Patterson Orthodontics

We're Featured! In Prescott Woman Magazine!

2012-02-09T16:36:00.001-07:00

But isn't this issue their bridal issue? It sure is!

And don't you think a perfect smile wonderfully complements a beautiful bride or a studly groom?

Check out this lovely bride and her handsome groom on pgs 44-45 of Prescott Woman Magazine!

I had so much fun talking with Alissa (Patterson Orthodontics VIP, too) for the article. She was so excited about how perfect the timing was for everything. In her engagement photos, she still had braces on. But days before her wedding, she got the braces off. She is...amazing!

Let's Hangout!

2012-02-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

We're now on Google+

Are you?

If so, add us to one of your Circles and we'll add you to ours!

Google+

January 2012 VIP Party

2012-01-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ryan for being our VIP Patient of the Month!

JD, Cohen, Ryan (VIP), Maeson and Dr. Rob

We shared such an enjoyable evening with Ryan, his friends, and his family. I also found out that his grandmother was one of our patients a few years ago! (I am luckily surprised by stuff like this since I'm not often in the office...that's one reason why I love the VIP parties so much...I get the chance to meet the wonderful patients Rob talks about!)

Jaqueline and Ryan's grandparents: Marilyn and Leo

Kara, Rynda, and I talked a bit about couponing (Kara operates Practical Saver, a local couponing website) and homeschooling. She told us about some stories a world-traveling missionary shared with her kids today at a homeschool Co-op. Leo and Dr. Rob shared some stories about Korea (Dr. Rob served a 2 year mission in Korea, went there for a study abroad, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Korean...he may just be one of Prescott Valley's top Korean experts). :)


Kara, Rynda, & Ross--Kara & Ross are the VIP's parents.

Ross is a plumber and the owner of Dependable Dutchman Plumbing. It was such a pleasure getting to know this couple better. They are such a wonderful family.

Ryan, Cohen, and JD.

A bit about Ryan: he lives in PV with his parents, older brother, and younger sister. They have 3 dogs, 2 horses, some sheep, and chickens. Ryan is in 8th grade and is homeschooled. His favorite sport is airsoft and his favorite color is blue.

Ryan's advice to braces wearers is, "They are not as bad as they look."

When we asked Ryan what he likes about Patterson Orthodontics, his response was, "The positive outlook on things." Ahhhh, shucks. We just like the opportunity we have to get to know you (and your sister...and your grandmother) since you're our patient.

Sabrina, Garrett, and Chase.

Any patient can become a VIP. We choose VIP patients who meet certain criteria:

1. Always on time to appointments

2. Follows instructions (such as wearing rubber brands or adjusting an appliance)

3. Brushes and flosses teeth daily (Dr. Rob really can tell when you don't)

4. Visit your dentist regularly for check ups

We ♥ Our Patients!

2012-01-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Can you guess how many Valentine candies are in this jar?

We'll give you a hint...there are more than 100...and less than 1,000,000.

The winner with the closest guess will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to a place of their choice!

This contest is for all of our wonderful patients.

You can submit your guess at our office...AND you can guess on our Facebook page!

(So all the smarties who follow us online can double their chances at winning! That's literally sweet!)

We'll announce the winner on February 14 on Facebook.

Have a lovely day!

Fall Contest Winners!

2011-12-08T15:38:00.003-07:00

We have some winners for the Fall Contests!

Contest 1: Coloring Contest Winners

Madelynne and Sabra

Great job, girls!

Contest 2: Guess how much the Pumpkin weighs

Kara R.

Actual weight: 23.1 lbs

Guess: 23 lbs

Holiday Hours

2011-12-08T15:38:00.002-07:00

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha'penny then God bless you!

We've been listening to that song a lot at our house...the Muppet version. That whole Christmas album is fun! (Although, you can get a little tired of the Muppets 12 Days of Christmas if it's played 12 times in a row.) One of the best parts of Christmas is Christmas Vacation! Because that gives us more time to spend with our loved ones!

We are going to be closed from December 23 to January 2 to give our staff and doctor some time to spend with family. One of our staff will be on call, and the phone will be forwarded, so if one of our patients has a poking wire, give us a call.

Also, make sure to book your next appointment before December 23 or after January 2!

Merry Christmas!

September VIP

2011-10-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Alithea, our VIP Patient of the Month!

Alithea lives in Chino Valley with her dad, mom and amazing brother, Aaron. Her family also includes six pets. Alithea attends Chino Valley High School and is a sophomore. Alithea loves school. This past summer she attended a six week program with Upward Bound at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. This six week program involved attending college classes that count towards college and high school credits. She also volunteers at her church for vacation Bible School and worked with the pre-school children over the summer. Alithea’s favorite color is Orange. She loves the combination of purple and white. She absolutely hates pink!!!!

When asked, “What was the most exciting vacation you have taken?” her reply was,

“We were invited to my aunt’s condo in California along the beach. I watched dolphins and saw beautiful sunsets every night. I went to the beach, swam in the pool, walked and ate at the pier.

Alithea’s advice to brace wearers is, “Listen to Dr. Rob and everything will be fine and do everything he tells you about caring for your braces.”

When we asked Alithea what she likes about Patterson Orthodontics, her response was, “I always look forward to my next appointment. I love walking in and everybody knows who I am. The feeling in the air is always up-beat and fun, and knowing every time I walk in I am going to enjoy myself. Sometimes I wish my braces would never come off so I could come forever!!!!"

Thank you Alithea…….You are a very special patient and you are always welcome to visit us...even when your braces come off!!!!!

Announcing...New Fall Contests!

2011-10-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Cooler weather, changing colors, longer evenings.

It must be Fall!

(Okay, we could do without the extra wind...)

Contest 1: Coloring Contest

It's also National Orthodontic Health Month!

To celebrate, we're having another coloring contest this year.

Just print this coloring page (click on it, then print it...or come by our office to pick it up), color to your heart's content, then submit it to our office...the sooner, the better!

We're going to handle the judging a little differently this year.

Instead of us judging the entries, we'll let you judge them!

Starting October 20, we'll post all of the entries on our Facebook page.

Each entry will have its own post, so get all of your friends on FB to LIKE your entry.

The entry with the most LIKES on Facebook will win a $10 iTunes card!

(So those who have their coloring pages submitted by October 20 will have a better chance at getting more LIKES than those who submit them later.)

The Coloring Contest ends on Halloween.

Contest 2: Guess How Much the Pumpkin Weighs

Starting next Tuesday, we'll have a big-o pumpkin sittin in our office.

