When push comes to shove, it always surprises me who "takes one for the team."

Unlike most of my vague articles, I am going to write specifically about one Augusta business owner - a client of mine - who, true to his character, took one for the team.      

On Friday, February 12, my husband and I attended a ceremony, a renewal of vows for our dear friends Steven and Mary (Mitsch) Runyan.  

In the midst of the renewal ceremony chaos, Steven and Mary's daughter got sick.   I expected a cancellation of that night's events but the couple was committed to publically renewing their vows on their 5^th anniversary.

So, we waited in a Wichita church for Dr. Paul Mitsch to walk daughter, Mary, down the aisle.  However, when it was time for him to enter with his daughter, he wasn't there.

We began to whisper amongst ourselves, "Where's Paul?"  "He must be at the hospital!"  "That'd be so like him."

And those speculations were right.

He was where he thought he should be.at the hospital with his granddaughter.  That's the kind of guy he is.  He is always willing to take one for the team.  He's willing to miss his daughter's wedding so that his daughter feels better about her own daughter.

So, when he had this opportunity to finally walk his daughter down the aisle, five years after she eloped, he chose to do what he felt was best and stay with his granddaughter who was ill and in pediatric intensive care.

After six or so years of being his publicist, I have heard all sorts of things about the man.  "He's a genius."  "He's out of his mind."  "He's the best dentist ever."  But, again, when push comes to shove, I know he's where he should be.with his family, supporting his family.  And that love and commitment extends to his work "family."

When push comes to shove, he's always there.  If you're a family member.  If you're an employee. If you're a patient.  He's always there.

There are very few people I can list who are where they need to be when push comes to shove.  Very few people are willing to take one for the team.  But that's Dr. Mitsch.  A wonderful boss.  An incredible dentist.  An even more incredible husband, father and grandfather.

So, back to business.why should I trust Dr. Mitsch with my teeth?  The question should be..why shouldn't I?!?  In a nutshell, he's a brilliant dentist who is devoted to his faith, his family, his friends and his profession.  And there's no one I would trust more with my teeth and my daughters' teeth. And there's no one I would trust more to "take one for the team" when necessary.

The following article was written by Kent Bush, publisher of the Augusta Gazette, www.augustagazette.com.

Why should you see a dentist every six months?

According to an article in Smart Money magazine, the practice originated thanks to a comic book.

"In a comic book written more than 150 years ago - English satirist George Cruikshank's The Toothache - and the biannual checkup has been gospel ever since," the article said.

But the fact that this practice has become gospel has more to do with the effectiveness of biannual cleanings and check-ups than a punch line in a 150-year-old comic book.

"I recently saw a patient who had spent a time away from the dentist," said Dr. Rob Colt of Augusta Family Dentistry. "She did this simply out of being busy not out of fear of the dentist or pain.  She wasn't avoiding the dentist, she just was too busy to go."

The woman, who had been occupied with her pregnancy and her new baby, didn't understand that by not choosing to put her health as a high priority the consequences are significant - in this case, it will cost her a tooth.

"Had she been here for maintenance at the six month intervals, we would have noticed the decay under the crown and it could have been patched, repaired or the crown could have been re-cemented for a cost of a hundred dollars," Dr. Colt said.

Instead, the work will cost thousands of dollars in order to repair the damage, pull the tooth, and prevent bite collapse, jaw joint instability and pain, tooth movement or shifting.

The practice of biannual visits may have started in a comic book, but the results are deadly serious.

"It is why I get my oil changed every three months even though I don't drive nearly 3,000 miles in that time," Colt said. "It is why I check my tire pressure before my tires wear unevenly on the outside by being underinflated."

Colt reminded people of a quote from Miguel de Cervantes said in the year 1605 in his book Don Quixote, "Every tooth in a (man's) head is more valuable than a diamond."

The following article was written by Kent Bush, publisher of the Augusta Gazette.

If everyone did everything they knew they should, the world would be a far better place.

We all know that it is in our best interest to see a dentist twice a year, but not everyone does it.

One of the main reasons given for skipping dentist visits is pain - more specifically the fear of pain - related to dentistry.

Dr. Rob Colt of Augusta Family Dentistry said most of the anxiety related to dentistry comes from one bad experience or tales of bad experiences from others. But he hopes patients realize that even if it has only been a few years, dentistry has changed for the better.

