Cancer Fundraising

North Country Dental and myself have been very involved in the fight against cancer. NCD donated time, money and spread the awareness of cancer, cancer prevention and community involvement. Through our work we create and strengthen friendships, help others understand about the American Cancer Society, and bring hope to all that cures for cancer exist and more is being done everyday. Here are photos from our fundraisers for the Relay for Life and a local lymphoma walk.

supporting the arts in Conway NH

North Country Dental is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Black Mountain Arts and Music Festival. We helped bring musicians and artists from the New England area to come for a day and share with the community. There were several bands that played all day on two stages at the base of Black mountain. There were booths of local crafters and artists displaying and selling their creations. “North Country Dental is a proud participant of events like these. It is important to be an active and supportive member of the community.” says Dr. Schoenbeck. North Country Dental is an office that cares about their patients oral health and the health of the community.

The Festival had music groups from Connecticut to Maine. The level of talent was amazing. I am sure that some of these groups will be playing bigger venues soon. My favorite band that day was a group called “barefoot truth”. I bought their CD and love it.

We had a booth at the festival. We sold hand knit items that Allison and her mom Karen had made. We also sold handmade jewelry and quilting items that my wife and daughters made. I am a photographer and tried to sell some of my photos. People were more interested in our office and what we can do dentally. That was great! We made new friends and several people are now patients. We talked about all the dental services we provide and ways to finance them. We gave out literature on headache treatments, gum disease prevention, fluoride use, and much more. We look forward to next years event.

Dr. Paul Schoenbeck's Presentation at the Navy

I was invited to “join the Navy” for the weekend of December 12th by Capt. David Hartzell, National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and Naval Post-Graduate Dental School faculty member. Capt. Hartzell asked me to come to the school at Bethesda, MD to give a lecture and live demonstrations on CEREC (CEramic REConstruction).

Applying custom color to CEREC crown

I was the featured speaker for the Navy’s week-long Continuing Education Program. The course was a four- hour lecture and two hour lab class on the design of CEREC restorations. CEREC is a computerized, single-visit, porcelain tooth restoration system. I’ve made an effort over the years to advance modern dentistry and make high-tech dentistry available to local communities in the North Country through the use of CEREC at North Country Dental.  NCD has the rare distinction of being the only practice in Northern New Hampshire to have two CEREC machines. As a result, I’ve been able to make more people aware of this great technology.

Interest in the CEREC lecture was so great, the venue had to be moved from its original classroom setting at the dental school to Clark Auditorium, which accommodates a lot more people. Over seventy people came to hear my lecture. The original class was scheduled for only twenty.  From what I understand, being the featured speaker at the Naval Post-Graduate Dental School is a big deal. The audience was all military and some retired military dentists.

Capt. Hartzell presents Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Schoenbeck at Clark Auditorium

The National Naval Medical Center is one of the nation’s largest and most renowned military medical centers. The Naval Post-Graduate Dental School was started in 1923 as the Dental Department of the United States Naval Medical School, Washington, DC. It’s a component facility of the National Naval Dental Center and a part of the NNMC.

I also had the honor that weekend to be the mentor for the Naval Dental Study Club. The Club has existed since 1963 and meets one Saturday each month. The Study Club gives school the opportunity to share resources and information with their civilian counterparts.  They have retired plus four or five active civilian dentists who come to the Study Club because they have an interest in what the Club has to offer.

Back in April of 2009, I “served” with Capt. Hartzell aboard the USNS Comfort, as part of the largest humanitarian effort in the world. I was asked to train Navy dentists in the art and technique of CEREC,  and provided free dental care with otherContinuing Promise 2009 medical professionals to the residents of the Dominican Republic. It was an amazing experience. The Comfort, one of the two largest hospital ships in the world, was on a four-month humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Latin America and the Caribbean in support of Continuing Promise 2009.

Reviewing CEREC design and technique with naval colleagues

Dr. Paul Schoenbeck’s Presentation at the Navy

I was invited to “join the Navy” for the weekend of December 12th by Capt. David Hartzell, National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and Naval Post-Graduate Dental School faculty member. Capt. Hartzell asked me to come to the school at Bethesda, MD to give a lecture and live demonstrations on CEREC (CEramic REConstruction).

Applying custom color to CEREC crown

I was the featured speaker for the Navy’s week-long Continuing Education Program. The course was a four- hour lecture and two hour lab class on the design of CEREC restorations. CEREC is a computerized, single-visit, porcelain tooth restoration system. I’ve made an effort over the years to advance modern dentistry and make high-tech dentistry available to local communities in the North Country through the use of CEREC at North Country Dental.  NCD has the rare distinction of being the only practice in Northern New Hampshire to have two CEREC machines. As a result, I’ve been able to make more people aware of this great technology.

