist before allowing your teenager to whiten to make sure they are at an appropriate age and stage of dental development for whitening.

Still curious about how whitening works? Check out the video below to learn more!

Keep Your Smile Beautiful

What truly keeps teeth bright, white, and healthy is daily brushing and flossing. But if you feel like your smile is lacking some sparkle or has yellowed over the years, give us a call or come in to see us! We’d be happy to help you brighten up that beautiful smile of yours.

 

In fact, did you know we offer a Free Teeth Whitening Program to our patients? Find out if you are eligible for this free offer by contacting us today! At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, we love to make you smile!

 

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Our High Point Dental Office

We are so excited to announce that LAA is now open at our new location in High Point, NC! Our team in High Point will begin seeing patients on July 20th and is accepting appointments online.

Our High Point Team

We are also excited that Dr. Haley Nichols will begin seeing patients at this newly renovated location Monday through Friday and is thrilled to join the High Point community. Our High Point Office Manager, dental assistants, and front desk staff are all ready to meet you!

High Point Lane Logo

Why Choose Us?

Our Lane & Associates High Point dentists are offering all of our amazing services that are available at every Lane and Associates location. In addition to these services, our High Point patients will also have access to a beautifully renovated office with new flooring, paint, and features such as our Beverage stations with coffee, tea, soda, and water bottles. Furthermore, we have added a brand new Kids iPad station in our lobby, a charging station, along with TVs in every operatory allowing patients customized entertainment during their treatment.

At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, our motto is ‘We love to make you smile!” and we hope that the patients in High Point are excited to join our dental family and join our smiling High Point staff! We can’t wait to meet you!

For more information about our High Point location, visit our location page, or request an appointment here!

 

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We’ve all been there. You sit down for your dental appointment, ready and prepared for a filling or crown, and then…the blood pressure cuff comes out. And we think, “What’s this for?” Read along as we get answers on why your dentists and dental hygienists check your blood pressure at your dental appointment.

Why did they take my blood pressure at the dentist?

There are many reasons why the dentist or assistant may need to check your blood pressure at your appointment. This can range from establishing your baseline to alerts in hypertension to measuring your anxiety levels. Namely, your blood pressure is key to understanding your overall health at the time of your appointment. 

This is especially important since many Americans see their dentist more often than their physician at every 6-month cleaning. It’s a crucial health check and an opportunity to understand the changes in your overall health.

Can dental problems cause high blood pressure?

As humans, our bodies react differently when we are in pain or experiencing high anxiety. If you have high blood pressure, your dentist may need to adjust your treatment plan. Once determined, your dentist can make a better customized treatment plan for your specific needs. 

For example, some dentists may be able to offer light sedation options for those patients who have high anxiety which is causing their blood pressure to rise. Additionally, patients who are in pain from a tooth that needs to be extracted will see a drop in their blood pressure after that painful tooth has been removed. 

In extremely hypertensive situations, however, you may be asked to visit your primary care physician to discuss ways to reduce your blood pressure before beginning any dental care treatment.

closeup on dental tray during treatment

What blood pressure is too high for dental treatment?

Obviously this range is going to depend on many factors. The type of procedure, whether or not you are currently taking blood pressure medications, and many other health history factors. Typically, however, high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90 or above. Also, if your top number (systolic) is greater than 140 or your bottom number (diastolic) is greater than 90, you may have high blood pressure no matter what the other number reads. 

If you are suffering from hypertension, your physician can determine the best course of action. This may include blood pressure medication or lifestyle changes. Many dentists and oral surgeons will also require medical approval from your cardiologist or physician before they will operate. 

Can I refuse to have my blood pressure taken at the dentist?

Ultimately, your blood pressure allows dentists and hygienists to know that you are healthy enough to endure the treatment. It also gives them an indication as to which form of anesthetic to use (for example, anesthetics without epinephrine). By refusing, you are consequently putting your own health at risk and your dentist will most likely refuse to proceed. Taking your oral health seriously is important to your overall health and well-being. 

