Construction to widen 39th avenue has started! Fortunately, the bulldozers and utility trucks are no longer camped out in our drive way, but their presence on our street may still affect your commute. Their goal is to widen 39th avenue to 5 lanes, alleviating the congestion between 112th and Meridian. Unfortunately, their "tentative work schedule" is scheduled until April 2011. Please make sure to allow plenty of extra time when coming to Dove Family Dentistry for your appointments.

The baby bug hit our office in October of 2009, when Tammy told us the news that she and her husband, John, would be expecting their first baby in July! With 7 ladies in our office, you could not help but feel the excitement as we waited for this precious little one to be born.

Tammy was a trooper and worked up to her 39th week, missing only 2 days for strep throat. She would have stayed longer if she could, but as the contractions became more frequent, we knew it was time to say our goodbyes. We have never met someone who loved their job more than Tammy. She truly loves dentistry and it showed.

On July 28th at 1:58pm, our Tammy became a mommy! Little Porter Kekipi (Kay-Kee-Pee) entered this world at a healthy 8 lbs 10oz, 21 inches long. Tammy said that Porter didn't even cry when he was born -- instead he just looked around the room at everyone and smiled within the first few hours.

Tammy and her family arrived in Arizona late September and are currently looking for a place to call home. We get frequent updates and will keep you posted through our blogs and facebook page. Tammy has already asked about many of you and sends her love!

Dr. Vantramp attempted to smooth a chipped crown by himself--now that is skill! With a drill in one hand and an intra-oral camera in the other, he gave it his best shot (no pun intended). Thanks to modern technology he didn't have to work too hard... but in the end, he did have to go see his dentist for a new crown. So if you are looking for a sympathetic dentist, Dr. Vantramp can truly say that he "feels your pain."

FROM OUR HYGIENIST TERI:

This August I had the privilege of going on the annual Montana Mission Trip with our church youth group. Our group of 97 split into 3 teams visiting the towns of Troy, Superior and I went to Plains. I truly can't describe how amazing the week was. We had 125 children at Vacation Bible School, BBQ and concert in the park each night, Ultimate Frisbee, and work projects galore.

Watching God work in the hearts of our team and the people we came in contact with overwhelming. Teenagers sharing the gospel, sharing their testimonies and working their collective tails off from sun-up past sunset everyday with sincere love and compassion is something only God can do. Whether working with toddlers at VBS, elderly widows in their homes, or hanging out with other teens in the park this team took Gods love to Montana.

This year our work projects centered on the elderly and more specifically widows. From painting houses, pressure washing and painting decks, landscaping, chopping wood, and washing windows anything and everything this team of young people jumped in with enthusiasm and energy. We were also able to do lay sod and install a sprinkler system at our host church Plains Bible Chapel. What a wonderful church family to serve along side with.
We continue to hear reports of what Gods is doing in Plains as a direct result of our trip. Thank you to all who participated in this trip through their prayer support.

Dr. Vantramp and his staff, attended the Pacific Northwest Dental Convention on June 17 and 18 2010. It was a great conference, and the staff member participated in a wide range of classes.

One class in particular that Dr. Vantramp, Teri and Laura really enjoyed was about emerging research in the field of dental hygiene. The information they learned in this class will help them in assisting our patients as they work toward establishing good oral hygiene. This class emphasized the connection between oral health and whole-body health, and how a person can't have one without the other. Dr. Vantramp also took a nitrous oxide recertification course, and learned how it can actually be helpful to some cardiac-compromised patients during dental appointments.

Tori, Tammy, and Sarah participated in a dental assisting course where they learned about many different aspects of assisting. They became familiar with the latest dental materials on the market, as well as the latest restorative aesthetic techniques. The dental lab's role in achieving great aesthetic results is absolutely critical, and they learned some tips regarding communication with the lab to help facilitate this. Keeping patients comfortable and informed was another big topic of their class. As many of you know, keeping patients comfortable and informed are very important to us here at Dove Family Dentistry, and we're always looking for ways to make our patients' experiences the best possible!