Vol. 13, Issue 07, July 2020
Your community. Your magazine.™
®
The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 18,000 Homes In Trinity & Surrounding Areas This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To: Anchorage, Bay Arbor, Boot Ranch, Brookers Landing, Crescent Oaks, Cypress Cove, Cypress Lakes Estates, Cypress Run, Cypress Trails, Deer Hollow, Grey Oak, Eagle Cove, Eagle’s Cove at Lake Tarpon, Eagle Ridge, Eagle Trace, Eagle Watch, East Lake Oaks, East Lake
Woodlands, Hunters Wood, Keystone Bluffs, Keystone Palms, Keystone Ranchettes, Lansbrook, Lansbrook Village, Meadow Ridge, Nature’s Watch, Oak Hill Acres, Pine Ridge, Regina Estates, Ridgemoor, Tarpon Woods, Wentworth, Whispering Lakes, Woodfield
Albert Family Orthodontics: Where Beautiful Smiles are Always in Style By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
dentistry for decades, but Dr. Albert and his staff have implemented additional gear and protocols to ensure the safety of his patients and staff during their treatment. Instead of the traditional physical dental impressions which
Past the comfortable waiting room with a big screen TV, free wi-fi, a coffee and snack bar and a vintage video game console is the doctor’s personal office. On the desk, to the far left of his computer sits a Spider-Man coffee mug. The message of that movie franchise so resonated with Dr. Jeremy Albert, DMD, MS, a specialist in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, that he paraphrased it and applies it to his successful practice, Albert Family Orthodontics. “With great knowledge comes great responsibility.” Dr. Albert feels it was his responsibility to bring his 17 years of experience to take care of his orthodontic patients conveniently where
See “Albert Ortho” on page 16
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From the Editor.............................5
Decorating Den Interiors............6-7
they live, work and go to school and make them feel comfortable, knowing they are in the most capable, experienced hands possible for braces, expanders, and Invisalign. Nowadays, that responsibility also extends
to operating a practice that meets the new demands of practicing orthodontics during the Covid-19 pandemic. Universal precautions and use of personal protective equipment and barriers have been the norm in
Tech Talk With Bob..................10-11
SAT/ACT Improvement...........20-21
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Going Out During Coronavirus? - Masks Protect You and Your Loved Ones We’re currently facing a dangerous resurgence of COVID-19, and some Floridians are still throwing large parties and completely disregarding CDC health guidelines for community-related exposure. Over 20 states in the country have paused reopening plans and eight states have sky-high record numbers of new cases, Florida in particular. There are approximately 206,440+ confirmed cases in Florida, according to the latest data obtained in early July 2020 from floridahealthcovid19.gov. At least 40,000 new cases have been reported by the Florida Department of Health following the Fourth of July holiday during which the state recorded its most cases reported in a single day. On Saturday, July 4th, 2020 the Sunshine State reported an outstanding 11,458 cases, the most reported in a single day. We’ve now surpassed New York’s previous single-day high of 11,434, which was recorded mid-April 2020. Between April 8 and May 15, states that mandated face masks in public saw a greater decline in daily COVID-19 numbers than states that did not. An estimated 230,000 - 450,000 infections were likely prevented because of these mandates. Even though is certainly possible to contract COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face (mouth, nose, or eyes) it is now clear that this is not the primary way the coronavirus spreads. The virus primarily spreads through close contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets that are emitted while coughing, sneezing, singing, laughing, talking, or simply just breathing. Wearing a face mask or face cover is one of the best ways for those infected individuals to keep those droplets contained, and for those who are healthy, a mask can also offer some protection from breathing them in. If you’re back at work or venturing public places on a regular basis, please take precautions.
There is now more evidence than ever before that wearing a mask could be one of the most important things you do to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. In general, the more time you spend outside interacting with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading it. Watch For Symptoms People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms — ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. According to the CDC, you may have COVID-19 if you have these symptoms or combinations of symptoms: • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Or at least two of these symptoms: • Fever • Chills • Repeated shaking with chills • Muscle pain • Headache • Sore throat • New loss of taste or smell Call before you go Call your doctor or your County Health Department if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, have symptoms, and need to be tested. They will decide whether you need to be tested and tell you where to go. If you choose to engage in public activities, please keep these items on hand at all times: a fast mask / cloth cover, tissues, and hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if possible. Remember, we’re all in this together! Stay safe, until next time.
