The "True" Reason for Thanksgiving

"I love Thanksgiving turkey. It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts." --Arnold Schwarzenegger

Happy Thanksgiving!

Got Insurance?

Dental insurance benefits can be confusing. You may wonder: are my exams covered? How much will my insurance pay for the root canal I need? What out-of-pocket expenses will I have?

We can help make sense of the insurance confusion, explaining what your insurance will cover. We can also help you maximize your coverage and get two years of benefits at once!

For most insurance plans, January starts a new coverage year. Any benefits left from the previous year do not "roll over." That is, if you don't use the previous year's benefits, you lose them in January. So November and December are the perfect times to visit the dentist.

Come in in November. Start any treatment needed, and use 2010's insurance benefits. Then, after January 1, finish treatment... two years of dental benefits at once!

November and December appointment times fill up quickly, so make your appointment today!

TIME FOR OUR YEARLY WHITE SALE

If your pearly whites have become, well, less than white.

Take Advantage of our 20% off WHITENING SALE.

Call the office today to schedule your appointment to have your smile looking it's best.

Sale Includes inoffice and take home whitening kits.

My CPAP is Gone, I'm Sleeping Much Better, thanks to Dr. Don Wood!

We have been stressing the negative impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on a person's life. The most well-known symptom of sleep apnea is snoring, but it can also contribute to other significant health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, depression, and sexual dysfunction. Dr. Wood is passionate about sleep apnea, and is able to successfully treat many patients suffering from this condition with oral appliances. Check out these videos from patients who were treated by Dr. Wood.

Boston Marathoner Stays Awake and Alert Thanks to Dr. Don Wood

CPAP Is No Longer Interfering with My Life

No More CPAP for Me

Another Happy Patient

Here is a video testimonial from another patient Dr. Wood treated for sleep apnea. She is very happy with the results, and now sleeps with an oral appliance rather than a CPAP machine.

So if you snore, or you are living with someone who does, call us today. We can help!

Project Patriot

You may be aware of our involvement with the Daughters of the American Revolution and Project Patriot. The DAR are sending gift boxes to soldiers stationed overseas. They are in need of any supplies or donations you can give them. Items such as crystal light, hard candy, paperback books, tinactin, chapstick... see our website, http://www.drdonwood.com/ for a complete list of what you can give. All donations are appreciated, and can be dropped off at our office.

One of our patients is stationed in Qatar, and received a package from the DAR. He sent the following thank you:

"Dr. Wood, Thank you so much for your support while I have been here in Qatar. Dorothy B____ told me that you wanted a picture of me for your office so I am sending you this picture. Thank you again for everything you and your wife have done.
-Josh"

We are proud of our troops and all they do to protect our country. If you would like to help, visit our website, http://www.drdonwood.com/, for more information on Project Patriot.

New Office Games

We have a new Patient Appreciation game coming! On Monday, April 19 we will be debuting Pet Match-up. Match the staff member to their pet, and you could win 4 tickets to the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. Stop by our office any time to play. The game runs through the end of June.

And beginning in June, we will be collecting your postcards from the road. Prizes will be given in categories such as Farthest Distance Traveled, Funniest Postcard, Most Exotic Location, etc. This game will run from June through August.

There is always lots of fun stuff around our office. Come by and say hi, play our new game, and get warm, fresh-baked cookies. See you there!

Spring Easter Egg Hunt

Our new Patient Appreciation Game is here! This month, we are holding a Spring Easter Egg Hunt. Only, there is no "hunting" involved. Just come by our office, pick out an egg, and win a prize! All eggs are filled with items like toys, candy, or even gift certificates worth one pound of See's chocolate. Everyone wins in this game! So stop by today!

What Is a Cavity?

Recently, Dr. Wood and his staff visited with a local kindergarten class to talk about dental health. In this short video, Dr. Wood answers the question, what is a cavity?

Steak or Pudding?

I was recently visiting a relative in a nursing home. I was in the home’s cafeteria for breakfast and noticed several containers of “pudding.” I asked the cafeteria worker why they were serving so many different types of pudding for breakfast. The worker laughed and said that’s not pudding that’s breakfast puree. I was so amazed I had to take a picture of it. The bright yellow “pudding in the top corner is pureed scrambled eggs, the dark brown “pudding” is pureed blueberry scones, the light brown “pudding” is pureed sausages.

