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Our Back-To-School Parent Checklist

Back-To-Season is in full effect, from fall sports sign-ups to back-to-school shopping parents have a lot on their plates. Below you will find out the top 7 Things You Need to Do to Have A Stress-Free Back-To-School Season.

7 Things You Need to Do to Have A Stress Free Back-To-School Season

  • Set up doctor appointments
    • From pediatricians to dentists, back-to-school is the perfect time for yearly check-ups. This allows you to create a check-up routine not only for your kiddos but yourself.
  • Sign up for fall sports and activities
    • Fall sports and school activities are a great way to kick off the school year, keep an eye out for announcements and the school’s social media pages for sign-up deadlines and information.
  • Start Meal Prepping for busy nights
    • Meal prepping dinners are key for those busy nights at games and practices, set up a meal schedule for the week to take the guesswork out of planning your family’s dinners.
  • Go over the school calendar and add it to your family calendar
    • Back to school also means back to all the after-school activities. Between field trips, soccer practice, and football games you need a place for all activities. Creating a family schedule makes sure everyone is on the same page, with nightly activities and the weekly schedule. This can also act as your family command center, for field trip permission slips and school signups.
  • Transition to an earlier bedtime and wake-up time
    • Children will need some time to get back to the sleeping pattern that they had before the summer holidays started. In order to make it easier for the kids to be awake early in the morning.
  • Create, Clean, and organize study spaces
    • With hybrid learning last year your kiddo’s desk may have become a catch-all over the summer. Take an evening to clean up the study space and even add some decorations to make it their own.
  • Discuss school year expectations
    • These goals don’t just have to be academic, they can focus on personal growth. If your kiddo struggles in a certain subject, have them set a goal to reach a certain grade before the first-grade card. If he or she is new to a school or more of an introvert, challenge them to talk to someone new each day or sit with someone new at lunch.

With these tips, you and your student will ace this school year!

Dr. Laura Lan

Dr. Laura will be in our office over the next couple of months. Dr. Laura Lan grew up in Los Angeles, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Laura made her way out to the Midwest to attend The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, where she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

In her free time, Dr. Laura enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, and practicing yoga.

FUN FACT… Laura was a classmate of Dr. Rachel’s at Ohio State, and while Fara is a year ahead of Laura and Rachel, she is a close friend of Fara’s from dental school.

Steve M. Jones, D.D.S.

Senior Dentist Emeritus

Dr. Steven M. Jones is a graduate of Shawnee High School. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he received his B.A. in Microbiology in 1986. Four years later he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree (D.D.S.) from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Dr. Jones entered private practice in 1990 in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Jones also practiced in one of the first after hours dental emergency clinics in the country. After several years of private practice, he returned to his hometown of Lima, Ohio. Dr. Jones served as a clinical instructor at the Lima Technical College Dental Hygiene School and began planning a new general practice in the Lima area. In 2002 Dr. Jones opened the newly constructed Northwest Dental Center. Dr. Jones is a member of the Ohio Dental Association, American Dental Association, Northwestern Ohio Dental Society & Academy of Contemporary Dentistry in Columbus Ohio.

Dr. Rachel Salen, D.D.S.

Dr. Rachel Salen grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania until her family moved to Quincy, Illinois where she graduated from Quincy Notre Dame high school.

She then crossed the Mississippi River to study at Saint Louis University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Bachelor of Arts in Classical Humanities. Her family then moved to her father’s hometown of Warren, Ohio, leading her to choose The Ohio State University College of Dentistry for her post-graduate education where she would go on to earn her Doctorate of Dental Surgery.

Dr. Salen is very excited to begin her career serving the great people of West Central Ohio.

Dr. Salen will make a great addition to our patient-centered team by providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages, including operative, prosthodontic, endodontic, and surgical treatments.

In addition to delivering great dental care, Rachel enjoys taking too many pictures of her cat, traveling across the Midwest and Northeast to visit her family and friends, and reading a good book!

Fara Hurt, D.D.S.

Dr. Fara Hurt grew up in Lima, Ohio. She is a graduate of Elida High school.

Dr. Hurt earned a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Fara worked for several years in the Columbus area, helping patients with their oral health needs and supporting patients with their periodontal care.

As a dentist, Dr. Hurt will make a great addition to our patient-centered team by providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages, including operative, prosthodontic and endodontic treatments In addition to delivering great care, Fara enjoys spending time with family and friends. She also enjoys hiking, traveling, and attending football games.

Mary Wiechart, D.M.D

Dr. Mary Wiechart is a Lima native. She is a graduate of Lima Central Catholic High School. Dr. Wiechart earned a Bachelor of Science in Nature Sciences from Xavier University. She earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry.

Her practice includes operative, prosthodontic, endodontic and surgical treatments. In addition to delivering great care, Mary enjoys spending time with family, friends and her dog, Bella. She also enjoys baking, golfing, traveling and listening to music.

Jill A. Miller, D.D.S

Senior Dentist

Dr. Jill A Miller is an Elida native and Elida High School graduate.

She is a graduate of Ohio Northern University and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The Ohio State University in 2009.

Dr. Miller provides comprehensive care to patients of all ages and strives to make patients feel comfortable. Her goal is to make going to the dentist a pleasant experience for children and adults.

Dr. Miller has served as externship site host for Ohio Northern University and has partnered with the University of Northwestern Ohio to provide emergency dental care to student athletes.

Dr. Miller is a member of the Ohio Dental Association, American Dental Association, Northwestern Ohio Dental Society, and the Ohio State University Dental alumni society.

In her spare time, Dr. Miller volunteers in the children ministry at her church, enjoys running and spending time with her husband, Zac, and their 3 children.