Category: Chris’s Updates

Looking Forward to 2018

We recently returned from Disneyland, and I don’t think my kids will ever be the same again. It was a lot of work for Meredith and me, but it was worth it to see the sheer delight on the faces of our kids. I even had the chance to enjoy a few rides myself, and I particularly enjoyed the California Screamin’ roller coaster. I guess the thrill of flying through the air on a ride is something you never outgrow.

The trip was a great experience to cap off 2017, and now it’s time to turn our attention toward the new year. For my family, the biggest goal is to find a home in Eagle in 2018. Don’t get me wrong; we love our current home and neighbors in Meridian, but we’d like to find a long-term residence a little closer to the practice before the kids get too settled. We’re still in the early stages, but it’s definitely something we’re excited about. Hopefully, I’ll have more to report on that front a little later in the year.

At the office, we unwrapped one heck of a Christmas present recently. A new 3-D imaging device arrived recently, and we’ve already gotten a lot of use out of it. The technical name for the machine is a cone beam dental CT scanner, but I won’t bore you with any of the specs. In short, the machine offers a chance to take a much more dynamic look at teeth than simple X-rays.

“From little things, like freshening up furniture and decor, to larger investments, like our CT scanner, we think improving the practice should be a yearlong initiative, not just a New Year’s resolution.”

Dental technology is always advancing, and imaging is one the places where the advancement has been biggest. I can’t tell you how much more information we have as the result of enhanced imaging. In the past, when we went to put in an implant or perform a root canal, we had some information going in. Once we got under the surface, however, we could expect to encounter some surprises. Now, the picture is much clearer — literally. Not only does better imaging allow the team to have a more solid game plan before a procedure, but it also lets us explain procedures to patients with the help of sophisticated visual aids.

In the coming months, we’ll be on the lookout for more ways to improve the practice. From little things, like freshening up furniture and decor, to larger investments, like our CT scanner, we think improving the practice should be a yearlong initiative, not just a New Year’s resolution. I’m lucky to have a team that never fails to suggest great ideas. I’m thankful for that, because I don’t always have the best eye for decoration. If you need proof of that, ask Meredith! I’m sure she’ll be able to confirm it.

I hope you have a wonderful 2018. The year may be just getting underway, but I’m already feeling like it’s going to be a great one. Thank you to all of our wonderful patients for making 2017 such a great year for Eagle Dental Care. I’m sure this year will be even better.

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Christmas at the Thomason House

This year will be our son Max’s first Christmas, and we’re so excited for him to experience the delights of the holidays. His siblings, Avy and Jett, will have no trouble getting him into the spirit. They’re seasoned veterans at this point, and theyknow that once Thanksgiving dinner is digested, it’s time to start looking forward to Santa. Over that weekend, we always decorate the house as a family.

I enjoy getting the house spruced up, but my favorite activity is hanging up ornaments on the tree. When I was growing up, my mom made unique ornaments every year. They would always be themed with a focus on self-improvement. I probably have 15 to 20 of them now. While decorating the tree, I find myself staring at the christmas ornaments my mom made each christmas season and reminiscing about family memories from my youth. Occasionally, my wife, Meredith, will catch me staring at an ornament, reminiscing about the past. She might even need to prompt me to hustle it along. After all, it seems there’s always more decorating to do.

Occasionally, my wife, Meredith, will catch me staring at an ornament, reminiscing about the past. She might even need to prompt me to hustle it along. After all, it seems there’s always more decorating to do.

Watching my kids experience the holidays, I’ve noticed a funny thing about how times change. Meredith and I introduced our kids to the classic Christmas movies — “Rudolph,” “Frosty the Snowman,” etc. While the joy they experience from the movies is the same as it was when I was a boy, the way they find that joy is not. I remember my siblings and I would mark the calendars for the one time these movies would appear on TV. If we missed it, we had to wait another year to get a shot. These days, my kids watch them over and over. All they have to is hit play, and it’s an endless loop of Christmas fun.

To me, these simple pleasures are what the holidays are all about. With the little ones, we don’t travel to Eastern Idaho for Christmas, so it’s mostly a quiet time with our family. Sitting at home with a cup of hot chocolate in hand and watching them enjoy the festivities always puts a smile on my face.

This year, the holiday atmosphere won’t be limited to the office. The team at Eagle Dental Care will be putting up some decorations, and we’re excited to share in the spirit of Christmas with our patients. Not to sound cheesy, but I receive a present every day in the form of being able to treat such an amazing group of people.

I want to wish everyone reading this a merry Christmas and happy holidays. I hope you have the chance to enjoy your favorite traditions. But I will say that if we have just a touch less snow than last year, you won’t find me complaining.

