News/Blog Articles
Posted February 2, 2012:The Tragic Staircase (a sad tale of disease and neglect) by Dr. Ken Henley
Once upon a time a young prince was captured by a wizard and placed in an enclosed room with only two doorways by which to exit. One exit was practically pitch dark and even though he held a little torch, he could just barely make out what seemed to be a very long downward winding staircase. The other exit was well lit and lead to a very, very steep uphill path with clearly visible bumps and obstacles in the path. At first glance it appeared extremely perilous. The wizard informed the prince that if he is to be the ruler he must escape the room and while both exits would lead him out under no circumstance should he go down the "Dreadful Staircase". In fact he must not even take one step down as each step will be at his peril! The wizard left him a map and plan for taking the uphill road and with that vanished before the prince's eyes! The prince glances at the long uphill road and thinks, "Even with this map I'll surely never make it up such a long uphill climb. Better to take the steps which will be much easier!" With that he tossed the map aside and grabbed the torch and made his way to the dark steps but he remembered the wizard's warnings about the dreadful staircase and paused for a moment. Thinking again of the alternate escape with its steep path and obstacles he cautiously took the first step down and closed his eyes waiting several minutes to see what might happen, ready to run back into the room in a flash at the first sign of change or trouble. But nothing did? Cautiously he took another step and waited…still nothing happened and he felt fine. With each step he noted no difference from the last and started to believe the wizard had somehow tricked him or was testing him. Eventually his torch went out but he was rushing down much more quickly now as a brilliant light seemed to come from an exit far below that now dimly lit the stairs. "Surely the wizard must have meant for me to take these stairs as the light I now see can only be a treasure waiting at the exit", he thought! He was tired a bit now and found he needed to rest occasionally before continuing down but otherwise noted no problems as the wizard had warned. As he got closer to the exit the light seemed to glimmer. Finally he reached the exit doorway and as he entered his face fell. There before him was a very large mirror. As he looked in the mirror he saw...himself...but not the strong youth he had known himself to be! Now the person he could barely make out in the mirror was a very wrinkled old man who was bent over a bit as he stood with gray hair and missing teeth. Suddenly he felt terrible with aches and pains he was not aware of before. Just then the wizard re-appeared and told him that the Dreadful Staircase was enchanted and that with each step he had sacrificed a little tiny bit of his health until he had lost all.
Dear friends, sadly in my years of practicing dentistry I have encountered many people who, just like the prince, are heading down their own dreadful staircase to poor dental health. They make no plans for long term health and believe because nothing is bothering them that everything is ok. Yet each day, just like the prince, they are unaware that their health takes another little step downwards. Most dental diseases (in fact most diseases) attack us little by little with no apparent symptoms until we find ourselves at the bottom of the stairs. If you haven't been to a dentist in a while or believe you may be going down these same stairs give me a call. I know for some that a plan for lifetime dental health can at first appear to be intimidating and somewhat perilous, but I promise no embarrassing lectures and instead I'll work with you to show you a lifetime plan that fits your health needs and budget. All you need do is take the first step (back up the stairs) and call. And if you desire a princely smile for yourself that others find enchanting...we can help with that too! ---Dr. Ken
Posted December 20, 2011:End of the Year Thanks!
As we draw to a close on another year I would like to take the time to thank all our patients who have continued to put their trust in us for their dental care. It truly is an honor and priveledge for me to be your dentist. I have so much to be thankful for and the opportunity of serving all my patients is one that I am most thankful of.
So to all our patients I say thank you and wish you the very best during this holiday season.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Dr. Henley
Posted December 8, 2011:Are You a "Cosmetic" Dentist?
Actually I get this question quite a bit, "Are you a cosmetic dentist?" Maybe a better question might be, "What is a cosmetic dentist?" If one opens the yellow pages under dentists in any city including Omaha it would seem that almost every dentist listed claims to be a cosmetic dentist or offer cosmetic services, which can be somewhat confusing for the average consumer.
First of all it is important to realize that unlike other aspects of dentistry like orthodontics(the specialty of braces), endodontics(the specialty of root canals), or periodontics(the specialty of gum disease) there is no aesthetic or cosmetic specialty formally recognized by organized dentistry. Thus we have orthodontists, endodontists, and periodontists but no cosmo-dontists? While dentists can say they provide cosmetic services no dentist can advertise that they are a "specialist" in cosmetic dentistry. In essence any general dentist can claim to offer cosmetic services and in that regard be considered a "cosmetic dentist". But alas, not all dentists are created equal when it comes to procedures dealing with improving the smile nor do all dentists have the same training.
So where does that leave you the patient when searching for a dentist to help improve your smile or appearance? Here are a couple simple tips that I would pass along to help when looking for a cosmetic dentist;
1. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Any dentist that is comfortable with smile design and aesthetics will be more than happy to answer your concerns and questions. The more questions the better. In fact we offer free consultations for anyone who just wants to come in and ask questions as to how we might improve their smile.
2. Ask what kinds of and amounts of continuing education specifically dealing with cosmetic dentistry has the dentist taken? For most dentists like myself who really enjoy helping people improve their smiles it's more a love and a hobby than a job so the doctor will likely have a tendency towards classes that deal with cosmetic dentistry.