Interest in the CEREC lecture was so great, the venue had to be moved from its original classroom setting at the dental school to Clark Auditorium, which accommodates a lot more people. Over seventy people came to hear my lecture. The original class was scheduled for only twenty.  From what I understand, being the featured speaker at the Naval Post-Graduate Dental School is a big deal. The audience was all military and some retired military dentists.

Capt. Hartzell presents Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Schoenbeck at Clark Auditorium

The National Naval Medical Center is one of the nation’s largest and most renowned military medical centers. The Naval Post-Graduate Dental School was started in 1923 as the Dental Department of the United States Naval Medical School, Washington, DC. It’s a component facility of the National Naval Dental Center and a part of the NNMC.

I also had the honor that weekend to be the mentor for the Naval Dental Study Club. The Club has existed since 1963 and meets one Saturday each month. The Study Club gives school the opportunity to share resources and information with their civilian counterparts.  They have retired plus four or five active civilian dentists who come to the Study Club because they have an interest in what the Club has to offer.

Back in April of 2009, I “served” with Capt. Hartzell aboard the USNS Comfort, as part of the largest humanitarian effort in the world. I was asked to train Navy dentists in the art and technique of CEREC,  and provided free dental care with otherContinuing Promise 2009 medical professionals to the residents of the Dominican Republic. It was an amazing experience. The Comfort, one of the two largest hospital ships in the world, was on a four-month humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Latin America and the Caribbean in support of Continuing Promise 2009.

Reviewing CEREC design and technique with naval colleagues

Dr.Schoenbeck teaches Tufts Dental Esthetic program

On Friday February 12, 2010 Dr. Schoenbeck presented a day long course on the CEREC technology to the Tufts Dental Postgraduate Esthetic students. These students are dentists who are furthering their training in the field of Esthetic dentistry. Dr. Schoenbeck was invited to present his knowledge, expertise and experiences with the CEREC technology to the Tufts class. He was invited by the director of the esthetic program, Dr. Sam Khayat.  

Dr. Schoenbeck provides guidance to the students as they design restorations on the CEREC units. The course was given in the new expansion of the Dental School on the 12th floor.

The morning session was a lecture on the history and development of the Cerec system. Then an instructional portion on the specific steps in making dental restorations with the system was given.  After the lecture, the students were given the Cerec system and designed a crown restoration themselves.

After a lunch break, a dental patient was brought to the demonstration operatory and Dr. Schoenbeck performed an entire crown procedure with the students looking on.  The patient was the mother of a graduating dental student. Her name is Mary and she came from Wisconsin to see her son graduate from Tufts Dental. She also liked getting the Cerec crown. She enjoyed being a part of this great day of learning.    

Dr. Schoenbeck gave this proud mom something to smile about in addition to her son graduating from Tufts. She got a new Cerec crown.

Yankee Dental Meeting, Boston

This years Yankee Dental meeting in Boston was a great experience for the staff and Dr. Schoenbeck. The Yankee Dental meeting is the annual northeast meeting of the dental industry and takes place at the end of January. It is typically the fifth largest meeting in the country. Dentists attend the meeting to see what’s new in the industry and take courses for their state licensing requirements. There are thousands of dentists that attend mostly from the northeast area. Here’s Dr.Schoenbeck’s summary:

I was a volunteer to the event and helped with the classes given in the live demonstration arena. This was the first year that live patient demonstrations were given at the event. That means we had real patients receiving dental procedures with video showing on large screens.I helped with two courses, an implant course and a CEREC course.

Michael Dunn,director of marketing and Dr. Schoenbeck

I also was asked by the Sirona company to be the dentist in their exhibition area. I was there to demonstrate the CEREC technology to other dentists and investors. I have been a CEREC user and instructor for many years. The Sirona company manufactures the CEREC and other hi-tech medical and dental technologies. Find out more on their website: www.sirona.com  I was very honored to be their dentist at the meeting. Mr. Michael Dunn, the director of marketing for Sirona asked for me to come to the Yankee and be the expert CEREC dentist at the exhibit class.  I showed the system to investors, dentists and other people in the dental industry. I also answered questions and gave advice to dentists who are already CEREC users.

The last day of the course, we took the advanced INVISALIGN course. Drs. Cherian, Sreemali and myself attended a day long course on the new techniques in the use of our clear braces system, Invisalign. We will be able to move teeth better and more predictably now than before. The hygienists, assistants and Cindy (our financial coordinator) took classes as well. They really enjoyed the courses they took. They had one course in particular that was about keeping good chart notes. They said the speaker was excellent.