Carla Dubis Tedeschi
How window treatments can complete a room Using blinds in your windows may offer a sense of privacy from your neighborhood, but window treatments can provide extra comfort and bring style and sophistication into your home. Not only a functional factor, window treatments are an accessory that can completely transform a room, giving it more depth, character and coziness. Window treatments offer the perfect opportunity to express your personal style and make a room feel more complete. But choosing the right
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option for your windows takes time, thought and effort. You can’t just throw throw sheers into any room, and you certainly shouldn’t opt for honeycomb shades as your only option around the house. To complete each room with a set of window treatments, you need to consider each room’s theme, purpose, style and level of acquired privacy. Before you dress your windows in any standard option, consider the following tips for choosing the perfect treatments:
Keep the purpose of each room in mind You can’t just rush to the store and purchase a set of window treatments solely by the way they look. You first need to assess all windows in your house and make treatment decisions based on the purpose of each room. All of the spaces in your home are meant for something different, and that means you’ll need to explore different types of window treatments as well. For instance, you likely want the bedroom to be dark and dimly lit since it’s mostly made for
resting, so a set of roomdarkening curtains make most sense here. A room that thrives off of natural light, such as the home office or living room, can use a beautiful set of sheers. In the bathroom – where you need privacy and solitude – you can get away with honeycomb shades, which block little light but offer total privacy. Choose color and style wisely Just like you need to consider the purpose of your rooms before purchasing your window treatments, the style
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the room out. Keep in mind that you also need to purchase curtain rods and must to be mindful of style here as well. This is a simple task that can make or break the flow and character you’re trying to achieve.
and color should complement the room’s existing theme. If you’re a fan of pattern and texture, this is your opportunity to go wild and
make a statement. On the opposite side of the spectrum, you can choose a neutrally toned set of window treatments that balance
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Hire a personal decorator for help While choosing a set of window treatments based on the purpose and character of each room in your home seems like a simple task, it can be difficult to complement your space correctly if you’re feeling lost. Window treatments can certainly complete a room, but only when executed in the right way. If you’re ready to give your windows a much-needed makeover call Decorating Den Interiors today. Call Sally Giar at 727-789-4886
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Tech Talk with Bob: Guess Who’s calling at Dinner? By Bob Dalles Just as you sit down to enjoy a delicious, hot, dinner, the phone rings. Before you can even utter the word hello, a computer is playing a recording of someone trying to sell you something. They may dangle items that would get the attention of most people, such as lower interest rates on credit cards, cheap health insurance, or perhaps a free vacation. Who can resist, right? You’ve just been robocalled. Now please understand that I am not saying that every offer to save you interest, get affordable health insurance, or even enjoy a free vacation, is a scam. However, one might question how legal, or at least ethical, using robocalls are to contact you. Even if a company’s offer is legit, using a robocall to contact you without your permission to do so --- it is my understanding --- is 10 JULY 2020
illegal, according to the United States Federal Trade Commission. First of all, I want to be clear about this. I am not a lawyer. If you need specific legal answers, please consult a legal professional. That being said, the way I understand it is that if you do not already have a business relationship with a company, they may not use robocalls to try to sell you something. If they do use a computer to initially dial the call to you, when you answer, they must connect you with a live person. That’s why, sometimes, you
have to say hello two or three times before you actually hear a living person on the other end of the line. Sometimes the call gets dropped and all you hear may be a click or just plain silence. That is because when a company’s computer places the call to you, their representative is not actually connected to your call until you have successfully answered your phone. Are we having fun yet? Robocalls aren’t new. This technology has been around for decades, but people still get ripped-off by robocalls every single
day. So let’s start at the beginning. A robocall is any call you receive that when you answer you hear a recorded message rather than a living breathing person. Examples of legitimate use of a robocall to contact to you would be a reminder call for an upcoming medical appointment or perhaps a school closure due to inclement weather. Other forms of legal robocalls would be for charity fundraising and political calls soliciting donations and your vote. So get ready for those calls with the upcoming election.
