Associates in Periodontics

Associates in Periodontics Welcome to Associates in Periodontics, or as we're known coloquially: AIP.
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We consider it a privilege to work with you to further your specialty dental treatment. Since 1970, AIP‘s team of skilled periodontists and dental professionals have worked closely with dentists and physicians to offer the best treatments available. We pride ourselves particularly on our delivery of care in a comfortable and personal manner. We are committed to providing a comprehensive suite of p

eriodontic services in South Burlington and Barre. That is why we offer many services, like:

- Periodontal treatment, including laser therapies
- Oral appliances for sleep apnea and snoring treatment (Dr. Shuman uses an oral appliance to treat his own snoring and apnea)
- Dental implants
- The latest computer and digital X-ray technology

03/27/2022

ASSOCIATES IN PERIODONTICS
THE TOP GUM TIMES
March 2022 Edition


RAISING MONEY FOR UKRAINE

Associates in Periodontics will donate all profits from the sale of electric toothbrushes to the United Nations High Commission Charity for Refugees in Ukraine. This is a vetted Ukraine charity. The funds will help those who have been forced out of their homes and changed their lives forever.

I have started our fund with an initial pledge of $1,000.

AN UPDATE - COVID AND WEARING MASKS IN THE OFFICE

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently relaxed the rules for wearing masks in public places. The suggestion is now based on county levels of Covid. However, this suggestion will not apply at Associates in Periodontics. We continue to ask all patients to mask while inside our facility.

Some patients in our reception area may have complicated medical histories. They are much more susceptible to even small amounts of the virus. Should they become infected by the virus, it could result in serious illness.

Out of sincere respect and concern, I kindly ask all patients entering the reception area to wear a mask, disinfect your hands at the entry foyer, and fill out the Covid questionnaire.

Regardless of Vermont community Covid levels, our office continues to adhere to strict Covid safety protocols. All clinical staff wear N-95 masks, protective gowns and eyewear. Office air is continually filtered 24/7 with HEPA filters, Negative Ion Generators and disinfected during working hours with a 20 micron spray gun using Hypochlorous Acid.

Our water is filtered using the latest Disruptor Ultra Nanofiltration Technology. Any water contaminates including pharmaceuticals, viruses, bacteria, and fungi flow through roughly 400 filter layers including a final charge field that removes submicron particles. Our water system filters out 99.9999% of all bacteria and viruses, significantly exceeding CDC, ADA and EPA water standards.







DR. ADISA RATANASIRINTRAWOOT UPDATE

Some of you may recall, from the last Top Gum Times edition, my suggestion to Dr. Adisa to take up snow shoeing or cross-country skiing but to avoid downhill due to the risk of injury. But, she took some downhill lessons and truly loves the sport.
Until, that fateful day in February when she was hot do***ng her snow plowing technique (how does one hot dog doing a snow plow??) and with great over confidence came to a full and very rapid stop spraying all of her skiing partners with fresh powder.
After laughing and displaying great pride about her newly mastered snow plow skills, she slipped, and as if in slow motion toppled over to her right, just like the tricycle riding man on the old show Laugh-In. (Yes that reference will date me)
Adisa tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. She was then rewarded with the dreaded free toboggan ride down the mountain as bystanders quietly said to themselves, “glad it’s not me!” This incident has ended Dr. Adisa’s new found love for skiing, at least for the rest of 2022.
I truly felt emotionally horrible that Adisa blew out her knee and can no longer ski. Let it be known that I never once said, “Hmm, I told you so” or “you didn’t listen to me!”
Dr. Adisa had injured her knee but fortunately did not break the bones in her arm or hand!

DR. UPASNA JANU UPDATE

We all know that having a child changes your life. Dr. Janu gave birth to a baby boy, Agastya, in early September. I am shocked, and frankly a little jealous at how good this kid is! My children did not sleep (well, at least not at night!), regularly projectile vomited to get our attention and cried like, all the time. Agastya is this adorable ball of Jello. He smiles, laughs and actually sleeps through the night! My advice to Dr. Janu about having another baby is to beware of the mathematical rule, regression to the mean. They cannot all be this good!
Like Dr. Adisa, she will likely completely ignore my advice. And when the next baby comes along, if I am right and the baby is cranky and does not sleep, I will not say “I told you so.” Instead, I will quietly gift her the bible for newborns written by Dr. Richard Ferber, Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems. Go ahead and “Feberize” that baby!
BTW, if you ever have dinner with Dr. Janu bring a fire extinguisher for your mouth. You haven’t had spicy until you have had “Dr. Janu spicy.” One month after dinner at her house, I still can’t feel the left side of my tongue!!
FYI, her husband is a superstar Cricket player so if you are aware of Vermont Cricket Clubs please let me know.

