The Power of Smile ™ Blog
Meet The Clinicians
Learn about current topics and trends in dentistry and the importance of oral health as it relates to overall health from our team of experts.
Eileen Crespo, MD
Dr. Eileen Crespo is the Vice President of Medical Services at Delta Dental of Minnesota. Dr. Crespo is a practicing pediatrician of 20 years. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a member of the Board of Directors at Children’s Dental Service and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
R. Bruce Templeton, DMD
Dr. Bruce Templeton is an oral surgeon and has served both on the board and as a medical consultant for Delta Dental of Minnesota since 2011. Dr. Templeton has served as both the Chief of Dentistry and Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, and as a clinical professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.
James O'Meara, DDS
Dr. James O’Meara is the Vice President of Dental Services at Delta Dental of Nebraska. Dr. O’Meara is also an Associate Professor of Adult Restorative Dentistry at the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry. He practiced General Dentistry In Des Moines, Iowa for thirteen years and also was an Associate Professor of General Dentistry at the Creighton University School of Dentistry for 21 years.
Dr. Cindy McGregor, DDS
Dr. Cindy McGregor is the Vice President of Dental Services at Delta Dental of Minnesota. Dr. McGregor is a 1998 graduate of the University of Minnesota-School of Dentistry. She has been a hygiene instructor and practiced in both a small and large group practices in the Metropolitan area of Minnesota. Dr. McGregor has been a member of the Minnesota Dental Association as well as the American Dental Association for over 25 years.
This information in this post is for general educational purposes only and does not warrant or represent any information as related to health as specifically appropriate for you. It is not intended to be medical advice or replace the relationship that you have with your health care providers. You should always seek medical advice on any diagnosis or treatment from a qualified health care provider. The information is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
Recent Blog Articles
Which is better for your teeth – tea or coffee?
The holidays are over, and for a lot of us that means back to the grind – and the caffeine.
What is dental decay?
Our mouths are breeding grounds for hundreds of types of bacteria. Plaque that forms on our teeth and in our mouths contain this bacteria which also live on our gums, tongue, and other soft tissues. When we eat food, the bacteria that is in our mouth eat the food too – specifically, sugar – and produce acid. This acid begins to break down the tooth surface, and will eventually cause a hole in the tooth, referred to as dental caries, or dental decay.
5 pet dental health facts for Pet Dental Health Month
It’s Pet Dental Health Month! To celebrate, we put together some interesting – and useful – pet dental health facts about our four-legged (and two-finned) friends.
What to do when you chip a tooth
What do hockey pucks and hard candy have in common? They’re both culprits when it comes to chipping teeth. If you lose a chunk of an incisor, don’t feel bad. Dentists see chipped teeth all the time—especially during hockey season!—and they can often fix you up quickly.
America’s first African-American dentist: Robert Tanner Freeman
In 1867, Robert T. Freeman joined Harvard University’s newly opened School of Dentistry. Two years later, he and George Franklin Grant graduated, becoming the first officially trained African-American dentists in the U.S.
Common winter mouth issues – and how to help them
Your mouth – and your teeth and gums inside of it – are used to being at your body temperature. When you open your mouth and breathe in that frigid air, it can cause painful “zingers” across your teeth. If you do it often, it can even cause your teeth to expand and contract, damaging them.
What your teeth say about you
Did you know that your teeth are as unique as your fingerprints? Not only can your teeth be used to identify you as an individual, but the characteristics of your teeth can tell a lot about you to anyone trained to see.
Grantee Spotlight: Community Dental Care
Since 2011, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation has awarded over $1.4 million to Community Dental Care – a nonprofit organization which primarily serves the low-income population in their service areas of Saint Paul, Maplewood, Robbinsdale and Rochester.
New year, new toothbrush
Oral health professionals often suggest that you replace your toothbrush every three months or whenever you notice the bristles fraying – whichever is sooner – to keep your mouth healthy. There’s no better time to freshen up your toothbrush than at the new year! But what toothbrush is best for you?
