The Toothboss caps military career with Smiling Neighbor Award

The Toothboss and his combat buddy Scott Sallaway

As part of our Smiling Neighbor Award program, The Toothboss recognizes local residents doing good deeds in the community. For this quarter’s Smiling Neighbor, staff at The Toothboss decided yours truly, Dr. Wolfert, was a worthy recipient of the honors. This was based on my recent retirement after 30 years of military service in the U.S. Navy and Army National Guard.

Now, when we first set up the Smiling Neighbor Award program, it was not to honor Toothboss staff. But the gesture is appreciated. And I suppose 30 years in the military does meet our criteria for the Smiling Neighbor.

To give you a little background on my military career, here’s a snippet from an article in the Weymouth Patch:

Dr. Wolfert joined the U.S. Navy while enrolled at Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 1978. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he earned the nickname that would become the name of his practice.

“I served on the U.S. Midway and the commander on the carrier called his department heads ‘boss’. For example, the guy who ran the flight deck was the ‘air boss’. As the dentist, I was the tooth boss,” said Wolfert. “By the time I left the Navy, joined the Guard and started my private practice, I’d grown used to the name and kept it for my business.”

Wolfert’s military career included a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004. Stationed a few miles from the front at a makeshift hospital, he compared the experience to being like the television show M*A*S*H, only in real life.

“There was that kind of camaraderie in our outfit, but I don’t think any of us ever forgot why we were there and how close we were to some really nasty stuff,” said Wolfert.
After his tour of Iraq, Wolfert chose to remain in the National Guard, where he has served as a mentor to young dentists and supervised care for the 7,000 soldiers in the Army National Guard Reserve in Massachusetts. At the end of February, Dr. Wolfert retired with the rank of Colonel.

“Many people have asked me over the years why did I join and why did I stay. The best explanation I have is that I come from a military family. My two older brothers served in Vietnam. I guess I felt it was my duty to serve. Once I got in, I found it agreed with me. It’s really as simple as that,” said Wolfert.

For being selected as the Smiling Neighbor, Dr. Wolfert opted to give his $50 gift card to Stockholders to a fellow veteran, battle buddy and Toothboss patient, Scott Sallaway. Scott served three tours of Iraq, including one with Wolfert in 2004.

“It may sound cliché, but the men and women who did not make it back from their tours of duty are the real heroes,” said Wolfert. “Me, I’m proud to have served in the company of such brave men and women.”

Thanks again to my kind staff for nominating me for this quarter’s Smiling Neighbor. I hope Scott enjoys his dinner at Stockholders.

The Smiling Neighbor award is given out on a quarterly basis to citizens of Weymouth going above and beyond the call of duty for their fellow citizens. People can nominate a Smiling Neighbor by sending an e-mail of 200 words or less to toothboss1@aol.com. Please remember to include your name and telephone number as well as the name and telephone number or e-mail of the person they are nominating. Nominations can also be sent to The Toothboss, 1121 Main Street, South Weymouth, MA  02190.

Reader’s Choice 2015

One of our proudest moments in 2014 was receiving the Gold Award as the #1 Dentist/Dental Office in Weymouth and the South Shore for WickedLocal’s Reader’s Choice Awards. It’s an honor The Toothboss does not take lightly, particularly with all the other outstanding dental practices in the area. Thank you for your support. 

We strive to offer the very best dental care possible. If you are happy with the care you are receiving, we would appreciate your consideration for this year’s 2015 WickedLocal Reader’s Choice. Voting runs from runs from January 11 to February 7.

If you do vote for our practice, please refer to us as “The Toothboss” or “Dr. Richard Wolfert” (there is another Dr. Wolfert in Weymouth and we would like to avoid any confusion).

Thank you once again for choosing The Toothboss for your dental care. We look forward to serving you in 2015.

The Toothboss honors Steve Joyce as a Smiling Neighbor.

(l-r) Steve Joyce and The Toothboss

For 18 years, Weymouth Resident Steve Joyce coached wrestling at Quincy High School. During that time, he taught his athletes never to smile during course of a match. So, it’s rather ironic that partially based on the merits of coaching wrestling, Joyce has been named the recipient of the Toothboss’ Smiling Neighbor award.

In addition to his efforts as a wrestling coach, Joyce also coached robotics at Quincy High School. He currently coaches robotics at Notre Dame Academy. Beyond his work with students, Joyce and his wife Wendy are active volunteers for the Old South Union Church in Weymouth since they began attending back in 1989. 

Steve and Wendy have resided in Weymouth for 36 years. The couple has two grown children, Patrick and Erin, and one granddaughter, Riley.
For being selected as the Smiling Neighbor, Joyce had the choice of receiving a $50 gift card to Stockholders or a Sonicare Easy Clean model (Steve chose Stockholders).

