Ben and Gary Show Episodes

Why the Docs Became Dentists

Tune in to hear directly from Drs. Ben and Gary as to what led them to their fate as two of the best dentists in the area! 

Dr. Gary Kaihara

Contrary to beliefs, Dr. Gary Kaihara shares that dentistry was actually not his first choice in career paths! He was actually interested in the forestry service but that came to a complete halt once he figured out that obtaining his dream job would be contingent upon either the retirement or death of the park ranger before him -- Yikes! 

Dr. Benjamin Watkins

Dr. Watkins, on the other hand, shares that he was born and raised into dentistry. His father was a dentist in the Washington, D.C. area for 50+ years! Although his father supported him in whatever path he chose, somehow Dr. Watkins still migrated right back to Dentistry! 

What's In The Bag?

                      Introducing our Smiles International Quarterly Raffle

 An ongoing raffle is being held in both the Georgetown and McLean locations. Every patient who comes in for an appointment is eligible and encouraged to enter.  Sorry guys, only one ticket per quarter.

The drawings are held at the end of each quarter. From each office ballet box, one patient name is drawn for the Grand Prize!!

This raffle is free to our patients. It was implemented as a token of our appreciation for our loyal patients! 

We are officially into our second quarter, and the patients have been raving over this quarter's choice of two prizes:

                          Oral B Electric Genius -or - Amazon Echo (feat Alexa)                      ...

Help! My Teeth Don't Show When I Smile Anymore

 A 71 year old woman from Seattle told the docs that her formerly lovely smile didn't show her teeth anymore. She asked them what she should discuss with her dentist.

Without pictures, here are  causes of a tired looking older smile

• Her teeth might be shorter due to wear
• Her front teeth may have chips and craze lines from force
• Her back teeth may have fractures
• The yellow color of tooth sub structure may show due to thinning enamel
• Her face muscles may be relaxed causing her lips to cover her teeth

The docs advise that she discuss the following with her dentist

• Complete assessment of her bone, bite and tooth structure
• Veneers and crowns - how many depends on how many teeth show in her smile
• Referral to restorative specialists

 See you on the next episode. Send us your questions!

Whitening Toothpaste: Friend or Foe?

In this video, Doctors Ben and Gary dive right into the hot topic of whitening toothpastes and why they do NOT recommend them to their patients!

Whitening toothpastes are actually more abrasive than traditional toothpastes, due to the increased amount of silicon in them.

Beware of those that whitening toothpastes that advertise "extra strength!" The more abrasive the toothpaste, the more harm it causes to your teeth.

Negative Effects of Whitening Toothpaste:

- wear/damage to tooth enamel over time

- causes sensitivity

- scratches on the teeth, caused by abrasion, make it easier for future stains to adhere

- possible gum recession

The Doctors compare the abrasive ingredient in whitening toothpaste to the "Comet" cleaning product but... for your teeth! Instead, the Doctors recommend using Ultra Soft toothbrushes and sticking to the classic toothpastes and/or Sensodyne (which contains even less of an abrasive index than traditional...

Can My Teeth Be Too White? 

Everyone desires a whiter smile, but is there a such thing as "too white?"  In this video, Doctors Ben & Gary not only answer this FAQ but dive right into the discussion of the different methods to whitening your teeth. 

Whitening Methods:

• In-Office Bleaching
• Home Bleaching
• Restorative Dentistry (Crowns/Veneers)

The Doctors elaborate on how achieving that much sought after "Hollywood Smile" is more than just having whiter teeth but more so having natural looking teeth.

Too White Teeth Make Your Smile Look Fake

Drs. Ben and Gary place emphasis on the common goal here at Smiles International. They suggest that your newly restored smile should compliment the patient in such a way that people think their teeth have been untouched - rather than warranting responses like "Hey, your veneers look great!"

The Doctors consistently aim to produce brilliant restorations that...