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I personally get a handful of robocalls every day. The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) maintains a database called the Do Not Call Registry. Anyone may add their phone number to this registry. Legitimate telemarketers use this registry and do not call people on it. If you have already registered with the FTC it usually takes about a month for your phone number to propagate out to law-abiding telemarketers so they are on notice not to call you. If you continue to
receive robocalls after that, any telemarketer is sketchy as they are disregarding the do not call registry. Being on this registry does not guarantee that you will not continue to receive robocalls, but rest assured that the robocalls you receive are from companies that are not complying with FTC rules. So beware. The only real defense you have against robocalls, short of yanking your phone out of the wall, is hanging up on them. Please do not press any numbers, even if you are prompted to
press a number to be taken off of their calling list. Pressing any number just confirms to the caller that they have reached a viable phone number they can either continue to call and/or sell to other robocallers. The only reason robocalls exist is because they are profitable for the caller or they reduce an expense for a business. I am not saying that all robocall technology doesn’t have a legitimate productive use, but just like fire, it can be used for good or evil. Your best defense is getting on the registry and then when you receive a robocall from an organization that you do not already have a business relationship with, be on guard. I want to help you register quickly and safely. So from now until Labor Day, I will register your phone number with the FTC’s do not call registry for FREE! You have no excuse to put it off. Pick up your phone and call me, right now, at 727-534-4000 and
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we will get your phone number registered. There is absolutely no cost or obligation to you and it takes less than five minutes. I know how easy it is to procrastinate when it comes to things like this, so go ahead and call me and I will make this quick and painless for you. Then in a month or so afterward the calls should diminish and hopefully you’ll finally be able to get through a hot dinner in peace. Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. We’re here to help. If you are not sure your system is safe, please have it looked over by a Professionally Certified IT Specialist. Call us now at 727-5344000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. Be Safer In Your Digital World! JULY 2020 11
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“ Albert Ortho” story continued from page 1 can be a potential contaminant, Dr. Albert uses the iTero intraoral scanner to scan a patient’s mouth to create a 3D digital model for braces, Invisalign, expanders and diagnostic study models. Not only does the 3-D scan show the current structure of the teeth but it can also produce a simulated outcome of what their teeth will look like after the completion of the expected treatment plan. Growing up in Tarpon Springs, an East Lake High School alum, Dr. Albert earned his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from The University of Florida and has been honored with numerous awards and is a member of several dental associations since opening his practice in 2003. Dr. Albert doesn’t pass his patients on to a second doctor in the practice. There is no second doctor. He is there because he loves both the community and what he does and another doctor may not have the same enthusiasm or passion. It is him alone dividing his time between his practice in Trinity and Palm Harbor. Imagine being so impressed with a dentist from your childhood that you follow in his footsteps? Dr. Albert, himself a braces patient, fell in love with dentistry in his teens and knew that was a career path he wanted to take. A huge fan of puzzles, Dr. Albert felt a similarity between doing
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a puzzle and perfecting a patient’s smile. While in dental school, he made the decision to focus on orthodontics. “I always liked puzzles as a little kid and that’s basically what orthodontics is – we’re trying to figure out how to get everything to fit together, discover where all the pieces go.” Dr. Albert has treated many orthodontic cases that are similar in their initial presentation, but is keenly aware that every patient’s treatment is a little different. “The patients bring their own dynamics to their treatment. Sometimes it’s not a direct path you are taking but constantly adjusting and accommodating corrections. Orthodontics is really a process of accessing and recalculating treatment each time the patient comes in.
It’s not just about the initial appliances or aligners that go on the teeth, but how you use those appliances and adapt to their progress.” Albert Family Orthodontics treats children and adults, and new patient evaluations are always free of charge. The first consultation visit includes a thorough exam, a complimentary panoramic x-ray, and a discussion of potential treatment options and costs. Along with a low initial down payment, Albert Family Orthodontics offers no-interest, in-house financing, Care Credit, as well as accepts most insurance that includes orthodontics. Albert Family Orthodontics offers the most advanced technology to help his patients be able to see in three-dimensional
view a replica of their teeth. Out is the antiquated tray impressions or molds of teeth. Treatment time varies per each patient’s specific orthodontic problem, but in general, ranges from 6 to 24 months. The average timeframe a person is in braces or Invisalign is approximately 18 months. While braces do come both in classic silver and clear, most teens still opt for the silver and colorful bands, enjoying them as a trendy version of mouth jewelry. Millennials and adults tend to gravitate to Invisalign because of the convenience and minimal intrusiveness on their lifestyle. Dr. Albert notes however that more and more teens are choosing Invisalign as well for their comfort and versatility for
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their active lifestyles. “Invisalign is a series of clear trays that the patient wears for 1 week at time and we typically give them 12-16 trays each time they come in. They then progress through the trays in between the visits. We continually check them and ensure that they are fitting properly. Very small movements with each aligner, but over the treatment time, it moves the teeth to where we want.” Addition of the AcceleDent appliance to Invisalign treatment can reduce length of treatment time by 30%. AcceleDent applies a gentle vibration that helps increase the bone and tooth remodeling process, which speeds the
rate in which teeth can move. Based on recommendation by American Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Albert suggests initial orthodontic evaluation should occur at the first sign of orthodontic problems or no later than age 7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but helps determine the best time to begin treatment. Through his success of this practice, Dr. Albert is proud to give back to his community. He sponsors local children’s sports teams, bands, and cheerleading throughout the year. He participates in the Smiles Change Lives charity by providing pro bono
orthodontic services to low income qualified families in the community annually. Through his church, Cypress Meadows Community Church, he visits Haiti and Kenya on dental mission trips to provide dental services to those who would otherwise go without. “The first time I went there, we had a how-totake-care-of-your-teeth talk and handed out toothbrushes. Later, they had a church meeting and all the kids were holding their toothbrushes,” he said. “I know if we’re not there helping them out, very likely no one is helping them out. It’s a pretty cool feeling to pay it forward, a lot of those kids never had something we as Americans take for granted – something as simple as a toothbrush.” Dr. Albert believes whether home or abroad, sharing your talents and gifts is important. “I personally feel that it is important to use your gifts and knowledge in ways that are not solely selfserving. There’s a balance between having a practice and giving back to the community and the world. Orthodontics is really one
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of the professions where it still is really personal and not like ordering prescriptions online or going to a medical office where it’s a different nurse or doctor all the time,” he said. “I’ve value that I get to develop relationships with my patients and their families over time. I’m the only doctor that you or your child will see over the course of orthodontic treatment and that personal relationship is very important to me. That’s what I think sets my practice apart from most clinics, and with that continuity of care and supervision comes predictably excellent and efficient results.” Albert Family Orthodontics’ Trinity location is at Trinity Professional Place, 1806 Short Branch Drive, Suite #102 in Trinity (at the corner of Duck Slough and Trinity Blvds.) The Palm Harbor office is at 2445 Tampa Road, Suite A. For more information, please call 727-376-2770 (Trinity) and 727-781-7475 (Palm Harbor), Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., or log on to www.albertfamilyortho. com.
