So grateful for those men and women who have served our country, and who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we might enjoy the freedoms we should each hold dear. Grateful to my two sons who have also served their country. We truly are a blessed nation.

As my wife and I went to the cemetery to clean up the headstones of loved one who have passed, we both could not help to walk among the headstones and read the names of those who have served before.

I hope you enjoy the message I came across on one of my news feeds, about the story of Memorial Day. Enjoy the weekend, honor those who have served, family who have passed, and please thank those in uniform every chance you get.
Dr. Rob
“This Monday, America will be shut down for a very good reason: to honor the men and women of the past and present who have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving in our armed forces.
Arlington National Cemetery, the largest military cemetery in the U.S., tweeted the story of Memorial Day and how it evolved from a post-Civil War celebration to the major national holiday that America celebrates today.
What’s the story?
According to Arlington, Memorial Day began in the aftermath of the Civil War when families from both sides laid flowers on the graves of those lost in the war. It was initially known as “Decoration Day.”
The national observance of Memorial Day began when Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, then leader of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for Union veterans, designated May 30, 1868 for the celebration of Decoration Day.
But the celebration quickly evolved from just a day honoring fallen Civil War veterans to a day honoring every American who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. With the meaning change came a name change. According to Arlington, people began referring to the holiday as “Memorial Day” by the late 19th Century.
In 1968, then-President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established the national observance of Memorial Day on the last Monday each May.
“These Memorial Day ceremonies, rooted in 150 years of tradition, ensure that the United States will never forget those who died in the armed forces and the country for which they served,” according to Arlington, which has approximately 400,000 graves on its land.”
Chris Enloe, Weekend Editor, The Blaze

As all of you should know by now, I love dentistry. I love taking care of all my patients, and working with some of the best dental team members both past and present. I believe it is an honor to be entrusted with the oral health care of the public, and all of us at Thorup Dental constantly strive to deliver the best care possible to those we serve.

I hope to be able to continue the practice of dentistry for another fifteen to twenty years from now. Why? Because it’s amazing to be able to help people get out of pain, enhance their smile, and just improve their overall health.

I came across an article published from the American Dental Association about the need/ability to continue working till age 70, and it caused me to think about all of us in all professions. Unfortunately it only referenced the financial reasons to continue working:

Working Until 70 Beneficial, Research Suggests.

The AP (5/8) reports “when it comes to retirement, later may be better,” because experts suggest that “working a few more years or drawing your Social Security benefits later can significantly boost income,” which is “particularly important” amid a national decrease in pensions and retirement savings. Research from the Stanford Center on Longevity found that the “best” retirement income approach “for middle-income retirees to have a reliable source of income through retirement is to wait until age 70 to claim Social Security,” and the study’s lead researcher stated, “We keep adding years of life and it all got tacked on to the retirement period and it never changed the retirement age.”

I feel we also need to add more important reasons for working in our professions a bit longer:

1-The wisdom that older workers can impart is often times priceless.
2-On-the-job experience can not be learned in a classroom.
3-Our brains stay sharp when mentally and physically challenged.

So, when will I, Dr. Rob, retire? I get that question from time to time. Hopefully not for a long time, as “70” is still many years away…

Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful moms!

Dr. Rob

Sometimes my patients wonder why I rarely prescribe opioid type pain medications for their dental pain. It’s simple, opioid pain medications do not block pain receptors as well as over-the-counter pain medications. Hopefully this article I am sharing with all of you will help you better understand how to control pain associated with dental conditions.

Enjoy the read….
Dr. Rob