Introducing… Angel Hale, DDS at Overland Park Dentistry

December 8, 2020Latest News/TechnologyDr. Charles R. Kimes

Dr Angel Hale at Overland Park Dentistry

Just A Small-Town Girl

As one of the newest members to our staff, Angel Hale, DDS is a welcome addition to our offices here at Overland Park Dentistry! With her passion for dentistry and dedication to helping others, there is little wonder as to why Dr. Hale has quickly developed a strong following amongst our loyal patients. However, while Dr. Hale might be a fresh face to the patients of Overland Park Dentistry, she is anything but a stranger to our offices!

For Angel Hale, her connection to Overland Park Dentistry can be traced back to Sedalia Missouri, as she is the daughter of none other than Serenna Thornton, one of our most well respected and longest-tenured employees. Growing up around professional dentistry, young Angel was greatly inspired by Sedalia-based periodontist and close family friend Dr. John W. Love, who at the age of nine sparked a desire in her to one day become a dentist herself. Throughout her youth Angel kept in touch with Dr. Love, often assisting him with various tasks at his office.

“As a kid I was always eager to help out Dr. Love,” she laughed, “When I got older I would sometimes try to come up with excuses to go help him instead of going to class!” Thanks to Dr. Love’s encouragement, and her mother’s longstanding relationship with Overland Park Dentistry, Angel made the decision to pursue her dream!

Movin On Up!

Upon graduating from High School, Dr. Hale attended University of Central Missouri, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree, before going on to complete her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Dentistry in 2013. While extremely proud to have finally realized her life-long dream, and excited to be working in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Dr. Hale soon found herself feeling a bit homesick. However, with her career aspirations bringing her ever closer to the Overland Park area, Dr. Hale was struck by how much the city reminded her of her hometown of Sedalia.

“Overland Park is like Sedalia in so many ways,” says Dr. Hale, “Everyone seems to know each other and there is just such a homey feel to it.” Obviously with her mother Serenna still a loyal employee of Dr. Kimes, it seemed only natural to Dr. Hale, that she should find her rightful place alongside her mother and Dr. Kimes at Overland Park Dentistry.

Angel Hale, DDS – Joining the Team

Officially joining the staff in 2017, Angel Hale, DDS relocated to Overland Park and eagerly dove into her new position on the team!

“Teamwork is everything at Overland Park Dentistry, everyone helps out to make sure the patient has the best experience possible.” Indeed, Dr. Hale’s energy and enthusiasm instantly made her a perfect fit with the team at Overland Park Dentistry, thus earning her respect and admiration of her colleagues. Even so, what has stood out more than anything is Dr. Hale’s undeniable devotion to helping patients.

“Taking care of people is without doubt, the best part of dentistry!” she exclaimed, “helping patients get out of pain but also educating them as well, because there are many misconceptions about the procedures that dentists perform, I like to put those myths to bed whenever I get the chance.” Because of this, Dr. Hale says she considers root canals to be one of the most rewarding treatments that she is able to perform for patients.

“Despite popular belief, root canals are actually meant to alleviate pain, not cause it,” she says. “I think it’s very very important to make sure all patients understand that.”

Here to Make You Smile!

Now residing in her new home of Overland Park along with husband Steven Hale and newborn son, Mavrick, Dr. Angel Hale brings her passion and expertise to the patients of Overland Park Dentistry with the goal of making them smile! If you or someone you know need quality treatment from a world-class dental staff, then please come visit Dr. Hale and the rest of our staff here at Overland Park Dentistry.

Until next time … keep smiling!

Local dentists, Charles R. Kimes, DDS, Angel Hale, DDS and the team at Overland Park Dentistry look forward to having the opportunity to care for you and your family with preventative, restorative or cosmetic dentistry. To schedule your dental appointment with your Overland Park Dentist, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.

Dental Safety: Is it SAFE to Visit the Dentist?

August 18, 2020Latest News/TechnologyCOVID-19, dental appointment, oral exam, oral healthDr. Charles R. Kimes

In The Shadow of COVID-19

Although it’s been a couple months since the quarantine over both Kansas and Missouri has been lifted, there are many people who remain in self-isolation, as the threat posed by COVID-19 remains a major public health concern. Indeed, by following the standard protocol in public places (wearing a mask, keeping a safe distance from others, making frequent use of hand sanitizer, ect) you ARE taking a crucial step in protecting yourself and others. However, despite these precautions there are many people who still feel at risk when in public, thus begging the question;

“Is it safe to visit my dentist?”

While some skeptics may scoff at such a question, if you have underlying health issues or have elderly/potentially compromised individuals in your family, this is likely a source of concern for you. Therefore, in the sections below, we would like to address the concern of dental safety by highlighting all the precautions that the dental profession has taken, both in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and the years prior to ensure the safety of both patients and practitioners alike.

