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11111 N. Scottsdale Road #220
Scottdale, AZ 85254
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Phoenix Magazine - Top Dentists!!!

8/23/2022

6 Comments

 
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We are so proud of our very own Dr. Michael Gibbons, Dr. McAdams always says even dentists need someone to look up to and he is lucky to work with such a great clinician every day!  Since the 2003 inception of Top Dentists, Arizona dentists have voted for the best of the best who are then honored in Phoenix Magazine! 

Dr. Gibbons is one of only 3 Arizona dentists who have been selected each and every time since 2003 as the Top Dentist!  Its an amazing accomplishment, especially if you consider how many dentists are practicing in our beautiful metropolis!  It's even more impressive when you look at it written out:

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and again in 2022!!!  
If you are looking for a dentist widely recognized as one of the best around...give our office a call.  Dr. Gibbons and Dr. McAdams would be happy to help you reach your smile goals...and we would love to meet you!

Click here to contact us:

To read more about the best of the valley:
https://www.phoenixmag.com/2022/07/07/2022-best-of-the-valley/
6 Comments

Important Insurance Network Update

6/21/2021

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Effective July 31, 2021, McAdams Dental will be exclusively contracted with the CAREINGTON PLATINUM Dental Insurance Network.  In the ever changing world of dental insurance, we feel that Careington has served our practice well for many years as an umbrella of dental insurance networks.  Luckily, this change will not affect many of our current insurance relationships and business will continue as usual.  If your dental insurance does not fall under this network it is important to understand the following:
​
IF YOUR PLAN DOES NOT ROLL OVER, MCADAMS DENTAL WILL BECOME OUT-OF-NETWORK AND YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING:

When you have PPO dental insurance, you are free to choose any provider you wish.  Many of our patients continue to visit our office with out-of-network plans and we hope you will too.  You should look into your particular coverage when visiting an out-of-network provider to fully understand how this will affect you.    
Please note the following information related to out-of-network billing practices after 7/31/2021:

Payment for Services:  You will be required to pay for your dental treatment at the time of service.  Reimbursement for your services will be paid directly from the insurance company to the subscriber of the policy.   Claims are generally paid within a couple of weeks.  Our office will not receive payments or EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) directly from the company.  

Plan Benefit Information:  We will no longer have your frequency and plan coverage information. You may contact your insurance company directly or refer to your plan benefit information to determine when and what will be covered.  

Estimate of Copay:  As an out of network provider, we will not have the ability to estimate copay.   

Filing of Claims:  We will continue to file dental insurance claims for our out-of-network patients.  Once filed, the insurance company will coordinate directly with the plan subscriber and we will not be included in their correspondence. Please call our office if you have any questions related to our insurance billing practices, and thank you in advance for your understanding on this issue.  We are more than happy to discuss this change on the phone, or in person if you would like.  Just let us know how we can help.

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Face Coverings Required:  City of Scottsdale Emergency Proclamation No. 6-18-2020

6/19/2020

4 Comments

 
On 6/18/2020, with cases of Covid-19 increasing at an accelerating rate, the Mayor of Scottsdale issued a proclamation requiring face coverings while in public spaces.  Obviously you cannot receive dental services in our office with a mask on, so we are interpreting this order as follows:

Patients in our dental office will be required to arrive wearing facial coverings and keep them on while waiting in our office, moving about our office and when making scheduling and payment arrangements.  When seated in a dental chair, the patient will be asked to remove their mask as needed by their dental providers.  

If a patient is accompanied by a guest, they will be required to wear a face covering at all times or wait in their vehicle if they prefer not to wear a mask.

For questions regarding Specifics of the order, The full order can be read here:

https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/News/News+Images/News+documents/scottsdale-emergency-proclamation-june-18-2020.pdf
4 Comments

McAdams Dental - Working Towards a New Normal

5/20/2020

3 Comments

 
Well here we are, in the middle of our third week back to work and it feels great to be helping people smile again!!!  We have been so pleased to fix so many of the tooth issues that popped up during the stay in place order.  Initially our office worked to schedule the most urgent issues for treatment and as of now we are working to address more "normal" dental issues for our patients.  Dr. McAdams and Dr. Gibbons are back to a normal schedule and available for any of your dental needs.  We are booking up full days and working as hard as we can to get everyone taken care of.

We are asking for some patience while we work towards getting all of your cancelled dental cleanings rescheduled.  You can imagine how challenging it is to find a new appointment for 6 weeks worth of displaced patients.  How are we doing this you might ask? 
  • As always, our advanced confirmation process creates opportunities for patients to be rescheduled.  
  • We are confirming appointments farther in advance than usual to help create scheduling opportunities.
  • We have cancelled all of our staff vacation/holiday plans for the next few months which has made opportunities for scheduling as well.
  • We are working some extra days (so far we have booked some fridays in May and June) to help accomodate your needs as well.

