ARE YOU AT CAUSE OR AT EFFECT WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE?

Are you in control (“at cause”) of your conditions or believe that you have little or no control (“at effect”). 

Who controls us?

Do you believe that “the economy” can determine your success?

Do your friends’ opinions sway your better judgement and your needs?

Do dental “Insurance” companies control your acceptance of needed treatment?

Do you ignore your personal health needs because other people do the same?

Do you know people who continually place themselves at effect of other people and situations and feel they are victims of circumstances?  They have the idea that other people are responsible for how they feel and act : “That  person made me angry.”, or “My car is costing me money.”, or “People don’t want to spend money on dentistry today.” or “Sure I snore; doesn’t everyone?” Those who live their lives at effect often see themselves as victims with no choices whatsoever. The irony is that they do have choice and they have chosen not to choose but to be responsive to whatever is given to them.

At Cause

Putting yourself at cause is about taking responsibility – recognizing that you have the ability to respond rather than just react to whatever life throws at you. If you are at cause you can make things happen; you have the power to change things.   You always look for the opportunity and you move towards achieving your desired OUTCOMES. If things are not unfolding as you would like, you take action and explore other possibilities. Above all, you know you have choice in what you do. This is the time to do something different- stand out from the crowd – by taking an action.

At Effect

People who think they are at effect use words like “I can’t” and  “I tried.” When you say “I can’t,” the computer in your brain steps right up and supplies you with lots of reasons why you can’t, and it also blocks the creative part of your mind from figuring out how you can. Thus, the fact that you can’t comes true, further reinforcing your belief that you really can’t.  Instead of saying “I can’t”,  begin to ask “How can I?” and keep asking until your brain supplies you with the answer you want.  I once heard a “motivational speaker” say, “After you think you tried every possible method, and still haven’t succeeded, try another method.” You could have asked Thomas Edison about that.

Persistence

“If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”

~Thomas Alva Edison

“Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.”

“I tried” is another favorite of people who feel they are at effect. The entire presupposition behind “I tried” is failure. No one who succeeds ever says “I tried.” They say “I will do it.” Trying begins with the belief in failure. To try, you must make pictures in your head of failing. My suggestion is to make pictures in your head of accomplishing whatever it is you want to accomplish. When you do this, you give your brain a signal to figure out how to do it. When you “try,” you give your brain a signal to figure out a way to fail.

Get in the driver’s seat.

In the first of the Star Wars episodes, Yoda instructed Luke Sky Walker (Harrison Ford), “There is no ‘try’… There is either ‘do’ or ‘do not.” Why would someone focus on what they don’t want and see themselves as being at effect of causes over which they have no control?   Fear? Laziness?

Scientology and NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming are controversially at odds with each other on this issue but it remains that you can take control of your responses to whatever situation you find yourself in.  And you can consciously control the choices you have in any situation. Choose to be successful.

For further reading:

Psycho Cybernetics,  Maxwell Maltz, MD

Introducing NLP, O’Connor and Seymour

Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor, scientist, and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb.

WHY DO SOME SEEM TO BE AWAKENED EASILY?

Some of us are known to be “sound sleepers”  That is, we can sleep while our neighbor is blasting his highly amplified distortion of Heavy Metal non-music, or during a 5.0  earthquake or even the freight train roar of a partner’s snoring. Others of us are “light sleepers” and may be awakened by the family cat gliding from the sofa to the floor. These differences exist for children as well as for adults.  Why the difference between these two sleeping modes?

 

First. let’s take a little look at the science of sleep.

