Recently, we have the exciting opportunity to announce that ALL of our pediatric dentists at Concord Pediatric Dentistry are board certified! We have amazing doctors at our practice and we love an opportunity to brag about them! The question you may ask is, what does all of this mean?

 

 

 

Our dentists went down a long educational pathway. They each finished their undergraduate degree, applied and were accepted to dental school, continued on for more education to become pediatric dental specialists and after finishing their education, pediatric residencies and passing their exams they electively chose to pursue MORE education by studying and preparing for the board exam.

Each of our dentists had to pass a written qualifying examination and an oral clinical examination. After diligent and lengthy studying, they each passed the requirements and are now recognized as Diplomats of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Because pursuing board certification is an optional accomplishment, I chose to ask our doctors the following question:

“What were your reasons for pursuing board certification?”

This is what they said:

“I knew that the vast majority of dentists are not board certified, however achieving board certification status in my pediatric dental specialty had been an early goal in my professional career after receiving my Masters of Science in Pediatric Dentistry.

I wanted to have the highest knowledge of my pediatric dental specialty and also keep up with the most current scientific studies and literature. With that knowledge I can provide the best oral health care to my pediatric patients and also educate their parents. Growing professionally and caring for my patients were my motivations to attain board certification in my specialty of pediatric dentistry.

Getting board certified is a stressful process that requires sacrifice of one’s time and energy. Also, to remain board certified is not a given. There are many steps involved, however it is totally worth it for all of our young patients. As pediatric dental specialists, we take care of and advocate for the children of our great nation regarding optimum oral health and craniofacial growth and development.

At Concord Pediatric Dentistry I am challenged to be my very best as I have the honor and privilege to currently practice my specialty with four other, younger, board certified pediatric dental specialists (Drs. Patrick Capozzi, Danielle Hinton, Elliot Chiu and Bradley Field). We all complement and synergize one another. Because we are board certified in pediatric dentistry, all five of us have the special designation of “Diplomates” of The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry defines a diplomate as a pediatric dentist whose credentials have been verified, who has successfully completed voluntary examinations, and who demonstrates specialized knowledge and skill. A Diplomate is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care through a voluntary commitment to lifelong learning.

At Concord Pediatric Dentistry all of the pediatric dental specialists are board certified and ‘We Love Taking Care of Kids’.” – Dr. Achong

 

“My goal was to put myself in a position to provide the best possible care to my patients. By achieving my board certification, I wanted to demonstrate my continued pursuit of excellence in the pediatric dental care I provide to the children and families of New Hampshire. I also wanted to be part of a group of individuals with similar goals and aspirations so that we can learn from each other’s experiences.” – Dr. Capozzi

 

“I chose to attain board certification  for several reasons. Besides being a personal accomplishment, becoming board certified involves life long professional growth and self improvement. It is an opportunity to provide assurance to my patients and community that I have completed a voluntary examination process to validate my knowledge, skills, and experience while delivering quality patient care. Lastly, I wanted to become board certified to maintain my hospital privileges at Concord Hospital to treat patients who require or would benefit from treatment under general anesthesia.” – Dr. Hinton

 

“Continuing education and lifelong learning are high priorities for me and essential to achieving and maintaining board certification. Becoming a board certified pediatric dentist was an important goal of mine so that I can provide the highest level of care for all of my patients.” – Dr. Chiu

 

“Board certification is the highest level of education and training for pediatric dentists. It was an excellent opportunity for me to challenge myself and stay up to date, which will help me provide my patient’s with the highest quality of care.” – Dr. Field

 

From all of the staff at Concord Pediatric Dentistry, we congratulate our doctors on their pursuit of the HIGHEST level of education they can receive! What an outstanding accomplishment for all of them and for their passion in providing their patient’s with the highest level of care they can!

 

Happy Wednesday!

Sara

With so many things hidden in the foods we eat, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand what makes for a healthy snack. When you combine this with the picky appetites of our favorite kiddos you have a recipe for parental frustration.

I speak with so many parents that are shocked to learn that foods they assumed to be a healthy choice may not be the best option for keeping teeth healthy and cavity free. Some of the most common cavity causers are acidic beverages in any form. These include the obvious choices like soda, juice and sports drinks, but also include flavored waters and calorie-free flavor additives such as Crystal Lite or Mio.

The best drink choice is plain water or milk. Milk has sugar present in it, but it does not contain the acids in the above mentioned drinks. That being said, it is best to consume it with a meal.

When choosing snacks for your kids try to avoid the simple carbohydrates like chips, pretzels, Goldfish and crackers. These snacks break down into sugar that sits on the teeth. To promote saliva production give kids crunchy vegetables like carrots, peppers with hummus or apples and peanut butter. For a fun spin on snack time, check out the Apple “cookie” recipe below!

 

At Concord Pediatric Dentistry we love taking care of kids! Throughout the day we hear a multitude of questions from parents and patients and our hopes with this blog are to address some of these questions and concerns, but also create a space to include fun topics, articles and projects. I have worked as a Registered Dental Hygienist for Concord Pediatric Dentistry for three years and I’ll be using my knowledge, passion for educating, and creativity to enhance your vision of the dental profession.

I encourage you to follow us on this journey to learn about engaging projects, dental tips, facts, and happenings in New Hampshire. This blog will also serve as a platform for you to ask us questions you may have. Stay tuned for exciting news and contests!

I feel so thankful that we have such a strong team at Concord Pediatric Dentistry and being a part of the community is a strong thread of who we are. This past weekend we spent time organizing an employee run yard sale in our office to fundraise for the Making Strides against Breast Cancer foundation. Each year we participate in the event in hopes to raise awareness of the disease and to aid in the most important thing, prevention. As a dental hygienist prevention is what I know best and I hope that with our efforts we can make the future prognosis of breast cancer optimistic.

We had a great day with our team and meeting members of the community as they graciously donated to our cause. I was stunned and humbled by the outpouring support from community members as they walked up to our bake sale table and donated money without expecting anything in return.

Breast cancer is a disease that affects everyone to some extent. We all fall victim to knowing a survivor or someone who lost the fight. This creates such a passionate energy and nothing like the other fundraising events I am involved with.

We already have some great ideas for making the yard sale a bigger success next year. Take a look at some of our photos from the day and share any comments or suggestions for making it better!

    

Cheers!

Sara, RDH at CPD