Our enhanced infection control procedures remain in place and our patients seem to appreciate the extra effort we are putting in to keeping our team and our patients safe during these strange times.  Click here if you would like to know more about our infection control protocols.

We can't wait to see you again soon...stay safe and stay healthy!
3 Comments

McAdams Dental, COVID-19 Update:

4/27/2020

11 Comments

 
On April 22, Governor Ducey issued an executive order allowing a return to clinical operations for Arizona dentists.  Throughout our mandated closure, I had the opportunity to help several patients with dental emergencies and I can tell you that with each week we are closed...the frequency and severity of dental emergencies is increasing.  We have always been big believers in preventative dentistry, so we are happy for the opportunity to return to operations and help maintain the oral health of our dental family.  I have always felt it is best to "put out a fire while it is small"...and not let things progress too far before addressing any dental issues.  That is why I am excited about the opportunity to get back to helping maintain the oral health of our patients.

We will be spending the early part of next week training our staff on the most current safety guidelines, updating our safety protocols and refreshing our already high standards for infection control.  We will then prioritize outstanding treatment appointments by urgency and slowly return to our "new normal."

Please understand that we will be doing everything we can to reschedule displaced appointments while preserving the high standard of safety in our offices.  If you have any questions about our procedures, you can visit our infection control page for a summary of our current safety procedures HERE. 

Feel free to send the office team a voice or text message if you need to reach us...and we will get back to you as soon as we are able!

I look forward to seeing you all again soon, I've missed you dearly!

​Don McAdams, DDS
11 Comments

McAdams Dental Response to COVID-19

4/1/2020

2 Comments

 
If you are anything like me, you are probably shocked at how fast our lives have changed due to the Coronavirus infection taking over our country.  Sitting in my kitchen writing this post, I keep thinking about how much I miss seeing all of my patients and helping keep them smiling comfortably.  I have been remiss to close for vacations and holidays in the past knowing that some of you might need me while I am away.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce McAdams Dental has closed for normal operations.  As of March 19, 2020, we will be closed through the end of April.  At this time we are planning on getting back to normal as of May 1, 2020.  During this time, we are available on a limited basis to help with true emergencies.  If you really need us, call the office at (480) 991-4727 to get the emergency contact number.  We are also working to contact any patient with an appointment scheduled this month to confirm and discuss how to reschedule.

We have every intention of staying informed of the latest recommendations and maintain our already high standards for cleanliness and sterilization in our practice.  You can be assured that when we return, our office will follow all of the most current recommendations to keep our patients and our team members healthy!  

Until then I will be staying in, studying up and dreaming about the day I get to see all of your smiling faces again.  Please respect the gravity of this situation and do your best to stay safe.  We can all compare notes about how we spent our isolation time when we meet again.  I will be curious about how many of you watch the Tiger King on Netflix...and I hope you are able to find adequate supplies of paper products!

Sincerely,

Don McAdams, DDS

If you are interested, here is a summary of how we got here:

On March 16, 2020 - the American Dental Association recommended that dentists postpone any elective treatment for a 3 week period.   This decision was meant to limit the spread of Covid-19 to dental professionals.  At this time, there were just under 3,500 confirmed cases in the United States.

https://www.ada.org/about/press-releases/2020-archives/ada-calls-upon-dentists-to-postpone-elective-procedures​

On March 18, 2020 - the American Dental Association published guidelines related to what types of treatment should be considered elective vs. emergency and advised dentists to only treat emergency issues for the 3 week period.  This was intended to help keep otherwise healthy patients away from hospitals while the emergency care was focused on Covid-19 response.  At this time, there were just over 7,000 confirmed cases in the United States.

https://www.ada.org/publications/ada-news/2020/march/ada-develops-guidance-on-dental-emergency-nonemergency-care

On March 19, 2020 - McAdams Dental began seeing only essential treatment and all elective procedures were postponed pending further guidance.  At this time there were over 15,000 confirmed cases in the United States.

