Press Releases
- Don’t lose your dental benefits use them this fall
- Dentist Adam Feret Provides Saliva DNA Tests to Help Fight Gum Disease
Don’t lose your dental benefits use them this fall
WESTFIELD – It’s almost fall. Do you know where your dental benefits are?
Many company dental plans don’t allow you to carry over dental benefits to the next year. That means getting dental work in January could cost more than the same procedure this fall.
“People don’t realize how rich some company dental plans are,” said Alice Brown, practice manager for Dr. Adam E. Feret, a dentist in Westfield, and his WestfieldSmiles.com website. “They also don’t realize that may companies have a use it or lose it policy.”
That means you could be throwing away your dental benefits.
Benefits are given to employees as part of your compensation package. You worked hard for these benefits and good dental care is vital to your overall health.
As a result, the best way to take full advantage of your benefits is to plan your non-emergency dental work.
Keep in mind when benefit dollars expire -- usually at the end of the calendar year. Also realize that many people are suddenly learning about the same deadline.
“That means the appointment books of many dentists fill up quickly for the last quarter of the year,” Dr. Feret said. “Our busy office becomes even more popular in the last months of the year.”
The more information you have about your dental coverage, the better decisions you will be able to make.
Your human resources department can check the status of your dental benefits. And so can Dr. Feret’s office.
“Our qualified and experienced insurance coordinators will run a complimentary benefits check,” Brown said. “We’ll gladly explain how your benefits work and suggest options for making the best use of them.”
The key is to plan.
“Now is the time to set up your fall dental work,” Brown explained. “Some procedures take more than one visit. And you want to make sure you can get an appointment that is convenient for you.”
Added Dr. Feret: “Don’t throw your benefits away. Put your money where your mouth is – not in the trash.”
Dentist Adam Feret Provides Saliva DNA Tests to Help Fight Gum Disease
WESTFIELD — Dentist Adam Feret wants to tell you about the harmful bacteria in your mouth.
The American Dental Association says about 75% of all Americans over 35 have some form of periodontal (gum) disease which studies show can be linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. The detection and monitoring of the disease causing bacteria is critical to the treatment of periodontal disease.
That’s why he has started to use a simple DNA test using saliva, to determine the specific type of quantity of this dangerous bacteria in your mouth.
“The mouth is the gateway to your health,” said Alice Brown, practice manager for Dr. Feret. “This new test is another tool that allows us to keep better track of patients’ health beyond their teeth and mouth.”
The test should be performed on patients with periodontal disease or those who are ready to undergo surgery. Symptoms of gum disease include bleeding gums, bad breath, red or inflamed gums or loss of bone around the teeth. The test is also suggested for patients preparing for extensive dental procedures, heart surgery or joint replacements.
The test is performed by swishing a small amount of sterile saline around the mouth for 30 seconds. The saliva sample is then sent to OralDNA Labs (OralDNA.com) for processing.
A report identifies harmful bacteria associated with gum infections to help Dr. Feret develop a more effective treatment plan. The dentist can then treat the source of the infection rather than just the symptoms. The goal is to reduce the overall bacterial risk for disease progression. Earlier and more targeted treatment can help stop periodontal disease before irreversible damage occurs.
Dr. Feret also offers a genetic susceptibility test to reveal if your genetic makeup puts you at greater risk for developing gum infections. This test shows how an individual’s immune system will respond to harmful bacteria.
Dr. Feret, who received a bachelors degree from Seton Hall University in South Orange and his dental degree from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, has been practicing and living in Westfield since 1973.
“The mouth gives us clues to what could be going in the rest of your body – and these new tests help us better understand those clues,” Brown explained. “That means problems found in the mouth could help detect bigger problems elsewhere in your body. If you care about your health, you need to see a dentist regularly.”
Contact Dr. Feret’s office at 908-233-9280 or dr.feret@westfieldsmiles.com.
