Colorado Smiles

Posted January 2010: Dental Implants, Ickert Teaching Centre

Dan completed the final course, earning the membership level of Graduate of the Ickert Teaching Centre Comprehensive Dental Implant Continuum. Wow! It has been a privilege to learn from some of the best of the best - the very knowledgeable dentists and teaching staff at the Centre (visit www.ickertteachingcentre.com) - and to come home with full confidence that we can safely and strategically provide dental implants from start to finish.

Posted January 2010: Kois Teaching Center Advisory Board - Seattle

The annual Kois Center Advisory Board meeting was in Seattle in early January. It has been an honor for Dan to serve as one of the founding members of this advisory board for the past five years.

Posted December 2009: Cone Beam 3-D Dental Imaging

We have upgraded our panoramic x-ray technology with the new addition of a baby i-Cat 3-D Cone Beam imaging machine. This machine is designed especially for dental offices to provide high definition three dimensional digital imaging with minimal radiation exposure to the patient. This technology allows us to know even more critical anatomical information than before, and helps us determine the best individualized treatment choice for each patient. In dental implant procedures, the data from the Cone Beam image provides for precise placement of the implant. It is an amazing machine and we are happy to offer this new service!

Posted November 2009: Dental Implants!

Dr. Dan and Karla took two patients and two clinical partners (a.k.a. dental assistants, Jen and Amy) on two trips this month to the Ickert Teaching Centre in Vancouver, BC Canada. We are all learning more about surgical placement of dental implants. It just keeps getting more fun and we are so excited to offer this service to our patients!

Posted October 2009: Interdisciplinary Study Group

Each year a group of Dan's collegues, general dentists from the Kois Center, and other dental specialists including oral surgeons, periodontists, and orthodontists, meet to review and discuss and learn from each others' complex and difficult dental cases. This fall the meeting was in Elgin, Illinois, outside of Chicago .

Posted September 2009: U2

Dr. Dan loves the band U2, and he traveled to Chicago for the opening of their 360 tour at Soldier Field. His favorite band with his favorite girls: Karla, Emily and Hannah.

Posted July 2009: Kois Annual Symoposium

Another fine week in Seattle attending the Kois Annual Symposium! Dan started out the week working on/with the Kois Advisory Board and the latter part of the week was spent in the classroom learning about changes and new information in dentistry.

Posted June 2009: Dental Implants

Dr. Dan attended the Kois Power Course at the Ickert Teaching Centre in Vancouver, Canada – visit www.ickertteachingcentre.com . This was a hands-on course on placement of dental implants, and Dan returned inspired and excited by everything he learned.

Posted April 2009: Counting our Blessings!

Dan received great news today with a release from the doctor to resume a full time work schedule – but no mountain biking yet.

We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from other dentists! Several dentists in Montrose helped to continue unfinished dental cases. Several of Dan’s Kois Center colleagues from around the country offered to come to Montrose and volunteer their time to see patients, but the Colorado licensing board would not allow this. Extra special thanks to Dr. Mike Martin who not only treated patients in his Grand Junction office but also volunteered a day in Montrose to provide dental care to our patients.

Posted March 2009: Back to Work

Dan is back to work full-time, but because of doctor's orders and the need to wear a splint on his thumb he is working half speed. Healing is going well and a full recovery is expected.

Posted March 2009: Montrose Health Fair

It is health fair time again. What a great event for Montrose. It is a privilege to participate in this annual event.

Posted January 2009: Kois Advisory Board

Dr. Dan spent an early January weekend in Seattle as he continues to serve on the Advisory Board for the Kois Teaching Center.

Posted November 2008: Thumb Injury and Out of Work

Thumbs Up

This came as a surprise: Dr. Dan found himself on the disabled list for the upcoming months. Dan injured his left thumb playing ultimate Frisbee with the high school kids at church. It required a surgical repair and will keep him out of work for several months. Thumbs up! He’ll be back!

Posted November 2008: Learning in November

The team traveled to Las Vegas again this November for a dental seminar to sharpen their communication skills. Dr. Dan also attended a seminar at the Kois Center to learn exciting and very thorough techniques about denture fabrication.

Posted October 2008: North Carolina Meeting

The past three years, Dr. Dan has traveled to North Carolina for a small group dental study meeting. This year, Dan stayed an extra day to visit daughter Hannah in Chapel Hill, since she has transferred to University of North Carolina.