Said wife Wendy Joyce, “Whether it’s his wrestlers or robotic students or working with our church to rebuild homes for families going through some tough times, Steve just loves helping people. It’s nice of Dr. Wolfert to recognize Steve for his efforts.”

The Smiling Neighbor award is given out on a quarterly basis to citizens of Weymouth going above and beyond the call of duty for their fellow citizens. People can nominate a Smiling Neighbor by sending an e-mail of 200 words or less to toothboss1@aol.com. Please remember to include your name and telephone number as well as the name and telephone number or e-mail of the person they are nominating. Nominations can also be sent to The Toothboss, 1121 Main Street, South Weymouth, MA  02190.

For more information on The Toothboss, visit Dr. Wolfert’s website at www.toothboss.com or call 781-335-0604 to schedule a consultation. 

The Toothboss donates to Donated Dental Services; throws a dental lifeline to South Shore woman

Weymouth Dentist Dr. Richard Wolfert, AKA The Toothboss, 
with Dorothy VanLeesten of Plymouth. 

Like any dentist, there’s nothing we like here at The Toothboss more than a big smile. In my 20-plus years in practice, the biggest smiles we have received have come from patients referred to the us by Donated Dental Services(DDS). That includes a one of our most recent patients, Dorothy VanLeesten of Plymouth.

Donated Dental Services is a national non-profit organization comprised of nearly 20,000 dental professionals who donate dental services for people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically at-risk. We have been part of the DDS network.

The patients referred by DDS not only can’t afford help, but have other conditions that make their lives even more difficult beyond needing dental work. Fixing their teeth may not solve those problems, but it does give them one thing to smile about.

Ms. VanLeesten came to us missing two front teeth. Working with Dr. Lawrence Juvet, a South Weymouth oral surgeon, and Bob Achorn of Achorn Dental Lab, also in Weymouth, we were able to place removable partial dentures to replace her missing teeth. In the process, the dental team found her smile.

“I can’t stop smiling,” said VanLeesten. “I can’t thank Dr. Wolfert, Dr. Juvet and Mr. Achorn enough.”

DDS is the flagship program for the Dental Lifeline Network, a national nonprofit founded in 1974, that provides access to dental care and education for people who cannot afford it and: have a permanent disability; are elderly (age 65 or older); or are medically fragile. In fact, since 1985, when DDS launched, more than 120,000 vulnerable people have received more than $250 million worth of dental services for seriously neglected dental diseases. The Toothboss is the sole provider of DDS services on the South Shore.

If you or somebody you know is a vulnerable person in need of dental care, please visit DDS's Dental Lifeline at http://www.dentallifeline.org or by calling 888.471.6334.

A ‘Choice’ Sign

In June, The Tooth was recognized by WickedLocal as Weymouth and the South Shore’s #1 Dentist/Dental Office. This recognition is just as much a tribute to our patients as it is to me and the staff here at the Toothboss. So, we decided to put a sign up and let the world know.

Thank you again for voting us #1 in Weymouth and the South Shore. And if this sign helps you see us a little sooner on Route 18, even better.

Say cheese when it comes to your dental health

If you are said to have a cheesy smile, it’s not thought to be a compliment. Yet according to recent dental studies, cheese may just be the key ingredient to healthy teeth and a healthy smile as it can offer protection from acid erosion—the breakdown of enamel brought on by coffee, tea, wine, soda, and other similar drinks.

According to Academy of General Dentistry study, our mouths naturally have a slightly acidic pH. When we ingest things like coffee, soda, tea, etc. the pH level sinks even lower, potentially damaging the tooth enamel. Cheese dairy products, consumed shortly after or with these acidic food products create saliva. The saliva then acts as a neutralizing agent, restoring and even elevating the pH levels in our mouths.

Of course, the easiest way to protect your teeth from excess amounts of acids is to not drink soda, coffee, tea or any other thing that causes acid build-up. For most of us, that’s not terribly realistic. Fortunately, we’re learning more and more ways to minimize the impact of these acids. It certainly gives new meaning to cheesy smile and just saying cheese.

Cheese is not the only dairy product that has this impact. While cheese can restore and elevate pH levels for 30 minutes after consumption, milk and yogurt can have the same impact but for just 10 minutes.

Beyond creating saliva, cheese also contains teeth-strengthening casein phosphate. So cheese has the dual benefit of strengthening teeth and sustaining the color of your teeth.

The beauty of eating cheese for oral health is that you don’t have to eat a whole block of cheese to get this benefit. About a third of a slice of cheese creates enough saliva to minimize the acidity from a glass of wine you might have with dinner, especially if you nibble occasionally on the cheese during the course of your meal.

So when it comes to taking care of your teeth, just say cheese. 

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.