Feb 4, 2024
At Falmouth Dental Arts, we are lucky to have a compassionate team of some of the best oral health care professionals in the world! Everyone loves coming to work each day to help our patients meet their oral health goals and receive the best care possible. Our Employee Spotlight series highlights the individuals who make FDA an incredible place to work and receive dental care.
This month, as we celebrate our 5th (!!!) year in our building, we are thrilled to put the spotlight on the man who started it all, the beloved Dr. Glen Knock.
Why did you decide to be a dentist?
Dr. Knock: I wanted to help people and was thinking about either medical school or dental school. I chose dental school after my wife had a baby and I’m glad I did!
When did you open your first practice?
Dr. Knock: In May 1974 – 50 years ago! – I opened a practice with Dr. Frank Adshead. We split our practice in 1986 and I moved to South Portland. Eventually Dr. Joe Long joined my practice for a time and in the late nineties we moved back to Falmouth. There used to be a state law that you could only have a dental practice named after the practicing dentist. A Supreme Court case changed that, which opened the way for a practice to be named something other than a practitioner’s name. I was looking for a name that would carry on after I retired, and sometime in the early 2000s we became known at Falmouth Dental Arts.
Tell us more about the idea behind the phrase “dental arts.”
Dr. Knock: There is an artistry to dentistry, if the dentist is conscientious. It is quite aesthetic…the cosmetic dentistry that can be done to help a person. Now there are machines that tell you all the color mixes! [Check out FDA’s Same-Day Crowns!]
What was a highlight from your dental career?
Dr. Knock: The biggest highlight for me was the people. I was blessed to be able to work with some people for 20 or 30 years. Francine was my assistant for 40 years! We had a lot of fun together. We were a good team.
Another highlight for me was ‘Dancing with the Dentists.’ It was really fun and we helped a lot of people.
Tell us how you came up with such an amazing idea!
Dr. Knock: My wife and I were fans of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and we were taking ballroom dancing lessons. Something clicked and we thought how great it would be if dentists could raise money for charities like The Root Cellar. Also, it’s nice to show another side to dentists; we’re not just guys and gals in white coats drilling your teeth. The first year we raised $40,000. I feel really good about that.
Would you share some of your favorite or most interesting experiences from your career?
Dr. Knock: Some of our staff meetings – everything went off the rails and we had a blast solving something!
What do you miss most about working at FDA?
Dr. Knock: I miss the interactions with people, no doubt. My poor wife – I went from having 100 interactions a day and now I’m down to just one (her). I always really enjoyed talking to people and learning about them.
Thank you, Dr. Knock!
Apr 18, 2019
Our team loves a good laugh and April kicks the month off right with April Fool’s Day. Don’t worry–we decided to skip the pranks and go straight to the foolery! After all, they say laughter is the best medicine. Here are some of our favorite dental jokes to keep you laughing all month long.
Dental Jokes
Q: What kind of award do teeth never want to receive?
A: A plaque.
Q: Why did the tree go to the dentist?
A: To get a root canal.
Q: What time do you go to the dentist?
A: Tooth-hurty!
Q: What has teeth, but can’t chew?
A: A comb.
Q: What do you call a dentist’s advice?
A: Their floss-so-phy.
Last, but not least, here is a favorite joke from our beloved Dr. Knock:
Legend has it that comedian Rodney Dangerfield once asked his dentist for advice.
“Doc – my teeth are yellow. What should I do?”
To which his dentist replied: “Wear a brown tie!”
We hope we tickled your funny bone with these jokes…we sure do love to see you smile! If you have a great joke to share with us or need to schedule an appointment for a check-up, give us a call at 207.781.5900.
**Image courtesy of www.pearlriver.com
Mar 29, 2017
I was asked to write a few words about my upcoming retirement the end of June. Yes, it is going to happen and I am looking forward to it after being in dentistry either as a student, a naval officer, or a private practitioner for 49 years! I became a dentist because I wanted to help people get healthy in some way. I had a choice of going to either dental school or medical school and I guess you know which one I chose. And I am extremely grateful that I did.
