A smile is such a simple gesture, yet it holds so much power. It is innately human - a universal way to convey happiness, greet one another and signal that we're nice people. Smiles communicate how we're feeling and are great for breaking the ice or awkward moments. A good-natured smile moves mountains, but if you're like the average person, it may not be perfect. And that's okay. But is it healthy?
Studies from the CDC show that 1 in 4 U.S. adults from 20 to 64 have cavities. Perhaps even more surprising is that approximately 34 million school hours are lost every year due to emergency dental care. For children, missing time could mean the difference between moving forward and being held back.
If you're one of the many people who feel ashamed about their teeth, need preventative oral care, or suffer serious issues like tooth decay, it's time to protect your teeth and gums. Luckily, Merchants Walk Dental is here to serve you with the highest quality dental work in East Cobb, from preventative care to cosmetic dentistry.
At Merchants Walk Dental, your healthy teeth and gums are our passion. Our dentists and hygienists are committed to providing you with the best dental care possible in a comfortable, stress-free setting. Since opening in 2017, we have become the premier dentist in Roswell, GA, offering many dental services such as:
As experts, we know how important oral hygiene is for your health. We feel that it's important to go the extra mile to speak with our patients about the best practices involved with brushing, flossing, and healthy gums. We know what an impact a beautiful smile can make, which is why we are so dedicated to providing our patients with cleaner, straighter teeth than ever before.
Having served Georgia and East Cobb for years, we understand that no two patients will ever have the same needs. That's why we provide personalized services like cleanings and root canals tailored to each patient's unique needs. We also know that money doesn't grow on trees, so we accept most major dental insurance plans to ensure you can keep your teeth clean and healthy all year long.
If you're searching for an expert team of friendly dentists and hygienists, look no further than Merchants Walk Dental. We pride ourselves on the best dental care coupled with warm, engaging customer service. You can rest easy knowing you're in capable, welcoming hands whether it's your first or fortieth visit to our office.
Here at Merchants Walk Dental, we understand that getting your teeth cleaned isn't something everyone looks forward to. However, getting regular teeth cleanings performed by a trustworthy dentist is the best way to maintain a healthy smile and avoid serious oral hygiene issues. And while it's easy to avoid the dentist, doing so for too long can be bad for your overall health.
Studies have linked poor oral hygiene to serious problems like cancer, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, and strokes. If you're flossing and brushing at home twice a day, that's great. Doing so is the best way to get a leg up on critical oral hygiene problems. However, getting your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist helps ensure your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, healthy, and protected.
It's a question we get all the time - what is periodontal treatment? This treatment focuses on your gums and preventing the common diseases that attack them. When left unchecked, plaque accumulates and hardens, forming hard-to-remove tartar. This tartar irritates your gums and will eventually lead to a litany of problems like tooth decay, tooth loss, and more.
During your teeth cleaning session at Merchants Walk Dental, we'll examine your gums closely to ensure they're healthy and functional.
Each of our teeth cleaning appointments has comprehensive check-ups, including:
The only surefire way to prevent tartar buildup and, by proxy, gum disease is by brushing and flossing diligently at home. If you have been slacking on regular brushing and have not visited a dentist recently, your gums could be suffering. If you have any of the following signs of gum disease, contact Merchants Walk Dental to schedule a dental exam in Roswell, GA:
If you have had a cavity filled before, you're not alone. Tooth decay affects more than 90% of adults over the age of 40 - a stunning statistic that, in many cases, is entirely preventable. At Merchants Walk Dental, we use composite resin fillings to keep our patient's teeth healthy and functional. Unlike amalgam fillings, composite fillings are more discreet, match the color of your teeth, and are free of mercury.
While fillings can have a few uses, our doctors typically use fillings to "fill" a part of your tooth that is decaying. This hole of decay is called a cavity. Sometimes, fillings are also used to fix broken, cracked, or worn-down teeth from grinding and nail-biting. Fillings are a great way to restore decaying teeth to their normal shape and function while preventing sensitivity and inhibiting further decay.
During your dental exam at our office in East Cobb, your dental hygienist will check for signs of cavities and tooth decay to ensure your oral hygiene remains in peak condition.
Abscesses- Without professional dental treatment, infected teeth lead to dental abscesses, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Nerve Pain- When your tooth is cracked and left without treatment, it can make its way to your nerve, resulting in extreme pain and damage.
Substantial Decay- If you leave an infection to fester without having a root canal, the infection can spread to other teeth in your mouth. If you don't address the initial signs of decay, you'll have to undergo treatment for multiple teeth.
