Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Our staff is here to put on the Green color to your braces!

Patients have the ability to customize their braces.  Today’s braces come in a wide range of colors.  Gone is the old-metal-only-braces option.  

It is no surprise that Green is, hands down, the most popular color for braces at Global Smiles this month because of St. Patrick’s Day!

Patient wearing Green for St. Patrick’s Day

 

 

Our patients consider different combinations of colors, such as:

• Your national colors. Red, white, and blue for America; Red, white, and Green for Mexico.
• Your school colors.
• Your favorite sports team’s colors.
• Gold and silver.
• Holiday colors. Red and green for Christmas; black and orange for Halloween, Green for St. Patrick’s Day.
• Your favorite color(s).

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Dr. Mendieta and Staff at Global Smiles Orthodontics and don’t forget to like us on Facebook!

Giving Back through Dentistry

Dr. Edgar Mendieta
Specialists in Orthodontics
“Because you and your smile are going places”
3079 W. Broad Street, Suite 6
Columbus, OH 43204
GlobalSmiles.us
T: 614 279 6481
F: 614 279 0199

Giving Back through Dentistry

After I graduated from dental school, I began my search for an associate position. I was ready to work and in debt thanks to my student loans! I reached for my alumni directory and scheduled a meeting with a dentist who fit the profile of someone who might be looking to bring on an associate. When I gave him a call he informed me that he was not looking for an associate at the time but if I was interested in working I should go volunteer. The nerve! After all hadn’t I essentially been volunteering my whole life? I needed a J-O-B!

However, after giving his words some thought, I ended up taking his advice and volunteered for a non-profit clinic on my days off from my part-time dental position. As it turned out, I really enjoyed working at the clinic. It gave me the opportunity to treat adolescents doing everything from endo to ortho. It paved the way to being hired by the organization and becoming their first senior staff dentist. Eventually, I cut my hours in private practice and began working more and more at the clinic where I ran the whole operation. It was so rewarding for not only me but for everyone involved. The patients we treated were so appreciative, the staff was eager to work, and my involvement in the community and with other doctors grew. It was a position that paved so many roads for me including my decision to become an orthodontist.

Fast forward to the present, some of you reading this may be looking for a change, could be at a crossroads in your career, or just looking to give back to the community. Well, a wonderful opportunity to get involved will soon be presenting itself to members or our society and profession. In the next few weeks, The Columbus Dental Society and Physicians CareConnection will be opening a clinic day at the Columbus Health Department. The purpose of this clinic will be to reach out to individuals who are in urgent need of dental work and have few other places to turn. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the society.

Who knows where your volunteerism and involvement may lead. Aside from getting a sense of gratification in helping your community and helping our profession express its goodwill, you may be inspired to improve or change your perspective.

Dr. Edgar Mendieta

Specialists in Orthodontics

“Because you and your smile are going places”

3079 W. Broad Street, Suite 6

Columbus, OH 43204

GlobalSmiles.us

T: 614 279 6481

F: 614 279 0199

The link between diabetes and oral health

On April 28, 2012, the Centro Esperanza Latina (CEL), will host “TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEALTH”.  Dr. Edgar Mendieta will be specifically speaking about The Link between Diabetes and Oral Health.  Other topics include:

• Breast Cancer
• What is Diabetes?
• Importance of Nutrition
• Cervical Cancer
• Cholesterol
• The Link between Diabetes and Oral Health
  

  Dr. Mendieta & Molar-tron giving oral hygiene instructions

Global Smiles Orthodontics will team up with Centro Esperanza Latina (CEL).  The CEL is a Non-Profit organization dedicated to providing Clinical and Prevention services, Family Programs, Educational Programs and Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programs for the Latino community.  CEL was established in 2001 to serve Central Ohio.

This event will be in Spanish.  We hope you and your patients can attend the event held April 28th from 10am-2pm at the Centro Esperanza Latina on 2300 Sullivant Ave. Columbus, OH 43204.

We look forward to increasing our involvement in the Westside and the health of its residents!

Baby Bottle Decay

Progression of baby bottle decay

Children need their teeth to be strong and healthy so they can chew, speak, and have a wonderful smile.  Another function baby teeth have is to hold the space for the permanent teeth.  As the adult tooth erupts, the baby tooth will fall out.  If the baby tooth falls out early, the adjacent teeth could drift into the vacant space.  The huge issue with that is the permanent tooth could become blocked by other teeth that drifted into the baby tooth’s old place!  Orthodontics can correct the problem but doesn’t it make sense to just prevent it?

Every child is at risk for baby bottle decay.  The first tooth generally appears at 6 years of age.  Frequent exposure to sugar and liquids that contain juice, beast milk, and formula can harbor bacteria.  If the bacteria is in constant contact with the teeth an acidic medium will form after exposure for 20 minutes or longer according to the American Dental Association.

Prevention is the best step to stop the decay from forming.  For a baby who has a few teeth, use a child size tooth brush and water.  If your child 2 years and older, use ADA recommended tooth paste.  Infants and bottle users should not go to bed with a bottle of sweet juices nor soft drinks.  Also limit the exposure time to a sippy cup.

Healthy (left) Baby bottle decay (center) Severe decay (right)

Dr. Edgar Mendieta has a private orthodontic practice in Columbus, OH.  Visit us on Facebook!

1st Annual Dentistry from the Heart

Dr. Mendieta helping out those in need

We know how tough things are out there.  Many of our patients are having a hard time making ends meet.  We decided to participate in a way that demonstrates our commitment to our community and our skills and benefits our community!

We are going to participate in the 1st Annual Dentistry from the Heart in Columbus, Ohio!  On the 21st of October head over to 3421 South Blvd. 43204 to get Free fillings, extractions, or cleanings for Adults!

Visit our website or Facebook link

English MendietaOrthodontics.com

In Spanish OrtodonciaMendieta.com

Dr. Mendieta

There are dental options…

We know how important your smiles is even in tough times.  Those who have low household income, few resources and no dental insurance or Medicaid have options. Send us a message (MendietaOrthodontics.com) we can help link you with a dentist in Columbus that has agreed to help those in need at reduced fees….

Ohio Partnership To Improve Oral health through access to Need Services (O.P.T.I.O.N.S)

Dr. Mendieta

A case for community outreach

For the past 9 weeks I have been participating in a summer camp program for inner city kids, ages 7-13 (see link below).  These kids are generally there because their parents are working multiple jobs and cannot afford to hire a sitter, and well, leaving them at home is

Community outreach with Mendieta Orthodontics

not really an option.

At first it sounded like a good idea to participate and get involved.  I would speak to them about what I do, talk to them about personal hygiene, answer questions, etc.  Then came the reality of coming up with topics that were interesting to them and interactive.  Once that was checked I had the task of putting together presentation for Tuesdays at 1:30pm for the next 10 weeks!

I am an orthodontist in Columbus, Ohio www.OrtodonciaMendieta.com and it became a task to leave in the middle of the day, skip lunch, drive over to the camp, give the presentation, and head back to work.  Don’t get me wrong it was fun to engage the campers in a topic they probably never thought about, dentistry and orthodontics.  But along the way I wondered if I was being effective.  Some weeks were better than others.  But I was glad I did it every time I left the camp.

This week was our final lesson and some of the members said a few words about their experiences to the kids.  The campers were very receptive and you could tell, for me and for everyone else, it was so rewarding to engage these young kids.  Although it was a challenge to find the time and sometime the energy to prepare, present and make a special trip to the camp, it was worth it!  Take a look at the camp link below!

-Dr. Edgar Mendieta

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a59774f5445334d5442384e546b7a4d7a51354e7a553d0d0a&sb=1