On March 21, 2020 - the State of Arizona issued executive order 2020-10 which mandated stopping all non-elective dental treatment indefinitely with a promise to reevaluate the decision every 2 weeks.  This order was intended to preserve supply of masks and gloves for front line health care workers due to a nationwide shortage.  At this time, there were over 24,500 confirmed cases in the United States.

https://azgovernor.gov/executive-orders

On April 1, 2020 - the State of Arizona issued executive order 2020-18 instructing all Arizona residents to “stay in place” to limit the spread of the virus in our state.  At this time, there were over 186,000 cases in the United States

https://azgovernor.gov/executive-orders
2 Comments

Denture Maintenance with Dr. Gibbons

9/18/2019

6 Comments

 
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We spend all our efforts to maintain and save your teeth, but sometimes, your teeth have had enough and it’s time to transition into a denture. It’s important to know that dentures are not a true replacement of teeth but certainly a better alternative than not having teeth. Here are some things to know about dentures and denture care.

How long do dentures last?

As a general rule, new dentures should be made every 5-10 years. Your gums and the bone that your denture sits on, are always changing.  The most rapid change occurs within the first six months of a tooth extraction. Over the years the bone in your mouth will continue to shrink, at a slower rate, and eventually your denture won’t fit well. Ill-fitting dentures will cause areas of soreness and sometimes excessive tissue growth which can be very uncomfortable.

When do you know when it’s time to replace?

If your denture begins to feel excessively loose or you have chronic sore spots, your dentist should evaluate your denture.  They may determine if a simple reline or rebase is indicated or if a new denture is necessary.

How do I clean my dentures?

Dentures should be rinsed thoroughly with warm water after eating. A moist denture brush with soft bristles should be used to clean any food debris using hand soap. A brush with hard bristles will create scratches in your denture that will harbor bacteria. You can also use denture cleaning tablets sold over the counter, we recommend following the manufactures instructions for use as they vary.

Do I need to see the dentist even though I don’t have teeth?

Yes, according to the American College of Prosthodontics, people who wear dentures are four times more likely to develop oral cancer if the denture is ill-fitting. Yearly dental screenings are a very important part of maintaining your oral and overall health. 

Dr. Michael Gibbons is a Prosthodontist, meaning he is a dentist with specialty training in dental reconstruction and replacement of missing teeth.  Are you in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area looking for help with your dentures?  If you are seeking a denture expert, you can’t go wrong with Dr. Gibbons.  Give us a call, we would love to help.
For more details, visit your near dentist Scottsdale AZ.

Click here to contact Dr. Michael Gibbons.

For more resources:

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/dentures/​

https://www.prosthodontics.org/about-acp/position-statement-the-frequency-of-denture-replacement/

6 Comments

What's the Deal With X-Rays?

8/19/2019

2 Comments

 
One of the biggest breakthroughs in dentistry, and radiology as a whole, was the advent of digital radiographs. Digital radiographs not only instantaneously processed an image but also reduced time, man power, and exposure to harmful chemicals when processing traditional films. It even reduced the amount of radiation exposure to our patients.
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X-rays, or more formally, radiographs, are essential for dentists to diagnose several things like: the amount of bone around your teeth, decay in between your teeth that can't be seen clinically, and if any infection is brewing at the tip of your tooth root. We also use the panoramic radiograph, or the “big head scan” x-ray, to check your jaw bones, sinus, and even neck to make sure nothing menacing is brewing where we can’t see.
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How much radiation am I getting?

An individual intra-oral dental radiograph emits 0.005 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation

Yearly radon exposure from your home is 7.50 mSv, 1,500x’s more radiation than a single dental radiograph 
 
A single full body CT scan is 10 mSv, 2,000x’s more radiation than a single dental radiograph 

Even a cross country plane ride is .025 mSV, 12’x more than a single dental radiograph
 
Even though dental radiographs are relatively safe and risks are very low, we still take maximum precaution when prescribing how many radiographs to take for your exam. We practice ALARA: As Low As Reasonably Achievable, which means we strive minimize exposure to radiation well below actual dose limits. Here at McAdams Dental, we use the lowest possible exposure which reduces the amount of radiation exposure 12x’s less than traditional film radiographs.
 
Not every one gets the same number of radiographs, some people need more, some need less. We do our best to individually manage risks and benefits when prescribing the amount of radiographs for our patients. 
 
In short, dental radiographs emit low radiation and are necessary to help us make the most accurate diagnosis to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. 
 
Are you looking for a dentist that strives to balance your specific needs with high tech diagnostic tools to keep you safe and healthy? If you are in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area and are looking for a dental home for your whole family...maybe we are the office for you...we would love to meet you!

Click here to contact us:

 
For more resources:

https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiation-sources-and-doses
 
https://aaomr.org/for-the-public/​
 
https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/x-rays
​​
2 Comments

Tooth Truth from Dr. McAdams

7/17/2019

2 Comments

 
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​You’re doing everything your dentist tells you to do, brushing twice daily even on a prescription tooth paste and you’ve done great with flossing daily. But you still got a cavity at your check up, what happened?