Taking the time to check these key health measures is an incredibly important step in your dental treatment.

Start your treatment today!

At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, we not only check your blood pressure, but also offer oral cancer screenings, oxygen level checks, and pulse checks. The combination of these factors & our many other services, let’s us know how best to treat our patients and make their experience with us truly one that makes them smile. If you are looking for a dentist that takes your overall health seriously, contact us today! 

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Surgical Masks for Healthcare Professionals

As the world starts to reopen, healthcare professionals across all avenues of specialties are still in need of PPE. Therefore, these medically approved Fabric Surgical Masks are one way that we craft enthusiasts can help! Due to the CDC recommendations, we set out to find a mask solution for the medical community. 

Our first round of 900 masks was gladly received by local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Now, however, we want to take it one step further by creating surgical masks with slots to add filters.

WakeMed Hospital sent us directions for a Surgical Mask that allows for a filter to be inserted, along with instructions for ribbon ties versus elastic ties. Namely mentioning that these ties will give continued comfortability throughout long-time wear. We used this pattern as a template to create our own step-by-step surgical mask sewing directions for our volunteers.

Check out our new design below! Much love to WakeMed for sharing your medical professional sewing pattern. This adaptation has been proven by our doctors to be efficient for continued use and a successful way to help the environment. Likewise, it allows the use of N95 masks to be kept for high-risk frontline workers.

.materials to sew graphic

Craft Enthusiasts and Volunteers:

Deploy yourselves again! Help us to continue in the fight and push your crafting skills to the next level! Read through our new Surgical Mask Sewing Instructions below, email us at marketing@lanedds.com once you finish, and let’s keep crafting for those that need it most!

Give to a healthcare worker, friend, or return to Lane & Associates to be distributed appropriately. We hope these fabric surgical mask sewing instructions help you to create your own surgical masks for healthcare professionals.

Need materials? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to request a kit! We would be happy to support as many crafters as possible until supplies run out!

Surgical Mask Sewing Pattern logo

LAA employee with completed Surgical Mask on

materials to use for sewing graphicMaterials logo

sewing materials for surgical mask DIY

  • 100% Cotton Fabric – Cut (1) 10×16 inch rectangle and (2) 2×6 inch strips.
  • 4 pieces of 1/4 or 3/8-inch ribbons measuring 18 inches in length
  • Scissors or fabric cutter
  • Sewing machine
  • Iron
  • Cotton or Polyester sewing thread
  • Sewing pins or wonder clips

 

 

 

step 1 graphicTake your 100% Cotton fabric and cut (1) rectangle that is 10 inches wide and 16 inches long. Then cut (2) pieces of fabric into 2×6 inch strips.

cotton fabric surgical maskfabric pieces for DIY mask

step 2 graphicWith the front side of the fabric facing down (wrong side up), fold over 1/2 inch on the top and bottom (10-inch sides). Press and stitch across both folds.

fold over fabric to create stitchstitched fabric for surgical mask

step 3 graphicWith the wrong side up, fold the top and bottom edges to meet in the middle and use the iron to press.

step 3 diy surgical maskstep 3 diy face mask

step 4 graphicOn each side of the mask, make 3 pleats. Each pleat should be approximately 1 inch in size with the top two pleats folded down from the top and the bottom pleat folded up from the bottom. These should be centered in the mask, leaving 2-3 inches of flat fabric at the top and bottom of the pleats.

pleats in surgical maskblue and gold sewing machine graphic

step 5 graphicSew pleats into place.

sew pleats on surgical maskafter sewing pleats

step 6 graphicFold the lengthwise sides of the 2×6 edging material inwards at the middle and press.

fabric pieces for DIY maskedging material folded

step 7 graphicPlace the edging material with unfinished sides up and lay the mask front side down. Align the sides to the middle of the edging. Place the ribbon 1/2 inch from the edge corner, pin it into place, and sew across the stitching to hold everything in place.

