Profiles in Medicine 9/28/22 edition is published weekly by Anton Media Group.

One Tooth At A Time

Pediatric dentists open local office with mission to change dentistry

BY CHRISTY HINKO chinko@antonmediagroup.com

“Floral Park feels like a Hallmark town,” said Dr. Cristina Georgescu, co-owner of the newly opened pediatric dentistry office, Smile Starters. “Everyone is so helpful and welcoming.”

Georgescu, more affectionately known to her patients as “Dr. Cristina” said local parents have been stopping by to welcome them to the neighborhood and check out the new, bright, modern and cheerful space on Verbana Avenue, just south of Tulip Avenue where the previous Chase Bank previously occupied.

The receptionists at Smile Starters are happy to give a quick tour of the practice, answer questions and enroll new patients for an appointment.

“Floral Park has been very receptive to our opening,” said Dr. Eileen Calamia, also co-owner of the budding Smile Starters. “It is very family-friendly here.”

The board-certified pediatric dentist duo has a reputable presence in their original and still-existing practice in Harrison up in Westchester County and has already garnered glowing reviews for their services in Floral Park.

“We hope that one day when the kids we treat grow up, they actually say, ‘I like going to the dentist,’” Georgescu said.

Both she and Calamia said they did not have such great experiences with dentists while growing up.

As a young child, Georgescu said she did not have access to proper dental care while growing up in Romania which resulted in numerous procedures and visits to the dentist. Experiencing first-hand the stress and anxiety of a dental visit she decided to pursue pediatric dentistry.

Similarly, Calamia, who was born in the Philippines, has experienced first-hand the consequences of a high sugary diet and lack of proper dental care. She has always believed that children deserve to have specialty care when it comes to going to the dentist. It is their mission to change the way their patients relate to dentistry.

“A lot of the times it is the parents who come in with a fear of the dentist and are afraid of dental treatment that their kids might need,” Calamia said. For generations, a fear of the dentist and dental work is all too common.

Both dentists are trained to treat children with special needs.

With five years under their belts in Harrison, the doctors unveiled their newest office in Floral Park less than five months ago.

“We love it because it is a storefront in the heart of the village and it is near the village offices, library, shopping, restaurants, the fire department and it is right off the train [Floral Park station],” Calamia said.

The office has nine exam chairs and stateof-the-art equipment, including X-rays.

“We tried to make it, not only kid-friendly, but somewhat relaxing and not too overwhelming for the parents too,” said Calamia.

There is a massage chair for parents to use while they wait and complimentary coffee and tea.

“Going to the dentist can be very stressful so hopefully parents can be a little bit at ease,” Calamia added.

There is even a prize station for an after-exam reward for their patients.

“I don’t want to take it to the extreme and say it should be fun to go to the dentist,” Georgescu joked. “It should be as comfortable as it can be.”

The dental office has its own parking lot, which makes it easy for appointments instead of having to search for street parking, which is not always easy in the bustling downtown during regular business hours and when special events are happening in the neighborhood.

Smile Starters Pediatric Dentistry is located at 15 Verbena Ave. in Floral Park. The Westchester office is located at 450 Mamaroneck Ave. in Harrison.

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Happy Teeth

Dr. Cristina and Dr. Eileen share their top five tips to help parents take care of their children’s teeth.

. Take your child to their pediatric dentist by age one.

2. Brush your child’s teeth twice a day with a soft bristle toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste.

3. Never put your child to sleep with milk in their bottle.

4. Try to avoid sticky, chewy candy and sweets on an everyday basis. Save those treats for Halloween and special occasions.

5. Aim for a diet of mostly water, but if you do give juice...dilute it with mostly water to avoid excess sugar.

Visit www.SmileStarterspd.com to read more about Georgescu and Calamia including information about their practices, services and a helpful dental e-library.

The office is bright and fun.

The exam rooms are spacious and comfortable.

Parents will enjoy the complimentary amenities while they wait during appointments.

Doctors Eileen and Cristina have opened their pediatric dental office in the heart of Floral Park.

Free Medicare Open Enrollment Assistance

Medicare is a federally run health insurance program for people who are 65 years of age or have collected Social Security Disability for 24 months. It is also available for individuals with permanent kidney failure or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

If you are not yet collecting Social Security, you have to apply for Medicare during the three month period before your 65th birthday. You may apply for Medicare through Social Security Administration (800-772-1213 or www.ssa.gov/medicare).

If you are already collecting Social Security, you will receive your Medicare card automatically in the mail.

OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS OCTOBER 15

Navigating Medicare and choosing a plan that best meets your needs can be tricky. Health care needs change over time, and a plan that worked for you one year may not be the best choice going forward. That’s why you should carefully consider your foreseeable health care needs each year during Medicare Open Enrollment season, which runs every year from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

To avoid any unpleasant and potentially expensive surprises, it is important to carefully study any materials that come to you

from your existing plan. These documents will spell out in detail the updates for the coming plan year. Some of these revisions may describe premium changes, updates in prescription formularies (which may change the availability or price of your previously covered drugs), co-payment changes and changes to networks of providers. Make sure to check that your health care providers are still part of your plan each year.

If you feel that these changes make your plan a less than optimal choice for the coming year, now is the time to reevaluate and compare available plans. This can be done through the Medicare website (www. medicare.gov). You can review your current plan and compare it with others that serve Nassau County to see if another plan works better for you.

FREE HELP AVAILABLE THROUGH FCA

If you don’t have ready access to a computer or you otherwise need assistance, Family and Children’s Association (FCA) can help guide you through the process with free help available by calling the Nassau County Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) at 516-485-3754. A counselor will be happy to assist you. HIICAP is a free service that has trained counselors who can provide you with unbiased expertise on what Medicare plan can best meet your individual needs. HIICAP counselors can help you switch plans,

in many cases over the phone. In person appointments are also available.

For Medicare beneficiaries who are in a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO or PPO) and don’t change their plan by Dec. 7, they have an additional opportunity to switch Medicare Advantage plans between Jan. 1 and March 31.

FCA can help. Answers to your Medicare questions are just a phone call away.

Barry Klitsberg is an asssistant health insurance information counseling and assistance coordinator at FCA in Garden City and an aging services program specialist at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Barry Klitsberg

Asssistant health insurance information counseling and assistance coordinator

Five Strategies To Help Avoid

Unexpected Medical Bills

BY DR. DONNA O’SHEA specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

Nearly everyone wants to save more money, including when it comes to paying for medical care. To help en courage that, various recent federal regula tions have spurred a greater focus on health care cost transparency, both by hospitals and health insurance plans.

The No Surprises Act is designed to help reduce the likelihood of receiving an unexpectedly large medical bill in certain emergency or surprise scenarios, something that more than half of Americans have experienced. Other recent regulations require hospitals to post prices online, while health insurers have been mandated to do the same.

COMPARISON SHOP

As of July 1, health plans are required to publicly disclose contracted rates with health care providers and facilities. This is only a first step in the process, with requirements for more consumer-friendly disclosures slat ed to start in 2023. Some health plans already offer transparency resources featuring quali ty and cost information, available online, via a mobile app or through customer service. Before scheduling a medical appointment, check with your health plan to review quality

Avoid an unexpected medical bill.

and cost information, ideally for estimates based on actual contracted rates and cus tomized based on your individual plan.

REMAINING RISKS

There are still a few potential risks to be aware of. Many health plans cover preventive services, such as wellness visits, mammo grams or colonoscopies. However, some advanced screenings may not be considered preventive services and can result in an outof-pocket charge. Confirm with your health plan that any services or tests are covered under your benefits. You can also work with your health care provider to complete a preauthorization form in advance, as well as check with your health plan to determine

the status of the request. Ambulance services were not included as part of the No Surprises Act, which means these rides could result in an out-of-network charge.

NEGOTIATE SURPRISE BILLS

In the event of a surprise bill, there are several steps to pursue. Talk with the support staff at the hospital or doctor’s office to request that the charge be waived or reduced. If needed, some health plans offer access to resolution support to help negotiate on behalf of members with hospitals and care providers. If you receive a surprise bill from an out-of-network care provider, call the number on the back of your insurance ID

card to alert your health plan and check on assistance.

STAY IN-NETWORK

Receiving care from an out-of-network provider or facility can lead to a surprise charge, with the total cost of this type of care exceeding $40 billion for Americans each year. It’s important to always start with in-network health care professionals and fa cilities for nonemergency care. That includes when referred by a primary care physician to labs for bloodwork, imaging and other tests.

UPFRONT PRICING

Another way to help save on health care costs is by enrolling in a health plan that offers upfront pricing. Rather than receiving medical care and then waiting for the bill to arrive weeks or months later, some new health plans enable members to review— and pay for—out-of-pocket expenses before medical care is delivered. In view of increased price sensitivity due to rising inflation and other factors, considering these strategies may help contribute to your phys ical and financial well-being while reducing the risk of a surprise medical bill.

—Dr. Donna O’Shea is the chief med ical officer of population health at UnitedHealthcare.