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SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: MOVING AHEAD By Dr. Wayne Adams
and new September 26th Exam. Bright Futures Upcoming Test Dates continues to use SAT and in 2019: SAT on August ACT scores for qualifying, 29 and September 26, and most colleges and and ACT on July 18 and universities around the September 12. country have not changed The ACT Exam was their policies on SAT and given on June 13th and ACT Exams. A few have continues to be scheduled made the tests optional for July 18th. Schools are or suspended their use finalizing fall schedules and for one or two admission it looks like a combination cycles only (coming fall of several days at school and possibly spring), and the remaining days such as the University of on-line. The SAT continues California system. with its August 29th Exam I have students
taking classes on-site (complies with all Covid 19 requirements), on-line, and combinations of the two. There is a trend for students who have long drives, such as from St. Petersburg or Brandon, or late school release times to take classes online, on Saturdays, or a combination. The on-site classes are mostly private, with a maximum of two students at a time when they are siblings or close friends who want to prep
together. During the Covid months there has been no difference in score improvements between students studying on-line and those before and after who studied on-site. SAT students normally improve 200 – 350 points on the Writing, Reading, Writing and Essay, and Math. ACT students normally improve 4 – 7 points on the composite. The two, unique prep approaches discussed in
my last article continue to produce excellent improvements in SAT and ACT math, and ACT Science. The Math focuses on “quick categorization”, specific strategies, and learning to handle “curve balls”, those questions that don’t come often but, when they do, we usually require knowing one or two additional bits of information. Science breaks down the Chart and Graph and Experiment problems into simple, repeatable, strategies for quickly understanding what is wanted, making a core move, and then expanding as needed for multiple step problems. “Fighting Scientists” uses a totally different strategy with core concepts and ideas leading to a more
detailed “ analysis tree” to find the answers quickly and accurately. Rising seniors will want to be prepared for the SAT and/or ACT and take an exam as soon as possible to see if they are happy with their scores or need to keep working. Rising juniors will want to have an idea of their scoring levels, and be prepared for the PSAT in mid-October which is the only qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarships. I have many rising sophomores who are already preparing for these exams to hit their maximum scores for their “dream schools” in the future. A new student segment has also developed for
to eight of the top ten universities in the country, eighteen of the top twenty-five, and many schools in Florida. These schools include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Notre Dame, Emory, UC Berkley, UCLA, USC, UNC (Chapel Hill), Wake Forest,NYU, Northeastern (Boston), Boston College, Georgia Tech, Service Academies: Navy - Air Force - and Merchant Marine - Penn students in junior high who State, LSU, Auburn, UF, U Miami, FSU, USF, UCF, are either qualifying for Florida Atlantic, Florida the Duke TIP program or aiming for a top university. Gulf Coast, FIU, New College of Florida, Stetson, These students start with me as early as the seventh and Julliard – Manhattan - New England - and grade. Two who did this Berklee Conservatories of with me in the past were Music. Many have received National Merit Finalists academic, athletic, or and admitted to top music scholarships. This schools. year, he also tutored three If You Would Like To juniors who scored at the Talk More About Your Student … Please contact national merit finalist/ semi-finalist levels on the me at 727-253-0639 most recent PSAT. He is a or send me an email at wwa0811@mykolab.com. former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the leading SAT and Full Professor, and began college teaching at the ACT tutors in the country. University of Maryland His students normally in 1968. He has degrees improve 200 – 350 points and advanced studies at on the Writing, Reading, Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Writing and Essay, and Columbia International, Math, and 4 – 7 points and Luther Rice. on the ACT composite. They have been admitted
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