Referral program goes south and north

"My wife and I just enjoyed a delicious meal at 42° North in Plymouth with the gift card you sent. While I was happy to refer my colleague to the Toothboss, the gift card was truly the icing on the cake. And the fact that I could use it at a restaurant just a few miles from my home was the cherry on top!”

J.D. Plymouth, MA

As you hopefully know, The Toothboss gives a $50 gift card to Stockholders for new patient referrals. You probably didn’t know that gift card can be used at Stockholders other two restaurants: 42° North in the Manomet section of Plymouth and the Inn at Bay Pointe in Quincy. So not only will referring a new patient to the Toothboss get you a fine meal at the South Shore’s finest steakhouse, but you can feast on some of the region’s finest seafood at other 42° North and Inn at Bay Pointe.

To be eligible, first say a lot of nice things about The Toothboss to family and friends (just kidding, but not really). You might be surprised how people respond to this and they will probably want to hear more. This may shock you, but not everybody loves their dentist. Then, direct them to our website or have them give us a call at 781-335-0604.

We ask every new patient how they heard about The Toothboss. If they mention your name and they become a regular patient, you will receive a $50 gift card that you can use at all three restaurants: Stockholders in Weymouth, 42° North in Plymouth and the Inn at Bay Pointe in Quincy.

Word-of-mouth is always the best advertising. So if you are happy with how we have treated your mouth, please spread the word.

Are you sponsoring a Pan Mass Challenge rider?

Add caption

The Toothboss, AKA Dr. Richard Wolfert, DMD (center),shakes hands with former Weymouth resident Tim Colligan (left) and Joe D’Eramo of Plymouth. Dr. Wolfert sponsored both Colligan and D’Eramo in the upcoming Pan Mass Challenge to raise money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber.

Sugar-free doesn’t exactly mean cavity-free

For those who drink diet soda and other diet drinks, one of your primary arguments for doing so is reducing your sugar intake. While there’s been some documentation that some of the chemicals in diet sodas can play a role in weight gain, there’s mounting evidence that diet drinks with artificial sweeteners can play a role in tooth decay.

The common perception is that if there’s no sugar in a drink then it’s better for your teeth. In theory, that’s true. A regular soda with sugar is worse for your teeth than a diet soda, but that doesn’t tell the entire story.

The bacteria in your mouth will not use artificial sweetener to form acid the way it does with regular sugars. But that doesn't mean a diet soda can't harm your teeth. The diet drinks are acidic on their own without the aid of the bacteria to help form the acid. Both regular and diet soda can demineralize a tooth, causing erosion and cavities. So, although a soda with sugar may be slightly worse at causing cavities and erosion, diet drinks are not without consequences.

So what should diet-conscious consumers drink if sugar and sugar sweeteners are both bad? Good old fashioned water from the tap doesn’t cause any erosion of your teeth over any amount of exposure. It also has no calories. And, depending on your community, even offers fluoride.

Of course, it’s probably not realistic to think that people can drink only water and never have a soft drink. Moderation, as it is with everything, is the key. And if you want to have a diet soda, be sure to brush or at least rinse your mouth out with water shortly after to lessen the exposure to those acids found in diet drinks.”

Beyond drinking water and careful brushing, select drinks that utilize sweeteners made from natural ingredients, like Stevia.

The news on artificial sweeteners, however, is not all bad. In fact, there are sweeteners out there that utilize sugar alcohols that can actually protect against dental cavities, for example, Xylitol.

Xylitol is a natural sweetener sourced from strawberries and other fruits. It’s not in drinks yet, but you can find Xylitol in chewing gums, syrups, candies and tooth pastes. Bacteria in your mouth are not able to breakdown Xylitol when you chew gum or eat candy containing the ingredients. Therefore, no bacterial acids are produced. In the absence of bacterial acids, the process of cavity formation is nullified before it even begins. This makes Xylitol that rare thing – a sweetener that’s actually good for your teeth.

Win a gift card to Stockholders for new patient referral

Don't let the subject line fool you. Smiles by the Toothboss is not putting out any IPOs or looking for investors. We are looking for new patient referrals and the reward for each new patient referral is a $50 gift card to Stockholders Steakhouse Chophouse and Seafood, located at 1073 Main Street (Route 18) in South Weymouth.

To qualify, the person you refer must be a new patient, never been seen before by Smiles by the Toothboss. Your referral must mention you by name as a current patient. Better yet, forward a copy of this e-mail to them with your name and e-mail address on it. The person you refer must undergo a comprehensive exam, which will include x-rays, cleaning, for you to be eligible. After their appointment, we will mail out your gift card to Stockholders.

Some of the patients who have been with us the longest came by referral. Jeanne McCormick referred her daughter, who in turn referred her husband. Jeanne also referred her son who brought in his wife. She also told her brother about the Toothboss who then brought in his wife. And if that weren't enough, Jeanne referred two of her married friends who brought in their kids. Wow! 

So if you've been happy with the care you've received at Smiles by the Toothboss, please feel free to share that with friends and family. You don't have to refer as many people as Jeanne. Just one could make you the majority shareholder in a night out at Stockholders.

Startling facts about oral hygiene and heart disease

We all know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Did you know that forgetting to brush your teeth at least twice a day increases your risk of heart disease by 70 percent?

How about this: men and women with periodontical disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without? Or that a periodontical disease can greatly exacerbate an existing heart condition?

Perhaps that's why it's no surprise that nearly 20 million Americans who do visit their dentist each year do NOT have to see their doctor.

Smiles by the Toothboss switches to paperless records, renovates office space.

Some people just don’t like to go to the dentist’s office. As a dentist, that’s a fact you have to accept. Still, we’re doing everything n our power to make the visit to the dentist a more comfortable experience by undergoing a number of cosmetic and operational improvements.

The renovations began with a conversion to digital radiography so that all X-rays and records are now stored electronically. This makes treatments easier to diagnose and record-keeping more efficient. Also, removing large filing cabinets from the work area enabled the construction of a more spacious, ergonomically sound space for our staff, which has grown in numbers over the years.

Dentists realize the apprehensions people have about coming to the dentist are based on their own fears. Still, how an office appears and how work flows can affect how patients perceive the experience and exacerbate those feelings. These improvements have made us more efficient and ergonomically sound as we now have reception desk that can comfortably seat two staff members who aren’t reaching over each other while serving patients and that puts everyone at ease.

Being paperless is another huge benefit. Beyond the storage issues, just not having a paper record makes for a much more hygienic environment, as well as being more private.
We anticipate the renovations being completed over the next month. Thank you for your patience while we undergo these improvements.