3. Look at the before and after pictures and don't be afraid to ask if the people and work you are looking at are actual patients and work done by the doctor. Many places sell before and after pictures to dental offices which are ok to use for educational purposes but be sure to see some of the actual work done by the doctor. At our office we have an entire photo album featuring our patients with before and after pictures of our work. Most dentists are proud to show off their work.
My philosophy about dentistry and cosmetics is that I don't seperate the two. Everything I do down to the smallest filling should be esthetically pleasing as well as completely functional. That's why years ago when selecting my office logo I put my office motto just below; "Dentistry Practiced with Excellence and Artistry"
Smile!
Posted November 10, 2011:Donate a Toy and You Could Win a New Apple IPad 2!
Once again as we enter this holiday season we are proud to announce that our office is partnering with the United States Marines in their annual Toys for Tots campaign. Each year the Marines collect toys for impoverished children in our area who may not otherwise recieve anything for Christmas. Our office is proud to again be an official collecting depot for this program.
Each year we have out-done the previous in the amount of toys we have collected and this year I am once again asking people to donate a new, unused, unwrapped toy for this worthwhile charity. To sweeten the deal anyone who brings a new toy to our office can enter into a drawing for a new Apple Ipad 2 or one of two Rotadent electric toothbrushes we are giving away! This drawing is open to anyone who brings us a new toy. But hurry, we have a deadline of Dec. 12th when the Marines must pick up the toys.
Happy Holidays!
Posted November 9, 2011:Introducing the Armbrust Dental Whitening Club...a lifetime of teeth whitening!
We are excited to announce a new service in cosmetic dentistry available for all our patients, new as well as existing! We're making it easier for those who desire whiter teeth to achieve this goal by introducing our office whitening club. It's a great deal for any patient as a $99 enrollment fee will entitle our patients to receive custom whitening trays and free whitening gel at each regularly scheduled hygiene appointment as long as you remain a patient of record and keep current with all cleaning appointments. Now you can have whiter teeth and maintain them for a lifetime with our new whitening club membership. Call Stephanie today for the details and get that white smile you deserve started today!
Posted June 16, 2011:Shhh...I've got a "secret" about dental sedation!
In my 20+ years of successfully using IV sedation to help people overcome their dental fears I am still somewhat surprised by people's misconceptions as to what dental IV sedation can be used for and how it can help them. One of the most frequent comments I'll hear with a new patient goes something like this: "Yeah Doc, I'm really nervous about dental work but I don't need any teeth removed and I had my wisdom teeth out years ago so IV sedation won't help me?" The idea these people have is that somehow IV sedation is exclusively for those requiring wisdom teeth removal or extensive surgery or something.
Well here's my little secret: IV sedation can be used for any dental procedure! (Remember the old commercial that went, "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids?...Well, "Silly rabbit, IV sedation is for many dental procedures!") So if you're afraid or scared of dental work of any kind...fear no more. We can do everything from cosmetic dentistry to simple restorative work all while you are comfortably sedated. It is true that we commonly use sedation for wisdom tooth extraction but we also routinely do dental veneers, CEREC same day crowns and onlays, white fillings, root canals, and gum disease treatments too!
So now that the first part of my "secret" is out, what's stopping you from getting the healthy smile you deserve?
Dr. Henley
Posted April 21, 2011:A Word from Dr. Henley about our Care Philosophy:
We are not your average dental office. Early in my dental career I was part of a large office that had a huge influence on how I now see the practice of dentistry. We were highly successful but I noticed something that bothered me soon after starting there; things like our patient's long waits and impersonal care and at times I felt as if I needed roller skates to work in to keep up with the pace. Many of the seminars I attended preached (and still preach today) this run 'em in-run 'em out philosophy. It bothered me so much that in 1998 I walked away from it all, threw away my roller skates and traded in my "waiting room" for a "reception room". Sadly this impersonal herding patients in and out like cattle in a mass production setting that seems primarily focused on just "patch and repair" is still alive in dentistry today and if this bothers you...then Armbrust Dental just might be what you're looking for. We cater to serve the individual and not the masses. We never double book our patients except in the most unusual of circumstances (If you just cracked a front tooth or were in pain would you want to hear, "Sorry, you can't come in today as our schedule is full"?) We have no sliding glass door in our reception area or clip-board for you to "sign in". Instead you'll be greeted by one or more of my warm, smiling staff members. Unfortunately, long term health focused preventative care is getting harder and harder to find these days. Everybody seems to be in such a hurry...without time to spend listening to the patients concerns. Worse yet, many times what little time is spent by some doctors examining you just involves looking for problems to "fix or patch" with little regard for what actually caused them to happen in the first place. If this has been your experience...and you're ready for something different...then we are the dental home for you!
Posted February 8, 2011:Kenneth E. Henley, DDS has launched a new website!
Take a few minutes to look around and explore our new website. We offer convenient, easy to understand treatment information. Secure online patient forms make it easier than ever before to submit your information to Doctor Henley and his talented team of dental professionals.