Dental Safety: HIV/AIDS

While the COVID-19 pandemic might be the first disease outbreak to significantly impact our society in quite a while, it is certainly not the first disease outbreak to affect the modern era. In 1981, the first cases of HIV/AIDs were reported within the United States. Throughout the remainder of the 1980’s the number of cases would increase rapidly, thus resulting in many changes in protocol within all major fields of the medical industry including professional dentistry.

Due to HIV/AIDS being a bloodborne pathogen, (meaning it’s primarily transmitted through blood) therefore the standard personal protection equipment (PPE) used by dentists everywhere was vastly improved upon. Such improvements included the utilization of medical masks, surgical gloves, and protective eye wear, which became requirements to wear at all times to increase dental safety for the dental team and the patient.

Additionally, sterilization became a central focus to prevent any dental safety risk of cross-contamination. This required each chair/operational space to thoroughly cleaned between patients, and any instruments used to be sanitized or disposed of properly. These new protective measures were extraordinarily successful, and quickly became required practice among dentists across the globe, thus setting a new standard.

However, in 2020 the world would again be taken by surprise, as the arrival of COVID-19 would once again require further changes to be made.

Dental Safety: COVID-19

Although not nearly as fatal as the before mentioned HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 is much more contagious. As you probably already know, COVID-19 is an airborne pathogenic disease, that can be transmitted from one infected person to another by simply sneezing, coughing, and or close personal contact. Therefore, we at Overland Park Dentistry, as well as other dental practices around the country have implemented new preventive measures to increase dental safety, to protect our patients and staff from contacting the virus.

One of our most noticeable changes is the fact that we now require patients to call our front desk prior to entering the waiting room, to limit our waiting room to one patient at a time. Once you have entered the waiting room, a member of our staff will administer a brief questionnaire to assess any recent travels or changes in medical history, as well as giving you a temperature screening to ensure that you are within normal range. Additionally, we require that you wear a cloth mask at all times during your visit, until a staff member informs you to remove it. While this may seem a bit excessive to some, please remember that these preventative measures are mandated by State Law in both Kansas and Missouri and would be required at any dental practice during this time.

Your Safety Is Our Priority!

At Overland Park Dentistry, the care and dental safety of our patients has always been our number one priority, and although these past several months have been difficult for everyone, your friends at Overland Park Dentistry will always be here when you need us. So, if you’re due for a checkup, but are worried about coming in, remember at Overland Park Dentistry you WILL be in safe hands!

Until next time stay safe and keep smiling!

Local dentist, Dr. Charles R. Kimes, DDS, and his team at Overland Park Dentistry look forward to having the opportunity to care for you and your family with preventative, restorative or cosmetic dentistry. To schedule your dental appointment with your Overland Park Dentist, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.

Dr. Kimes Welcomes Back Patients for Routine Dental Appointments

May 12, 2020Latest News/Technologydental appointment, oral examDr. Charles R. Kimes

May 11, 2020

Dear Overland Park Dentistry Family,

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines, including routine dental appointments.

While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice, and you may have seen this during your visits to our office for dental appointments. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it is both safe and comfortable.

We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our
practice to keep patients and staff safe.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the:

American Dental Association (ADA)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up to date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next routine dental appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff.

For example:

Our office will communicate with you before your dental appointments to ask some screening questions. You will be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
We ask that you call us from our parking lot, once you’ve arrived at our office for your appointment, so we can check you in. We will let you know when we’re ready for you and look forward to greeting you at the door, as this will help us with social distancing.
We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
Dental appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you are offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.

To make an appointment, please call our office at 913-647-8700 or visit our website.

Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Sincerely,

Charles R. Kimes, DDS

COVID-19 Update from Dr. Kimes | Offering Emergency Dental Appointments

March 19, 2020Latest News/TechnologyCOVID-19, dental emergency, emergency dental careDr. Charles R. Kimes

Further Updates

With 2020 still only a couple months old, we in both the United States and abroad, find ourselves facing a serious situation as a national pandemic known as COVID – 19 sweeps across the globe. And at this time, it is certainly extremely important to take the necessary prevention measures (such as washing your hands or limiting physical contact with each other) and to keep abreast of recent developments regarding the matter.

However, for those in need of dental care during this time, you can rest assured in knowing that at Overland Park Dentistry, our offices will remain open and accepting appointments for the foreseeable future, including emergency dental appointments. However, in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the American Dental Association has recommended that dentists across the country postpone non-essential dental services until further notice.

Essential vs. Non-Essential Treatments

If you have visited our website or read some of our previous blog entries, you will know that there are three different types of dental services that we provide at Overland Park Dentistry, these are preventative, restorative, and cosmetic based procedures. While there is a certain degree of overlap between some of the procedures, to reduce any unnecessary health risks for both patents and staff alike, we will only be offering the essential treatments at present time, including emergency dental appointments.

