Welcome to our practice! As the viral assault is waning due to a most remarkable development of multiple vaccines, life is approaching normalcy again. God has blessed our staff and families with no incidents of infection and we continue utilization of appropriate protocols to ensure patient safety. What a pleasure getting caught up on the experiences of our friends and their families as the future looks bright. Incredible work by the Project Warp Speed program, producing a vaccine in less than a year! Three or more years is the norm. Even more remarkable, this is an RNA virus, requiring messenger RNA induction via the host's immune system, a most difficult biomolecular task. Again, remarkable.
We continue to practice rigorous sterilization and disinfection protocols. Our autoclave, utilizing high heat and pressure kills every organism, even highly resistant bacterial spores such as Geobacillus and Mycobacterium. A monthly spore strip is processed and sent to a lab to ensure all spores were unable to germinate. Glutaraldehyde sterilizes items that cannot be autoclaved and phenolic compounds provide surface disinfection. Further, our office was ahead of the American Dental Association requirements for water delivery systems that reduce colony forming units (CFU) found in tap water that can multiply in the lumens of dental tubing. Our water delivery systems are isolated from the city water supply; tablets of appropriate antibacterials are introduced at specified intervals in order to maintain CFU's less than 100 per milliliter, well below the ADA standard. Of course, appropriate use of mask and gloves is part of the infection control protocols.
As a general dentist, Dr. Daw provides comprehensive services to include preventive, restorative, endodontic and oral surgical procedures. Dr. Daw utilizes only Certified Dental Technicians for his removable prosthetics. Our fixed prosthetics labs staff highly trained CDT's utilizing state of the art ceramics. 3D milling has enhanced this area of dentistry in many ways; durable ceramic materials provide really strong crowns, sustaining remarkable PSI compression. Exciting advancements in the delivery of comprehensive dental care allow for a variety of treatment plans reflective of the clinical findings and patient desires. Dr. Daw consults with highly talented specialists in order to further enhance the availability of patient choices. We are preferred providers for Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Met Life and Guardian, among others. Dr. Daw is also a consultant for Delta Dental of Tennessee.
Having served as an Army dental officer, Dr. Daw is proud to be part of a national network of dentists authorized to treat active duty personnel. We love our veterans; Dr. Daw is honored to provide treatment for a number of veterans and their families, including some truly outstanding cadre of local high school ROTC programs.
Preventive measures available today have greatly reduced the incidence of oral disease. In the event treatment is required, a broad array of minimally invasive techniques are available utilizing advanced biocompatible materials such as optically activated hybrid composite resins. Continual advancements in technology and biomaterials have produced a paradigm shift in treatment planning. For example, replacement of missing teeth which have historically required either a fixed partial denture, i.e., bridge, or a removable appliance, can be accomplished with implants. Further, implants provide a platform for a plethora of reconstructive measures, from a single tooth replacement to full arch restoration. They can also provide stabilization for dentures that, at one time, were retentive but, due to atrophy of the residual ridge, have lost that retention. This is possible as a consequence of recently developed biocellular advancements which have improved osseous integration and increased the application of guided tissue regeneration procedures. Other advancements in oral diagnosis allow early detection of disease in hard tissue, tooth and bone, as well as soft tissue pathoses. Dr. Daw performs a head and neck evaluation during a patient's comprehensive examination using observation and bimanual palpation. Cancerous soft tissue tumors often require significantly more vascularization than normal oral tissue; Dr. Daw can visualize these vascular beds with a penetrating light source, utilizing specific wavelengths scanning painlessly the superficial mucosa. If concerns are raised, Dr. Daw refers these patients for further evaluation from talented oral surgeons in Chattanooga. Again, improved imaging and restorative techniques allow multiple treatment options for various dental needs; we develop individual treatment plans suited for each patient.