When a human falls asleep, the body and mind experience progressive levels of sleep.  A 5 stage sleep cycle repeats consistently throughout the night. One complete sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. So during an average night’s sleep (8 hours), an adult will experience about four or five cycles of sleep.
There are 4 stages of Non-REM (Non Rapid Eye Movement) and a final stage of REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement)

SLEEP STAGES

• The beginning stages of sleep prepare your body to shut down.  This includes dozing off and the ability to be easily awakened by noise or thoughts. 
• Deep sleep occurs in the later stages – when activity in the body is low and activity in the brain is very high.
• Stage 1 The Gateway to Sleep. It’s associated with a low arousal threshold and is the shortest duration of sleep- approximately 5%
• Stage 2 The conscious awareness of the external environment is gone. This is approximately 45% (10-15 minutes)
  
• Stages 3 and 4: Deep Sleep (or Delta Sleep) are the most refreshing of the sleep stages. They’re also the sleep stages during which the body releases hormones that contribute to growth and development. Brain activity is slowed, heart rate, respiration and blood pressure are lowered and it is very difficult to wake someone from this Delta sleep stage. This stage is 25%.
• Incrementally larger stimuli are needed for arousal as sleep progresses thru the 4 stages.

REM SLEEP

• REM sleep is the last stage of the sleep cycle, 20-25%, and is the stage of sleep where we have our most vivid dreams. The dreams we remember- at least for a few minutes after we wake.
  
• REM is not deep sleep like some think.
• During REM sleep, other physical changes take place — breathing is rapid, the heart beats faster, and the skeletal muscles are paralyzed.- maybe that is nature’s way of protecting us from acting out our dreams.
• REM sleep episodes lengthen across the night. As the stage 3 and 4 Short Wave Sleep (SWS) segments diminish in length, the REM segments increase.
  

 

 

Being awoken in the middle of REM sleep can cause grogginess that has the potential to last throughout the morning and even throughout the day.  This explains why sometimes we sleep for eight or nine hours and still feel like we barely got any rest at all. Waking up in the beginning stages of a sleep cycle is healthy because our bodies are not yet entirely shut down. 

SLEEP NEEDS BY AGE

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer regarding how much daytime sleep people need. It all depends on the age and the sleep total during a 24-hour period. For example, a toddler may sleep 13 hours at night with only some daytime catnapping, while another gets 9 hours at night but takes a solid 2-hour nap each afternoon.

Though sleep needs are highly individual, these age-by-age guidelines give an idea of average daily sleep requirements:

Birth to 6 months: Infants require about 16 to 20 total hours of sleep per day. Younger infants tend to sleep on and off around the clock, waking every 2 or 3 hours to eat. As they approach 4 months of age, sleep rhythms become more established. Most babies sleep 10 to 12 hours at night, usually with an interruption for feeding, and average 3 to 5 hours of sleep during the day (usually grouped into two or three naps).

6 to 12 months: Babies this age usually sleep about 11 hours at night, plus two daytime naps totaling 3 to 4 hours. At this age, most infants do not need to wake at night to feed, but may begin to experience separation anxiety, which can contribute to sleep disturbances.

Toddlers (1 to 3 years): Toddlers generally require 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including an afternoon nap of 1 to 3 hours. Young toddlers might still be taking two naps, but naps should not occur too close to bedtime, as they may make it harder for toddlers to fall asleep at night.

Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): Preschoolers average about 10 to 12 hours at night, plus an afternoon nap. Most give up this nap by 5 years of age.

School-age (5 to 12 years): School-age kids need about 10 to 12 hours at night. Some 5-year-olds might still need a nap, and if a regular nap isn’t possible, they might need an earlier bedtime.

TEENS’ SLEEP

Research shows that teens need 8½ to 9½ hours of sleep a night. So, a teen who needs to wake up for school at 6 a.m. would have to go to bed at 9 p.m. to reach the 9-hour mark. Studies have found that many teens have trouble falling asleep that early, though. It’s not because they don’t want to sleep. It’s because their brains naturally work on later schedules and aren’t ready for bed.

During adolescence, the body’s circadian rhythm (an internal biological clock) is reset, telling a teen to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night in teens than it is for kids and adults. So, teenagers have a harder time falling asleep.

Sometimes this delay in the sleep-wake cycle is so severe that it affects a teen’s daily activities. In those cases it’s called delayed sleep phase syndrome, also known as “night owl” syndrome. And if your sleep-deprived teen brings mobile devices into bed, surfing or texting late into the night, the light exposure could also disrupt circadian rhythm and make it harder to sleep.

