Say Hello to Our Awesome Patient Assistant, Lynne!

SOMETIMES, WE’RE GUILTY OF ASSUMING TOO MUCH, RIGHT? I recently realized that we’ve probably wrongly assumed that ALL of you—our valued patients—know Lynne as well as I do! That’s probably not the case.

So, I Asked Lynne A Few Questions

I asked Lynne a few questions to help you get to know her a little better and she wrote a few paragraphs. Read it below and enjoy!

Hi, my name is Lynne.  My position in Dr. Samsavar’s office: Personal Assistant, Office Manager, Dental Assistant, Patient care and financing/insurance, Procurement, Official Kibbitser, everything that Dr. Samsavar isn’t, … and, NO, I do not get to play with the drills. I came to Dr. Samsavar’s office after 25 years as a counselor in private practice. I am most passionate about our wonderful, funny, brilliant patients, each with their unique stories, gifts and struggles. Because our patients are so special, the office is designed to see one patient at a time and to have ample time to connect. We love to create beautiful, healthy smiles, sometimes this requires a lot of work, other times just a small change gives “huge” results. 

 I was born in Swedish Hospital, grew up in the San Fernando Valley (that’s Los Angeles County), returned to the greater Seattle area for my senior year of high school and have been here since. I still miss my California roots, tear up when I see boulevards lined with palm trees, and think an illuminated pool on a dark night is as close as I can come to touching the stars.

I am passionate about creativity in any form. I love watercolor painting, working with clay (no, I’m NOT a brilliant artist), landscaping – and re-landscaping my yard, believe everything I touch should be tweaked in some way (build a better mouse trap syndrome) (drive people in my life crazy with this syndrome), and could spend lifetimes building and creating in my mind where I am quite unabashedly brilliant … and maybe not quite so much on the earth plane.   

Miscellaneous thoughts: My perfect job would be working with an international group of architects who are dedicated to building homes in compromised/impoverished locations using natural materials in creative innovative ways. Great architecture takes my breath away.  I’m an Italian locked in a Norwegian's body, the big secret money saver is to stay on schedule with your routine checkups. Favorite moments; cruising down the Nile at dusk and finding that Venice, Italy is the only place where I do not get lost. Love critters, despise evil, psychic, sneaky spiders, don’t like wine, yes on Tequila.   Suggestions:  Use ashtrays!, don’t assume that crossing the street, wearing black, on an very dark night is a good time to declare that you have the right of way,  vanilla ice cream is pure for a reason (am concerned that some dentists (unnamed) are eating it with crunched up potato chips on top, this is a very small planet so we need to treat it well without being told and without an EPA, smile at strangers, brush and floss (do not flush floss), celebrate our differences, and remember that we are all ALL part on one family of man so be nice.

 We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Lynne a little better. Here at our practice I feel really fortunate to have her as a member of our awesome team.

Do YOU Have A Question For Lynne?

If so, please enter it in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to pass it along to Lynne for an answer! Also, as you know, you can always send us private questions or comments on our Facebook page.

Thanks for the trust you place in us!

 The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Protect Your Teeth This Cold And Flu Season

THE LAST THING YOU WANT to worry about when you’re sick is your dental health. Unfortunately, your teeth can be extra vulnerable when cold and flu season strike. If you find yourself under the weather, read on for helpful tips on protecting your mouth!

Watch Out For Dry Mouth

You know that feeling when your nose is so stuffy you can’t breathe out of it even if you tried? We all have the potential to become mouth breathers when we’re sick, especially at night. Consequently, our mouths become dry, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.

Some of the medications we take when we’re sick–such as antihistamines, decongestants and pain relievers–can cause or worsen dry mouth. Without as much saliva to fend off bacteria in our mouths, our risk of tooth decay goes way up! Protect yourself from cavities and make sure to drink plenty of water when you’re sick.

Being sick can often cause bad breath because of congestion and dry mouth. Learn more about it here!

Go Sugar-free

We all know how bad sugar can be for our teeth. But it’s not usually something we think about when we’re in dire need of a cough drop! Next time you buy cough drops, go sugar-free. Sucking on a sugary cough drop all day is just the same as sucking on a jolly rancher or other sugary candy, and it can do just as much damage to your pearly whites.

Stick With Water

Orange juice, sports drinks, tea sweetened with honey or sugar–these are all beverages we reach for when we’re sick. Just remember to rinse your mouth with water after drinking them, to protect your teeth from all that sugar.

Water will also be your best friend if you have the stomach flu. Vomit is very acidic and can wreak havoc on your teeth. Instead of trying to brush your teeth immediately after, however, just rinse your mouth out with water and make sure to stay hydrated!

Keep Up On Oral Hygiene

Remembering to brush and floss your teeth on a normal day is easy: in the morning when you wake up and at night before going to bed! When you’re sick, the days and nights often run together as you try to rest and recuperate. Losing that sense of routine can be bad news for your teeth if you are forgetting to take proper care of them.

You may be surprised, but brushing your teeth may actually make you feel better! The health and cleanliness of our mouth can have a profound effect on our overall sense of well-being. When your mouth is clean, you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. So, don’t forget to keep up on your oral hygiene routine, even when you’re not feeling so hot.

After you feel better throw away the tooth brush and the tooth paste tube you were using. Remember your tooth paste tube could also cause cross contamination so do not share the toothpaste tubes while you are sick.

We Hope You Get Feeling Better!

We sincerely hope that none of our patients get sick this cold and flu season. If you are feeling unwell, get feeling better soon! As always, thank you for choosing our practice as your dental home!

We love our patients!

Top image by Flickr user Jenny Mealing used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Your Smile Deserves An Accredited Cosmetic Dentist

YOUR SMILE IS AN expression of who you are. It is that special thing that greets a friend, celebrates all of the life’s joyful moments, and makes someone’s day that much brighter. We know how important your smile is to you and those around you. That’s why Dr. Samsavar is an accredited member of the American Society for Dental Aesthetic (ASDA) and a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), so we can always provide the best and most up-to-date care to our patients!

What Are The ASDA and The AACD?

The American Society for Dental Aesthetics is the oldest cosmetic dental society in the United States. It is dedicated to educating and advancing the practice of excellent cosmetic dentistry worldwide. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is an international organization dedicated to advancing dental excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry. Their mission is to educate dental professionals on the latest technology and techniques in cosmetic dentistry as well as encourage the highest standards of ethical conduct and patient care.

Did you know that any dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist, no matter their experience or skill level? Because Dr. Samsavar is an ASDA and AACD member, you can trust that the cosmetic dental procedures performed at our practice meet the highest standards of quality, ethics, and aesthetics.

What Does Being An ASDA and AACD Member Mean For Our Patients?

Dr. Samsavar is the only dentist in the northwest who is both a member of AACD and inducted as an accredited member to ASDA. Many dental offices show interest and practice varying degrees of cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry, but very few can achieve such a status. A peer review committee awards a membership to a handful of dedicated cosmetic dentists worldwide.

Our dedication is to create smiles beyond your expectation with unparalleledprecision and accuracy.