Posted October 2008: Ouray in the Fall

Dr. Dan and Dr. John Derango Blue Lakes Pass

This year, the Interdisciplinary meeting was held again in beautiful western Colorado. Teams from Michigan and Illinois traveled here for a two day meeting in Ouray, which we held at the historic Wright Opera House. There was time to hike and bike, and of course there were plenty of compliments from the out of state attendees on scenic Ouray.

Posted September 2008: Ecuador

September 2008

Dan and Karla celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in September by traveling for two weeks through the mountains of Ecuador. They lived out of backpacks, stayed in hostels and hotels, and used the famous Ecuadorian bus system for transport. It was a grand time.

Posted August 2008: Mount Rainier Summit

August 2008

On their second attempt after five years, Dr. Dan, Dr. Kois and his two sons made it to the summit of Mount Rainier! Way to go boys!

Posted July 2008: Kois Center Annual Symposium

July 2008

It is time again for the Kois Center Annual Symposium, held in Seattle. Dr. Dan fulfilled his duties as a Kois Advisory Board member as well as attended several days of informational meetings about the latest in the world of dentistry. Dan and Karla enjoyed the Kois Center 10th Anniversary Gala Event.

Posted June 2008: Heart Saver CPR Certification Renewal

June 2008

We spent a busy afternoon learning and practicing the latest protocols for the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR Program.

Posted May 2008: Clinical Instructor

Dan facilitated as a Clinical Instructor for the Occlusion course at the Kois Center in Seattle. Hygienist Tricia had the privilege of attending this meeting.

Posted May 2008: Team Montrose

May 2008

“Team Montrose” (Dr. Alexander, Dr. Cayo and Dr. Clader) were speakers at the American Association of Orthodontics annual meeting, held in Denver this year.

Posted February 2008: Practice Works User’s Meeting

Karla, Debbie, Wendy and Jeni escaped winter for a few days in sunny Orange County, California! Too bad we were in meetings all day. We learned to more completely utilize our dental software program, and began our strategic plan to go “chartless” by 2010.

Posted January 2008: Go, Go, Go…

January 2008

Three weekends of travel in January kept Dr. Dan busy! It started off with a quick trip to Seattle for the Kois Center advisory board annual meeting. The next week he was off to Chicago to attend a leadership meeting with many fellow Kois dentists. Then, he traveled with the entire team to the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention in Denver.

Posted December 2007: Christmas Brunch

Enjoying time together at the Christmas Brunch.

Posted December 2007: Seattle Treatment Planning

Carmen attended the Kois Center treatment planning meeting, while Dr. Dan was there to wear his clinical instructor hat.

Posted October 2007: More Meetings

September 2007

Though not dental, for Labor Day weekend, Dan met his brother and father in New York City to visit sites that his dad had always dreamed of seeing.

Later, Dan and Carmen traveled to Charlotte, NC to attend a meeting about public speaking. Dan’s daughter Hannah is attending college at nearby Virginia Tech, so she was able to join them in the city for the weekend.

October 2007

Another month of meetings!! Dr. Dan spent a weekend near Charlotte to meet and learn with a small group of dentists. He also traveled with "Team Montrose" to an interdisciplinary meeting in Detroit.

Posted June 2007: Santa Fe

June 2007

Drs. Alexander, Cayo, and Clader, aka “Team Montrose” were speakers at an orthodontic study club meeting in Santa Fe.

Posted June 2007: Yucatan Peninsula mission trip

June 2007

Dan and Karla traveled with the high school youth from church to Leona Vicario, near Cancun. The week was spent hand mixing and pouring concrete, one heavy bucket at a time, and having evening Bible school for the area children. What great memories and friendships – a week of blessings that we won’t soon forget.

Posted May 2007: A college graduate!

May 2007

Dan and Karla celebrated with their daughter, Emily, who graduated magna cum laude from Whitworth College, with degrees in Art and Psychology. Good job Emily! Hannah will be next…

Posted March 2007: Kois Regional Meeting

Dr. Dan and Carmen were speakers at another Kois Regional Meeting, this one in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Health Fair time again! Always fun to see you there.

Posted February 2007: Palm Springs – AAO Interdisciplinary Conference

February 2007

Every four years, the American Academy of Orthodontists holds an Interdisciplinary conference. It was a great honor for Team Montrose (Dr. Craig Cayo, Dr. Clader, and Dr. Chuck Alexander) to be invited to speak at the conference this year. Their topic, “Lessons from the Outback: Integrating Implants, Orthodontics, and Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry in Small Town Rural America,” was very well received by the international audience in attendance.

Dan traveled to Chicago two weeks later to attend an annual Kois Advisory Board meeting.