Tooth Loss- Extensive decay and trauma often cause damage to your tooth's pulp. Our root canal treatments in Roswell remove this infected pulp. However, if you choose to ignore the problem, the infected pulp will rot your entire tooth, causing you to lose it forever.
One mention of the word root canal can send shivers up the spine for many people. Root canals get a bad rap, but the treatment has come a long way over the last decade.
When tooth decay and infection are left to fester, it can wreak havoc on your oral hygiene. Often, root canals in cityname, GA, are the best choice for patients with extensively diseased teeth. The goal of a root canal is to save and repair teeth by removing the infection from the pulp and nerve of the tooth.
Signs of tooth decay that may require a root canal include:
When a substantial cavity threatens a person's tooth and fillings aren't working, many dentists will use crowns to fix the problem. A crown is an aesthetic cap or a tooth-shaped covering placed over another tooth or implant for stability. Typically, crowns improve appearance and strength of a patient's teeth.
Crowns are also used to restore the size and shape of damaged or chipped teeth. When used for this purpose, dental crowns are usually bonded to the tooth using dental-grade cement.
During your dental exam and cleaning, your hygienist will keep a sharp eye out for signs of tooth decay, which may require a crown. Benefits of dental crows from Merchants Walk Dental include:
Restorative dental treatments can be complicated, but dental crowns are straightforward and minimally invasive. During the process, your tooth's enamel is cleaned, and your damaged tissue is removed. Once that process is complete, we'll cast a custom crown for your tooth. While the crown is created, Dr. John Bishara or Dr. Milli Patel will provide you with a temporary crown for normal functionality.
Damaged enamel or structural damage can cause pain and sensitivity. Having a dental crown installed will help alleviate a good amount of your pain.
Our dental crowns are made with high-quality, long-lasting materials. With proper care and regular check-ups, they can withstand years of chewing, biting, and grinding.
When you lose one or more teeth, whether due to decay or another factor, it's important to fill the space where the tooth is missing. That's where dental bridges come in. Bridges are essentially fake permanent teeth used to fill holes caused by missing teeth. The false tooth is fused between two dental crowns giving it the bridge concept. Dental bridges are then typically anchored to healthy teeth using resin and cement.
The health of your teeth, their position, and the state of the surrounding bone will help our team determine if bridges are right for you. If not, dentures in Roswell, GA, might be a better option. Dentures come in two forms: partial and complete. Dentures are best for patients who have missing teeth but aren't able to use bridges. Complete dentures all your missing teeth, while partial dentures replace one or two teeth.
Getting cosmetic dentures can be a life-changing experience. It often requires physical and emotional preparation. At Merchants Walk Dental, our team will take as much time needed to consult with and prepare you for your denture procedure.
Whether you need dental bridges or cosmetic dentures, we're here to help make your experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Dental implants are needed when you have missing teeth, but you cannot or will not get crowns, bridges, or dentures. Failing to replace a lost tooth will cause a bevy of problems as time goes on. For many patients, dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth. With dental implants, you can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. A dental implant serves as a permanent artificial root anchored into the jawbone.
When our team puts a dental implant in place, your jawbone grafts itself to the titanium post making it as strong as your original root and tooth. The result is a natural, beautiful, fully-functional set of teeth that lasts for years.
Establishing healthy dental habits early in life is key for long-term oral health and confidence. The best way to learn those habits is at home and in a dentist's office.
At Merchants Walk Dental, our goal is to foster long-lasting relationship with the families in our community who trust us to care for their children's dental health.
When you choose Merchants Walk Dental as your child's dentist, you can rest easy knowing we treat your loved one just like ours. Our professional hygienists and experienced doctors are trained and certified to give your kids a comfortable dental experience. We like to mix fun with education, putting your child at ease while helping them understand the importance of proper dental care.
Common habits like teeth grinding and thumb sucking can have profound effects later in life. Our doctors are keenly aware of these habits, and work hard to help you and your child develop creative solutions to halt that behavior.
Our pediatric dental services improve the health of your child's teeth and gums with:
Dental Surgery, DDS
Dr. John Bishara, DDS was born and raised in Nazareth Israel. His last name, "Bishara" translates to the annunciation, which is the announcement of the incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).
Dr. Bishara attended Valdosta State University, where he received his Bachelors degree of Science in Biology with honors. He then pursued his education at the University of Detroit Mercy to earn his Doctoral Degree of Dental Surgery, DDS.