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Why I’m Thankful for Work and Family

I recently returned from my mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and I have to say, it was a phenomenal experience. As I mentioned last month, this was my second trip to the island, but this one was a lot different than the first. On my maiden voyage, we traveled to rural areas and were really roughin’ it. The tools and facilities were rudimentary, and we did all we could to help people out.

This time, on the other hand, we worked out of San Pedro at a nice, if not totally modern, clinic. A small group of 10 dentists from the States went to assist local dentists in providing care for residents who could not afford modern dentistry. It was a true collaborative effort. For certain parts of the day, one of us would lead and another would assist. Then, we’d switch roles. Now, I don’t speak a lick of Spanish, and a lot of the Dominican dentists were not fluent in English. They probably understood me a lot better than I could them, though. Even with the language barrier, I hope the local dentists enjoyed working with a guy from Eagle, Idaho.

“My family, along with my wife’s siblings and their kids, is heading off to Disneyland. When we told our kids, you would’ve thought they’d won the lottery.”

All in all, though, it was a complete joy to work alongside these dedicated doctors and their staff. We put in fillings and dental implants alongside some preventative work. It was a nice change of pace to do some more advanced dentistry, as my first trip was almost exclusively pulling teeth — and I mean that literally. The staff and patients in San Pedro welcomed us with open arms, and I boarded the plane back to the United States, having made many new friends. Additionally, I had the chance to catch up with an old one. I actually heard about the opportunity from my friend Richie, who I went to dental school with. We hadn’t had a chance to spend time together for several years, and it was wonderful to catch up.

Now that I’m back in Idaho, I have a trip of an entirely different order to look forward to. My family, along with my wife’s siblings and their kids, is heading off to Disneyland. When we told our kids, you would’ve thought they’d won the lottery. We’ve even started a countdown calendar so that every day feels just a little closer to the big day. Avy, Jett, and Max are 6, 4, and a newborn, respectively, so they’re at the perfect ages to make this journey unforgettable. In a fun bit of irony, my son may be named Jett, but he’s a huge fan of the “Cars” series. When I found out that there were “Cars”-themed rides at Disneyland, I knew he’d be elated.

Aside from that huge event on the horizon, we’ll be looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Rexburg with my in-laws. I always enjoy piling my plate with sweet potatoes. Maybe it’s just my family, but nobody seems to love them as much as I do. Oh well, all the more for me.

I want to wish everyone reading this a happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have the chance to unwind and enjoy the holiday with your loved ones. As we go around the table, I have a feeling I know what my kids will be bringing up. As for me, I’m so thankful for our incredible team and wonderful community of patients. You’ve made me feel more than welcome in my first full year at the practice, and it fills me with gratitude every day.

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Providing Aid in the Dominican Republic

When I finished dental school, I took a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, which had a big impact on me. After getting off the plane in Santo Domingo, we boarded a bus that took us six hours into the country. We were working in remote villages, so we could only bring along a few tools and some anesthetic. As we drove further and further from the city, I grew increasingly excited at the prospect of providing dental care to people who would otherwise never receive it.

After arriving, we built our base camp and prepared ourselves to work. The setup was, to put it mildly, rustic. There was a tree and a cow right next to us, but we made due with what we had. With flashlights affixed to our heads, we saw as many people as we could. Most of the work we did centered on pain relief, by which I mean we pulled a lot of teeth. A patient would tell us where it hurt, then we’d numb them and remove the problem tooth. Performing extraction after extraction reminded me of how lucky we are to have solid dental care here in America. Most of these residents were dealing with overwhelming tooth pain on a daily basis. It felt wonderful to provide what little help I could, and it’s an experience that will stick with me forever.

The reason I bring up this story is because I’ll be heading back to the Dominican Republic October 7–14 for another dental journey. This time around, I’ll be able to do some restorative work in addition to the emergency interventions. I’m not entirely sure what this trip has in store for me, but I can tell you that I couldn’t be looking forward to it more. Helping patients in need is one of the greatest joys of being a dentist, and this trip will no doubt be a chance to do that.

Of course, outreach isn’t just something you should do thousands of miles away. Throughout the holidays, Eagle Dental Care will be participating in a can drive to benefit local food pantries during the holiday season. We hope you’ll bring in some cans to contribute to our donation. We’ll be displaying them in the office as they pile up, and we hope to have a nice pyramid by the end of the drive. If you bring in 5 cans, we’ll even be offering some discounts on treatment.

Once I return from the Dominican Republic, my family will already be getting swept up in the Halloween frenzy. Avy, our 5-year-old, loves Halloween, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for a costume this year. Given that Halloween falls on a weekday, we might also have an office dress-up day to celebrate.

My bags aren’t quite packed yet, but I’m already making preparations for my trip. Before I add another stamp to my passport, though, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Halloween. May your kids enjoy a night of costumes and candy. Well, maybe not too much candy.