Posted November 2006: Lots of Meetings

It's been a busy fall! Dan traveled to North Carolina in October to facilitate a small meeting with six other dentists. They learned a lot by reviewing dental cases and discussing different dental management issues. An added bonus for Dan was the side trip to see daughter Hannah at Virginia Tech on his way home. Go Hokies!

Later in October, Dan and Carmen traveled to Canada. Dr. Dan was invited to speak at the first ever Kois Regional Seminar, held in Vancouver, British Colombia. The meeting was well attended and it was an honor for Dan to be a part of this landmark event.

In November, the Colorado Smiles team went to Las Vegas to attend a meeting about practice management and patient communication. The ladies made the trip without Dan, who was in Chicago at the second annual Interdisciplinary Dental Meeting.

Posted June 2006: Clinical Instructor

In both May and June Dr. Dan was in Seattle wearing his Clinical Instructor hat at the Kois Center. It has been a great privilege and honor to be a part of this excellent post-graduate dental teaching facility, and it keeps Dan current with the latest techniques that dentistry has to offer. Visit the Kois Center at www.koiscenter.com

Posted May 2006: Dental Laser

Dr. Dan is finding many uses with the laser to make some of his treatment procedures more efficient, but we are most excited about how the laser therapy will benefit our patients in the treatment and maintenance of gum disease! Treatment with the dental laser is different from conventional periodontal treatment in that it is faster and more efficient, less invasive, essentially painless, and extremely effective in arresting the progression of periodontal disease.

Posted April 2006: Learning New Information

Dr. Dan attended two recent meetings in Seattle. In March he went to a meeting to stay current with information on dental implants. In April, he was back again to learn some new techniques on esthetic gingival surgery. Also in April, Carmen and Wendy attended a dental hygiene meeting in California, with an extra day to focus on the use of lasers to help treat periodontal disease. Carmen also traveled to Denver with Sarah to update their certification on administration of nitrous oxide in the dental office.

Posted March 2006: Montrose Health Fair

March 2006

Working our booth at the Montrose Health Fair is always a fun and special time for us.

Posted March 2006: Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting

Dan and Karla spent a long weekend in the Windy City in February. While there, they attended the dental meeting, visited with a group of dental colleagues who have become great friends, and they celebrated their landmark (ends in 0) birthdays.

Posted November 2005: Las Vegas & Jeopardy

The entire team traveled to Las Vegas to attend a meeting about practice management and patient communication. We continue to review this information and at one of our recent weekly team meetings we teamed up to play Dental Jeopardy.

Posted October 2005: First Annual Interdisciplinary Dental Meeting

Team Montrose is a study group comprised of Dr. Clader, Dr. Alexander (Orthodontist) and Dr. Cayo (Oral Surgeon). They meet monthly to coordinate care of any complex dental cases they are working on. In September, Dr. Clader along with Team Montrose hosted the First Annual Interdisciplinary Dental Group meeting, which was held in Telluride. There were dentists and specialist groups from the Chicago and Detroit areas who met for two days to review complex cases and to encourage and learn from one another. Although they plan to meet in Chicago and Detroit the next two years, they will be back to Western Colorado in 2008 because the out of state attendees were awed by our beautiful fall colors and weather.

Posted June 2005: Zoom! Professional Whitening System

Do you want to Zoom? The Zoom! Chairside Whitening System is safe, effective and fast, very fast. In less than an hour your teeth will become dramatically whiter. Zoom! Chairside Whitening is ideal for anyone looking for immediate results. The convenience of Zoom! in comparison to days of wearing trays or strips, makes it the perfect choice for the busy individual. The procedure is simple. It begins with a short preparation to cover your lips and gums, leaving only your teeth exposed. The Zoom! clinician then applies the whitening gel, which was designed to be used with a specially designed light. The Zoom! light and gel work together to gently penetrate your teeth, breaking up stains and discoloration. With proper care, your smile will sparkle for years.

Posted June 2005: Digital Xray

Dr Dan has had a dream for many years to utilize digital x-ray in the office. In May, we realized that dream with the installation of a digital panoramic system! This “panorex” will allow us to take one x-ray of your teeth instead of sixteen individual x-rays. The digital format has incredible resolution that offers better and earlier detection of dental disease, and it also greatly minimizes your exposure to radiation. Our acquisition of this panoramic x-ray system is consistent with our philosophy of providing you with the most modern concepts and treatments available in dentistry today.

Posted : Kois Advisory Board

Dr. Dan spent an early January weekend in Seattle as he continues to serve on the Advisory Board for the Kois Teaching Center.