The signs are all around: kids are growing more restless, warmer weather is enticing us from our indoor winter hibernation, and sudden cravings for popsicles are appearing. Yes indeed, summertime is on the horizon. For many Northwest Indiana families, this means preparing for a season filled with sports and other outdoor activities. This summer, follow the tips we’ve provided below to ensure your precious smiles stay safe and healthy.

1.) A Mouthguard Can Make all the Difference
Did you know that up to 40% of all sports-related injuries involve the face? Shocking, isn’t it? Good thing you have a way to protect against tooth loss and other mouth injuries.  A custom  mouthguard from one of our family and general dentists at Smiles by Arnold and Associates is thin, strong, flexible, and specially molded to fit your mouth. It won’t get in the way on the field, but it will have your back when you’re going head to head against tough competition.

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Today was a very positive training day for me.    After a week of pain associated with both my Achilles and hamstring, I was able to do the longest run I’ve done in 3.5 months, and I doubled the length of my lifetime longest continuous swim.  Yea! 

I got in an easy 50 minute run this morning, had lunch with my family, and took my daughters to see “How to Train Your Dragon” in 3D – great movie, by the way if you have kids!    Afterwards, we ran some errands, and I hit the Y pool for a 3000 meter continuous swim.  I felt good, so I tacked on an additional 1000 for a total of 4000 meters.  I felt great – except for some foot cramps.   

Hopefully, I can maintain this positive momentum and train injury-free for the next few months!

Jim

This Achilles tendon tear is really starting to irk me.  After seven months, you would think that it would be completely healed.  I’ve done everything imaginable to help it heal, and it continues to be troublesome.    I’m running again, but I’m favoring the Achilles, which has now created a minor hamstring issue.  I’m putting off two speed workouts until next week in hopes that both the Achilles and hamstring will be feeling better. 

On a positive note, however, I am getting new wheels for my bike tomorrow.  Sarah’s bike is amazing – it’s kind of like swapping a Chevette for a Ferrari.  My bike isn’t quite a Ferrari, but it’s pretty darn nice, too.  Hopefully, my new wheels will make me just a LITTLE bit faster. 

Jim

This past weekend I attended the annual meeting for the American

Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Dallas.  Wow – the talent of the

attendees and lecturers was astounding.  I really love that type of

environment because spending time with like-minded, talented

professionals inspires me to continue honing my own skills and becoming better at everything I do. 

Cosmetic dentistry has come a LONG way in the past decade, and I’m happy to be able to provide the best care for our patients in Northwest Indiana, Valparaiso, Chesterton and Naperville.  It’s a really exiting time to be a cosmetic dentist with all of the new high-tech gadgets, spa amenities, porcelain veneer systems, and advanced protocols in sedation dentistry make it easy to provide painless dental treatment in a relaxing atmosphere. 

I also had the opportunity to catch up with numerous good friends from around the country.  I learned as much from my colleagues in the evenings as I learned during the daily lectures. 

I am SOOO glad to be home, however.  After three weekends on the road, I am still trying to catch up on my work and my sleep!  My training is still going very well, however.  I was able to share two challenging swim workouts with a colleague from San Diego, and I even got to run with a couple of friends.  Other than my sore achilles and hamstring, i’m feeling pretty good. 

Jim

Dr. Jim Arnold

Northwest Indiana Cosmetic, Family, and Sedation Dentist

Smiles By Arnold & Associates

www.SmilesByArnold.com

219-926-5445

Naperville Cosmetic, Family, and Invisalign Dentist

Smiles By Dr. Gibson & Associates

www.SmilesByDrGibson.com

630-357-3333

Well….  I am on the road for the third weekend in a row.  It’s just “that time of year”, I guess.  It’s SOOO hard to be away from Sarah and our amazing kids, but I don’t EVER want to be “just another dentist”.  SOOO many dentists do a course or two and then rest on their laurels for the rest of their careers. 

I’ve devoted over 2000 hours of my life (plus travel, etc) over the past 8 years to be the  best that I can be in dentistry and life.  My team has been INCREDIBLE during that time, too – allowing me to drag them all over the country to learn and grow professionally and personally.  It’s just really hard to be away from home so much. 