September Is Yoga Month

Five common myths about yoga

Though the International Yoga Day is observed on June 21, the U.S. dedicates September as the National Yoga Month. Many of us have preconceived notions about yoga, and it prevents them from practicing yoga and enjoying wellness. It’s important to know the facts, and not act on assumptions. Here are five very common myths about yoga, busted.

YOGA IS NOT AN ‘ACTUAL’ WORKOUT’

Did you think that yoga is a very gentle series of stretches with no efforts involved? Do you also believe that practicing yoga, you won’t get a proper workout and it does not benefit your muscles? Or do you want to choose yoga because you have been asked to exercise, and this seemed like the easiest? Think again.

From strengthening muscle groups and making them more supple to improving your balance, posture, and lung capacity, yoga can help you deal with a large number of health, lifestyle and nervous system-related complications.

It’s true that you won’t be lifting weights or doing your normal cardio routines while getting regular on yoga sessions. However, yoga is an excellent combination of

strength, balance and coordination. What’s more, you will most likely use muscles that you’ve never used before in your life.

And we haven’t covered yet that yoga exercises your mind and soul! Yoga is the practice of patience, peace and fortitude. It’s definitely not just stretching, it’s a focus on strength—both the mental and the physical.

YOGA IS A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE

While it’s true that yoga has its origin in Hinduism, the practice itself is more

spiritual than religious, and attempts to create a meaningful bond between your body and mind. You are not required to perform any worship of any deity, or any religious ritual.

Yoga means ‘yoke’ literally, in Sanskrit. Hence, we can say that yoga is an act of uniting your body and mind. It can help in attaining peace, increasing your patience, and controlling your breathing patterns.

It can help improve not just physical, but also mental strength. On the whole, it’s all about self-realization and awakening your consciousness from within.

I’M NOT FLEXIBLE / YOUNG ENOUGH FOR YOGA

Yoga can be done by any individual regardless of age or flexibility. Don’t start panicking at the sight of individuals in poses that make it seem like they are made of rubber. Obviously, some people are more flexible than others, but this does not mean that you cannot do yoga.

In fact, you are not really required to bend, stretch or flex to the point of pain and discomfort. You can hold the pose in the position you are comfortable in. Yes, yoga can be performed at your own speed and comfort level. Of course, you should challenge yourself, but it can be done gradually. Balance it with ease.

ONLY WOMEN DO YOGA

Many people, men especially, seem to be under an impression that it’s a very female practice.

Most participants are also observed to be female, making men not so comfortable to join the class. The best way to bust this myth is to see who the first people to introduce yoga were.

They were all men.

A good way to break this miscon ception is for women to get the men in their families to do yoga with them. Father, husband, brothers, and sons— get them all to your yoga sessions.

They will soon feel the difference in their bodies and advocate it to other men too.

ALL YOGA IS THE SAME

There are different forms of yoga, practiced in the country of its origin, India—Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, Bikram yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Power yoga, and many more.

The most popular form is Vinyasa yoga, and it focuses primarily on link ing movement and breath, achieving breathing control, and fluid move ments. This is what is taught in most studios. However, there are places that teach other forms of yoga. You can choose and learn the yoga form that suits your lifestyle and requirements.

One of the unique things about yoga is that there is no competition and comparing greatness. There are no teams, nobody wins or loses. It’s up to each participant to focus on their consciousness and enhance their own strength—be it mental, physical or spiritual. It’s an activity that almost everyone can safely pursue and enjoy the benefits.

—EPIC Health

Tips For Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Take Care Of Yourself

Being a caregiver can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia takes time and effort. It can feel lonely and frustrating. You might even feel angry, which could be a sign you are trying to take on too much. It is important to find time to take care of yourself.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT MAY OFFER SOME RELIEF:

• Ask for help when you need it. This could mean asking family members and friends to help or reaching out to local services for additional care needs.

• Eat nutritious foods, which can help keep you healthy and active for longer.

• Join a caregiver’s support group online or in person. Meeting other caregivers will give you a chance to share stories and ideas and can help keep you from feeling isolated.

• Take breaks each day. Try making a cup of tea or calling a friend.

• Spend time with friends and keep up with hobbies.

• Get exercise as often as you can. Try doing yoga or going for a walk.

• Try practicing meditation. Research suggests that practicing meditation

may reduce blood pressure, anxiety and depression, and insomnia.

• Consider seeking help from mental health professionals to help you cope with stress and anxiety. Talk with your doctor about finding treatment.

—U.S Department of Health and Human Services