Since earning his degrees in 1999, he has been practicing General and Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Bishara spent his first four years practicing dentistry in St. Simons Island before moving to Marietta, Georgia to establish his own practice. In 2010, Dr. John Bishara completed a one year residency at MCG, specializing in dental implants.
Dr. John Bishara has proven to be an exceptional dental practitioner by creating a dental environment perfect for any individual and family, while offering an array of services to meet each of their needs. He takes pride in creating beautiful, confident smiles on a daily basis. Dr. John Bishara is dedicated to a lifelong career in Dentistry by furthering his education in every way possible.
Having served the East Cobb and Roswell for years, we know your dental needs are unique and different from your neighbor. That's why we offer a variety of dental services to address each patient's special circumstances, from standard cleanings to complex root canals. By using the latest innovations and techniques in dentistry, we can better serve each client on an individualized level, leading to better comprehensive dental care.
We're taking new patients and accept most major forms of dental insurance to keep your teeth healthy and clean without breaking the bank. Contact our office today to schedule your dental exam and learn more about our history!
770-691-5051ROSWELL, Ga. — Since the City of Roswell laid off 16 full-time employees, the community is showing its support by way of donations.Former City Councilwoman Nancy Diamond, who launched the “Stand by Roswell Workers This Season” GoFundMe account, said the fundraiser is a way to thank ...
ROSWELL, Ga. — Since the City of Roswell laid off 16 full-time employees, the community is showing its support by way of donations.
Former City Councilwoman Nancy Diamond, who launched the “Stand by Roswell Workers This Season” GoFundMe account, said the fundraiser is a way to thank those who worked hard for the community. More than $10,600 has been collected toward a goal of $12,000, as of Dec. 17 at Noon.
It’s also an effort to change the public narrative.
“This gave an impression that we are a community that I don't think we are,” she said. “This gives us a chance to shift that narrative to … ‘We're not heartless people two weeks before Christmas.’”
Former employees who spoke to Appen Media say the layoffs were effective immediately, on Dec. 10, following budget approval the night before.
They say their layoffs are the result of operational restructuring, the dissolution of positions whose responsibilities will be handed off onto the staff still around.
Sean Hamby, one of “the Roswell 16,” a term dubbed to those laid off, primarily supported the Community Development Department as a GIS technician.
His separation letter explained that his position was being “eliminated due to a reduction in force,” offering words of “regret” and various forms of support, such as references and employment verification.
Hamby had been with the city for 37-plus years.
He expects the rest of the GIS division to be trained in his area of expertise, parcel editing, or assimilating new survey information into the city’s GIS system.
“It'll be a learning curve,” Hamby said. “It'll be a little bit of a change.”
The layoffs came at the worst time for Hamby, right before the holidays, but also, in his case, before a back surgery.
He had planned to use more than 800 hours of sick leave he built up over the years to help him through physical therapy and recovery. Soon, he’s going to set up his pension to begin drawing from it.
“I will be able to continue my insurance through COBRA, but that's going to be expensive,” Hamby said.
The fundraiser will be helpful, he said, getting him through surgery and then back to work. The 60-year-old isn’t quite ready to retire, and he wants to make the decision on his own terms.
Hamby said this is not only a stressful time, but as someone who dedicated his whole working life to Roswell local government, it’s also “humiliating.”
“It just it sends a really bad message to the current employees that they're not appreciated,” he said.
Former Roswell Area Parks Coordinator Joel St. Vrain was another employee let go.
With around 20 years at the city, St. Vrain said it was unexpected. He started working part time for Roswell when he was 14 years old.
“There was no heads-up,” St. Vrain said. “There was no forewarning … One hour you're employed, one hour you're not.”
He went into work that Tuesday, business as usual to complete work under a looming deadline, then was called in for a meeting with the Human Resources Department. He was told his position was being dissolved.
In late November, when he heard about the impending rift, he was told the city was looking to cut “low performers.”
“I was definitely not a low performer for them,” he said. “Whether I made people mad or was confrontational sometimes — that's one thing. I'm not a ‘yes’ man … I never had anything less than successful or exceeds expectations on any evaluation for 20 years.”
St. Vrain said it feels like the city is regressing, adding parks but not adding staff.
The city had just completed Phase I of the Ace Sand site, a $2.2 million project in an area St. Vrain oversaw. The new park space, to the west of Don White Memorial Park, is the first project of the city’s River Parks Master Plan.
“They've added an entire park, maybe six acres of area, to maintain, beautify, keep up, because it's brand new,” St. Vrain said. “Yet, we don't have any extra staff to take on those loads.”