Each of our patients can submit their best guess of the thing.

The closest guess will win a prize!

The contest ends Nov 22.

And We Partied so Hearty!!

2011-08-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

Patterson Orthodontics just celebrated our first annual Patient Appreciation Party last week at the Freedom Fun Station. It was a huge success! Nearly 200 patients, their families, and their guests came to the party. Dr. Rob had a blast interacting with the patients and raffling off all kinds of prizes.

Check out who won the big stuff:

Denae Dickman won the ipod shuffle

Austin McCauley won the BlueRay Disc player

Jackie Rowe won the $25 Harkins Gift Card

Congratulations!!

Several people won prizes for participating in our event contests:

Beat Dr. Rob's Miniature Golf Score of 46: Austin Mariah: 31

Worst Miniature Golf Score: Hunter: 103

Highest Skeeball Score: Devoraha: 46,000

Highest Basketball Score: Andrew: 82

Most Rides on the Roller Coaster Simulator: Kimberly: 9 (Devoraha had 8 then Kimberly squeaked by with the final win)

Most Climbs on the Climbing Wall: Amber: 9

Congratulations to each of you, too!!

The success of this party meant a lot to us. We opened our doors and treated our first patient in January 2010. Since then, we have steadily put braces on new faces, which has grown our practice to the point that we just wanted to say a big THANKS to each and every patient who has come to our office for their orthodontic care. We look forward to continued growth and the opportunity to celebrate our patients, too.

Summer Photo Contest

2011-07-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

What have you been doing this summer? We would love to see what you've been up to and the places you've gone. So we're having a Summer Photo Contest!

All of the pictures entered into the contest will be displayed in a slide show at our Patient Appreciation Party on August 24. We'll also announce the winners that night! Yep...winners! We'll have lots of winners and a bunch of prizes, so flip through your best photos and get them to us right away! We're going to have Best Of categories and age categories...so you don't have to feel intimidated by competing with someone older than you.

Photo Dr. Rob took during the last big rain storm.

You can email them to us at pattersonortho@gmail.com or upload them on our Facebook page. Each patient can submit up to 5 photos. Hit us with your best shots!

DiamondBacks Winner!

2011-07-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Becky!

Becky won DiamondBacks tickets for referring someone to our office!

As always, we appreciate all of our patients who referred their friends or family to us for orthodontic care. We're just about ready to announce the prize of the next contest...so stay tuned!

Patient Appreciation Party--Save the Date!

2011-06-30T15:01:00.001-07:00

Patterson Orthodontic's 1st Annual

Patient Appreciation Party!!

Wednesday, August 24

5:30-8:30

at the

This party will be a blast!

We'll have tons of prizes, contests, and Freedom Station fun for our patients and their guests! Each of our patients can bring a BFF or a significant other...and it's on us!

We plan on seeing you there!

Diamondbacks Contest

2011-05-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

We've got a Gift Card for a lucky winner to attend a D-backs game of their choice! This contest is for our current patients and you can enter more than once! Here is how you enter:

1. Refer a friend or

2. Refer a family member

to come into Patterson Orthodontics for a New Patient Exam.

The more people you refer, the more chances you have to win! The contest ends May 31, so good luck!

April VIP

2011-04-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Jessica, for being our April VIP!

We enjoyed celebrating your VIPness last Tuesday with Jessica and her friends and family.

Jessica lives in Prescott with her husband and 4 kids (4 kids? she looks way too young for 4 kids!). She works for Dr. Costes at Horizon Dental in Prescott Valley. She enjoys hiking, especially Thumb Butte. Her favorite vacation spot is Costa Rica because of the beautiful beaches and the delicious food (I sure don't blame her).

The advice she would give to other brace wearers, "don't eat nuts." We agree! Also, when we asked her what she enjoys most when she visits Patterson Orthodontics, she said, "Seeing the Staff." And we enjoy seeing her and her great smile.

Congratulations, New Dad!!

2011-04-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

Dr. Rob is the proud father of this little guy.

Isn't he just the cutest?

Born: April 21

9 lbs 2 oz

19 inches

APRIL: Welcome Spring & Warm Weather! Welcome Easter Bunny!

2011-04-02T20:56:00.003-07:00

Welcome National Facial Protection Month!

Personally, I'm really excited that the weather is getting and staying warmer. I just love Spring for that reason. I'm anxious to plant some seeds in our pots and hope that we get some more vegetation this year than last year (one black bean pod and 4 cherry tomatoes shouldn't be hard to beat, eh? At least I was able to harvest our basil several times!). I also just love Easter. Coloring eggs, setting up and hiding Easter baskets for the kids, and celebrating the resurrected Christ.

But April is also National Facial Protection Month. And that's appropriate to remember, too. As the weather warms up, we pull out our bikes, scooters, balls, jogging strollers (that's us), hiking boots and we get out and play more. So it's great to have a reminder that as we play, we should play it safe by wearing appropriate safety gear...like helmets, gloves, knee/elbow pads, and even mouth guards. Here is a little something I picked up off of the American Association of Orthodontics website:

How can kids and other athletes play it safe? Just remember these important tips:

Wear mouth guards for contact sports. Mouth guards can help prevent jaw, mouth, and teeth injuries and are less costly than repairing an injury.
Wear a helmet. Helmets absorb the energy of an impact.
Wear protective eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable.
Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin. Hockey pucks, basketballs, and racquetballs can do severe damage.
Be alert even as a spectator. Alert spectators can avoid foul baseballs and flying hockey pucks. Watch your step when climbing bleachers.

Having fun at Coyote Springs Elementary

2011-02-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

I submitted this as a press release to local papers, so the tone is quite professional. But I have included several pictures to show how much fun the kids had...and hopefully, you'll be inspired to keep the bacteria "poop" off of your teeth, too.

Leah Kuipers and kids acting as human fingers demonstrate the correct way to floss: up and down, not back and forth.

One hundred fifty-five 1st-, 3rd-, and 5th-grade students at Coyote Springs Elementary School in Prescott Valley went home on Thursday, February 17th, enthused to brush and floss their teeth regularly. One third grade boy in Mrs. Simpson’s class says that he’ll now brush his teeth six times a day!

Dr. Robert Patterson and his assistant, Leah Kuipers, of Patterson Orthodontics visited six classrooms at Coyote Springs to teach them the importance of dental hygiene in honor of this month being National Children’s Dental Health Month.

“The first thing we talked about,” said Dr. Rob, “is that tooth decay is the number one chronic disease in childhood in the U.S. Later, we talked about how cavities are formed so they can use that knowledge to prevent decay.”

Leah and a 3rd grade class practice the correct 45 degree angle for brushing their teeth.

Dr. Rob engaged the students in a lively presentation. He taught the students that bacteria live everywhere, even in our mouths; and just like people, bacteria love sugar. The bacteria eats the sugar and makes two things: acid and plaque. He taught them that plaque is bacteria “poop.” It’s yellow, it stinks, and it protects the bacteria from the body’s saliva. While the bacteria lives in its “house of plaque”, it also produces acid which eats away at the tooth and causes cavities.

He explained that most of the foods people eat have some sugar in them. However foods like candy and soda have the most sugar, which the bacteria thrives on. He also reminded them about the importance of visiting their dentist regularly to help prevent cavities and take care of existing cavities. He explained the different types of dental specialists and what they do, focusing on pedodontists and orthodontists who are specially trained to treat children so the child’s experience is fun and not fearful.


Class learning how fluoride works to strengthen the tooth.

Kuipers demonstrated the proper brushing techniques: holding the brush at a 45 degree angle, staying close to the gums, moving the toothbrush in small circles, and brushing for two minutes. She taught them to brush their teeth twice each day and to floss at least once every day. In order to demonstrate the proper way of flossing and brushing, they had students in each class be the models.

“It was enjoyable being around the kids and being silly with them. I enjoyed seeing the light bulbs go on about what causes tooth decay,” said Kuipers.

Dr. Rob teaching 3rd grade class about what makes cavities: essentially bacteria "poop."

Ms. Ness, third grade teacher, said that she loves how Patterson Orthodontics comes every year to teach the kids about dental health and remind them to take care of their teeth. She led her class by example in showing them her toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash that she keeps in her desk at school.

“The faculty love how we provide this as a service,” said Dr. Rob. “I love doing this because the kids really enjoy it and they are really bright. They are not as afraid of coming to the dentist, and now they have the knowledge to fight cavities.”

If you want some free activities and coloring pages about fighting cavities, visit the ADA website.

January/February VIP Par-tay!

2011-02-07T21:49:00.001-07:00

This month, we did something a little different in selecting our VIPs. Yes. There are two of them! A father and his son...both in braces (along with two of his daughters). Meet Jason and Logan Stack. We had such a fun time at Streets of New York with the Stacks and their guests.

One thing I learned about the Stack family is that they live out in Coyote Springs and they have 7 horses. Their daughter, Taylor, is starting to learn how to do barrel racing with her horse, (Willow?). But mainly, they enjoy serving others with their horses by taking others on horse rides, especially those who are less fortunate.

Jason & Tracy Stack and the Smiths

Logan & his buddy

Parents/Grandparents of the VIPs

Empty plate = yummy food

"Do I hafta smile?"

Bob Stack and his lil'l guy

BIG BITE!

The happy crowd

Something to Smile About!

2011-01-17T10:17:00.001-07:00

We are all about smiles! Happy smiles. Shy smiles. Laughing smiles. Crooked smiles. (Well, we fix those. ) :)

Since we love smiles so much, we recently changed our web address to...

www.pattersonsmiles.com

Isn't that fitting? And when you visit our website, you will realize it's all about smiles, too!

While you are on there, you've gotta check out something we put on there to make you smile, too. A $250 Gift Certificate to go towards your orthodontic treatment! Now that's something to smile about! Just make sure to print it out and schedule your appointment right now, because it will only be available until February 28th!

"If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." ~Andy Rooney

November/December VIP

2010-12-16T15:57:00.002-07:00

Congratulations Kendal!

Kendal is our November and December VIP (due to the holiday craziness and Dr. Patterson going out of town one specific weekend in November, we have yet to throw her a pizza party...but it will happen!). She is generally known as Mrs. Healey by her Kindergarten students at Acorn Montessori. She loves teaching and enjoys watching the kids progress throughout the year.

Kendal's advice to brace wearers, "You don't have to wear them forever and just imagine how great your teeth and smile will be when you are done!" She also enjoys visiting Patterson Orthodontics because, "the staff are the nicest I have ever experienced, friendly, and funny."

Thanks, Kendal, for being such a wonderful patient!

December Patient Contest!

2010-12-10T15:41:00.002-07:00

This month, when you come in to visit us, whether for an appointment or just to say Hi, you can enter our Candy-counting contest. We have a large jar full of candy in our office.

The person who guesses the number closest to the number of candies in the jar will win a $50 gift card!

Just in time for Christmas!

We will announce the winner on December 23 on our Facebook page!

VIP Patient of the Month

2010-11-09T14:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations, J.C., by earning the VIP Patient of the Month award! Her advice to others vying for the VIP award, "Follow the rules, and don't eat what you are not supposed to!"

We celebrated with her, some of her besties, and her family at New York Pizza.

Thanks for being such a great patient!

The Golden Rule

2010-10-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

You just have to respect a teaching that is respected worldwide, stated in virtually every language and major religion. That is what we know as the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have others do to you. It sure is the best way to treat others. Which is why I completely agree with Dr. Rob's new mission statement:

The mission of Patterson Orthodontics is to treat every patient just as we would want to be treated.

And the coolest thing about it is that he means it. Here is one example. Just last Friday, I was at a doctor's office for nearly 2 hours for a 30 minute appointment. Okay...so I did come in 30 minutes early to fill out paper work, but I still felt like I was waiting too much. When I went back to see the doctor, it took him about 20 minutes to get to my room...after the nurse checked all my vitals, etc. That's not too horrible, I've waited longer. But still...who likes to wait?

One of the ways Patterson Orthodontics likes to treat their patients is by seeing them at their appointment time...not 15 to 30 minutes later. Just as we value our time, we know our patients and their families value their time, too.

Featured in PWM

2010-10-20T15:55:00.001-07:00

We are being featured in Prescott Woman Magazine this Oct/Nov issue! Take a moment to check it out...the article is on pages 32 and 34.

Prescott Woman Magazine

Have you noticed...

2010-08-23T14:36:00.005-07:00

that more and more adults are wearing braces? Maybe it's because my husband is an orthodontist, but I see them everywhere. And why not? Adults want straight teeth, too!

Sometimes they want braces for themselves because after their kids are out of braces, they decide that they deserve it, too!

Sometimes, their parents couldn't afford braces for them when they were younger.

Sometimes they didn't wear their retainers very well and their teeth became crooked again (it happened to Dr. Rob and my dad. But here is a tip. My teeth were starting to shift again, so I had Dr. Rob make me a new retainer, since my old one didn't work. And my teeth stopped shifting!).

And sometimes, as they are getting crowns, veneers, bridges, and implants, they realize their smile could look so much better if only it were straight.

Julie, one of Dr. Rob’s adult patients, says, “My teeth were looking worse and worse, and they just got so bad I couldn’t stand it anymore.” Julie has noticed in just six weeks how much her teeth have already moved. “It’s amazing!” she beams. Julie’s advice to other adults out there is “If you can make it work, do it.”

And come see if it will work for you. Your initial consultation with us is complimentary, so call us and schedule it right away!

Bradshaw Mountain Bears Football Schedule

2010-08-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

You found it! The Bears Football Schedule! I hope the HS website will put up the schedule soon, but until then, you can find it here:

8/18     Saguaro (Scrimmage)       Home      6:00 PM
8/27     Apache Junction*             Home      7:00 PM
9/3       Paradise Valley                 Away       7:00 PM
9/10     Prescott                             Home      7:00 PM
9/17     Mingus                             Away       7:00 PM
9/24     Sunrise Mountain             Away       7:00 PM
10/1     Kellis**                            Home       7:00 PM
10/8     Copper Canon                  Away        7:00 PM
10/15   BYE
10/22   Peoria***                         Home       7:00 PM
10/29   Dysart***                        Home      7:00 PM
11/5     Agua Fria                         Away        7:00 PM

*Varsity Parent Night
**Homecoming
***Middle Schools & Young Leagues

While you're here, you can easily become a Fan on our Facebook page. We will shortly be giving out Bears fanfare exclusively to our Facebook fans, so sign up quickly so you don't miss out!

August VIP

2010-08-20T14:35:00.002-07:00

Victoria is our VIP this month!

And we're happy that she is one of our patients. Can you tell she's happy to have braces? (Well, at least happy that she'll have straight teeth soon!) Her advice to others with braces..."Brush Your Teeth Well!!" (And you can tell she lives by her advice...her teeth are clean!)

We're still hoping to have a pizza party with Victoria and her friends. But the beginning of the school year is a very busy time. So we'll post pictures of the party when it happens.

Congratulations, Victoria!

Official Website

2010-08-18T08:27:00.002-07:00

Our official Website is up! We are really excited about all it offers...a whole lot of information about braces, a virtual office tour, patient forms, and easy ways to contact us.

Plus, it is beautiful. So, after you check it out, tell me what you think!

www.PattersonSmiles.com

Football and Soccer Season!

2010-08-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

Now that school has started (btw...how was your first day? feel free to comment...we would love to hear!), the community soccer season will soon begin...and so does football!

Go Bears! Go Badgers! Go Cougars!!

We hope you play all sports safely by wearing a mouth guard. In fact, Dr. Rob knows first-hand what can happen when you don't wear a mouth guard. One time Dr. Rob was playing football with some friends, he got knocked in the mouth with a fist (so they were just playing around and he wasn't wearing a helmet either...I'm glad he's smarter now...usually). Luckily, he had braces and those braces kept his front tooth in his mouth, otherwise it would have fallen out. After an emergency visit to his dentist and an emergency root canal, he was able to keep his tooth. But it always looks a little greyish compared to the others.

So, don't be like the kid Dr. Rob. Wear your protective sports gear.

Here is a video we want to share about Emmitt Smith encouraging youth to Play It Safe.

And we look forward to seeing some safe playing this season!

Summer Break!

2010-08-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

I guess I unintentionally took a Summer Break from blogging. But I'm back! July was a really busy time for us...with many patients smiling in their new braces. Check out some of their videos in the sidebar.

Last weekend, Patterson Orthodontics sponsored a Youth Leadership Seminar. (Just check out the link for more information about it...but the speaker, Dan Ralphs, really fired up the youth about their potential to become leaders--in the future and now!)

Dr. Rob and I (btw...the author of this blog is his wife, Angie :) ) also attended an adults only session Friday evening. We both left that evening inspired to be better leaders...in our family, our business, and our community. Let me share a few principles Mr. Ralphs shared with us.

1. "Live life on Purpose" Basically, we are in control of our own lives and we can change things that bug us.

2. "Live life in Detail" Pay attention to detail...how you treat someone is how you treat everyone.

3. "Exposure to Greatness" Come face to face with greatness by reading the classics and biographies of great leaders.

4. "Get Caught Up in a Higher Purpose" Kids notice and are more likely to follow suit when their parents support a cause that matters.

One of our Higher Purposes will be to continue to support these kinds of seminars. Our youth are tomorrows leaders...or followers, if they never learn to lead. This leadership seminar is the first in a series. And we will let you know when the next one is scheduled.

What are some of the causes you support, whether in a leadership role or a supporting role?

Refreshing Tumbler Contest: Week 5

2010-07-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

Alright! Here we go again! Just post a comment here to give yourself an extra chance of winning a stainless steel coffee tumbler or an aluminum water bottle!

And if you're not already following us on Facebook, head on over there.

RTC--Week 4 Winners!

2010-07-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ciara Larson and Viola Kooiman! They won their choice of a water bottle or a coffee tumbler! Please call our office to claim your prize.

Good News!

2010-06-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

Since Dr. Rob is on vacation this week, we're going to choose the Week 4 winner of the RTC contest next Wednesday. But don't worry...we'll give out even more tumblers to make up for the extra week.

Have a fun summer! I think we'll be going swimming tomorrow.

RTC--Week 3 Winners!

2010-06-23T11:51:00.002-07:00

Alissa Renae and Kevin Strharsky are our winners! Yay! Call our office at 928-772-7353 to claim your prize!

And get ready to enter Week 4 of the contest! Even if you have entered before, you can enter again (but you can only claim winnings once).

Refreshing Tumbler Contest: Week 4

2010-06-23T11:51:00.001-07:00

Why does summer go by so quickly? I can't believe we're already starting our 4th week of summer! But time flies when you're having fun! And so the contest continues!

To enter the contest during Week 4, just post a comment here (like how awesome it is that you have a chance of winning one of these tumblers!), become a Fan on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter. (For a complete list of rules, just check out Week 1.)

And don't forget about the iPad contest! It's also easy to enter this contest! Just come to a complementary new patient exam if you need braces or refer someone to us who needs braces. That's it! And you are entered in the iPad contest! In addition to that, once you or your friend becomes our patient, or a member of our Kid's Club (details below), you may participate in many more contests and receive more prizes!

We just want to treat our patients the way we want to be treated. And we love free stuff!

The Kids' Club

2010-06-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

Patterson Orthodontics just started a new club, and the membership is growing! Members have a bunch of opportunities to earn prizes, get into special "patient only" parties, and participate in Kids' Club only contests!

The Kids' Club is a special club for our patients who are not ready to begin treatment. While orthodontic treatment can be beneficial for almost anyone, "now" is not always the best time to get started. Dr. Rob feels very strongly that it is important that you start only when the time is right. (Makes sense, right?) Starting too early causes "braces burn-out," and that is not fun. Starting too late can cause us to miss important growing periods that can help us to create a beautiful and lasting smile! So we want to help you get started at exactly the right time!*

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that a child first see his/her orthodontist at 7 years old (also check this out). And we agree!

Whether or not your youngster is ready for braces, we are ready for you. And if you schedule an appointment this summer, you will automatically be entered in the iPad contest!

*All observation appointments, including the New Patient Exam, are complimentary.

Refreshing Tumbler Contest: Week 3

2010-06-16T15:00:00.002-07:00

I just want to give two refreshing reminders: one, that this great contest runs weekly all summer long; and two, that the more people who enter the contest, the more tumblers we will give away! So please don't be shy. If you haven't won yet, then keep entering the contest!

You can enter by leaving a comment on this blog, becoming a Fan on our Facebook page (or leaving a comment on the contest post), or becoming a Follower on Twitter (just click on a Twitter link in the sidebar).

For a complete list of the rules, just go to Week 1 of the contest. Let's see some more winners this week!!

RTC--Week 2 Winner!

2010-06-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Karl Tenny, for being our Week 2 winner! Please call us at 928-772-7353 to choose which Refreshing Tumbler you want!

June VIP

2010-06-10T20:35:00.002-07:00

Tonight's VIP party was a P-A-R-T-Y! Congratulations, Jack, for being our Patient of the Month!

When we called Jack's mom to tell her that he was selected as this month's VIP, she told us the regrettable news that they are moving to Georgia! So we told them that they could invite a bunch of friends for a combined VIP/going away party. And we're sure glad they took us up on the offer! He invited several school friends and soccer buddies. This table is completely full of boys!

We're going to miss the whole family (we even saw his younger sister perform in Guys and Dolls a couple of months ago). They sure have been a great family to get to know.

Any patient can become a VIP. But we choose one awesome patient every month who meets certain criteria:

1. Always on time to appointments

2. Follows instructions (such as wearing rubber brands or adjusting an appliance)

3. Brushes and flosses teeth daily (Dr. Rob really can tell when you don't)

4. Visit your dentist regularly for check ups

Also, don't forget to enter to win Week 2 of our Refreshing Tumbler Contest. The chances of winning are high right now! So go for it!

Refreshing Tumbler Contest: Week 2

2010-06-09T12:46:00.001-07:00

Now that we have a couple of winners for week 1, let's start the contest for Week 2! If you need to, go ahead and review the rules on the Week 1 post...and then submit a comment to this post to be entered into the contest for Week 2.

We would like to give out even more tumblers next week...so tell your friends about this awesome contest! (Like I said before...the more people who enter the contest, the more tumblers we will give away! So don't be afraid to enter week after week, or to tell others about it!)

RTC--Week 1 Winners!!

2010-06-09T12:34:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Arizona Dunbars and Sarah Ford for winning this week's contest!! Please call our office (928-772-7353) within 2 days to claim your prize!

A Winning Summer: iPad Contest

2010-06-08T17:28:00.014-07:00

I am so excited to announce our biggest summer-long contest...the chance to win an iPad! Those things are sweet! They work just like an iPhone or iTouch, but they're bigger and more powerful...yet still smaller than a laptop so way easier to carry around. This contest goes from June 1 to September 1, so you have plenty of time to enter several times!

At Patterson Orthodontics, we consider the referral of a friend or a family member the highest compliment we can receive. We want to reward your confidence in us! So, how can you enter to win?

Contest rules (you are entered each time you complete any of the following):

Become one of our new patients.
Refer a friend who needs braces to Patterson Orthodontics. When they come in for their appointment, your name will be entered in the contest.
The friend starts treatment before September 1 and your name is entered again!
You can enter as often as you want! Just keep referring!
Don't forget about our weekly Refreshing Tumbler Contest. We will draw the first winner(s) tomorrow morning. Anyone can enter, so check it out!

Refreshing Tumbler Contest: Week 1

2010-06-02T12:00:00.006-07:00

At the Braves Little League game last week, Dr. Rob handed out a gift to each of the boys on the team. As he pulled them out, the crowd responded with the kind of "ooooh" that says, "wow, now that's impressive!" That's exactly what you can get, too, for participating in the Refreshing Tumbler Contest.

Aren't these great? We want many people to win this contest, so we'll make it really easy for you to win your choice of a stainless steel coffee mug or an aluminum water bottle. In fact, we'll be running this contest every week throughout the summer...so if you keep playing, you're bound to win eventually! And maybe even more than once!

Refreshing Tumbler Contest rules:

1. You may enter each weekly contest up to 3 times each time. (Yeah! Up your chances of winning!) Here is how you can enter:

Post a comment to this blog post.
Become a Fan on our Facebook page (if you are already a Fan, then add a comment to the Contest announcement).
Become a Follower on Twitter.

2. You must enter the contest between 12:00pm AZ Time on Wednesday (for Week 1 it will be June 2) and 10:00am AZ Time the following Wednesday (for Week 1 it will be June 9) in order to be eligible for that week's contest.

3. Winners will be announced each Wednesday on the Blog, Facebook, and Twitter...so take your pick on how you want to check your winning status! You'll have 2 days to claim your winnings.

4. The more people who participate, the more tumblers we will give away...so don't be afraid of seeing a bunch of entries...that just means we'll be giving away even more!

A Winning Summer

2010-06-01T19:02:00.015-07:00

school is out

the swimming pools are all open

the rest of this week will have highs in the 80s and 90s

Summer is officially here!

Aren't you just so excited?

We sure are!

And to just improve the chances of having a great summer, we're going to have a host of contests! Some are just for patients, but most are for anybody. Yes, anybody! Mainly readers of our blog, friends on Facebook, and followers of Twitter will have the MOST chances of winning.

So make sure to bookmark us, become a friend, a follower, or Tweet with us...and you will have high chances of having a winning summer!

