NVO Blog

My son's friend learned the hard way. Fortunately for him, the dog's owner was an orthodontist...a nice orthodontist who was willing to make him a new one for free. But that's not usually the case. You see, a dog (or any other pet) smells the millions of bacteria from three rooms away....that's if your retainer is clean! Tens of millions of bacteria if your retainer is on the dirtier side. Because a dog has heightened senses, the retainer smells more like a 12oz filet mignon than a 1.5oz acrylic medical appliance.

So....beware....always keep your retainer in it's case when it's not in your mouth. Like I always tell my patients: "case to the mouth, mouth to the case". Your investment (or should I say your parent's investment) will be preserved forever and ever with proper wear and care. And of course you must follow your orthodontists' instructions for duration of wear. Everybody is different...no one has the same genetic makeup, and no one has the magic number for hours or years of wear. We are all different and have varying retention requirements and commitments. Talk to your orthodontist....hopefully he or she is as nice as I am!! Come up with a retention plan to safeguard that big investment so we can all keep smiling!

And watch out for Taffy Casagrande....even an orthodontist's dog is on the lookout for a good retainer snack!

We believe that when you change a child’s life, you change a family’s, which can change a community, and ultimately the world.

We strive to be part of that change and part of the solution in improving the lives of children and their families by providing programs that strengthen families during their most difficult or challenging times.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities Vision

Northern Virginia Orthodontics wants to be part of that change. The staff is frequently encouraged to give back. Last year Dr. Casagrande and the staff decided the team holiday event would focus on doing so. We arranged to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House in Falls Church, VA.

As we prepared dinner and cleaned the house for these very deserving families, we knew this would become a regular event for Northern Virginia Orthodontics. We visited the house again last Friday. The smell of fresh baked cookies filled the house - this years experience was especially meaningful as one of our very special patients has captured our thoughts and prayers. His family is staying at the NYC RMHC house while he is being treated at Sloan Kettering. We know that his family and all the others going through this most difficult time need to focus on healing their children. We’ve tried (and will continue) to help provide some comfort to ease them through the most challenging of times.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
There are many ways to help. You can donate, volunteer, cook for families, shop to support, etc. Please visit The Ronald McDonald House Charities
for detailed information.

We've got some great news! Our assistant Laura has won the "Dream Ticket" to American Idol. This coveted ticket advances her straight to the judges! Read her story below and check back as we follow her journey this summer.

I was 16 when I first auditioned for American Idol in South Carolina. I made it through the first three rounds, but then was cut because the judges felt I was too young. So with a heavy heart, I packed my bags and left Charleston to head back home to Virginia.

Four years later, I happened to be reading the newspaper when I saw an article with big, bold letters that said, "Do you want to be the next American Idol?" I immediately read the article and saw that a local recording studio had come across a "Dream Ticket" that would advance one person straight to the judges. They were holding auditions and I knew I had to give it a try. I ended up winning and will take my ticket to the judges this summer!! Wish me luck.

Ashburn: Northern Virginia Orthodontics (“NVO”) is pleased to announce that they have been chosen by The Washingtonian magazine as one of the 2011 Great Places to Work. “Our practice is flattered to have been chosen for this presigious award. There is nothing like making a positive change in someone’s life….we truly enjoy what we do. My team is made up of the best people in orthodontics. Together, we make great smiles, healthy bites and have fun doing it,” states Dr. Zach Casagrande.

Northern Virginia Orthodontics was chosen as one of this year’s 50 winning workplaces. A panel of editors and writers reviewed more than 13,000 employee surveys. The final determinations relied heavily on the scores given by a company’s employees.

"I am proud to be a part of the amazing team at Northern Virginia Orthodontics. I am energized by our wonderful patients and feel very fortunate to be able to look forward to going to work every day.” shares Lisa Hensley, NVO’s treatment coordinator.

This is the seventh time The Washingtonian magazine has chosen Great Places to Work in the Washington, DC area. The feature dates back to 1999 and it is published every other year. Among The Washingtonian's 50 winning workplaces, there are a mix of sizes (from an organization of just 11 employees to one with more than 68,000), as well as industries (winners include trade associations, government agencies, information-technology firms, government contractors, nonprofits, law firms, and more). This year's workplaces were chosen on the basis of such measures as:, challenging and interesting work, great work/life balance, generous pay and benefits, opportunities to learn and grow, financial stability, commitment to charity and community, and the recognition and respect given to employees.