Tag: Nova Southeastern University

Bill Windsor begins Oral Surgery

Bill Windsor Begins Oral Surgery on January 18, 2024.
Bill Windsor sees a Dentist from India
I spent all afternoon on 1/18/2024 at Nova Southeastern University’s Dental School in Clearwater, Florida. Such wonderful people. I saw L, Vito (Brazil), Sushma (India), Godlive (Haiti), Linda (India), and Dr. Chirag Panchal (India). I saw at least another half dozen dentists including the head of the International Dental Program.
All on 4 Dental Implants
If I could jump, I would have jumped out of the dental chair when the head honcho told Vito that what I need are two more Implants on the bottom. He had twice previously said no to that because the government grant wouldn’t cover it.  I havew the two outer Implants, with six holed between them
But today, with all my International friends huddled around, he presented a plan. HOORAY!!!!!!
Vito presented my Treatment Plan to me, and I approved it. They began with Dr. Chirag Panchal from India extracting the tooth where the crown broke off a month or so ago. It was painless. Not easy or without a lot of pressure, but painless.
I’m on a liquid diet for 48 hours. Biting on gauze pads. Got quite a headache.
Bill Windsor Oral SurgeryMy gum seems to be healing perfectly from the surgery on Thursday. I get off the liquid diet today and get to have some soft food.
On Thursday 1/18/2024, Vito and the supervising dentists gave me a Treatment Plan orally, but it wasn’t presented chronologically. They explained by tooth.
APPOINTMENT 5 — I anticipate that the next visit (Monday the 29th) will have them removing some (ultimately all) of my existing crowns on upper teeth to see underneath to determine if those teeth can be repaired. If they can be repaired, they will do so, and I will get new crowns. If they can’t, they go on an extraction list.
APPOINTMENT 6 –I believe they will then do additional repairs and place new crowns. They will identify holes that will need Implants.
APPOINTMENT 7 –Next up will be surgery to remove all the teeth that failed the crown removal inspection. There will likely be several. I think they will put me to sleep and remove all of those at one time. I’ll then need two weeks for healing.
APPOINTMENT 8 — I anticipate the next appointment will be an initial appointment with a senior Dentist who does Implants. Once he or she gets the lay of the land, I will be scheduled for the Implant Surgery.
APPOINTMENT 9 –The next appointment will be the Implant Surgery. This recovery took a while from when I had my first two Implants done five years ago.
APPOINTMENT 10 –Once healed, I go back to have the Abutment and Artifical Replacement Tooth placed.
APPOINTMENT 11 –Vito and Sushma will then do impressions and order the Dentures.
APPOINTMENT 12 –After the Dentures are manufactured, they are placed and adjusted.
APPOINTMENT 13 –If I am unable to remove them (as I have no use of my left hand), a permanent All-on-4 Denture will be manufactured for the bottom and placed.
APPOINTMENT 14 –Then they’ll have to revisit what to do on the top. This will involve multiple dentists (not students) and the head of the Dental School.
APPOINTMENT ?? AND ?????? — I have no idea what will come next. Because of the inability to use my left hand, I am not at all opposed to having all remaining upper teeth / crowns extracted and four Implant Posts placed during the Extraction process.
I estimate APPOINTMENTS 5 to 14 will take until August 2024.
Bill Windsor's Teeth
What was quoted at $56,000 will cost nothing but a lot of gas.

Bill Windsor had one heck of a day on December 12, 2023

Bill Windsor has a great day

OH HAPPY DAY – Bill Windsor HAD ONE HECK OF A DAY!

My day started at 6 a.m. I didn’t sleep well as I was so excited to go to Nova Southeastern University Dental School to apply to be a patient in a special new program. (Go Dolphins!)

As long-time readers here know, I have endured Dry Mouth since my attempted murder by an 18-wheeler on 5/5/2017. This has caused me to have about 17 teeth fall out or be extracted.