CONCLUSION

Maybe the “light sleepers” just need to be given a chance to descend into the deep sleep stages before you practice your trumpet lessons.

 SOURCES

1. Sleep. (23 Oct. 2007).WordNet 3.0. Princeton University.

2. National Sleep Foundation. (2002). Sleep in America Poll.

3. Dement, W. C. (1999).e Promise of Sleep

4.National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration. National Survey of Distracted and Drowsy Driving Attitudes and Behavior: 2002.

5.Long, T. (2008). Dec. 3, 1984: Bhopal, ‘Worst Industrial Accident in History’.Wired.

Accessed at http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/12/dayintech_1203 .

6.United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (2013).

Backgrounder on Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident.Accessed at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/chernobyl-bg.html .

7. National Geographic New, 24 Feb. 2005.

8. Personal account with the author.

9. Dement, W. C. (1999).e Promise of Sleep

10.Circadian Rhythm. (29 Oct. 2007).American Heritage ScienceDictionary. Houghton-Miffl in.

11.Butkov. (2007).Fundamentals of Sleep Technology.

12.Sleep Management Services. (2002)Principles of Polysomnography.

13.Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine, 3rd ed.

14.Sleep Management Services. (2002).Principles of Polysomnography.

15.Butkov. (2007).Fundamentals of Sleep Technology.

16. Suzuki, K., et al., (2003). Sleep. 26(6).

17. National Sleep Foundation. (2007). Sleep in America Poll

 

 

THE TRUTH ABOUT SLEEP APNEA SEMINAR TRAINING

Dental Sleep Medicine: the hottest button in dentistry today.
Awareness of sleep apnea in America is at an all-time peak. People who recognize that they have the symptoms are asking their doctors about it. Every dentist would like to be “The Sleep Dentist”.

Seminars and courses are now available every week, in different cities, throughout the United States. More and more dentists are getting trained to discover the more than 40 million estimated victims of sleep apnea, and to treat them with the most appropriate modalities. Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is the most convenient and preferred therapy for the mild and moderate cases and for those patients who cannot tolerate the CPAP device. Fortunately, this is where The Dentist rides in on a white horse to the rescue. Dentists, we like to say, are on the front line of the battle against sleep apnea. Dentists are in the optimum position to see the signs and symptoms and can offer the most preferred solutions to the problem.

Keys to Success
Success in treatment acceptance and end point attainment varies with, and depends upon, each individual dentist’s determination and his/her patient’s cooperation.  The training programs will present the tools, the screening and diagnostic equipment, the techniques, the verbal skills, etc., but as in other health-care therapies, a partnership between the professional provider and the patient is the key to success. The patient’s cooperation is essential. Take periodontal disease therapy (STM or CPT), for example. The dentist and hygienist will remove the disease, teach the patient how to maintain periodontal health, and then monitor the patient’s progress for the patient’s lifetime. Sleep apnea can be considered an episodic disease like periodontal disease, diabetes and cardiac disease. For these there is no cure; only a lifetime of care to keep these diseases under control.  Failure of patients to comply will result in an episodic return of the symptoms in any of these cases. Compliance will keep them under control. So that explains the patient’s role in the “partnership for success”.

Why do some dentists take the course, go back to their Practices, “try it” and become discouraged?
And now the dentist’s responsibilities.
In the words of the Great Master Yoda, in the classic Star Wars movies, “There is no ‘try’; there is only ‘do’ or ‘do not’.”
Beginning with the seminar training, the dentist must be 1000% committed to success. (Anything we endeavor will be more likely to be achieved when we are positive that we will win.) The seminar training is only the beginning of the learning process. We must retain what we have learned, continue to study, to research all new ideas and to practice our treatment plan presentations with our teams. Everyone on the team must be skilled and committed.