sewing ribbon togethersewing ribbons to edging material

Step 8 GraphicFold the top and bottom edging pieces inwards, meeting in the middle. Be sure they cover the raw edges of the mask and ribbon (this may fold the mask inward as well).

edging finishededging sewn to mask

Step 9 graphicStitch both sides of the edging closed.

thread and craft dots

Step 10 graphicSew (2) 1-inch stitches, approximately 1/4 inch across the top of the mask, so a pipe cleaner can be inserted if desired.

pipe cleaner pocketfinal step DIY surgical masks

Voila graphic

pink mask with multicolored dots graphic

Be sure to finish the ends of your ribbons in some form of fashion. We recommend the quickest approach of safely using a lighter to burn and cauterize the ends. You can also simply roll the ends and stick across.

 

LAA employee with DIY surgical face mask on

And there you have it! DIY Surgical Masks for healthcare professionals & beyond!

If you would like to request a surgical mask kit to be delivered or picked up from one of our Lane & Associates dental offices, please fill out the form below. Thank you, craft enthusiasts and healthcare professionals, for everything you continue to do for those in need during COVID-19!

Ear Savers for Surgical Masks

UPDATE: An increasing need as of June 2020 is ear-savers for essential workers wearing masks.

Wearing masks throughout an entire day causes stress on the ears leading to headaches and rubbing of sensitive skin. We would love to help use any materials we still have to also create ear-savers for these essential workers. If you would like to request ear-saver sewing kits to contribute, please fill out the same form below.

Here is a great link with instructions on how to sew ear-savers for masks for reference! You can also check out the instructions provided by UNC Healthcare on their ‘Ways to Help page.

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We wanted to take a moment to not only applaud our staff that continues to see emergency cases but also our staff who are unable to spend time with the patients they love to see and help. 

Many of our doctors and hygienists are either coming into our offices on a case-by-case basis or signing on for full days of urgent care patients. Unfortunately, others must stay home or reduce their hours due to exposure to themselves or family members & also at the orders of our government for elective dental procedures to cease. 

Here are three stories from our doctors and hygienists. We asked each how their life has changed during the COVID-19 Pandemic and these were their responses. 

Dr. Matt Miller, Sedation Dentist at Lane & Associates Family Dentistry

Dr. Matt Miller in PPE during COVID-19

“I graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 2007, completed a General Practice Residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in 2008, and three years of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego. I was the infectious disease control officer for three years at the Naval Branch Health Clinic Kings Bay, Kings Bay Georgia.  I have knowledge and training in the etiology and ramifications of infectious diseases, in addition to having first-hand knowledge and a greater understanding during my time in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. 

I thought I had seen a lot in my career, but the COVID-19 Pandemic was not something I was prepared to fight.  As more and more reports came in on my fellow North Carolinians contracting the virus and the death toll rising, I knew I would soon have to prepare myself and my family for what was to come. I am on Humira which is an immunosuppressive drug, which puts me at increased risk. 

When the decision came from Dr. Lane and his wife that it was no longer safe to provide treatment other than emergent many thoughts came to mind; how are my patients going to get the care they need, if I volunteer to treat emergency patients knowing that I am at higher risk would I become infected or infect my family and how am I going to provide for my family. I knew from my training that this virus was not going to resolve quickly and knew that I needed to come up with a game plan to protect myself, my family and my surgical team while using my knowledge and training to help the Lane & Associate patients with their emergent needs.  

I spoke with Dr. Lane and my personal doctor and decided to forgo the Humira and treat patients. My team and I first made sure that we were all healthy and able to treat patients. Our practice developed protocols to screen patients to ensure they were healthy to treat and that their need was emergent and weighed the risk vs. benefit.  Staff was reduced and we practiced social distancing when possible as ordered by our Governor. From a personal standpoint other than forgoing the Humira, I increased my normal personal protective equipment by using an N95 mask.