As a dentist this affected me deeply. How sad that people feel they must eat pureed food when there is a treatment available that enables you to chew comfortably, even with dentures. I feel this treatment, MINI-IMPLANTS, is one of the best things I can do for my patients. If you are a denture wearer, please come into my office for a free consultation on mini-implants. You can eat steak and chew and chew and chew or you can eat “pudding.” Which would you rather eat?

Make a Flake Find a Flake Winner

On February 3, we held the drawing for our Make a Flake Find a Flake Winner. So many of you participated, which made the game a tremendous success. Our reception area was filled with beautiful snowflakes, and dozens of you visited our website to find the hidden snowflake. Unfortunately, there could only be winner. So, in a random drawing, Daniel McKinley was selected. Congratulations, Daniel! Here he is, receiving the Winter Survival Basket. And don't despair, a new game is coming in March, in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Good luck!

Get Your Own Mug

This month, if you refer a patient to our practice, you will get one of these beautiful Dr. Don Wood mugs filled with fresh flowers, delivered to you! We work hard to earn the trust of our patients, and the highest compliment you can pay us is the referral of family and friends. If you refer someone, make sure they tell us who referred them, and enjoy your beautiful flowers!

Project Patriot

You may already be aware that Cypress Family Dental and Dr. Wood are proud of our troops, and are actively involved in supporting them as much as we can. We have paired with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Susan B. Anthony Chapter in support of their Project Patriot. The goal of Project Patriot is to collect donations to send gift boxes to soldiers overseas. Dozens of boxes have been sent, and the DAR have received many thank yous from these soldiers. Below is a sampling of some of these letters:

"I just wanted to thank you for the care package that you sent to one of the soldiers here in Iraq. I just happened to get your card and wanted to thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness, receiving these packages are a huge morale booster for the military men and women. Again I want to thank you for the packages." --Derek Elrod, via email from Iraq

"I cannot express to you the depth of my gratitude for your efforts in displaying your chapter's appreciation of the American Soldier. I am the Company Commander of Delta Company 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, the Regulators. It is inspiring to see and feel the support of your chapter for my troops and me.

It is nice to receive healthy snacks such as the ones you have included. Thank you for the great selection of snacks that we all will enjoy. They will bring a welcomed break from the military foods we are accustomed to." --Craig W. Jansen, Captain, US Army

"I just wanted to say thanks for all the boxes received. I brought them straight to our break room and told all soldiers around that the boxes were there (at the time no one really had received anything so I wante to spread it around to all).

I was going to get my camera but it became obvious real quick that they weren't going to last that long! Needless to say, they were a hit.

Anyway I wanted to thank you and your group for your support. You can see it in soldiers eyes; they are happy to get something but amazed it was sent. I hope they carry that caring message with them all deployment.

Well thank you and God bless!" --Ian (last name illegible), via mail

"I received your Care Package today and would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and generosity you have shown my Soldiers and Myself. I have given out the items that you sent in your Care Package and the Soldiers loved them. We appreciate all that you and all others like yourself do for us Soldiers that are deployed and away from our families, especially during the Holiday Season. I will be sending pictures for you once I get them developed of our Soldiers receiving items from your Care Package. I hope this letter finds you well and in good Health." --Christopher P. Bryant, SGT, USA, Operations NCO

If you would like more information about the Daughters of the American Revolution or Project Patriot, visit www.californiadar.org/chapters/susanbanthony/sbaevents.html or www.drdonwood.com/Office/PracticeEvents/tabid/91/Default.aspx

Come In For Our Annual Whitening Sale

Do you want whiter teeth, but are worried its too expensive? Well, now's the time to take advantage of our Whitening Sale! Through the month of January, all whitening products are 25% off.

Zoom: in-office, one-hour procedure, gets your teeth their whitest. Normally $500, now only $375!

DayWhite: take-home trays. Regularly $250, now $187.50!

Crest Whitestrips Supreme Professional: Strips applied at home, stronger than the brands purchased over-the-counter. Normally $55, now $41.25. That's a better quality for less cost than the leading drug stores!

In addition, if you have a single tooth that is discolored or stained, Dr. Wood can perform single-tooth internal bleaching. Or, try Zoom in-office, then take home daywhite trays to keep your teeth their brightest all year! The possibilities are endless!

Come in today for our whitening sale and get the whiter, brighter smile you've always wanted.

Derby Day at Dr Don Wood's Office

On Saturday, December 19th, Cypress Family Dental opened for some very special patients. Long Beach Roller Derby stopped by to have custom mouthguards made! They partied in the reception area, received cookies, mouthguards, and everyone had a great time! Check out the video below: