Wednesday, December 28, 2022


I am announcing my retirement after 41 years of service in Lebanon, OR. It has truly been a pleasure getting to know and serve you over the years.

I believe my very loyal staff and I have served three generations of some of your families. Thank you for your trust in us!

Don't forget... your oral health depends on your dietary choices and excellent home care to prevent dental disease. Of course, regular professional dental care to detect and address breakdown early, will minimize cost and potential suffering.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Dr. Clark & Team



Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Smile Makeover

Smiling with confidence makes you feel great. A beautiful smile is also an important social and professional asset. Yet there are many people who avoid showing their teeth in public or in photographs because they don't like what they see. If that describes you, then why not start the process of getting the smile of your dreams?

A smile makeover goes beyond simply responding to dental problems as they arise. It's a comprehensive smile-rejuvenation plan that's uniquely suited to your own facial features and aesthetic preferences. The results can be quite dramatic — both in terms of how you will look and how you will feel. These are the major steps involved:

Take a look. The makeover process is all about giving you the smile of your dreams. So take a good look at your smile and note what you like and don't like about it. Some questions you can ask yourself are:

  • Are your teeth as white as you'd like them to be?
  • Are any teeth chipped, cracked or worn?
  • Does your smile have a gummy appearance?
  • Do your teeth seem too large or small?
  • Do you like the alignment and spacing of your teeth
  • Are you self-conscious about crookedness or gaps?

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder… and that's you! Some people want their smile to look “perfect” — and to them, that means completely straight, uniformly white teeth. Others like a slightly more natural look, and are not displeased by slight gaps or shade variations. There are lots of decisions to make, but don't worry — dentists are skilled at helping you sort it all out!

Share your thoughts. Communication is an extremely important part of the smile makeover process. At the first makeover consultation, it helps if you describe what you would like to change in as much detail as possible. Bring along pictures of smiles you like, or of how your own smile used to look. Dr. Clark will have some thoughts to share with you as well because he is trained to look at smiles in terms of facial balance. In other words, he will look not only at how the elements of a smile (teeth, lips, and gums) relate to each other but also how they blend in with the face as a whole.

Make a plan. An important part of planning a smile makeover is a comprehensive dental exam. Cosmetic dentistry offers an amazing array of lifelike tooth restorations and treatments; but first, any conditions in your mouth that may jeopardize a good result must be taken care of. If your teeth are discolored, for example, the reason must be determined. You may have an underlying dental disease that needs to be treated before whitening your teeth; otherwise, the whitening may not last. Likewise, if you often drink red wine or other beverages that stain, you might do better with porcelain veneers than bleaching treatments.

Try it out. A smile makeover is an investment that is meant to last. That's why many of the procedures performed are irreversible. So if you are contemplating some changes, it's a great idea to try them out before you fully commit to them. There are many ways to preview the results: computer imaging, 3-D models, and even placing temporary restorations on your teeth so you can see what the final results will look and feel like in your own mouth. This also allows a fine-tuning of the makeover plan.

A “trial smile” is a great way to eliminate unknowns in the makeover process. But when it's all done, there's still one thing you may not be prepared for: how great it feels to flash your new smile to the world!

Call us today to set up your smile makeover consultation!



Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Creating Good Hygiene Habits at Home

As humans, we like having a clean mouth. Long ago people would chew tree twigs to spread the fibers, which acted like bristles to clean their teeth. 

In fact, the ancient Greeks used pumice, talc, alabaster, coral powder, or iron rust as toothpaste. Thankfully today, we have many more effective choices that yield fantastic results and fresh mouths.

Here are some simple guidelines you can implement in your home:

  1. Start oral hygiene habits early. It's never too early to make brushing and flossing a part of their morning and nightly routines. 
  2. Set a good example. Brushing with your children can allow them to see proper techniques, and allow you to know if they are "cutting corners". 
  3. Turn toothbrushing into a game. Having charts and fun incentives to encourage proper brushing and flossing can increase children's desires. 
  4. Tell a story. There are really fun dental apps that you can download that have stories or songs set to the optimal brushing time. This helps them learn the proper length of a brushing session.
  5. Choose the right tools. Letting your children be part of the oral hygiene process makes a huge difference in their willingness to brush and floss. Make a big deal out of their ability to choose their new toothbrush and toothpaste.
  6. Flossers are a great way to help children learn how to floss themselves. Flossing is a critical step in preventing cavities.




Friday, July 1, 2022

Dr. Clark Serenades His Patients



If you've been with Dr. Clark for any amount of time, you know he loves to hum, whistle, or sing a great melody. 

Enjoy this little serenade, "In My Deep Purple Shirt, I can fix Them When They Hurt". 

If you haven't scheduled your semi-annual cleaning, please do so. Prevention is always better than the cure. 



 

Friday, June 17, 2022


Aside from personal customer referrals, customer online reviews are one of the best ways you can help your friends and neighbors find us in their Google searches. 

Would you please take a moment to scan this QR code and leave us a great review?  We love that you are part of our family and want to help your friends and loved ones find experienced, professional dental services. 

You are the reason we do what we do, and why we love it!

Leave us a great review today: https://bit.ly/laserdennist




Wednesday, June 1, 2022

June is Oral Health Care Month

 


The American Dental Association's MouthHealthy.org website introduces June as Oral Health Care month. 

School may be out for summer, but your child’s best teacher is working year-round: You!

Leading by example — especially when it comes to establishing healthy habits like brushingcleaning between your teeth and seeing your dentist — can make a big difference in the health and happiness of your entire family.

That’s why we are celebrating Oral Health Month: Share More Time, Share More Smiles with Colgate this June. Here are two ways you can join in and make a difference:

  1. Watch, read, play and share the resources below with your entire family. Their smiles will thank you!
  2. Share your smile! Snap a photo of you and your family taking care of your teeth. (We'd love to see you brushing together, flossing as a family and making your regular dental visits a special day.) Then, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Google+ using #TimetoSmile. Colgate will donate $1 (up to $40,000) to Give Kids A Smile, a program of the ADA Foundation that provides dental health care to underserved children. Camera shy? Liking or sharing other people's posts counts too!
Source: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/oral-health-month-2016



Thursday, May 26, 2022

Oral Cancer Rates on the Rise - Especially in Young People

Oral Cancer rates are increasing year after year. Alarmingly this cancer is no longer isolated to smokers and drinkers. There is an alarming increase in the cases of young people.

If you are concerned about a sore or white patch in your mouth that won't heal please contact us immediately. Early intervention saves lives!