Related Article: Your Overland Park Dentist: Charles R. Kimes, DDS

We’re All in This Together!

Although we will be temporarily suspending certain services, please remember that if you do require any mandatory treatments, including emergency dental appointments, you will be able to receive the care that you need at our offices. It is important that you do receive the necessary care as oral health problems will worsen if left untreated.

From all of us at Overland Park Dentistry, we would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented situation, and we will be keeping a close eye on the situation as it progresses.

Remember, daily oral hygiene is as important now as ever … please check out our post: The Daily Dentist: Oral Hygiene is a BIG DEAL!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our offices.

Stay Healthy and Keep Smiling!

Local dentist, Dr. Charles R. Kimes, DDS, and his team at Overland Park Dentistry will continue to offer emergency dental appointment s.

They look forward to having the opportunity to care for you and your family with preventative, restorative or cosmetic dentistry as well. To schedule your dental appointment with your Overland Park Dentist, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.

COVID-19 UPDATE from Dr. Kimes

March 16, 2020Latest News/Technologycoronavirus, infectious diseaseDr. Charles R. Kimes

Hello Friends,

During our current National Emergency concerning the COVID-19 virus, we would like to assure you that at the offices of Overland Park Dentistry, your health, safety and well-being is our highest priority.

We will remain open for all treatment & services, including preventative wellness visits.

You can feel safe knowing that all our clinical areas are, and always have been, treated with standards that far exceed all state and federal guidelines. Our team is highly trained annually, using guidelines set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Our training, coupled with our commitment to the highest standards of care, will see us through this unusual time calmly and successfully.

In addition, you can feel confident that we are taking the following precautionary measures in the common areas:

We will be increasing the frequency of disinfecting all door handles, reception area surfaces, furniture, credit card terminals, restrooms and more.
We have removed all shared magazines and newspapers.
Remember, all New Patient Forms are available on our website to print & complete at home, before your appointment.
All non-essential items at the check-out desks such as pens, business cards and candies will be removed from the counter and still available by request.

We are counting on you to help us get through this as well. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, or if you, or someone you have been in contact with, have traveled out of the country in the last 21 days, please call our office at 913-647-8700 to discuss rescheduling your appointment. (There will NOT be appointment cancellation charges at this time.)

Please know that we are closely monitoring the evolving situation and are following all CDC and ADA guidelines.

Related Articles:

CDC Guidelines: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

American Dental Association Infection Control: COVID-10

American Heart Association: Coronavirus and Heart Health | (COVID-19) Resources

According to the American Diabetes Association, People with Diabetes face a higher risk for complications … here’s what you need to know

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. Please be assured that we are here for you, and we welcome all communications.

Stay healthy and keep Smiling!
Charles R. Kimes, DDS & Team

CEREC Crown: Myth or Magic?

October 10, 2017Latest News/TechnologyDr. Charles R. Kimes

CEREC Crown: Do you believe in magic?

From the legendary feats performed by Harry Houdini during the early nineteen hundreds, to the modern day spectacular productions of performers such as David Blaine or Criss Angel, magicians and illusionists for many years have filled us with awe and wonder with spellbinding performances often turning skeptics into believers. While Dr. Kimes and his staff certainly take great pride in the appearance of their offices, a dental office is a far cry from the alluring and mysterious world of illusion. However, what a seemingly typical dental office may lack in shine, it most certainly makes up for in substance. Therefore upon your next appointment, you may see a very new and very real magic trick occur right inside your mouth!

The Cerec Crown: A Magic Trick of a Different Kind

As you may already know, a conventional dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a damaged or decayed tooth, thus effectively covering the entirety of the tooth that is exposed above the gum line. The purpose of this crown is not only to improve the patient’s overall oral health by restoring and strengthening the tooth, but to provide the patient with a smile that is aesthetically pleasing as well.

Despite this, we’re willing to assume a term such as dental crown may not exactly conjure up the feelings of excitement and wonder associated with things like magic or illusions; however, in recent years a new type of dental crown has emerged that has revolutionized the dental industry, and amazed both practitioners and patients alike. Originally developed back in 1980, the “Chairside Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics” or “CEREC Crown” technology has taken modern dentistry by storm and has proven itself as a powerful new tool within the field. The CEREC Crown is a specially customized dental crown, created specifically for you through digital imaging as opposed to simply using goopy dental impressions. This cutting edge digital imagining allows Dr. Kimes to scan the inside of your mouth to accurately pinpoint the precise dimensions of your new crown, and thereby create a near picture perfect replica of your natural tooth. Once placed over a rotten or broken natural tooth, this masterpiece of modern dentistry provides a permanent replacement that is virtually unnoticeable and can even be customized to match the exact shade of your teeth!

