Mountain City Dental

12/01/2025

"Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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11/25/2025

Mountain City Dental will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for Thanksgiving. We will reopen on December 1st. We hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

What are you thankful for this year?

11/24/2025

Dentistry has come a long way! Please do not tie your teeth together. See us for a better smile!

Anne d’Alègre and the most painful smile in seventeenth century france

When archaeologists opened a lead coffin at the Château de Laval they expected a standard high-status burial. What they found was a mouth that looked like something out of a medical thriller.

The woman inside was Anne d’Alègre, born around 1565, a French noblewoman who lived through the Wars of Religion and the brutal politics of the late Valois court.

Her life was turbulent. Her death was quiet.

A recent analysis of her skull showed severe periodontal disease. Her gums had collapsed and her teeth were so loose that eating must have been agony.

Instead of accepting tooth loss, her dentist did something extraordinary. He drilled tiny holes into several teeth and threaded them together with fine gold wire. One of her incisors had already been replaced with an ivory prosthetic carved for her mouth.

It was expensive work. It was technically impressive for the time. And it probably made everything worse. The gold ligatures forced already infected teeth to press against one another. Tightening the wires would have been torture. She endured it because she had to.

A noblewoman could not appear at court with front teeth missing. Her smile was part of her status.

This is the earliest well-documented example of complex restorative dentistry in France. It survived because she was buried in an airtight coffin.

Her pain, her wealth and her determination to keep looking “presentable” all remained there waiting to be uncovered centuries later.

Anne d’Alègre did not leave a famous diary or a sensational scandal, but her mouth tells a story of privilege, pressure and the lengths people went to in order to keep up appearances.

11/24/2025

"Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life."
- Remi

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11/17/2025

It is National Take a Hike Day. What are some of your favorite hikes? Let us know in the comments.

11/10/2025

"The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage."
- Carrie Jones

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11/10/2025

Weather-Related Attendance Policy

In the past, therapy sessions were canceled when local schools were closed due to weather. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, therapy sessions will continue as scheduled even if schools are closed for weather-related reasons.

We understand that weather conditions can vary across the area. If you feel it is unsafe to travel, please contact our office as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.

📞 Mountain City Pediatric Therapy: 423-218-9729

Consistent attendance is essential for your child’s progress. We appreciate your communication and cooperation in helping maintain regular therapy participation whenever possible.

11/03/2025

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
- Napoleon Hill

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10/31/2025

Happy Halloween. Make sure to brush and floss tonight! Sugar bugs LOVE Halloween.

10/28/2025

We've got some GREAT news to share! We have a new doctor! Dr. Czajka is now accepting new patients. Call the office to schedule with him (423)727-0655. We can file claims for almost all insurance plans, including BCBS, Cigna, Delta Dental!
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A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Dr. Collin Czajka earned his bachelor’s degree in biomaterial engineering with a minor in business administration from Clemson University. He went on to receive his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Dental College of Georgia in Augusta.

Dr. Czajka completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program in Meridian, Idaho, where he further expanded his skills in comprehensive care and complex treatment planning. He has since practiced in a variety of clinical settings — including correctional facilities, private practices, and emergency dental clinics — allowing him to work with patients from all walks of life. Dr. Czajka is passionate about problem-solving challenging cases and helping every patient feel confident and comfortable with their smile.

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Czajka enjoys golfing, hunting, hiking, fishing, water sports, and spending time with family and friends. Growing up in the South didn’t stop him from developing a love of winter sports — he’s played ice hockey since childhood and continues to enjoy skiing and snowboarding.

10/27/2025

Happy National Dental Hygiene Month!

As a dental hygienist who graduated all the way back in the 1900s, it’s exciting to see how dental hygiene has evolved. As a career it's spreading globally as people recognize how oral health affects the entire body. In the United States, we're all ready to watch dental hygiene continue to expand its reach and impact.

So much has changed in the way we work with patients since that first day I picked up my ODU 11/12. I don’t think we even knew what biofilms were! Back then, some gums just bled no matter how glassy smooth I got those roots. But now we know that healthy gums don’t bleed, and if they do, there’s a reason. We aren’t shaping teeth into hourglasses anymore; we’re disrupting pathogenic biofilm and creating an environment where a healthy microbiome can flourish.

We’ve shifted from “tooth cleaners" to prevention specialists, and it’s thrilling. No longer are my loupes focused solely on calculus and stain; they now assess a patient’s whole-body health. From airway to nutritional deficiencies to diabetes management, hygienists have a seat at the health-care table, and our presence is improving overall health and people’s longevity.

Today’s hygienists are innovators, educators, and advocates. We integrate salivary diagnostics, early-caries detection tools, and digital innovations to personalize prevention. We embrace minimally invasive dentistry and guide patients toward health rather than simply reacting to disease.

It’s time to fully recognize what dental hygienists bring to the health-care system: scientific expertise, patient trust, and prevention-driven care. As technology and research advance, our role will continue to expand. Future hygienists are not only a clinicians but also data interpreters, health coaches, and community connectors.

Dental hygiene in 2025 is smarter, broader, and more collaborative than ever before. We’re not just cleaning teeth—we’re shaping the future of preventive health care. And that, my friends, is something worth smiling about.

--Amanda Hill, BSDH, RDH, CDIPC