Looks can be deceiving

I've just come back from a week skiing. This year we were somewhere a bit different, not one of the mega-resorts in the Alps but a small French resort in the Massif Central (west of Lyon). There were very few options for lunch and drinks, the first few days we opted for a small, new-looking chalet near the main lift stations. Good value compared to the Alps, and the food was good. But, disappointingly one day we waited ages to order, the drinks did not arrive, the food was slow, and the Plat du Jour that finally did arrive was very different to what we had ordered!

On the last day we lunched at a self-service cafe that looked a bit grubby, and had previously been rejected as an place for lunch. What a shame, as the service was good, the food very tasty, and the proprieter even joked with us (in French).

I do wish the French would insist on higher toilet standards though, a wooden hut at the top of the mountain with a door that doesn't shut (looking out onto the piste!) is not really my idea of great facilities!

Moo

These arrived in the post this morning in a cute little box. Mini-cards from Moo.com. Very easy to make and order, especially when I remember how long it took to make my original business cards (ages and ages!).

I decided to update my business cards and make use of the new staff photos. I'm rather pleased with them and I'm going to order some more with different images on.

First Impressions Count

The recently published Oral-B Smile Report shows just how much a person's smile can affect your first impressions.

Two groups of people were shown the same picture of a woman apart from one had clean teeth and one had stained teeth. They were asked the same questions and the results are certainly eye-opening.

The report reveals that bad teeth can age you by 13 years and 82% will think you earn more if you have healthy teeth. Men also rated a "gorgeous smile" over a "great figure", but 40% of men thought the woman with bad teeth must be single!

Although you may not realise it, people make judgements about you based on your appearance, and this report shows how much the teeth and smile can affect those judgements. Don't let your smile let you down, go and visit your dentist or orthodontist and change it!

I couldn't resist

I couldn't resist the opportunity for a shameless plug to the practice! There's some brilliant versions of this poster, make your own at http://bit.ly/7b4vAk or have a look at some that have already been done http://mydavidcameron.com/

The End of the Recession

I'm sure we'll all be pleased to hear the news that the recession is officially ended.

My knowledge of economics is pretty limited and once past the basic news I get a bit perplexed and tend to switch off! I do know that with all the doom and gloom in the media at this time last year my diary was noticeably quieter than usual for January. Chatting to colleagues and patients in other lines of work a lot of people noticed the same, less work around for the first part of 2009.

Generally this seems to have improved a lot in the later parts of 2009, Wetherby Orthodontics included.

I do wonder just how much of the recession was "created", the media saying how awful it was going to be and people holding back on spending "just in case". That's not to take away from people who have lost jobs, homes or businesses, as I'm sure for some people it's been awful, and I do have friends who have lost their jobs.

Hopefully the same will be true, now the media say everything is fine then spending will return and businesses will start to prosper again. I visited the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds on Saturday, very little sign of recession there, lots of people and lots of spending going on!

Have a happy and prosperous 2010 everyone.

New photos coming soon...

Last night the photographer came to the practice to update our staff photos. Those of you who've been to see me recently know that my hairstyle is rather different than the one on the website and that the nursing staff have changed. So new photos of me with Carly and Faz, and of me on my own. Hope they'll be available soon and we can update the website.

I can't guarantee I won't change my hairstyle though...

Smile Awards 2010

We're on the shortlist!

I entered two catergories and have been shortlisted in both which is brilliant. The Orthodontic Smile with a case treated using twinblocks and fixed braces (if you don't know what these are there are explanations on our main website) which meant that extractions were avoided. The Interdisciplinary Smile was jointly entered with Jack Cooke, with a case we have treated together, using braces to improve tooth position and then veneers to really finish off and complete the case. Its a case we're both really proud of and I'm so glad its been shortlisted.

Once I've informed the patients I'll post some photos.

So, a trip to the Big Smoke beckons for the awards ceremony at the end of March. This will be the fourth I've attended, I'm hoping its my time for a win soon.