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Celebrating 1 Year at Eagle Dental

When I realized recently that I was celebrating one year as the dentist at Eagle Dental Care, I was a little bit surprised. I guess when life is busy, you forget how quickly a milestone can arrive. It’s been an amazing first year at the practice, and I owe a massive thanks to the team for making me feel welcome from the first day through the 365th. An equally sincere thanks goes out to all the patients who have continued to support Eagle Dental Care during my first year.

That first day on the job feels like it was only weeks ago. We hit the ground running right away, seeing patients as soon as I arrived. There was something special about that day, though, as we closed the practice a couple hours early to have an open house. We invited all of our patients to come in, say goodbye with a big thankyou to Dr. Courtial, and be introduced to yours truly. I think that open house was the perfect way to get started, and I’d like to think we are still carrying the momentum from that evening.

I was lucky enough to arrive at a thriving practice with an exceptional staff, so I’ve been careful to not rock the boat too much. Patients deserve the same thoughtful care they are used to, and I want everyone to feel as at home as they ever have. That said, we have had the chance to do a few touch-ups in the past year. We’ve put in new computers and monitors, intaoral cameras, and X-ray sensors. We changed some signage and did a little landscaping.

“My goal is to make Eagle Dental Care a state-of-the-art practice without sacrificing the personal, friendly care that has always been an essential part of the office.”

In this next year, we are hoping to make a few additional improvements to the office. Along with some remodeling, I am excited to bring some new dental technology into the office. My goal is to make Eagle Dental Care a state-of-the-art practice without sacrificing the personal, friendly care that has always been an essential part of the office.

Speaking of major milestones, I’m sending my daughter, Avy, who is my oldest, off to kindergarten this year. I have to admit, it’s probably going to be harder on me than her. She’s excited about it. After two years of preschool, she’s had plenty of experience being in a structured environment with other children. Nevertheless, kindergarten is a big deal, and I’m looking forward to seeing her start this stage of her life.

Kindergarten will be a new experience for Avy, but she’s not the only one trying out new things! Our newborn, Max, had a first of his own when we took him out recently for his first camping trip. It was short but sweet, and I’m sure it will be the first of many. As many of you know, I’m a huge outdoorsman, so it means a lot to be able to share that love with my family.

Before I sign off this month, I just want to thank everyone again for making my first year at Eagle Dental so amazing. Here’s to many more!

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Summer Jobs, Awesome and Awful

Summer may be associated with vacation and free time, but when I was growing up, it also meant summer jobs. I’m grateful for the work experiences I had as a kid. They instilled in me the value of hard work and gave me the chance to develop some unique skills. I may not use all of those skills today, but I still have them in my back pocket.

Unless you’re extremely lucky, you’ve had a job that you hated. For me, that was bagging groceries at Albertsons one summer. As you can imagine, it was far from thrilling. The first few weeks were okay, when I was still figuring out the best strategy for stacking milk, eggs, and produce in the same bag. Pretty quickly, though, I was going through the motions. This summer was long before the days when people worried about bag consumption, so double-bagging was a consistent occurrence. I know one thing for certain: If I never have to say “paper or plastic?” again, I won’t mind.

Slightly more exciting were the summers I spent on my uncle’s potato farm. They could always use someone to do a little grunt work. As a nephew, I was pretty cheap labor. Most of my time there was spent working on irrigation. That might sound glamorous, but when I say “irrigation,” what I really mean is “moving pipes around.” Nevertheless, it was great to work alongside family, and the gig off ered me the chance to learn a little about agriculture and Idaho’s most iconic export.

“I know one thing for certain: If I never have to say ‘paper or plastic?’ again, I won’t mind.”

The coolest of my summer jobs was building log cabins. We constructed everything by hand off-site, dismantled it, labeled each piece, and sent it off to its final destination. It was a bit like playing with a massive, heavy Lego set. I like to think I’m pretty handy these days, and I owe a lot of that to my time spent on the cabin crew.

Of course, I didn’t spend every hour of my summer on the clock. Some of my best summer memories are the times I spent camping with my family throughout the Northwest. Being out in the wilderness was so relaxing, especially when compared to bagging groceries for eight hours. Another favorite activity was riding my motorbike. In particular, I will never forget biking the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, where the open space meant I could cut loose without fear.

This year, I’ve already had a new summer experience: sturgeon fishing. Oregon opened up sturgeon fishing for six days and allowed you to keep sturgeon 44–50 inches in length. I felt lucky just to be able to go and even luckier that I brought home a sturgeon.

I’m hoping to provide my kids with a lasting memory when we go to Rexburg to watch the solar eclipse. Apparently, it will be one of the best places in the country to view this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Rexburg, a town of about 50,000 people, is expecting 10 times that for the eclipse. Luckily, with my family out there, we won’t struggle to find a place to stay.

I hope everyone enjoys the last few weeks of their summer this year. If you happen to trek out to eastern Idaho for the solar eclipse, maybe I’ll see you there.