PLUS – training is just about impossible.  Last weekend, I had to do a 3.5 hour bike ride on a stationary bike at my hotel in Orlando.  Today, I did a 90 min ride in Dallas on another stationary bike. To make matters worse, it was a TIME TRIAL.  I warmed up for 30 min, rode HARD for 30 min (as hard as i could), and cooled down for 30 min. 

How effective is triathlon training when 30% of  it has to be on a random stationary bike?  How effective is the running when it has to be short and slow due to an Achilles tear and pain?  This is all so challenging and frustrating. 

I look forward to being home for a few weeks with my awesome family.  I look forward to a few great weeks of training – on my OWN bike. 

The AACD meeting in Dallas will be great.  I just needed to vent a little bit!  Thanks for listening! 

Jim

Well, I’ve been on the road WAY too much lately, but I attended another fantastic conference in Orlando this past weekend.  As hard as it is to be away from Sarah and our kids, it was well-worth having attended.  A lot of what i learned was an affirmation of what we’ve been doing for years, but I did pick up some great new ideas.  Now, we just need to find the time to implement them!

Balancing professional, family, and training responsibilities is becoming increasingly difficult.  To stay with my plan, i had to spend 3:30 on a hotel stationary bike this past Saturday.  In order to get to my class on time, I had to get up at 4:30 AM to do it.  THAT was a really boring 3 and a half hours! 

Yesterday I left the house at 5:10 AM for my Masters swim workout, went straight to the office from there, and didn’t get home until about 6:15 PM.  I needed to do 45 minutes of strength training while the kids were with Sarah at Swim Club, and then it was time to put them to bed.  I ate dinner at 8:30 and went to bed right afterwards. 

Today is similar with workouts “book-ending” a really long day at the office.  4:45 AM Computrainer bike session and 6:15 PM run….

Jim

www.SmilesByArnold.com

www.SmilesByDrGibson.com

We’ve all heard the buzz words that litter dental advertising, promising a “Hollywood smile” using “state-of-the-art” technology. Sifting through the fluff and getting the facts can be a daunting task. At Smiles by Arnold and Associates, we do invest in modern methods and proudly offer excellent cosmetic treatments, but our focus isn’t on selling you anything. Our focus is on meeting your dental needs, whether they call for general, cosmetic, or restorative care.

What do we offer? Just what your family is looking for: quality dentistry in a welcoming environment. As experienced general and family dentists, our doctors see patients of all ages, correcting dental problems and maintaining oral health. It’s as simple as that.

Take a look around our website to learn more about our offices, our doctors, and the friendly team we’ve compiled at our practice. As you’ll see, we serve diverse needs through a wide variety of adult and children’s dentistry services. From Invisalign clear braces to gum disease therapy to thorough checkups and professional hygiene appointments, we’ve got you covered. Read the rest of this entry »

Sarah and Jim Ready to Ride

Well…. it was COLD this afternoon – about 45 degrees with heavy wind, but we got it done.  Sarah and I joined Ken Hyde for a great ride this afternoon.  We headed out east well into LaPorte County and did a nice, flat loop at a comfortable pace.

My hands, ears, and feet were completely numb 30 minutes into a 2 1/2 hour ride, but the company was great, the sun was shining, and that made it a lot of fun. 

What a great way to end the weekend and look forward to another great week of work and training!

Jim

I think that our new sign came out GREAT!  Stop by to check it out and say “hi” if you are in the neighborhood! 

Jim

SmilesByArnold & Associates

Northwest Indiana Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

www.SmilesByArnold.com

219-926-5445

SmilesByDrGibson & Associates

Naperville Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

www.SmilesByDrGibson.com

630-357-3333

We spent Spring Break at the beautiful Westin-Kierland in Scottsdale and had a great time.  This resort is totally family-friendly with a huge pool, lazy river, water slide, kids’ activities, and a sandy beach.

Add in a great adult pool with lap lanes (yea!), some great family-friendly restaurants, and an awesome outdoor mall across the street, and this is the ideal spot for family vacations.  We look forward to returning again next year! 

Jim

Arnold Family in Scottdale

Jim with his beautiful girls

Sarah with our goofy boys

Jim with his sweetie