At the Dec. 9 City Council meeting, where the second and final public hearing on the 2025 budget was held, Chief Financial Officer Bill Godshall said the staff cuts were intended to “realign the organization to meet … current, future needs of the city in an effort to enhance city services.”
Given two weeks to review and provide feedback, Godshall was able to reduce the number of proposed staff cuts.
“With a lot of work from the senior leadership team as well as department heads … we've been able to reduce that number from 23 to 16,” Godshall said. “We feel this will continue to better align our services to meet obligations and to enhance efficiency in meeting those obligations.”
According to his Nov. 8 offer letter, Godshall will be collecting $250,000 a year. His counterpart in the C-suite, COO Don Stephens, makes $340,000.
As of press time, an Appen Media open records request which asks for names of those who were laid off, their positions, length of service and severance pay, has not been filled.
The city’s HR Policy says employees designated for a layoff due to a reduction in force would receive one week of compensation for every year worked as well as any accrued PTO. However, it also caps severance pay at 12 weeks.
Diamond, who created the fundraiser, served during a time that saw the ramifications of the Great Recession, from 2010 to 2017. Yet, she said she never saw city layoffs like this before.
One series of layoffs comes to mind, Diamond said, when the city outsourced its Inspections and Permitting Department. But, she said those employees were eligible for hire by the third party.
“If we were in a bad situation financially and we needed to cut back on spending … To me, you cut people when you're having to cut across the board. We're spending a lot of money in other places,” Diamond said. “I think this is more of a priority shift than a financial hardship.”
She said half a dozen employees were cut from the Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department. In her tenure, that department had always been a priority.
“We want Rec and Parks,” Diamond said. “That's a priority. That's one of the things we do best. It's one of our differentiators. It's our reputation.”
City Administrator Randy Knighton has said department heads are committed to ensuring level of service wouldn’t be compromised as a result of the staff cuts.
But, Diamond considers the jobs the employees had that weren’t on paper.
“It's such a family group,” she said. “They not only look out for each other, but they pick up the slack for each other … Everybody there is a web of service, and you don't know what all you're going to miss.”
Diamond said the city’s grants manager in the Finance Department is one of the 16 who were laid off. The staffer had been with the city for 25 years.
“I've watched him in the arena … He's so widely known and so widely respected that he's a voice in that area, and to let that person go, not with a retirement party, but with an escort out the door, is where it kind of hit me in a different way,” Diamond said.
The news is particularly difficult for a few. Diamond said one former employee left a job to join Roswell city staff in October.
“I hope that some of this getting out there will help, because I think there's a perceived stigma attached to being let go, even though it has nothing to do with your job performance,” she said.
Prewett takes over a Catamounts' football team that went 0-10 in 2024Chris Prewett/XAfter five seasons at the helm of the Roswell football program, Chris Prewett is leaving but not leaving the coaching ranks anytime soon.The head coach announced on X his farewell to the Roswell community, but will be leaving to accept the same position at Dalton High School. Dalton announced via X that Prewett will be the Catamounts' next lead man.Prewett over the the last five seasons led the Hornets to a 50-13 record, including ...
Prewett takes over a Catamounts' football team that went 0-10 in 2024
Chris Prewett/X
After five seasons at the helm of the Roswell football program, Chris Prewett is leaving but not leaving the coaching ranks anytime soon.
The head coach announced on X his farewell to the Roswell community, but will be leaving to accept the same position at Dalton High School. Dalton announced via X that Prewett will be the Catamounts' next lead man.
Prewett over the the last five seasons led the Hornets to a 50-13 record, including a 9-3 mark this past 2024 campaign.
Down below is Prewett's farewell message to Roswell:
I would like to thank the administration and staff at Roswell for allowing me to lead this program over the last 5 seasons. Being at Roswell for the past 8 years has brought some of the best memories and friendships for my family and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to lead this program. I want to say a huge thank you to the players that have contributed to the success that has come over my time at Roswell. I hope that being a part of our program has made you a better person and I hope you have had the best high school football experience possible. Roswell is a special place, and I know will be in good hands for the future. Thank you for allowing my family and I to be accepted and brought into the family.
Prewett led the Hornets to the AAAAA playoffs this past season, with the program's only three losses coming to Buford, Langston Hughes and Milton, respectively. It's no secret that Prewett will have a tall task out in front of him coaching up the Catamounts, which went 0-10 last season.
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Published Dec 20, 2024
Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.