We must be able to answer these questions:
How do I keep my team motivated and constantly alert to help these patients?
How do find and connect with a certified medical sleep physician?
How do I “sell” my patient on the need for these services?
How do I bill patients and third party benefit payers for my DSM services?

This article did not promise the details of a “How to ….” for a DSM practice. Those answers are available for anyone to find, just as we found the answers to mastering.Perio Hygiene, composites and Smile Enhancements. The point of this article is that the Sleep Apnea training, although essential, is not the end of the education. It is, as Winston Churchill said in 1942 during WWII,  “…this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”  And THAT is “the truth about sleep apnea training”.

CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY WITH LADY LIBERTY! Live web-cams- NYC

On October 28th, 2011, as a part of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, five live web-cams were installed in Ms. Liberty’s torch, in her crown, and at the harbor. There’s also a Panorama of the NJ and NY skylines, Ellis Island, and the New York-New Jersey Harbor.

There’s live audio too, so you can hear the whoosh of aircraft overhead and the honk of boat horns as YOU watch the ships steam across the bay. Click on this link to look and listen: http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/statueofliberty/

Click on any of the five pictures and enjoy a live streaming video… day or night, 24/7, starting now.

I wish I could have been there:  When Lady Liberty was still in her youth, my parents saw her on their freedom voyage from Kiev, in Ukrania (then part of the Russian Empire) to Ellis Island. I can only imagine their teenage excitement and fulfillment of hope when they saw Lady Liberty from their ship. They were so proud and determined to become Americans- in every way. They quickly learned to speak English and adapted to every American way of life. I am very proud of them.

The one time I saw The Statue of Liberty was from a US Army troop ship returning from Europe to the Port of New York on a foggy morning. The scene is emblazoned in my memory.

On Monday May 27th, 2013 let’s remember the Veterans of our struggles for Liberty who never returned to see this beautiful tribute.

 

Memorial Day occurs every year on the final Monday of May. It is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service^. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from “Decoration Day” to “Memorial Day”, which was first used in 1882^. It did not become more common until after World War II, On June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend.The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of summer.

On Memorial Day the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.

  

 

Here’s the National Memorial Day parade on Capitol Hill Mall – Monday May 27th, 2013

 

 

 

 

Today is National Panic Day.

WEEKEND SMILE
Today is National Panic Day.

OMG, only a few hours left…..I have to set my clocks forward tonight.  Do I have enough time to get ready for it?
Gotta stay calm. Take a deep breath. Where did I put the Prozac?
I have to find something to worry about, quick. Do you have any ideas I can worry about? Send them quickly. Time’s running out.

 

CELEBRATE VETERANS’ DAY WITH LADY LIBERTY!

Live web-cams from the Statue of Liberty

On October 28th, 2011, as a part of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, five live web-cams were installed in Ms. Liberty’s torch, in her crown, and at the harbor. There’s also a Panorama of the NJ and NY skylines, Ellis Island, and the New York-New Jersey Harbor.

At 8:45 a.m. there was a Naturalization Ceremony, which honored the millions of U.S. immigrants who were first welcomed to America by Lady Liberty.

Click on any of the five pictures and enjoy a live streaming video… day or night.

There’s live audio too, so you can hear the whoosh of aircraft overhead and the honk of boat horns as YOU watch the ships steam across the bay. Click on this link to look and listen:

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/statueofliberty/

I wish I could have been there. When Lady Liberty was still in her youth, my parents saw her on their freedom voyage from Kiev, in Ukrania (then part of the Russian Empire) to Ellis Island. I can only imagine their teenage excitement and fulfillment of hope when they saw Lady Liberty from their ship. They were so proud and determined to become Americans- in every way. They quickly learned to speak English and adapted to every American way of life. I am very proud of them.

 

The one time I saw The Statue of Liberty was from a US Army troop ship returning to the Port of New York on a foggy morning. The scene is emblazoned in my memory.

On Sunday, 11/11/12 let’s remember the Veterans of our struggles for Liberty who never returned to see this beautiful tribute.

IS YOUR GLASS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?