I have been quoted as much as $56,000 for extractions and implants. Today, a dental student under the supervision of a faculty member dentist will do a full evaluation to ensure I am a qualified candidate.  A government grant is paying for this to cover veterans, so my DD-214 U.S. Army Discharge Papers are the most important thing to take.  I will have a permanent student dentist.  It’s a brand-new program, so I anticipated prompt treatment.

On October 3, 2023, the State gave $5 million to Nova University for dental care for veterans — https://sharkbytes.nova.edu/news-announcements/veterans-access-clinic-receives-5-million-from-the-state/?_gl=1*nub5pz*_gcl_au*MTkwODM0MzAzNS4xNzAyMTQ5Nzc5

I had everything I was going to take organized the night before.  So, shave, shower, floss, double brushing of my remaining teeth, sweatpants and sweatshirt as it was COLD, and shoes.

My neighbors were going on a five-day trip to the Florida Keys, and I made a “Have a Great Time” sign to put on their windshield.  But they were already gone. Back to the RV, and I was locked out.  The door wouldn’t open.  I pulled and pushed, tried other keys, and froze my butt off.  Fortunately, while everything else I needed was locked away, I had my cell phone on a rope around my neck.  I called AAA, and they could have someone there by 8:15.

I was going to be at least 45 minutes late for my 9:00 a.m. appointment.  I left a voice mail for Violet, my contact at the School.

Nova’s #1 Rule is “ALWAYS BE ON TIME.” Damn!

The AAA man got the door open, and I grabbed my stuff and hit the highway.

Nova Southeastern University Dental SchoolI had seen photos of the dental area at the main campus in Davie, Florida.  It was packed, so I left my Walker in the truck and walked with my cane so I would not be a problem when I was inside.  I have no balance, and I cannot walk more than 30 feet with the Walker.

I arrived 45 minutes late, had to walk down two flights of parking garage stairs, then a long walk to the front door of the Dental Building.  I could barely move when I got to the Reception Desk after I had gutted it out for maybe 150 feet.  Then I discovered it was another long walk, an elevator ride, and another long walk.  I almost fell over when I reached the door after close to a football field of stumbling.  The very beautiful “L” saved me, and eased me into a chair.

I apologized profusely for being late, but there was nothing but kindness.

I had a lot of paperwork to do.  “L” saw me struggling, so she got me a desk and a chair.

Nova Southeastern University Dental School

Let me set the scene.  This is the most beautiful school building I have ever seen.  They must have someone who comes around daily and fixes any scratches on the walls or whatever.  All the equipment looked brand new.

I learned there are 35 student dentists, all from other countries.  It’s a U.S. Government program.  These student dentists are here for three years, and then they get licensed in the U.S. and return to their countries as licensed dentists.

My second appointment will be data collection (X-Rays), and the third appointment will begin treatment.

My dental team was a sweet lady from Haiti with a name I can’t spell, somewhat like Godiva, and my student practitioner, Vito from Brazil.  There aren’t enough words to describe how nice and kind they were.  Dr. Goldsmith was the Supervising Dentist.  Very businesslike, but very kind.

I was asked a lot of questions, and they took a panoramic X-Ray.

After three hours, I was officially accepted!  If I could have moved, I’d have jumped for joy.  I begin treatment on January 4, 2024 as all the students get to go back to their countries for “Christmas.”  I will go on Mondays and Thursdays.

As I am a veteran, there is apparently no charge. YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I literally stumbled back to my car, but Vito showed me a shortcut and held me up until I got on an elevator.  I drove home and collapsed.  I couldn’t keep my eyes open, and I could barely walk.  But I was EXCITED!

All-on-4-Dental ImplantsIf all goes as planned, I will have fixed, permanent dentures (All-on-4) on the bottom and top.  Decay will be a bad memory in the rearview mirror.

I wrote every dental school in Florida, and Nova Southeastern was the ONLY response.  Timing is everything as they had just opened this program in Clearwater.  Thank you, God