Over the years I have met so many incredible people in my practice that it is hard to describe how blessed I feel. Dentistry has opened doors to many other endeavors for me, too. Some of the highlights for me have been opening my own practice in 1974 (shared with Dr. Frank Adshead at the time), getting introduced to holistic concepts in the late 70’s, helping advance those concepts throughout my career, starting Dancing With The Dentists, and many more things I won’t bore you with.
By far and away, the most important blessing is the people I have been honored to work with – many for decades! I have an incredible staff of highly trained, compassionate and humor-oriented women. Without our humor every day it would not be fun coming in to “drill, fill, and bill.” And, in particular, I’d like to give a big thanks to Francine, who had been my assistant for over 40 years. We love to take the time with people that they need. I often tell people “I do dentistry between having a conversation with them.” I think, that between all of us we have over 300 years of experience! And much of that at Falmouth Dental Arts!
Falmouth Dental Arts is a reflection of our values, which did not appear out of thin air. Our mission and values are a product of all the hard work we have put in as a team. Countless hours of staff meetings, self-improvement, mission statement building, trainings, continuing education and, last but not least, parties and fun. We are very picky about who makes it on this team. We are all protective of our culture. Since we all own it, working here is a breeze for me. I have never seen a staff like this and I don’t think there will be another one.
The greatest gift I can give to you is to have this practice continue providing you with the treatment you have come to expect and deserve. That is why I am proud that Dr. Brian Brunacini and Dr. Antonios Karagiorgos are going to continue making Falmouth Dental Arts the place to go for your care and the care of friends and relatives. I could not have chosen any better (and they are younger!). They have both demonstrated wonderful care, skill, and judgment in what they do.
I have had an incredible time at Falmouth Dental Arts and have had decades of relationships with many of my patients. I have been losing my primary care practitioners to retirement, too. It’s difficult. But my hope is that, when I hang up the drill in June, I can look back and we can say together, “Wow! That was great!”
Mar 4, 2015
National Dentists Day is a day devoted to giving dentists a pat on the back for all the work they do. But here at Falmouth Dental Arts, we’d rather shine the spotlight on who matters most to us – you.
Patients like you are the reason we are in dentistry. The best thing you can do for us is to take care of your smile. Don’t live with a smile that makes you feel self-conscious.
Falmouth Dental Arts offers premier aesthetic services like ultra-thin porcelain veneers and exceptional implants. We also offer a state of the art whitening process. We will work with you to find the best solutions for your unique situation.
If you aren’t happy with your smile don’t wait another day. Call us at (207) 781-5900.
Feb 16, 2015
George Washington was plagued by dental disease almost his entire life. His adult teeth began falling out in his early 20’s. Others had to be extracted due to advanced decay. By the time he became president only one remained.
Because of this, Washington frequently sought out the help of dentists. During the Revolutionary War he became close to Franco-American dentist Jean-Pierre Le Mayeur, who became a lifelong friend. Later, during his presidency, Washington relied on dentist John Greenwood to fashion him several sets of false teeth. However, none were made from wood. One set was made from ivory and held together with gold springs, which is a bit more presidential than a hunk of wood. One pair of Washington’s dentures survives and is on view at his home in Mount Vernon.
George Washington’s story is a good reminder of how far we’ve come in dentistry. Despite the best efforts of Revolutionary Era dentists, Washington still suffered a lifetime of discomfort and regularly took laudanum (an opiate painkiller) to deal with the pain. His poor teeth also hurt his self-esteem and made him reluctant to give speeches.
Although there are many ways you should inspire to be like our nation’s first president, having unsightly teeth is not one of them. At Falmouth Dental Arts we offer dental solutions that fit your specific needs and budget for your complete comfort both physically and financially. Most importantly, we will get your teeth functioning properly and looking beautiful once again. Call today to see how we can improve your smile.
