At Alamont Dental, we are mourning the loss of Dr. Nathan Dale Willis, who worked tirelessly to provide the best care for every patient who sat in his chair and was committed to his profession and Christ Jesus, his Lord and Savior. A huge light will be missed in our practice and we know he would consider it a privilege that you entrusted your oral health to him.

Please know that Drs. Chris Shipley, Brandon Roller, Tyler Graul, Jason Pittman and Barry Hopper are here to carry on his legacy and treat his patients moving forward with the same compassion in care and professionalism as Dr. Willis.

Thank you for supporting Alamont Dental through this transitional period. From all of us at Alamont Dental, please accept our sincerest gratitude for trusting us with your past and future dental care.

Dale Willis and I were blood, cousins in fact, but I always thought of him as my older brother. He was also a mentor and a faithful friend. I still remember first coming to Alamont thirty years ago to learn about dentistry. When I decided to go to dental school he gave me advice and support. When I needed a job he strongly encouraged me to serve in the military as he did. He even wrote a letter of recommendation. When I looked for a practice to join after my service, he served as intermediary to help me join Alamont. When I was lonely he introduced me to my soul mate. When I married her he served as Best Man. He always gave me love, support, and guidance. He taught me a lot about dentistry and a lot about being a man.

He lived every day for Christ. His office was a shrine to his love for his wife, his children, and his God. I was always overawed with his knowledge both of dentistry and Scripture. His shelves were full of books about the latest dental techniques, side by side with books written by the sharpest minds of Christian theology. He sought self-improvement every day. His thirst for the word of God was unquenchable.

When Dr. Willis walked out of the Alamont doors for the last time he left us with words. Words to live by. Words of the Lord.His Alamont family returned to work the Monday after his passing to find his Bible left on his desk with his glasses so perfectly placed on top.

The book was open to I Corinthians 11. Our sweet Gaye walked over and read the words laid out before us. Those words were indeed meant for us here at Alamont. He didnt know he wasnt going to return on Monday morning. But God knew. God knew we still needed Dr. Willis. He knew we needed one more word. One more guidance. One more direction. So he gave it to us. He gave us the Peace we needed to continue touching and changing lives just as Dr. Willis would have it. Im so thankful for Dr. Willis impact on my life and the lives of many. Im thankful he left us with something to cling to.

When you visit Alamont you will see this picture on our wall. A legacy left behind for each of us to carry on. Hes in a perfect place. A place we can all cling to. Heaven is sweeter with him there. Our hearts are still grieving in these tough moments of moving on without him. But We have Hope.

At Alamont Dental Associates we are treated as family. The leader of our family has been Dr. Dale Willis, and we have been so blessed to have such a godly Christian man as our leader. When we met him in the past as a group you could always count on him opening in prayer. I believe this is why we have been blessed for so many years. If an employee had a personal or family problem Dr. Willis was ready to listen and give support. We rarely saw him without a big smile on his face and many times during the day we would hear loud laughter that could only come from him.

I will certainly miss the times he would walk into Dr. Shipleys and my office to share about the Bible and our Savior. That I will miss most. True to his faith, when we arrived at work the first day back after his passing I went into his office and laying right in the center of his desk was his open Bible and his reading glasses on top, just as he left them the last day he worked.

The best way to prevent a dental emergency is to properly protect your teeth. Alamont Dental Associates recommend that children and adults engaged in sports or recreational activities wear mouth guards. Mouth guards are recommended for all athletic sports, as well as, rollerblading, skating, and bicycling. Most mouth guards are made of plastic and cover the upper and lower teeth. Not only do mouth guards protect teeth but they also protect lips, gums, and cheeks.

One of the most important things you can do to protect your teeth is to make sure that you are prepared before an accident even occurs. Our office hours usually extend into the evening time, meaning that a dentist is available to take care of dental emergencies if they arise. Keep our phone number readily available (carry it in your wallet or organizer, for example).

Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth. The most common dental emergencies include (1) teeth that have been knocked out due to trauma and (2) teeth that have been chipped as a result of an accident.

Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if its dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. Make sure that you do not touch the root of the tooth with your hands. The root is the portion of the tooth embedded in the gum and not normally seen.

If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket or with a wet wrap. If that isnt possible or you are afraid of swallowing the tooth, put the tooth in a cup of milk or saliva and call us as quickly as possible. Remember to take the tooth with you.

Broken or Chipped Teeth:With chipped teeth the situation is slightly more complicated. If you are experiencing pain or sensitivity in the affected tooth, call us immediately as this indicates the tooth nerve may be injured. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down.

Objects Caught Between Teeth:Try to gently remove the object with dental floss or an interdental cleaner; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you cant dislodge the object using dental floss, contact us.

Toothache:Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other debris is caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact us.

Canker Sores, Cold Sores and Fever Blisters:For temporary pain relief, apply an over-the-counter cream/gel that has benzocaine. Benzocaine numbs the area. Follow the directions on the label. Avoid hot, spicy foods. A non-aspirin pill for children or ibuprofen pill for adults can be used to augment pain relief. Do not apply the pill directly to the sores. If sores do not heal within 7-14 days or signs of fever and/or pain persist, contact us immediately.

Pain From A New Tooth Appearing:Find the site and apply a cold pack to the outside of the face. Non-aspirin, over-the-counter pain reliever can be swallowed. Do not apply pill directly on the gum. Follow the directions on medicine label. If pain continues, contact us.