The yankee meeting is held at the Boston Convention Center over the bay. The exhibit hall is big enough to hold three football fields. Here is a photo of hygienist Anne Lake, and dental assistants Shelli Deblois and Charnee Buckley overlooking the exhibit hall. The Sirona area is seen in the background.

NCD staff above the exhibit hall at the Yankee dental meeting in Boston

Dr.Schoenbeck Gives CEREC Lecture at Tufts Dental School

October 14, 2009 Tufts Dental School

Dr. Schoenbeck was invited to speak at the prestigious  Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Boston MA. He gave an all day course to Dentists from the New England area on the use of the hi-tech CEREC system. The speaking engagement is part of the dental school’s continuing education program for dentists. The program provides courses to dentists so that they can keep up their educational requirements. All dentists need to continue their education at courses and meetings to keep their dental licenses active. Dentists often acquire their educational credits at large meetings or through programs like Tufts.

Dr. Schoenbeck has been a lecturer and author for many years. He has given lectures and provided clinical instruction in the U.S.A. as well as internationally in the Dominican Republic (see this blog entry). He is a consultant for dental companies and a trainer for Sirona (the company that makes the CEREC system).

Dr. Schoenbeck provides courses in CEREC technology, practice development, team building and various courses involving special techniques used in dentistry. The CEREC technology is a growing use of computers to make dental restorations like crowns. it makes porcelain restorations that are very accurate and made quicker than anything else available to dentists. These crowns are made in minutes and are very esthetic. more information can be seen at our website  : www.northcountrydental.com

Tufts Dental School in downtown Boston MA

 Especially rewarding at this presentation was the fact that Dr. Schoenbeck’s professor from his days as a student was attending his course. Dr. Nancy Arbree is one of the Directors of dental education at Tufts and she is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. She has been, among many duties, the Director of Restorative Dentistry. She was his instructor in implants, bridges and crowns. Dr. Arbree attended the course to get the up to date information on the CEREC technology and how to best implement it into the dental practice. Dr. Schoenbeck was honored to have her attend and pleased to know that she enjoyed the course very much.

Dr. Paul and NCD sponsor St.Kierans Center for the Arts

Supporting the Arts in the North Country of New Hampshire

One of the most important aspects of society and culture is the development and progress of the arts. In large cities and metropolitan areas, there is a sufficient population pool to support the arts and music with generous funding and attendance. However, in rural areas the population comparatively smaller but interest and appreciation for the arts still exists. In the north country of New Hampshire there is an abundance of very educated and talented artists and performers. Some of these have achieved critical acclaim and recognition in their respective circles as well as regionally and nationally. It is necessary and important to support the arts and music as a community. Generally speaking, rural areas lack generous funding and support from the large corporations networks that are prevelant in big cities. This proves a difficult task in developing and maintaining arts centers to foster and promote appreciation for the arts. It remains to local business’ and organizations to help provide programs to the public in support of the arts.

The city of Berlin, NH has been able to develop and maintain a great arts and music center. It is housed in a former church. It has retained the name of the church, St. Kieran’s and has provided many great events and programs over the years. Its website is : www.stkieranarts.org  and has a well thought out program which is under the constant attention of its director, Joan Chamberlain. This month and through December, North Country Dental is sponsoring the program, “Celebrating the Seasons”. This is a collection of artists showing the appreciation of the New England area and its wonderfully changing seasons. Art is presented in various media formats from photography to painting to a special papermaking process. Please take the time to visit the exhibit and find some wonderful artistic interpretations of the north country. the following link is to the page for the event itself.  http://www.stkieranarts.org/art.html

I was asked to participate in the show with a small sample of my photographs. Photography has always been a pastime of mine. I enjoy the challenge of macrophotography in nature, the capture of human spirit in candid people photos, and the grandeur of landscapes. As the photo editor of my college newspaper for three years I relished in the benefit of having my own dark room and endless supply of black and white film. Now, I work with digital cameras and process my photos with the software program Photoshop. It has been an exciting evolution of photography.

 The photos I have on display at St. Kieran’s are those of “Triumphant Tree” a strong snow covered tree growing from a rock atop Wildcat mountain; “Dream House” a caretaker’s house at the end of a grass path on Maine’s nature preserve at Richmond Island (near Portland). and the “Rainbow Monarch” a colorfully enhanced butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. And lastly, “Birdhouse Lilly’s” a birhouse perched among colorful large Lilly’s showing the excitement of spring and new life.