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My Fourth of July Memories

Independence Day is a holiday full of traditions for my family. I’m so excited for our newborn, Max, to experience his first Fourth of July. His arrival is the most exciting thing going on in our lives, and it’s been really fun to watch our other children interact with him. Our daughter, Avy, has already begun mimicking her mom in terms of taking care of the baby. Jett, our three-year-old son, is still adjusting to the fact that he’s no longer the youngest and center of attention, but I can tell he’s excited about having a little brother.

This year, I’m taking off the week before the Fourth in order to head up to a cabin my in-laws have rented in Island Park. It might be a cliché that you don’t get along with your wife’s parents, but in my case, that couldn’t be further from the truth. My in-laws are awesome! I really cherish any time I get to spend with my extended family, and this trip will be an awesome chance to get away and unwind. It will also bring back memories of the camping trips I used to take with my family when I was a boy, which were always an early summer staple.

“It’s hard to believe that bumping into my aunt and uncle at the Rexburg Fourth of July parade started a chain of events that would lead to a connection that will last a lifetime. Talk about a spark setting off fireworks!”

On Independence Day itself, we always head to Rexburg for the parade. The kids really enjoy seeing all the floats, tractors, and fireworks. They particularly love when the fire truck comes by to cool everyone off with a blast from the hose. I’ll be looking forward to the family barbecue. I’m no master, but I do like grilling from time to time. This year, though, I’ll probably leave those duties to another relative, as I’m just as content to be on the eating side of the equation.

When I think back to all the previous Fourth of Julys I’ve spent in Rexburg, there is one that stands out. Nine years ago, I graduated dental school and started working in Boise as an associate dentist in a large group practice. That summer, I went back to Rexburg for the Fourth of July weekend to be with my family. I went to the parade and happened to see my aunt and uncle, and they invited me back to their place for a barbecue afterward. My cousin and his wife were there, and we started chatting. During the course of the conversation, my cousin’s wife said that she had a best friend who was single and going to Boise State. She thought we might hit it off. The woman she was talking about, of course, was Meredith, the love of my life. It’s hard to believe that bumping into my aunt and uncle at the Rexburg Fourth of July parade started a chain of events that would lead to a connection that will last a lifetime. Talk about a spark setting off fireworks!

Here at the office, I hope you’ve noticed the new sign we finally got installed. It’s been a six-month ordeal jumping through hoops to get it approved, but I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I think it’s much more reflective of the atmosphere inside the practice. Here’s wishing everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July. May you enjoy it with your families.

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Introducing Dr. Thomason

I remember the exact moment that set me on the path to becoming a dentist. I’m the youngest of five boys, and I’ve always been extremely close with my brothers. When I was graduating high school, my brother James was finishing dental school. During this time, we took a fishing trip to the Teton River. While on the river, James asked me if I had given serious thought to what I wanted to do professionally. At that time, I wasn’t really sure, but was leaning towards mechanical engineering. James suggested to me that I would love dentistry and explained why he thought the career would suit me. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I owe my big brother a huge thanks for giving me that initial nudge.

There’s a lot to love about the field of dentistry, but one of the most rewarding aspects is being able to relieve the pain of others. When somebody enters the office with pain so severe that it’s affecting their daily life, it means a lot to be able to lend a hand. I also relish being able to improve patients’ smiles — not just cosmetically, but functionally, too. I never forget the instances when I help patients gain an improved quality of life.

“I never forget the instances when I help patients gain an improved quality of life.”

I feel so fortunate to practice at Eagle Dental Care. We have an amazing team here, and creating a fun environment for both staff and patients comes naturally when you work with people as awesome as those we have here. Don’t get me wrong: We take our work seriously, but we’re not afraid to have some laughs. We want every person who walks through our door to feel like an old friend, and we strive to make real connections with our patients.

Outside of the office, I spend most of my time with my family. Meredith, my wife, is absolutely awesome, and I am a better individual because she’s in my life. Our relationship has been a joy from the moment I met her. She is also smokin’ hot and beautiful in every way! Even though we both grew up in Rexburg, we didn’t meet until after I graduated from dental school and moved to Boise. We were set up on a blind date and immediately hit it off. We’ve been married for eight years, and we have three beautiful children: Avy, Jett, and Max. Our youngest, Max, was born just a few weeks ago, so it’s been a thrilling time for our family. Avy and Jett are excited to have a baby brother!

When I’m not trying my best to keep up with the kids, I love spending a little time outdoors. My favorite ways to unwind are motorbiking, fly-fishing, and camping. I also have a hobby that I’m not afraid to admit is a little nerdy: flying remote control planes. They can be really sophisticated machines, and flying them has always been a ton of fun for me. My greatest passions, though, are my family and career. I cannot wait to see where life’s journey takes us.

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