Every glass is always full. Some of it is filled with liquid and the rest is filled with air! Every glass always has the right amount in it. We just need to appreciate what’s there and how to enjoy it..

 When I focus on what I HAVE and how lucky I am, I am the happiest.

 

 

HOW DO YOU GET A GREAT EMPLOYEE?

Some of the most frequently heard complaints from dentists are concerning their staff:

“Why can’t I find a smart receptionist?”
“She’s only been here three months and she’s asking for a raise.”
“Aren’t there any dedicated people out there?”

 

John McKay was a very successful college footballl head coach with UCLA. He was hired to be head coach of the 1976 NFL expansion team Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After starting their first 26 games without a win, head coach John McKay was asked what he thought of his team’s “execution.” He replied, “I’m all for it.“

 

DON’T GET FRUSTRATED, GET A BETTER GAME PLAN

 

You don’t just “get” a great employee, you build one.

Here’s an OUTLINE OF A PROCESS that assures a more successful and longer lasting relationship with employees. It will foster a mutually rewarding future for the doctor and the whole team.

 

By the way, McKay’s team improved by the end of the 1970s, making the playoffs three times including an appearance in the NFC Championship Game in 1979.

 

The solution starts at the beginning and lies in your Process of Recruiting, Inducting, and Managing.
1. Trust your Personnel Recruiter.
2. Clearly define what you are looking for- job description, personality traits, availability, etc.

3. When possible, call the “promising applicants” to make preliminary phone judgements. 

4. Set up “working interviews” of undetermined length.This will help you determine the prospect’s value and thus, her/his starting pay. 

5. Carefully review the job description and your expectations with the new employee. 

6. Hire on a probationary three month basis with all recommended written safeguards. (Employment Practice Liability, etc.) 

7. Get on-going feedback from trusted team members about new employee. 

8. Conduct scheduled, periodic, one-on-one, quarterly employee evaluation meeting.

9. Encourage the new employee to participate in morning huddles and team meetings..

10. Keep education and improvement as a priority.

11. What would YOU add to this list?

 

Remember…..  “trainability” and having an open mind (growth potential) is crucial, because YOUR practice and YOUR expectations are much different from those of her/his prior employers.
…… the “chemistry” between you, your other teammates, and the prospect is necessary. You will be spending more time with the new employee than with your spouse.
……. you are the President and CEO of this team. Be a benevolent but firm, empowering, hands-on Leader. Employee management is part of YOUR job.

CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY WITH LADY LIBERTY! Live web-cams- NYC and DC

On October 28th, 2011, as a part of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, five live web-cams were installed in Ms. Liberty’s torch, in her crown, and at the harbor. There’s also a Panorama of the NJ and NY skylines, Ellis Island, and the New York-New Jersey Harbor.

Click on any of the five pictures and enjoy a live streaming video… day or night, 24/7, starting now.

There’s live audio too, so you can hear the whoosh of aircraft overhead and the honk of boat horns as YOU watch the ships steam across the bay. Click on this link to look and listen:

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/statueofliberty/

I wish I could have been there. When Lady Liberty was still in her youth, my parents saw her on their freedom voyage from Kiev, in Ukrania (then part of the Russian Empire) to Ellis Island. I can only imagine their teenage excitement and fulfillment of hope when they saw Lady Liberty from their ship. They were so proud and determined to become Americans- in every way. They quickly learned to speak English and adapted to every American way of life. I am very proud of them.

………………………………………………………………………………..

The one time I saw The Statue of Liberty was from a US Army troop ship returning to the Port of New York on a foggy morning. The scene is emblazoned in my memory.

 

On Monday June 28th, 2012 let’s remember the Veterans of our struggles for Liberty who never returned to see this beautiful tribute.

 

You can also watch the Memorial Day parade on Capitol Hill Mall – Monday June 28th, 2012 (This day only) by live web-cam:  http://www.myworldwebcams.com/memorial/washington_parade.html

ARE YOU A CREATOR OR A CRITICISER?

“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.”

— Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) Third Prime Minister of India