Go Braves!!

2010-06-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, we watched the local hard-hitting, fast running, dirt-sliding little league game. Those li'l sluggers sure played hard! I also found out that they play multiple games a week. Way to go!

May VIP

2010-05-19T21:32:00.001-07:00

Tonight was our May VIP Party!

Alissa was our very first patient, and she is just awesome!

The first day she came in, she was R.E.A.D.Y. for braces.

No sooner was her New Patient Exam done than she was in the clinic getting her braces on.

And she's still smiling!

Alissa invited her family, boyfriend, and co-workers to the party (yep! She's one of our adult patients. Can you tell? She's so young!). We had so much fun getting to know them...and finding out that her Grandma and Grandpa moved to Chino Valley quite suddenly from Massachusetts...and their married adult children followed them. So Alissa and her sisters grew up here, and they all love being here.

Any patient can become a VIP. But we will choose one awesome patient every month who meets certain criteria:

1. Always on time to appointments

2. Follows instructions (such as wearing rubber brands or adjusting an appliance)

3. Brushes and flosses teeth daily (Dr. Rob really can tell when you don't)

4. Visit your dentist regularly for check ups

You can do it...come on and be our next VIP!

Guys and Dolls

2010-05-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night, Dr. Rob and I attended the local performance of Guys and Dolls. We were impressed with the production! The musical comprised of a cast and stage crew of children and youth ages 5-17...and they were amazing. The group is called Young Star Musical Theatre...and you can bet we'll be watching them in the future.

A couple of our current patients are in YSMT. And they played their parts very well. Way to go, kids!

And the Winner Is...

2010-04-28T22:23:00.002-07:00

Rachel Bielanski!!

Congratulations!!

We had a wonderful Grand Opening event! Thank you, everyone, for coming.

You're Invited to our Grand Opening

2010-04-06T15:29:00.001-07:00

We are so ready to celebrate our Grand Opening with you!

And this is how excited we are...we're going to have a drawing for a FREE set of braces.

Can you believe that?

Anyone who comes to our Grand Opening event can enter his or her own name into that drawing...kids, teenagers, and adults.

Yep, anyone!

Wednesday, April 28

3pm to 7pm

3033 N. Windsong Dr, Ste 201

Prescott Valley

(in the building next to CVS)

The Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce will also do a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with us at 3:15.

The office looks stunning...and feel free to scroll down to see how we've come along in the last few months! (For the interest of attendance at the Grand Opening, I'm going to post additional pictures of the office after the Grand Opening. :) )

March VIP

2010-04-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

Thursday night was our first VIP party for our first Very Important Patient.

And we had a blast!

The kids and the adults had a good time.

At one time, Dr. Rob was in the midst of the kids, teasing them with a hand-over-face trick (try this on someone: ask them to put their hand on their face and tell them to try to keep their middle finger on their forehead while you try to pry it off. When you let go, it smacks them on the forehead!).

And the pizza was great. Thanks, Streets of New York!

Any patient can become a VIP. But we will choose one awesome patient every month who meets certain criteria:

1. Always on time to appointments

2. Follows instructions (such as wearing rubber brands or adjusting an appliance)

3. Brushes and flosses teeth daily (Dr. Rob really can tell when you don't)

4. Visit your dentist regularly for check ups

What a Blurr!!

2010-03-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

We took our kids to the Prescott Valley Eggstraveganza today. We searched out a spot on the perimiter that wasn't as crowded with kids to give our kids a good chance. When the whistle blew, all the kids made a dash for it. Within 15 seconds of taking this picture (or less), the whirlwind of kids cleaned up every last egg on the grass.

It was amazing.

Our kids didn't get much loot (only one item inside each egg...what's up with that?). But it was crazy and fun! We also went into the Civic Center and enjoyed some cotton candy, magic tricks, balloon animals, and arts and crafts.

PV Eggstravaganza

2010-03-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

As you can see, we have been working really hard to get our office looking just right and to get all of our systems in place. We need a break! I'm really looking forward to taking our kids to the Prescott Valley Eggstravaganza this Saturday. The kids love, love, love Easter Egg hunts...and what a fun way to celebrate Easter...with all of Prescott Valley!

Afterwards, Dr. Rob is going to take me on a birthday date (my birthday is next week). We're going to go shopping for a new bike for me and then go for a bike ride. We might go down the Peavine Trail, or try something new. Any recommendations?

Just so you know

2010-03-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

you have come to the right place...

We Are Here!

2010-03-02T08:52:00.001-07:00

We are here
We are here
We are here!

Just like the Whos down in Whoville needed JoJo to make themselves heard, we now have our own little (or big) JoJo...

Thanks, A&B Sign Company, for making a great sign that welcomes all who we invite.

And just so you know, everyone is invited to stop by!

Gettin to Know PV

2010-03-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

When you're new to a place, it can take some time before you feel like it's home...really home. Some of it happens as you unpack and organize your house, which turns into your home during that process. Some of it just takes time because it takes time to get to know this whole community of new people and make new friends.

Well, we're not shy in getting to know the beautiful nature that surrounds us here. And we have joined some of the local organizations in order to get to know our community better and become involved. During our first week here, we went to church. It didn't take long before they asked us to serve with them. I play the piano every week for the children's Primary class. Dr. Rob works with the 12-13 year old Boy Scouts, which includes weekly activities, monthly camp outs, and Sunday School lessons. We really enjoy getting to know people in this way.

Professionally, under the name of Patterson Orthodontics, we have also joined some organizations. A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Rob attended a luncheon with the Kiwanis Club. Today, I attended a New Member Orientation with the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce. It was great to sit in a conference room full of other new members with the Chamber. About half of us (business representatives) had recently relocated here to start a new business or introduce an established business to Prescott Valley. And I heard that a global business will be setting up a site in PV (on the first floor of the building where the Chamber is...so I think my source is quite reliable)...it will be hiring 200 people! That sure will be a strength to our local economy. How exciting!

Don't you just love it when you get the inside scoop of great news?

I {heart} Contest Winner!

2010-02-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this jar has 803 Valentine hearts in it? (I know, it's not even half full!)

Taylor won the $15 iTunes card with the guess of 924.

Victoria came in second place with the guess of 936.

And Cassandra came in third place with the guess of 620.

We will now be adding My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride (thanks, Cassandra!) to the office playlist. Now every time you hear that song in our office, you can think of this jar almost half full of candy hearts and think, 803? Wow.

