Short Workouts--Long-Term Results?

What's the hype with these new, short-duration, high-intensity workouts? You may have seen infomercials that claim to get one-hour results in half the time. You may be wondering how that may be possible. You may also be wondering what does working out have to do with the dentist? Part of our mission at Roselle Park Dental is “to improve both the dental and total health and wellness of our patients.”  Studies continue to prove the oral health/total body connection-- that's why I feel it's necessary to educate our patients on improving their total health.

By now, we are all familiar with the health benefits of exercising, but choosing a workout program can be quite daunting. I like to be efficient in everything I do, so I love the idea of shorter, more intense cardiovascular workouts.

How do these speedy efficient workouts work?  They are based on a concept called VO2.  In layman’s terms, VO2 is your body’s ability to accept oxygen.  The quicker you increase your muscle’s oxygen capability, the quicker you will get the results. The concept is based on increasing your heart rate to approximately 90% of its peak capacity and then slowing it back down to just above a resting heart rate. For example, a sprinter will train using this method whereas a marathon runner will run for hours at a slower, more consistent heart rate. A sprinter's workout may consist of sprinting for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then resting for 30 seconds to one minute. As the sprinter gets in better shape, he/she will increase the duration of the sprint and decrease the resting time.



These short workouts, also known as interval training, maximize the high intensity periods and shorten the resting period. Interval training will increase your endurance, lean muscle mass and overall cardiovascular health.

As always, please consult your doctor before starting any workout program and be sure to stop if you don't feel well while working out. Good luck in your quest for total health and wellness!

What's It Like Being The Owner of a Typical Dental Practice?

The average dentist will graduate dental school without knowing how to run a dental practice, he will need additional hands-on experience and have about $200,000 worth of debt. Gone are the days where one could open up a practice, place a sign on the window, and have a successful practice. Inflation, insurance companies, and the cost of dental supplies make it hard for an owner to keep his/her head above water. As much as we try to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead, diving in head first is the only way to truly understand what it means to own a dental practice.

A dental practice will have an overhead break-even cost of 65-95%. This means that for every $.65-$.95 of money collected, the owner will profit $.35-$.05. The young, entrepreneurial dentist most likely will be profiting closer to the $.05 for every $1.00 collected because he must repay the bank, pay the rent, pay the staff, pay for supplies, pay the IRS, etc. It's no wonder why most dentists don't even take a vacation throughout the year.

Please don't take this blog entry as a "woe is me" complaint. I try to be as open and honest with my staff and with my patients regarding what's it like to own a small business. I understand dental treatment can be expensive, but please don't think all the money we collect goes straight into my pocket. As I mentioned above, the costs associated with running a dental office can be staggering.

At Roselle Park Dental, we do our best to create a win-win situation for our patients and the staff. We have established a culture in the office that allows us to offer our patients the best care possible by incorporating the latest technologies, while ensuring that our employees maximize their potential to reach their individual goals.

I will leave you with a great quote from Colin Powell: "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Better Late Than Never...Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe that 2014 is already underway. With a new year comes new resolutions and dreams. My patients tell me that their resolutions include giving up chocolate, quitting smoking, being more positive, and of course, losing weight. 

According to a recent observation by one of my beloved long-time patients, I can afford to drop a few pounds for the new year. However, my resolution is not to lose weight, but to continue to strive for “our vision of being recognized as a dental practice that offers our patients top-notch, efficient customer service and dental treatment that is of the highest integrity and standard of care.”  The truth is, I don’t want to own a practice that offers our patients a band-aid fix to problems. We believe in comprehensive, preventative dental treatment that will last- not patch-work that doesn't address underlying issues. 

I'm looking forward to a great year with my staff, patients, and family. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2014!