Meet Rick Bishop, Our Talented Ceramist

With 40 years in the business, 18 of those years have been dedicated to creating remarkable, one-of-a-kind restorations here at Smiles International. In this video, Rick sits down with Dr. Kaihara to discuss the perks and advantages of having an in-house dental lab. They also elaborate on all of what is considered when creating these unique restorations.

Advantages:

• One on one interaction with the patients
• Better chances at achieving patients wants/needs amidst challenges such as tackling a single central front tooth
• Ability to customize and make subtle changes while patient is in the office (saving the patients having to return for another visit)
• Overall gratification when patients leave the office exuding confidence in their smile

One of our core values state: "Each restoration must be of the highest quality, made of the best materials and most precise manner and unquestioned best in its category." We live by this.

In this video, you'll...

Team Gets Ready to Go Digital - No Goop?

The Doctors, accompanied by their clinical team & Lab technicians, attended the Digital Dentistry Symposium, June 22 and 23, 2018 in Washington DC. 

Sponsored by one of the leading dental implant companies: Straumann 

In this video, the Doctors will discuss the coming conversion of analog to digital in the world of dentistry. 

They elaborate on the new digital technology that will promote newer, and cleaner approaches to dentistry without losing the artistic value! The Straumann Symposium demonstrated their more modern 3D intraoral scanners that are said to soon replace impressions -- eliminating "the goop!" 

These scanners will allow for more efficient acquisitions which in turn will result in more life-like restorations!  By using these virtual scans, it will also allow for more detailed, and accurate treatment planning for patients.

Dr. Kaihara and Dr. Watkins are ecstatic following this...

Dental Artistry - Our Ceramists Make the Difference!

We focused our last episodes on digital innovations in the pipeline. While impressive, the results we want for our patients and they want for themselves also require dental artistry.

Dental Artistry is about Color, Contour, and Shape

There are several tools that contribute to matching restorations to the patient's natural teeth. Most practices rely on these:

• Shade guides - are useful as a starting point but they are missing critical information about the intensity, brightness, and texture of a patient's natural teeth.

• Natural lighting - improves shade guide matching.

• Photographs - reveal nuances in the color and translucency of the patient's natural teeth, adding another layer to the aesthetics of restorations.

• Vita EasyShade V - creates digital shade maps of color variations in a patient's natural teeth for great results.

Our On Site Technicians Take Dental Artistry to the Next Level

...

Technology Shapes the Future of Dentistry

We attended the 2018 Dental Entrepreneurial Summit in Phoenix AZ, June 7-9. This is an annual meeting bringing together dentists with more than one practice location to investigate management, financing and the implementation of emerging technology. DEO

Dentistry in 2018 - What Will It Look Like?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the underpinning of many new tools. AI is a machine learning software.

• It increases accuracy and speed in diagnosis and treatment.
• The software gets smarter and faster resulting in better, faster implementation of treatment planning and patient participation.

YOMI - Robotic Assisted Dental Surgery

Dr. Kaihara talks about practicing with the YOMI, from Neocis, the first robotic assisted dental surgical tool.

• YOMI integrates three-dimensional digital images such that implants or other surgical procedures can be planned in advance with attention to the patient's nerves,...

Gary Kaihara Says, I Like To Ski!

Not to miss our weekly Vlog post, this video shows Gary Kaihara on vacation with his family in Jackson Hole. We had some fun with this. Enjoy.

Where We Were Instead

Instead of filming the Ben and Gary Show this week, our entire clinical team spent two days learning the latest technology at the Digital Dental Symposium here in DC.

We posted a few photos and a video from the conference on social media. One thing we were pleased to learn is that our investment using web media is spot on. 

Digital technology in dentistry is moving just as fast as it does everywhere else. Each advancement helps us do dentistry easier, better, faster, and safer than ever before.

It is our mission to keep our skills sharpened and our tools state of the art so that we always provide our patients with the best possible care.

In our next Episode of the Ben and Gary Show, we will report on some of the new developments.