Discovering Prescott Valley

2010-02-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

We have lived in Prescott Valley now a little over 2 months, and I'm sure that we made a great decision about coming here (see this link). We are still having fun exploring the area, trying out new things, and discovering our favorite places to go. Just check out all the fun stuff we've discovered!

1. The new Prescott Valley public library. That place is really cool! Our kids really enjoy story time...and I think the juvenile book selection is great (it's where I spend all my library time). Their kids DVD selection is huge (and you can check out the DVDs for 3 weeks!). Dr. Rob has browsed the adult books, audio books, and DVDs more...he always has something checked out.

2. One of our first outings was to Lynx Lake. We parked at the south docking area and the kids had fun throwing rocks into the lake. We have also discovered a few trails there, including Lynx Creek Ruin trail (it ends at a site of ancient ruins). And the Peavine trail is a great place for a winter afternoon run/jog/bike ride.

3. Who can resist bouldering the rocks at Watson Lake? We sure couldn't!

4. Since our kids are animal lovers, we just had to get a pass to Heritage Park Zoo (that pass will get us discounts to the zoo in Pheonix, too). Of course, it's nothing compared to the St. Louis Zoo (we will always miss that). But the kids still love seeing a peacock running around, the tiger close up, the javelina (although we've seen them plenty of times in a neighbor's yard), the tarantella cave, and the reptile house.

5. Last week I attended a Neighborhood Cafe meeting hosted by PV city officials, including the mayor. I listened intently to the water official, the chief of police, and the judge about what they are doing to improve our community. When I left, I felt like there are a lot of people who care a lot about this place.

We're gonna really like it here.

I think we already do.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Most everyone we know wants nice looking straight and white teeth. But getting those teeth and jaws to move into alignment isn't always the most pleasant experience (sore teeth, canker sores, remember?). Although we know that, we sure don't want our patients to dread coming to our office. We want their monthly visits to be something they will look forward to. So, here are a couple of things that we are doing to liven up the place a little.

1. Dr. Rob is really into music. He enjoys everything to do with music (listening, playing, singing), except weird forms of dancing. So when he had the option of subscribing to a radio station or uploading music to an iPod for his ortho practice, he decided to go with the iPod. And it's not just so he can play his favorite tunes all day (he realizes that most of his patients aren't into classic rock as much as he is). He decided that as he found out each patient's favorite song, he would add those songs to the office playlist.

Really, this is what he said about it, "I want to have cool music playing in my office that my patients enjoy listening to." And what he's collected so far is just that...cool.

2. In-office contests. All of our patients can participate in our frequent contests. Our current contest has to do with the lovely holiday, Valentine's Day.

Do you want to guess how many candy hearts are in this jar?

Then come on in for an appointment before Feb 16 and you could have the chance to win a $15 iTunes card! Second and third place winners get to choose another favorite song for the office playlist.

Stay posted to find out the results!

CleanMyClosets!

2010-01-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

We have had the privilege of working with many local businesses to get our office ready. And as you can see, they have done an amazing job at putting our office together for us. Since we've been here, we have noticed that there are many entrepreneurs around who have been generous in their work with us. We feel like there are many people of Prescott who know the challenges of starting their own business, and we are grateful for their support. And in a small community like this one, as we support one business, that business supports another, which supports another...as a ripple in a pond.

On that note, I decided to periodically highlight a few businesses who have helped us get on our feet. I'll start with CleanMyClosets! LLC.

Without Melissa Tenney at CleanMyClosets!, we would still be sitting in a beautifully finished office amid a pile of orthodontic supplies just stashed in cupboards...always asking each other, where is this? Where is that?

Melissa is an organization queen. Although she has had no prior ortho or dental experience, Melissa helped us visualize the process of treating a patient in order to organize our office in a way that maximizes the work flow while allowing us plenty of room to grow. These pictures don't due justice for what she did, but in a way they do. As you can see, the clinic and the sterilization room are very well organized with plenty of room to spare for growth (there are several cupboards left unused).

She helped us organize the dozens of different elastics, ligatures, brackets, wires, instruments, bonding equipment, (I could go on and on, but I'll spare you). Since each person's mouth is different, each person's treatment is customized, and we have to keep that inventory on hand.

Now, if I could definitely use her help at my house...does she do filing cabinets?

I'm sure if you need some help organizing something in your home or office, she would be happy to help. Her phone number is 928-710-4606.

Mini Office Tour

2010-01-21T20:54:00.004-07:00

Welcome to our office! We're excited to really show that it's done! Please stop by, we love to show it off!

Featured!

2010-01-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Bright and early on Monday morning, Rob met with Jason Soifer, the business writer for the Daily Courier. Mr. Soifer received a tour of the office, and Rob had an interview.

You can read what transpired in The Daily Courier. Or you can go to http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&subsectionID=100&articleID=76632

Welcome

2010-01-11T16:58:00.002-07:00

A trip to our office is not an ordinary experience...it's out of this world! Our state-of-the-art x-ray machine looks like it came off The Starship Enterprise...be prepared to be amazed!

While sitting to have ligatures and NiTi changed (aka bands and wires), our patients enjoy the views of Mingus Mountain and Prescott National Forrest in the Northeast. We can't wait to watch Spring transform our view!

Our office is done, and it is beautiful. We welcome everyone to come and visit us.

We look forward to seeing you!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to this coming year with a lot of anticipation! I don't know if you can call these New Year's Resolutions, but here are some things that we will do at Patterson Orthodontics this year:

1. Host an Open House for dentists and their staff (by invitation only) and a public Open House--there will be a drawing for a lucky someone to receive a free orthodontic treatment (aka free set of braces)

2. Initiate our annual Patient Appreciation day and regular patient contests

3. Get to know each of the dentists personally and introduce ourselves to their staff

What are you doing in 2010?

Built-out Update

2009-12-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

Check this out!

Reception area (imagine the front desk and a friendly receptionist)

Clinic

(These pictures were taken earlier this week. Now, the counter tops are in...hopefully the next pictures will be a little bit cleaner!)

We are so excited!

Introducing...

2009-12-21T08:00:00.002-07:00

Since we are new to the community, I thought it would be appropriate to introduce ourselves. Rob and I have been married almost 7 1/2 years now. We were introduced to each other by another couple who lives here--who we are also related to, separately. (Now this may get a little juicy--so grab a napkin!)