"I won't say it's painless," Dr. Colt said. "But most procedures are very tolerable for almost anyone now."

He said the X-rays and impressions are much quicker and easier, than before and anesthetics are more powerful and effective.
"We even use anesthetic swabs before we give shots," Colt said. "Technology has advanced and we take every precaution to make the experience enjoyable."

Dr. Colt said one of the main tools in helping make sure a patient has a pain free visit is communication. Patients need to know what to expect from procedures. This helps limit the anxiety from even the most invasive procedure.

But Dr. Paul Mitsch, who has owned the practice in downtown Augusta for more than three decades, said he believes people are anxious about visits because they don't understand what is wrong.

"We can't be accountable for what is wrong," Dr. Mitsch said. "We are accountable for solving the problem. Once people understand what is wrong, they'll do whatever it takes to fix the problem."

Colt said some procedures - and even some patients - require special precautions.

"It is true that some people have a very high level of anxiety," Colt said. "We can help them too."

He said some patients receive nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to calm their nerves. There might be an additional fee that some insurance companies don't cover with this service.

"But a few dollars is worth a good experience," Colt said. "Usually if a patient has a few positive experiences, they will overcome their anxiety."

In other cases a mild sedative may be administered and in the most severe cases, they can use IV sedation (sleep dentistry) and take care of the necessary work while the patient sleeps.

Both dentists agreed that regular trips to the dentist to make sure that problems are solved while they are still small, rather than waiting until major work is required is important.

What does a dentist do for fun?  Well, while Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt have extended office hours to meet your scheduling needs and rest and relaxation is a rare thing, they do find time to stay healthy and enjoy life.  Just this weekend after work, Dr. Colt caught a 16" catfish with his kids.  Both Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt believe that it is important to keep not only their teeth healthy but take care of their overall health.  Both work out at the YMCA in Andover, many times together before or after work.  In fact, Dr. Mitsch just reached the 100 mile swimming mark at the Y.  Congrats to Dr. Mitsch on his swimming accomplishment!  And congratuations to Dr. Colt on the catch of the weekend! Just like our guys, we want you and yours to stay healthy for life.  If you ever have any questions regarding your oral or overall health, please do hesitate to ask.

In the past month, I've had numerous patients from all over the state tell me how incredible Augusta is . . . that they never knew how much we have in our community.  They "discovered" Augusta and what it has to offer either their first time to Augusta as a new patient or upon our urging to take a look around after their appointment.  After talking with these pleased patients, I then realized how much pride I have in our community and how much esteem we produce in Augusta when we share that with others.

Not a day goes by when I don't have a chance to talk to somebody outside of Augusta about all the cool things we have here.  I was telling a patient just the other day about our theatre.  "On your way out, you gotta stop and look at it."  I told them the history of our theatre, about the downtown renovations and I have spoken with many from Andover about the newspaper as it is now their official paper.  I have expressed how historical it is as a "new" old paper, its history in our community and its value to our community.

I will leave you with this.  If you have yet to visit Augusta, Kansas, please do.  You will truly be amazed at what you will find.  And then, tell others so that this thriving community can continue to do so.

I sometimes snore.  My husband snores.  My daughter used to snore.  My parents snore.  Almost everyone I know snores.  So, it's normal, right?  Wrong!  It is not normal.

That's what I thought before working with Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt and a variety of other dentists to whom Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt introduced me.

Snoring isn't normal.  In fact, if not treated, it could actually kill you.  Okay, I know that sounds dramatic.  And when I tell my loved ones, they say, "I snore because . . ." There's no "because."  Snoring is not normal and the long-term effects are serious.

Snoring is the number one indicator of an obstruction.   If you are snoring, you are not sleeping well.  And that is when things get dangerous.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder.  It  is typically caused by an obstruction such as large tonsils or adenoids.  When you are sleeping on your back, it's worse.  Ever elbowed your spouse when he was snoring?  He then rolled onto his side and stopped snoring.  Gravity makes OSA worse when you're on your back because the obstructive tissues then block the airway. 

What health risks are created by OSA?  Heart disease including heart attacks and heart failure.  Stroke.  Diabetes.  Obesity.  And if you are sleep deprived, you probably shouldn't be driving.  Driving with sleep deprivation is as bad as driving drunk.  You could kill yourself or someone else as you doze off on that 20 minute ride home.  Or wreck because of  impaired judgment and delayed reaction time.  The list goes on and on. 