​Well, its complicated and there are many factors, but to keep it concise, its an issue with pH balance or how acidic your mouth is and how much bacteria you have in your mouth. 
We all know sugar is bad for your teeth, there’s no need to hammer that home but, sugar can be in foods you didn’t even realize and its important to consider the acidity of the drinks you ingest.

Many of the drinks we enjoy are unfortunately acidic. Coffee, Kombucha, Sugar Free Diet Sodas, even simple Carbonated Water have very low pH levels meaning they are HIGHLY acidic. Sipping on these drinks for long periods of time throughout the day creates a consistent acid bath which bacteria thrive in which eventually cause tooth decay. Also, if you’re drinking sugary and acidic beverages like Energy Drinks, Sodas, Orange Juice, and Sweet Tea throughout the day, you’re not only exposing your teeth to a constant acid bath but also a constant sugar bath, the worst combination.
 

Also…

Bacteria, like us, love carbs, which are sugars. 

We know of course that candy is not healthy for your teeth, but your carbs don't necessarily need to be sweet to cause tooth decay. Snacking, especially on chips and bread can easily stick to teeth and cause increased plaque formation which is a bacteria party. 

So its important to keep that in mind when you’re sitting in your office or at home in the afternoon thinking about sipping on your fifth cup of coffee or your third helping of Chex mix, to think about which type of “bath” your teeth are taking and what kind of “party” the bacteria are having.  

But remember, life is about balance, so treat yourself everyone once in awhile...

...and brush twice daily.
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...and floss.

Are you looking for a dentist that would rather help you avoid cavities than fix all of your teeth? If you are in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area and are looking for a dental home for your whole family...maybe we are the office for you...we would love to meet you!


Click here to contact Dr. McAdams

Helpful links on the acidity of beverages and food tips from the American Dental Association:

http://res.cloudinary.com/dorhu9mrb/image/upload/v1453397570/Soft_Drinks_Orthodontic_Treatment_A_Recipe_for_Disaster.pdf

https://www.dentistrytoday.com/sugar-free-drinks-are-bad-for-teeth-too/

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips
2 Comments

Dentistry 101 with Dr. Gibbons

3/15/2019

2 Comments

 
In todays blog, Dr. Gibbons will review the simple truth of how to keep your smile healthy.  Pay attention, take notes and you will get an A in Dentistry 101:
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Dentistry has changed dramatically over the past few decades.  We have bonding and implants and digital x-rays now.  We have new techniques that are easier, faster and better. 

There are some things that haven't changed - tooth decay and gum disease.  Let me tell you some basic facts about your teeth:


1.  Nature usually provides us with strong healthy teeth.  They can last a lifetime!
2.  Bacteria grow on teeth.  Unless the bacteria are removed every day, they grow and develop into plaque.
3.  The bacteria eat what we eat.  When we feed them sugar, they produce acid.  Sugar is their favorite food!
4.  If the bacteria and acid remain on our teeth, they eat holes in our teeth.  These holes are cavities.
5.  Bacteria also produce many poisonous substances that cause our gums to become inflamed.
6.  The inflammatory substances are partly responsible for gum disease (pyorrhea or periodontitis).
7.  If you remove the bacteria from your teeth EVERY DAY, you will avoid cavities and gum disease. 

These are very simple ideas, but they are true.  The cleaner your teeth are, the healthier they will be.  Most tooth decay and most gum disease can be avoided by keeping your teeth exquisitely clean and avoiding sugar in your diet. 

Dental hygienists remove the bacterial deposits from your teeth.  They scale and polish away the calcified plaque.  This removes some of the causes of gum disease.  Most people need their teeth cleaned every 6 months.  Some people are prone to gum problems and more frequent cleaning. 

So there it is.  Keep your teeth exquisitely clean every day and you will avoid most of the problems with tooth decay and gum disease!

Are you looking for a dentist that would rather help you avoid cavities than fix all of your teeth? If you are in the Phoenix / Scottsdale area and are looking for a dental home for your whole family...maybe we are the office for you...we would love to meet you!

Click here to contact Dr. Gibbons or Dr. McAdams 

For more on preventing cavities and gum disease read what the ADA has to say:

www.mouthhealthy.org/en/dental-care-concerns/how-do-we-prevent-cavities

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/cavities/​

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/gum-disease/​
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11111 N. Scottsdale Road #220
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Call us at:  480-991-4727
Or:  480-368-0060
Email us:  [email protected]