About 10 years ago, I attended a family reunion where I found out that my cousin's wife wanted to set me up with her younger brother. Rob had been at the reunion for a few hours until he broke his finger when it got caught in the rope swing. About the same time he went back to the hotel room, I arrived at the reunion. She told me that she wanted me to meet him so I gave her my phone number to give to him. Well, he ended up needing surgery on his finger and never returned to the reunion. My cousin's wife had to go back home to Ohio, and she just wasn't successful in playing match maker from a distance (I should mention that Rob didn't trust his sister's blind date choices due to a debacle his Freshman year in college--so he never called me).

Fast forward a year. My cousin and his wife were back in town for a family wedding (btw--my cousin is Chris Smith, a local Endodontist, and his wife is Elice, Rob's sister). This time, Elice successfully got us talking on the phone together and we agreed to go on a date. For me, it was love at first sight (can you blame me?).

Two years later, we were married in Salt Lake City, Utah, and very shortly thereafter (so shortly that we moved our 14 boxes via Fed Ex and media mail), we moved to Richmond, VA, where Rob attended Dental School. While we were there, our two handsome fellows were born (aren't they cute?). Rob also stayed to complete an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency.

For the last 2 1/2 years, we have lived in St Louis, MO, while Rob was an orthodontic resident at St Louis University. Our daughter was born while we were there.

And now we are here. And now, you have the 411.

Sneak Peak

2009-12-19T20:57:00.001-07:00

Now Accepting New Patients!

2009-12-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

Patterson Orthodontics will be open for business on

January 4, 2010!

Just call 713-4597 to schedule your free initial consultation.

(Now why should you start orthodontics the month after the holidays? Two words: Patient Contests. Every month, patients will have the opportunity of winning a contest...prizes vary from pizza parties to gift certificates to movie tickets. Since Patterson Ortho is just starting, we only have a handful of patients. These patients who are with us at the beginning are a lot more likely to win more prizes throughout the time of their orthodontic treatment...don't you want to be one of those patients? Of course!!)

We're Here!

2009-12-10T20:22:00.001-07:00

We made it to Prescott Valley yesterday! My mom joined us for the traveling so I showed her around town. I was quickly reminded of the beauty here...and I already can't wait for spring and summer! (kayaking and swimming at Watson Lake, hiking in the Pines, and other adventures we have yet to discover...please tell us what you enjoy doing here!) It was a long trip (and not exactly without incident).......but we made it safely.

We stopped by the ortho practice. It's mostly painted and should be finished soon (sorry we don't have pictures...our camera was misplaced awhile ago...but I'll post pictures as soon as I have them).

Tomorrow, we start moving into our home.

We're here!!

Why Prescott?

2009-11-24T21:00:00.001-07:00

One of the perks of going into Orthodontics is being able to choose where you want to live. Many people have asked us why we want to move to Prescott Valley, AZ. Actually, here in St Louis, people look at us like we're crazy to move to HOT and DRY Arizona (so HOT and HUMID doesn't bother them like it bothers us?). And then we tell them that Prescott is in the mountains like Sedona or Flagstaff, not like Pheonix. Then they say "ohhh. Well, that sounds good."

So, why did we choose Prescott? Oh, for many, many reasons. We've been lucky to visit several times in the last few years...and each time we go, we fall in love with it more.

--kayaking on Willow Creek Reservoir
--the smell of the pines
--the art and shops on Wiskey Row
--running on trails that you can quickly get to from your front door
--the small-town feel of safety
--the city perks like the Mall, Costco, Sam's, etc
--hiking around Goldwater lake
--the schools
--the closeness with nature

Now we're looking forward to getting to know the people more.

It has Walls!!

2009-11-14T14:32:00.002-07:00

Most of the walls are in place now. It's sure a mess! But that's how construction goes...why clean it up now when it will just get messy again?

The clinic.

That's the front door. On the left will be hospitality and the gaming area.

The large, beautiful windows in the clinic. (Too bad the view is of the one-story roof next door instead of the Pines or Thumb Butte.)

Primavera School Silent Auction

2009-11-13T14:31:00.001-07:00

There have been many exciting things to discover as I have learned more about the Tri-cities area. With our oldest getting ready to go to Kindergarten next year, learning about local schools has been at the top of my list. And there are so many great schools there! Rob and I really value education, so finding just the right school is important to us. Each school is different, each has a different style of educating.

Enough blabbering. As I was researching the different schools, I discovered Primavera School. I have yet to enter the doors, but their web site is very informative about their education style, which I like, and...well, we'll see what happens with us and how we educate our kids. It's also a private school which relies on tuition and donations in order to provide the kind of educational experience they want for their students.

When I found out about their silent auction that happened on Nov 6, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to help the school out and begin to get our name out in the community. With the help of a new friend in Prescott, Melissa Tenney, we put together a gift basket with a substantial gift certificate inside to go towards a complete orthodontic treatment.

Isn't the basket beautiful? (Melissa gets total credit for that.) Well, sadly, it didn't receive one bid. But I was also told that the minimum bid was set at 1/2 the value of the gift. I guess our gift certificate was too substantial! Oh, well. Better luck next year. Primavera School will be doing another silent auction later in the year and they will be glad to give it a second chance! (With a lower minimum bid...)

I sure hope, for their sake, we can figure out how to make it successful in the future!

Update: I just found out today (Mon, Nov 16), that this particular auction raised $20,000 for the school. Isn't that awesome! It looks like the auction was a success.

It's really happening!!

2009-11-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

We can't believe it's finally happening...Rob is going to be an orthodontist! In dental school, we joked that he was a "wanna-be orthodontist." In his ortho residency, we joked that he was a "gonna-be orthodontist." Well, he's still a "gonna-be," but at least he's getting really close! His goal is to open his practice doors for patients on January 4th. And, so far, we're meeting that goal. When that day comes, we can't joke anymore about the "wanna-be" or the "gonna-be," he'll be the real deal. How exciting is that?!?

Right now, we're in the middle of building out his practice space. Oh, wow, is that a lot of work (but the fun kind). It's located at 3033 Windsong Drive, Ste 201, in Prescott Valley, AZ. Check it out...so far.

Isn't that lovely? I love the large windows (once you look beyond the skeleton) and the layout design is---awesome. You'll see, when it's all said and done. (Thanks to Kate Bauer Design. And our project is on her Portfolio page, if you want to check it out.) Okay, so the picture is a few weeks old, but it's great to see that things are moving along. The contractor is getting ready to put up the drywall already. Isn't that awesome?

So, stick us on your reader for updates. I'll soon be posting about the awesome gift basket we supplied for the Primavera School auction. That event is happening tonight.