I became a dentist to help others maintain and improve their oral health and improve their quality of life, and feel it is my obligation to treat emergent patients at this current time.” 

Learn more about Dr. Miller here | Find out ways we are helping during COVID-19

Dr. Huyen-Chau Dunn, Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon in Raleigh and Durham

Dr. Dunn during COVID-19

“I am a board-certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who attended dental school at New York University and then accomplished my oral surgery residency within the Air Force.  I have trained for protection against chemical warfare in protective (MOPP 4) gear for hours at end, I have flown in an F-16, I have accomplished long surgeries to debride and reconstruct soldiers wounded in war or patients with pathology, I have extracted more teeth than I can count and even replaced some of them with dental implants, but the challenge I face now is staying at home.  

Because of the ongoing pandemic, I have limited my practice to only treating emergent/urgent cases to help alleviate our already overtaxed emergency departments nationwide.  As such, I have been doing postoperative follow-ups and evaluations of potential emergency cases via video conferences with patients. Granted, teledentistry is limited in that I cannot touch the patient for a thorough examination, but it lets me determine if I need to bring the patient into the office for potential treatment versus conservative medical management.  

On a personal level, I have great respect for stay-at-home moms/dads, which is essentially what I have become.  The challenge is creating a routine for my 10-year-old daughter, Mai, and some form of normalcy while my husband, who is an emergency medicine physician working tirelessly on the “frontlines” of this pandemic to care for the sick and dying.  We do online schoolwork and music lessons with her piano teacher. Things that I normally did alone in the past for the sake of time efficiency, I now accomplish with her; we prepare meals and bake treats to distribute to neighbors, laundry, cleaning, gardening/mowing, but we also do fun things like art, board games, watch movies, take walks, and play with our dogs.  Whatever we do, we take time to enjoy each other’s company.” 

Find out more about Dr. Dunn here | Visit our COVID-19 Updates page

Crystal Jackson, Hygienist from Lane & Associates Fuquay-Varina

Hygienist with family during COVID-19

“To my wonderful patients,

I hope you all are staying safe, healthy, and finding lots to do at home. I miss you all so much. I was really looking forward to seeing some of you in March and April. This pandemic has changed so much for so many of us and I pray it is over sooner than expected. Until we can see each other again, remember to practice excellent home care as we often talk about. 

Some Tips during COVID-19:

  1. Brush 2x a day for 2 minutes.
  2. Floss daily and continue to use a fluoride mouth rinse daily! 
  3. Change your toothbrush every 3-4 months. If you get sick, change your toothbrush immediately! 
  4. Try to keep hydrated with only water throughout the day to keep your sugar intake down and your teeth happy.

My family and I are doing well, thankfully we are all healthy and trying to do our part by staying home. Except for visiting the grocery store, we have been home! Lots of cooking, cleaning, and playing outside has taken place. I really miss going out to eat, cookouts with friends, watching my boys play baseball, and their school! Today we started virtual school with my fourth and second grader and it went pretty well, so thankful for amazing teachers. Every afternoon I have a video chat with my 4 best friends and that has been so nice as we are helping each other get through this. I encourage you to have a video chat with a friend or two. 🙂

I cannot wait to see my patients again soon and find out how you all are doing during this challenging time. I think about you often! We will get through this. I am dreaming about the day I can go back to work to treat my patients and the boys’ school opens back up. Although, I am sure I miss their school more than they do. Haha

I love you all. Looking forward to seeing you soon. Stay safe!

Sending many prayers!

Your Dental Hygienist”

Learn more about Lane & Associates during COVID-19 | Contact our offices

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Happy Holidays, From Our Family To Yours!

Our offices will be closed from December 24th through December 29th to celebrate the holidays. We’ll be back and ready to assist you on Monday, December 30th.

We wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year!

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