While your new CEREC Crown will seamlessly create the illusion of a real tooth, the benefits certainly do not stop there. Once your CEREC Crown has been fully fitted and fused with the damaged remains of your natural tooth, the CEREC will serve as durable and reliable replacement, that may be used as a natural tooth would without any hindrance or limitation.

The CEREC Crown vs. the Conventional Crown

While the above-mentioned mentioned benefits may peak your curiosity, to truly realize the full extent of the advantages offered by the CEREC Crown, it’s important to understand the drawbacks of its predecessor; the Conventional Crown. Although the conventional dental crown has certainly proven itself as an effective solution and is still used by many practitioners to this day, the conventional crown simply cannot provide the same level of quality and precision that the CEREC Crown can.

Although considerably stronger, presenting an exponentially improved appearance, many patients consider the convenient process in receiving the CEREC to be among their favorite improvements over the conventional crown. Unlike the CEREC, the process of receiving a conventional crown typically required at least two appointments, and could take a couple of weeks to complete. Moreover, in waiting to receive a conventional crown, you would likely be given a temporary crown to wear between appointments. While certainly necessary in preventing future damage and providing a quick fix, the cumbersome temporary crown has been unpopular with patients in the past, as they have been known to break easily, or sometimes to even fall out. However, such issues are president in receiving a CEREC Crown as the process requires only one simple appointment to create, complete, and fit your new crown, thereby sparing you the hassle of making multiple appointments and managing a temporary crown.

Abracadabra? …. How about CEREC Crown Technology!

For magicians past and present, perhaps there is no greater enemy then that a non-believer or skeptic, who may be quick to dismiss the varying feats they perform as mere trickery or sleight of hand. And while this may or may not be true, rest assured with the CEREC Crown there is no smoke and mirrors. The CEREC Crown is truly a marvel of modern dental technology that ultimately stands as a testament to the greatest form of magic ever known; the magic of science.

So do Dr. Kimes and his expert team at Overland Park Dentistry believe in magic? Who knows, but they absolutely believe in the effectiveness and proficiency of CEREC technology! They also believe that YOU will too! Therefore if it’s a crown you need, come visit us at Overland Park Dentistry and see if we can make a believer out of you!

Dr. Charles R. Kimes, DDS and his expert team at Overland Park Dentistry look forward to having the opportunity to help you take advantage of the latest dental technology, including the CEREC Crown! Or with any preventative, restorative or cosmetic needs you or your family may have. To schedule a dental appointment, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.

New Technology Makes Dental X-Rays Clearer, More Detailed, and More Complete

June 15, 2016Latest News/TechnologyDr. Charles Kimes

The official name sounds a little technical – the Cone-Beam Computed Tomography system or (CBCT). But, to be fair, what it does is pretty technical. Thankfully, the experts at Overland Park Dental are here to explain this new technology, as well as show off just what it means for the health and comfort of our patients!

How CBCT Machines Work

CBCT machines are designed to project a cone-shaped beam of X-rays, allowing the machine to provide a 3-D, holographic-type image, (as opposed to the two-dimensional information a conventional X-ray provides). This more detailed and complete scan helps dentists, orthodontists, and surgeons better evaluate, diagnose, and treat our patients.

The CBCT system rotates around the patient’s head and captures data using a cone-shaped X-ray beam. It uses this date to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the patient’s teeth, mouth, jaw, neck, ears, nose, and throat. This method provides extremely detailed 3-D views of the facial skeleton and teeth with with less distortion, more clarity, and unlimited perspectives compared to traditional X-rays.

Benefits of Cone Beam Dental 3D Imaging

Better Quality Images

The CBCT’s 3-D holographic type images allow visualization of anything from your entire skull, to a single jaw or jaw joint, down to a single root canal within a tooth, and more. The great news for our patients is that all the information you need can often be obtained from one scan, and reformatted for different uses, for different areas or specialties of dentistry.

Hundreds of Images in One Scan

A CBCT instrument takes multiple images (from 150 to 599 distinct views) that are digitally compiled into 3-D radiographic images. It is amazingly fast and accurate. Scanning time ranges between only 5 and 40 seconds.

But what makes it so valuable is the fact that the information it collects is stored digitally, and a wide variety of images can be created from them, depending on what needs to be seen and studied.

Dental Uses for the Cone Beam System

Dental CBCT systems have been sold in the U.S. since the early 2000s and are being used more and more by radiologists and dental professionals. Applications include:

● Dental Implant Planning

● Visualization of Abnormal Teeth

● Evaluation of the Jaws and Face

● Cleft Palate Assessment

● Diagnosis of Cavities

● Endodontic (root canal) Diagnosis

● Diagnosis of Dental Trauma

At Overland Park Dental, we strive to bring our patients the best technology available to make your visit the best it can be. When you need dental care, call us at (913) 647-8700 or (913) 341-2380.

Category Archives: Latest News/Technology