Header - CDG    
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Fall 2013
WORD OF MOUTH
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Drs. Paul Herer, Melissa Patenio & Leila Younger and the CDG team would like to wish our patients, parents, friends, family and neighbors a happy, healthy and safe fall season.
The Continuity Of Your Child's Dental Health
Preventive Dental Visits
mother-son-hug.jpgIn these hard economic times, it is vital to stay on track with your child's dental visits. Children should be seen by a dentist twice a year to prevent any problems from arising and also to catch any irregularities before they get too severe. There are many financial responsibilities with children, which prove especially difficult in this economy, but providing children with proper dental care is extremely important. Many people choose to eliminate dental visits from their financial plan because of costs or lack of insurance. This could pose more problems in the future for your child (and your budget).

The preventive dental visit includes a thorough examination, a dental cleaning (prophylaxis) and topical fluoride application. If the child is more than four years old, we would recommend radiographs (x-rays) on a yearly basis. The costs for providing quality preventive care amount to about 65 cents per day for each child. This is much less than the cup of coffee we buy each morning. Even though it is money you have to put up twice a year, the costs are much less than what you could incur from a dental crisis caused by lack of proper dental care.

It can get very costly if your child acquires a cavity, abscess or any other dental emergency. There is a higher chance of your child acquiring these problems when they are not seen by a dentist regularly. According to the Center for Disease Control, American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children who receive consistent dental visits with proper oral hygiene and diet can go through their child and teenage years caries free. Taking your child to regular dental visits saves you a lot of time, money and stress in the future.

Please don't let financial burdens be the obstacle to quality healthcare for your child. If you have any concerns, please contact our office and we will be happy to work with you. 
Nitrous Oxide
Laughing Gas
 At our practice, we want our patients to feel calm and comfortable during their appointment with us. Sometimes children may feel anxious before or during treatment. In cases like this, Drs. Herer, Patenio or Younger may recommend nitrous oxide for your child. This is a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide and it is a very safe and effective method in relaxing the child. The procedure for using nitrous oxide is simple and there are little to no side effects associated with it. A fitted fruit scented mask is placed over the child's nose and as they breathe normally, uptake then occurs through the lungs. While in taking the nitrous oxide, children feel a sense of well-being and may also feel euphoric, which is where the term 'laughing gas' comes from. Nitrous oxide raises the pain threshold and makes time pass by faster. Other positive aspects to nitrous oxide use are that children stay fully conscious and are able to retain all natural reflexes while breathing it in. Children are able to respond to questions and can maintain normal conversation. Nitrous oxide is a non-allergenic; it is reversible and is generally well tolerated. After the treatment is complete, nitrous oxide is eliminated from the body by having the child breath oxygen for a short period of time. When the child leaves our office, the nitrous oxide is completely removed from their system and there are no lingering effects. We know not all children are exactly alike, so each appointment is tailored for your child's specific needs. Whether or not nitrous oxide will be effective for your child can be discussed with Dr. Herer, Dr. Patenio or Dr. Younger.
Upcoming Events:
Halloween Candy Buy Back  &  The Food Drive
  • Woodstock - pumpkins Candy Buy Back - November 1, 2013 thru November 8, 2013: Bring your Halloween candy in and we will buy it from you for $1 per pound, up to $5. The kids will get a goodie bag and the candy collected will be sent to Operation Gratitude, in addition to toothbrushes to be used to make care packages for our troops. Last year we collected over 500 lbs. Let's see if we can beat that this year!
  • Food Drive - November 15, 2013 thru January 15, 2014: We will be collecting non-parishable food items for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  The Northern Illinois Food Bank is a non-profit organization that engages the community in a commitment to feed our hungry neighbors. Across 13 counties, food manufacturers, local groceries, corporations, foundations, and individuals come together to donate food and funds, and evaluate and repack food for distribution to our more than 600 network partners - the food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and youth and senior feeding programs that serve more than 60,000 different people each week.
Business Office Bulletin Board
Don't Let Your Hard Earned Dollars Go To Waste
family_home_savings.jpgIt won't be long before 2013 comes to a close. As the days pass by, so do your chances to use your remaining dental insurance benefits. You should be getting the most from your dental carrier. You pay for your insurance benefits and are entitled to use the full amount allocated to you each year. If you do not use the full amount by 12/31/2013, any unused dollars are lost forever. In today's economic climate, every dollar counts.

Preventive care is important in maintaining your child's dental health. Little things like a small cavity, chipped tooth or a broken crown or filling can develop into expensive, complicated and PAINFUL problems if left untreated. In most cases, these inexpensive dental procedures can be taken care of right away without pain.

 

Remember, in this tough economy, no one can afford to waste his or her hard-earned money by not using a benefit that has already been paid for. Scheduling your child's end of the year appointment, is one very easy way to make every dollar count and ensure your child's continued dental health. For procedures your child might need that are not fully covered by your insurance, we offer financing options through CareCredit or we can assist in setting up regular credit card auto-payments.

 

As children have time off of school during the holiday season, appointments can fill up quickly. If you have any questions regarding benefits, financing options and/or would like to make an appointment, please contact our office.
Children's Dentistry Group, LLC
195 South Rand Road, Suite 110
Lake Zurich, IL  60047
847-726-0300