I MANSFIELD FAMILY DENTISTRY

MANSFIELD FAMILY DENTISTRY

WELCOME TO YOUR DENTAL HOME

Americans buy 14 million gallons of toothpaste and four million miles of dental floss every year.

BY MEREDITH KNIGHT

Forty years is a long time to do anything, but for the Bauer family, that time has fl own by. Four decades ago, Dr. John Bauer and his wife, Terri, embarked on a challenging adventure together as they launched their partnership, not only as mother and father of a growing family but as owner/operators of a brand new dental practice in the then sleepy town of Mansfi eld, Texas. Even before the idea of the “dental home” was being emphasized by the dental and medical community, that’s exactly what they set about to create. The Bauers imagined one location where the families of Mansfi eld could come to have all their dental needs met—from childhood through old age—from preventative dentistry to restorative and cosmetic. Word quickly got around that at Mansfi eld Family Dentistry patients come first and their patient base grew. As Terri ran the offi ce, crafting a warm, welcoming environment, Dr. John committed to constantly reeducating himself about emerging dental technologies and cosmetic offerings that could only have been imagined 40 years before.

As the town of Mansfi eld ballooned in population and dental technology experienced monumental leaps forward, the Bauers welcomed a breath of fresh air into their practice in the person of their son, Dr. Cody Bauer. Dr. Cody brought with him a new perspective, a passion for advancing technology, and a special rapport with the youngest dental patients. And as John and Terri welcomed grandbaby after grandbaby into their family, their young dental patients grew up and returned with their own kids allowing the Bauers to serve three—and even four—generations in some families. A TRUE DENTAL HOME Dr. John and Dr. Cody begin seeing patients as soon as they’re ready to sit in the chair for routine cleaning. The architype of a dental home, the Bauer family offers young patients and their parents and grandparents everything from simple cleanings or fi lling to complete cosmetic procedures— including teeth straightening and full-mouth makeovers. That way, once a patient feels comfortable under their care, they don’t need to be referred elsewhere for special services. As technology advances, the Bauers investigate each new offering and invest in the very best for Mansfi eld Family Dentistry helping them offer a true one-stop-shop for all the dental needs of Mansfi eld families. ALL UNDER ONE ROOF “When we realize, during a routine check-up, for instance, that a patient needs a root canal, tooth extraction, or dental implant or when they inquire about a cosmetic procedure, the last thing they want is for us to refer them out to another dental practice,” Dr. John said. “That’s why we’ve undertaken hundreds of hours of continuing education and investing in the latest, cutting-edge dental technology, so we can provide cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening, porcelain veneers, inlays, onlays, Invisalign clear braces, and permanent dental implants, right here in their dental home.” Mansfi eld Family Dentistry and the Bauer family are happy to offer these preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry services to their family of patients: • Dental Implants • Root Canals • Sedation Dentistry • Tooth Extractions • Porcelain Veneers • Dental Crowns • Dentures • Dental Bridges • Nitrous Oxide • Tooth Whitening • Inlays & Onlays • Dental Bonding • Tooth-Colored Fillings • Dental Sealants • Invisalign Tooth Aligners • Silent-Sleep Oral Appliance

PATIENT EDUCATION ADVOCATES The Drs. Bauer place an emphasis on patient education and empowerment. “We want you to be your own best oral health advocate,” Dr. Cody said. “It’s not just about the health of your teeth but your overall health, as more is being discovered about the affect your oral health has on the rest of your body and on your chances of developing conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other serious illnesses. We take seriously our job to provide each patient with the tools they need for a lifetime of vibrant oral health. We want to be your partners in that journey.” YOUR FAMILY DENTAL TEAM “Cody, Terri, and I along with our dynamic team want every patient who comes through our door to feel like a member of our family because that’s what they are,” Dr. John said. “There’s nothing more rewarding to us than building relationships with our patients and being able to watch them grow, from before they lose their baby teeth to the day they bring their own kids to see us.” For children as young as three, the Mansfi eld Family Dentistry team takes it slow, talking to kids, explaining each thing they do before they do it, and taking extra time to educate parent and child about caring for their teeth for a lifetime of optimum oral health. “We follow the child’s lead, never proceeding with treatment until they’re ready,” Dr. Cody said. “When they know what to expect, it takes the scary out of dentistry. Parents are invited to accompany young child into the operatory, but for older kids, we let them decide if they want Mom and Dad there or would rather have them wait in the waiting room.” WELCOME HOME

For more than four decades, the Mansfi eld community has counted on the Bauer family for know-you-by-name dentistry that’s also at the leading edge of dental technology. “I’m a bit of a techno nerd, so I love learning about the latest dental breakthroughs and incorporating the ones with a proven track record into the practice,” Dr. Cody said. Both of the Drs. Bauer go over and above in continuing education, so they’ve got your family covered with everything from routine maintenance to conservative restorative dentistry—all the way to dramatic smile makeovers. If you’re searching for a true dental home for your family, fi nd out more about Mansfi eld’s one-stop dental shop at Mansfi eldDentistry.com.

CONTACT 100 Carlin Road, Mansfield, Texas 76063 | 817-473-0291 | MansfieldDentistry.com

RESTORE my soul

BY LAURA L. SMITH

Sabbath.

I knew that word back in Sunday school, but I never thought about what it meant to practice it. And, yes, Sabbath takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’s like riding a bike in a field. Freeing. Peaceful. Restorative. Fun.

For decades my idea of Sabbath was going to church on Sundays. But Sabbath is more than that. God didn’t create the Sabbath because he needed a rest. He’s God. He doesn’t get tired. God asks us to take a day off every week so he can restore us. God modeled Sabbath from the beginning of the world: “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” (Genesis 2:2–3). Ferris Bueller didn’t invent the day off. God did! And he invites us to take advantage of it. God feels so strongly about us taking time to rest that he made it one of the Ten Commandments: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8) Sabbath is taking our to-dos, our work — whatever that is — and handing it over to God, saying, “I believe you are who you say you are. I believe that when you ask me to take a break, it’s for a good reason. I believe that you’re able to keep the world spinning, my company running, my family fed, if that’s your desire, even if I take a day off.” What defines work? What do you need to take a day off from? That’s between you and God. For me, Sabbath means taking a day off from my work of writing and speaking. I have decided that my email, social media, and work planner are off-limits on my Sabbath. For you this could look totally different. Making dinner drains one of my friends, so she never cooks on her Sabbath. For me, cooking when I have time (versus frantically throwing together things in the kitchen in a time crunch) is luxurious. One Sunday my daughter and I turned on French café music — accordions accompanied by the brush of cymbals — and spent over two hours shredding sharp Gruyère, slicing thick chunks of baguette, and dancing around the kitchen preparing a fondue feast for our family. It was a blast, and nothing about it resembled work. When I started practicing Sabbath, I frequently picked up my phone by instinct. Someone emailed me — shouldn’t I email them back? I didn’t get much work accomplished Thursday because of the field trip I chaperoned, so couldn’t I sneak back some time now?

God doesn’t want us to be legalistic about this. Remember, he doesn’t

need you to rest. This is for you. God designed work to be completed in six days. Trust him. You know which things consume you maybe a bit too much. I know it’s hard to let go for an entire day, but God wants goodness for us. Jesus put it this way: “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NLT). God created the Sabbath for us! He made it so we would be fulfilled — so our needs of rest and restoration would be met. It’s real. It works. This beautiful thing God designed for us when he created the universe actually restores our soul. Sabbath has become my favorite day of the week. Why? Because I exhale. I’m not rushing from church to the next and the next. I take a slow sip of my mocha and savor the froth, let it tickle my tongue. I’m an introvert, so introverted things refuel my tank. I journal. I call my mom or a friend and can be fully present for the conversation because I’m not trying to do anything else. Sometimes I’ll pull out my acrylics and paint, or maybe I’ll write a couple of cards to friends. I’ll go for a walk with my kids or sit and read a book — and not just a snippet but an actual chapter or two or five if the day permits. I’ll paint my fingernails and toes in candy-colored shades that make me smile. If you’re an extrovert, you’ll refuel differently. Maybe you visit with friends over a bonfire in your backyard or a game night. You know the things that restore you.

God offers us peace and restoration

with Sabbath. It might take several weeks or months or iterations of practicing Sabbath, of really letting go of some things, of releasing yourself to the rest God intended when he created the Sabbath. God’s not evaluating you on how you take Sabbath; he’s inviting you into it. It was always meant as a gift. Receive it. Relish it. Let it restore your soul.

This article is adapted from Restore My Soul: The Power and Promise of 30 Psalms used with permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing. ©2022 by Laura L. Smith All rights reserved.