 

pictured here is myself with my photos at the opening of the “Celebrating the Seasons” on October 8th.

Reflections of the Dominican Republic trip

Now that I’ve been back at home and working in my regular environment, I have thought about my trip and shared my thoughts with some of my patients. So, here are some “Thoughts from the Chair” on my humanitarian effort:

The Experience:

Definitely this was one the best experiences of my life. Now, I have done many things and have travelled the world quite a bit and this one ranks right up there on the life scale. This was so rewarding on many levels. One of my patients said today, what I thought as I left  the ship and waited for my plane back to the states. It was this: To be able to have a profession that I can take anywhere with me and give that to others, really is an amazing sense of satisfaction. And to be able to help others that are in need that otherwise would have never been helped was a realization that is difficult to describe. I never dreamed of anything like this back in the schooling days. I really felt blessed to do what I do. I learned so much about the connection that we all have as humans on a planet. We really have no borders,  no language barriers, no class lines when we give and receive care that positively affects the lives and quality of life for others. The patients that I treated and interacted with were all so appreciative and happy to have us take care of them. 

In addition to that, I saw that all of us civilians and military people were connected by our desire to help these people.It was a ship of over 1,500 people that worked tirelessly and with conviction to make a difference in the world.  Our days started at 4:30 am and went as long as 9 pm. People were tired but never crabby or irascible. The interaction of the branches of military was impressive. Air Force, Navy, Army , Marines all came together, did their jobs -overlapping with each other- and did it well. They were impressive. The logistics of moving people on and off the ship everyday was a feat in itself. One day, the seas were too rough to bring people back on the tender boats. The commodore gave the order to Helo (helicopter) everyone back from the island. So, in two and a half hours, the Navy flew some two hundred people back aboard. It was an efficient and ordered process that was something most civilians never witness from our military. Working with them side by side for those ten days has made me very proud and respectful of our military.

The People:

The Dominican people live on an island that they share with an even more poor nation- Haiti. The stories and photos that my colleagues showed me of the Haiti mission was stirring. The disparity of classes in the Dominican itself was also stirring. One day,I was treating the poorest Dominicans who lived in a world that I have never witnessed and the next I was lecturing Dominican professionals such as myself separated only by our language. Seeing that degree of difference in classes from such a small area made me wonder. How and why?And the answer is, that there is no answer. It is merely the existence of mankind, as it has been since we’ve written our history and before.

The patients whom I treated were all very happy with being able to be treated by an American dentist. Many people in their 30’s and 40’s had never seen a dentist. So many people of all ages walk around with multiple abscesses in their mouth. The constant dull pain is an everyday endurance that is tolerated as some degree of normalcy. There were fathers and mothers bringing their children with hope and gratitude in their eyes. The kind that only a parent can know when they finally have found help for their children, knowing that their child will be relieved of their pain. Perhaps in treating the child, I have also relieved the pain and worry of their parents. 

In America, people walk in to the office with anxiety and some carry a loathing for my profession. They carry the double edged sword of needing treatment while not liking it. In my Dominican experience, people walked into the treatment area with a sense of relief that they were going to leave in better shape. And a gratitude knowing that their doctors made a journey from far away to help people they had never seen and may never see again. They know that the American doctors are the best in the world and feel fortunate to have their care. It was a very different experience for me. Not that all my patients dislike me- everyone likes me but not everyone likes what I do.

In the pictures below, this is a young man of 16 years. He chipped his two front teeth in an acccident soon after they came in at about 7 years old. So he’s had no choice but to live with his two front teeth in that condition. The teasing and ridicule he had endured over the years has affected his confidence and sense of self. When I look at his eyes in the before picture, I see a worried, shy, introverted look. After I showed him his new smile in the mirror, he had an instant transformation. He had a sense of calm and confidence. He knew he could smile without worry. Being able to help this young man change his outlook on life and see some confidence return was more rewarding than anything.  I may never see him again, but in know that I made a difference in a life.

chipped front teeth

Washing Cars for Hockey

Emma Schoenbeck and Carly Perrault washing cars

On Saturday June 13th, 2009 we were at the Irving Gas station washing cars for the Berlin Girls Hockey fund raiser. That’s my daughter Emma washing a Jeep with an incredible defenseman Carly Perrault. Emma plays defense and a little offense on the wing. It was a great hockey season. The girls team won the championship of NH’s biggest girls tournament at Kimball Union Academy this last season. The event was a family and team effort. Parents and siblings of the hockey players all pitched in to wash cars and stand on the sidewalk to get the cars in. The most amusing thing was most of the cars that drove by were filthy and those that got cleaned weren’t that dirty!