Why does OSA cause health problems?  A friend of mine just had a sleep study done to determine if she has OSA.  In seven hours, she only slept four (although she would swear she sleeps for seven hours).  That means that within seven hours, her snoring woke her body up - to catch its breathe - a total of three hours in small intrevals.  And what's worse . . . in the four hours that she slept, the snoring kept her from reaching a deep sleep.  That means that even though she's in bed for seven to eight hours a night thinking  that she's sleeping, she isn't.  That explains everything . . . the fact that she falls asleep mid-sentence, while she's driving, while she's watching TV.  She is severely deprived of sleep.  And sleep deprivation will harm your body is an endless number of ways.

What's worse is that the causes and effects of OSA are intermingled.  Take obesity, for example.  If you are overweight, you are more likely to suffer from OSA (although healthy, non-obese people have OSA too).  You think  you get a good night's sleep but you don't.  The next day, you are exhausted and are inactive.  You can't even muster the energy to go move the clothes from the washer to the dryer.  How is a person that tired supposed to go work out to work off extra pounds?  So, it's a ripple effect.  It's a vicious cycle.  Obesity causes OSA.  OSA causes obesity.  And obesity often causes Type 2 Diabetes . . . a disease no one wants.

When telling others that Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt can help with OSA, I am often sarcastically asked, "are they dentists or are they sleep doctors?!"

Well, if it weren't for Dr. Colt's advice regarding my three-year-old's snoring, I wouldn't have taken her to an ENT in      Wichita.  It was her adenoids . . . big, air-passageway-blockin' adenoids.  After a simple procedure (adenoidectomy), not only does she not snore but she has more energy and sleeps through the night most nights.  In addition, her quiet voice has gotten louder and more pronounced.  Once I witnessed firsthand the results of her successful adenoidectomy, I no longer questioned the importance of sleep, the severity of anything obstructing one's breathing during sleep and why dentists should be a part of such diagnosis and treatment.

As Dr. Colt explained regarding my daughter, her obstruction is even worse if she is sick.  It's like your child is breathing through a coffee-stirring straw.  Almost impossible to get any air.  But the body finds a way because it requires the same amount of oxygen during sleep.  Therefore, the body has to work harder and it leaves the person feeling exhausted and not refreshed, even after eight hours of "sleep."

More importantly, all too many times, a child is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.  However, it is actually sleep apnea/sleep deprivation. (It could even be the quality of bed on which the child sleeps.) The child is not getting enough sleep . . . good sleep.  He or she cannot perform at school.  He or she is distracted.  He or she is irritated.  Wouldn't you be if you weren't getting enough sleep?!  Instead of being diagnosed with OSA, too many children are being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and are placed on medication to solve the problem.  However, the amount and quality of sleep are being overlooked.  And our daughter was abnormally tired.  She had a hard time focusing without getting sleepy.  If she were older, she would have most likely been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.  Dr. Colt explained that her actions are not typical of a three-year-old and that something else must be going on.  He was right.  And her adenoidectomy has made all the difference.

And if it weren't for Dr. Mitsch and his advice, a close friend could have died during a standard surgical procedure due to the severity of her sleep apnea.

Back to snoring. If you snore, you most likely have some obstruction.  It could be soft tissue blocking your airway.  That could include tonsils, adenoids, etc.  And that, my friends, is why a dentist is a good person to consult.  If it's related to your mouth, your dentist will see it.  After all, you most likely see them every six months.  And for many, that's more often than they see their primary care physician.   If it's your throat, you will most likely be sent to an ENT.  Another reason there's a snoring/sleep apnea connection with your dentist . . . if it is obstructive sleep apnea, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is the standard treatment.  However, many patients are CPAP-intolerant for many reasons.   That is when a dentist's help may be needed.  Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt are both able to design an oral sleep appliance that helps eliminate the obstruction by way of your mouth/jaw positioning.  These appliances can be used in addition to a CPAP if the CPAP is restricting your jaw position.  Being in the correct oral position can not only help eliminate obstruction but also keep your jaw joint healthy.

