What we’re thankful for!

This year, we have a cornucopia of reasons to be thankful. First, our patients and their smiles! Secondly, many of our patients come to us by referral. We are grateful to those who place their trust and confidence in us. When patients refer us to their family and friends, it is the highest compliment we can receive.

We are also thankful for the honors we received recently. We were selected for another Readers Choice Award this year, and were named Wakefield’s No. 1 dental practice. Held annually by WickedLocal.com/GateHouse Media, this awards program has special significance for us. Local residents vote for the winners, which means the recognition comes straight from the people who matter most to us.

We also received the Angie’s List Super Service Award. As many of you know, Angie’s List is based on consumer reviews. It is high praise for us to receive an award from such a service-oriented organization.

Recently we told you about the Halloween Candy Buyback, a program we participate in annually. We’re thankful to the many community members who helped us collect over 410 of pounds of candy to send to the troops.

We’re also thankful for our family and our extended family — the patients and employees who make this all happen. As we head into the holiday season, it truly is a time to reflect on the past year. Here at Future of Dentistry, this reflection is a reason to smile and we thank you for making it possible!

Sending a smile: 410 lbs of candy for the troops

Future of Dentistry broke its record for collecting candy for the troops – 410 pounds. Gerry Casazza, DMD, checks out the results with his son Roman, 3.

Future of Dentistry recently teamed up with the community for a sweet show of support. We collected over 410 pounds of candy for the troops, just in time for Veterans Day.

Under the leadership of Gerry J. Casazza, DMD, we participate annually in the Halloween Candy Buyback program. It benefits Operation Gratitude, an organization that supports active-duty troops as well as veterans.

During the first week of November, Future of Dentistry purchases surplus Halloween candy from local residents for $1 per pound. Then we box and ship it and send it to the troops. This year, we filled 15 big boxes after collecting a whopping 410 pounds, 9 ounces!

We’d like to thank the local community for participating in the program. The show of support was awesome! Because of you, Future of Dentistry had its most successful Halloween Candy Buyback yet, easily topping previous candy totals. We serve the entire north of Boston area, and residents throughout the region participated.

Two local schools contributed to the buyback’s success. The PTO of Wakefield’s Greenwood School organized a candy collection, as did Kerrie Grella’s pre-K class at Little Treasures Schoolhouse in Lynnfield. The families at both schools made a HUGE difference with their large candy contributions!

There are many great things about the Halloween Candy Buyback program. Most importantly, the troops receive some sweet treats and a reminder that we appreciate their efforts.

The troops serving overseas often share the candy with local residents, especially children. It helps build trust and foster a relationship with the community where they’re serving.

Pictured here, with the 410 pounds of candy collected for the troops, are Dr. Gerry Casazza, wife Danielle and son Roman.

The program also provides an opportunity to teach children about supporting the troops. Kids make a sacrifice by trading in some of their candy. It’s a small thing to give up, and they get cash back to make up for it. But it’s still a big deal for a kid, so it’s a perfect segue to talk about what our servicemen and women sacrifice when they enter the armed services.

We’d also like to thank our awesome employees. They helped collect, organize, weigh, box and ship all that candy!

To learn more about Future of Dentistry and how to participate in next year’s Halloween Candy Buyback, call 781-245-2299, email info@futureofdentistry.com, or contact us through FutureOfDentistry.com or Facebook.com/FutureOfDentistry.

Sugar blues: The link between diabetes and oral health

November is National Diabetes Month, an ideal time to examine the relationship between oral health and diabetes. According to the Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health, research shows a link between poor oral health and medical problems like diabetes, osteoporosis, heart and lung conditions, and certain adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The report calls for further research into these connections and states that “oral health and general health are inextricably linked.”

Additionally, diabetes can take a serious toll on your dental health, including soreness, ulcers, infections and tooth decay. It can even lead to periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, which is a serious infection of the gum and bone that hold the teeth in place. Once you have periodontitis, you need to manage it for the rest of your life.

Healthy body dentistry is our approach to oral health — we consider the patient’s entire wellbeing. Dr. Casazza has provided webinars for his colleagues on this subject. He was a founding member of Dentistry for Diabetics.

Our staff are trained to identify any high-risk characteristics our patients might have for diabetes. We offer a simple finger-prick test that makes it easy to detect underlying health threats like diabetes. The FDA-approved test evaluates glucose level in order to establish your diabetes risk assessment.

There are 29.1 million Americans living with diabetes, and one in four people don’t even know they have the disease. And of the 86 million people with pre-diabetes, one in three aren’t aware of it. Don’t be another statistic! In honor of National Diabetes Month, ask us about diagnosing, preventing and treating the disease.

To learn more, call 781-245-2299, email info@futureofdentistry.com or contact us through our website at futureofdentistry.com.