So, do you sleep?  Do you have OSA?  Does someone you love snore?  Do they have OSA?  Here's a self-check that might help you answer those questions:

 1)  Have you been told that you snore?
 2) Have you been told that you stop breathing when you sleep?
 3) Are you sleepy during the day - even if you think you slept through the night?
 4) Do you have high blood pressure?
 5) Do you sleep restlessly, always tossing and turning?
 6) Do you frequently wake up with headaches in the morning?
 7) Do you fall asleep at inappropriate times?
 8) You have had a recent change in personality?
 9) Are you overweight?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you should consult your primary care physician.  If you have obstructive sleep apnea and are CPAP-intolerant, Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt will work with your physician or sleep doctor to help with your OSA.   Both Dr. Mitsch and Dr. Colt are members of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.  They will work with your physician or sleep doctor in your treatment.

We are not trying to scare you.  We are trying to share information that may improve - or even save - your life or the life of someone you love.  Snoring is not normal.  It is a sign that something is wrong.  Please take it seriously.  Please call your physician or Augusta Family Dentistry if you believe you suffer from OSA. 

When Benjamin Franklin said "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," orthodontic dentistry was not yet available.  But as Dr. Ken Dillehay of Rogers, Duncan and Dillehay Specialist in Orthodontics, explained to the staff of Augusta Family Dentistry, the saying is relevant when it comes to orthodontics. 

Dr. Dillehay visited Augusta Family Dentistry on Friday, May 8, 2009.  The purpose of his discussion was to illustrate the importance of early treatment of youth to prevent further damage by the time they are in their teenage years.

"Everyone equates orthodontics with asthetics but it is for the health of your teeth . . . the long-term health of your teeth," expressed Dr. Dillehay. 

There is a long-standing question - and controversy - in orthodontics:  when should a child begin orthodontic treatment?  The answer, according to Dr. Dillehay, is that early treatment helps prevent functional problems in the future.  Early treatment can include patients as young as six years of age.  And while some parents cannot imagine putting braces on a child so young, it can make the difference between a healthy, well-functioning mouth in the present and in the future.

"The misconception is that orthodontic treatment should not be started until all permanent teeth are in and until the patient is in his or her teens," expressed Dr. Dillehay who has specialized in orthodontics in Wichita since 1982.  "The truth is that if a child has placement issues and malocclusion (bad bite), orthodontic treatment in that child's teens is less likely to be successful if not addressed early on."

As Dr. Dillehay has seen, children who have harmful oral habits or functional problems at age six will only have worsened habits and problems by age sixteen.  According to Dr. Dillehay, orthodontic treatment can be started at any age; however, many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications.

"We have worked well with Dr. Dillehay  and know his ability for success," shared Dr. Paul Mitsch.  "My two youngest children have been treated by Dr. Dillehay as has Dr. Colt's family.  We know that early treatment works and is much more reliable than the ?wait and see' approach."

"He is very passionate about working with special cases such as patients with cleft palates and other birth defects to skeletal malocclusion," added Dr. Robert B. Colt.

Dr. Dillehay grew up on a farm in Carthage, Tennessee. He attended the University of Mississippi. After graduation was accepted into the University of Tennessee Dental School. He graduated in 1979 with a DDS degree and practiced general dentistry in Carthage.

His interest in orthodontics continued and he returned to the University of Tennessee in a post-graduate program. He received his MS degree in 1982. Upon graduation, Dr. Dillehay joined Drs. John Rogers and Terry Duncan in Wichita.

"As many believe that TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) is often caused by orthodontics, I have focused my practice on taking care of the temporomandibular joints during orthodontic care.  It's about keeping the teeth healthy, the jaw joints healthy and well-aligned and giving my patients the opportunity to have a more beautiful, healthy smile," expressed Dr. Dillehay

Dr. Robert B. Colt received his Mastership from BioResearch, Inc. during their annual conference on April 30, 2009 through May 2, 2009 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He is the youngest dentist is the world to receive this distinction.  The Biometrics Mastership Certification has only been given to 25 dentists worldwide.  It is given for achieving familiarity and understanding of the electrodiagnostic equipment and utilizing these skills to teach others.   Dr. Paul Mitsch received his Mastership in 2006.

"The significance of this demonstrates the wisdom of BioResearch's program because they  have designed their Mastership so that you have to teach others and educate others.  That is something we are focused on at Augusta Family Dentistry - it is something we feel is important for all dental professionals to do.  It not only benefits our patients but also our community and other health care professionals."