DR. BRIAN SHUMAN UPDATE

I have not retired. My wife Cindy often suggests, “work as many years as you like!” I assume she is she patiently waiting for me to retire. Or does she want me to keep working? I am so confused. (That would not be the first time) I still recall being so confused when she told me, “Please, no gifts” for her 50th birthday. And when I did not get her a gift….. Ooops!
I have actually been in the office Monday through Friday since November, mentoring, sharing wisdom and learning about the latest surgical techniques from Adisa and Upasna. I am successfully annoying the staff (That would not be the first time), am installing gadgets, fixing software updates and seeing patients who need oral appliances for sleep apnea and snoring.
However, I am also starting to think about the golf season. Did I purchase a new Srixon 5-wood? Yes, I have! Did I purchase 5 dozen new golf balls? (Maxfli Tour and Titleist AVX) Yes, I have!
Did I start to review Clay Ballard golf videos? Yes, I have! Is springtime coming up quickly? Well, you just never know up here in Vermont. But when it does I will be ready!
THE KIDS
My daughter Alexx, aka The Marshmallow Girl, continues to thrive with her gourmet marshmallow creations found on line at www.NomadicKitchenConfections.com. Her Dulce de leche and Toasted Vanilla are two my favorites. My sincere thanks to all who have supported her business, now in its third year. You can also find her marshmallows at Health Living stores, Slate and 30+ others stores across Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass….(Proud dad!)
My daughter Meika is finishing her junior year at UVM, majoring in Neuro Science. She is the most organized person I have ever known. During the school year and summer she waitressed at Henry’s Diner and opened a Roth IRA with the earnings. (Proud dad!)
Along with taking extra courses, she is working in a lab, enjoying club volleyball and learning to play the piano. If you know of any scientific research opportunities looking for a super smart, reliable, organized person, please let me know.


THUNDER OUR 12 YEAR OLD LABRADOODLE
Thunder, our mascot, does not downhill ski like Dr. Adisa but like her also managed to blow out his back left knee. I was unaware this was a “thing” for dogs. One day the leg just went limp. Of course he had no problems getting around for food and snacks, but the leg was no longer functioning.
He needed a full Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair: Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) at Dr. Liam Bisson’s office in Shelburne. The post-op instructions were that Thunder, a dog, could not run or jump up, for 3 months! I reminded them that Thunder was a crazy snack loving dog! The post-op instructions remained the same. So when we ask you to eat on the opposite side for only a week, it no longer seems unreasonable to me.
Thunder is recovering really well and desperately wants to run and jump, at least at snack time. I feel the same way at my snack time and can relate. In fact, I am off for a snack now!
Please send any questions or comments to: [email protected]
Looking forward to Spring!
Brian

•Welcoming Dr. Upasna Janu AIPDr. Upasna Janu will be joining Dr. Brian Shuman and Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot at Assoc...
10/24/2021

•Welcoming Dr. Upasna Janu AIP

Dr. Upasna Janu will be joining Dr. Brian Shuman and Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot at Associates in Periodontics on November 5, 2021.

Dr. Janu is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Periodontology and Dental Implants. We welcome her to our practice! Please read about her background here:

1) If you were telling the story of ”you” around the campfire, how would it go?

I would start by explaining the meaning of my name. Upasna, pronounced ooh- pahss – na means Prayer. My last name, Janu, pronounced Jah-new, means sweetheart. When you meet me I hope you will see that I am a sweetheart ☺

I was born in India, and brought up in the capital of New Delhi.
I spent 5 years in training and received a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the Bapuji Dental College & Hospital in India. I was then accepted to the Indiana University School of Dentistry, USA and received my certificate in Periodontics and a Masters in Dental Science. My Periodontal program Director is friends with Dr. Shuman’s past partner, Dr. Paul Levi and highly recommended that I consider working with Associates in Periodontics.

I have an older brother and sister who both live in India. They have spoiled me with lots of love and I consider them my best friends.

My husband has a Masters degree in Business Administration, is a wonderfully supportive husband and a loving father. He is an avid sports fan and an excellent cricket player. He hopes to join a cricket club in Vermont so if you know of one, please contact Dr. Shuman.

We have a newborn son named Agastya who is 1 month old. Dr. Shuman told me that newborns do not ever sleep but so far Agastya has been a dream baby. My mom is visiting us from India and helping with Agastya so I am very fortunate.

I plan to start working with Dr. Shuman and Dr. Ratanasirintrawoot on November 12. We already have an apartment in Burlington and can’t wait for my favorite season, winter, as I love the snow. When I experienced my first snowfall it felt like white feathers falling on my face.

My personality is pretty straightforward and transparent. I have a sense of humor and love to make people laugh. I treat everyone with caring and respect and tend to put others first.

I learned from my Father the importance of being humble, down to earth and kind. My father always told me that “when a tree grows bigger and has more and more fruits it bends towards the ground”. That trait is an integral part of my childhood and I hope to pass it on to Agastya.

I love to dance and can often be found listening to music and dancing around my apartment. I also paint landscapes in oils and I cook delicious Indian food. From what I’ve learned, Dr. Shuman will find it very, very spicy. The AIP staff tells me that Dr. Shuman has a sensitive stomach and will never be able to eat the Indian food I cook. Indian food without all the hot spices may not taste so good but I will try.

2) What drew you to the field of Periodontics?

As a teen I loved to fix things. My upbringing taught me to take great care of living and non-living things. If something breaks you do not throw it out. Instead you repair it and keep it functioning for as long as possible.

Later on as I became interested in dental medicine, this mindset was a natural segue to the field of Periodontics where the goal is to repair and save teeth. Now, I am able to extend the life of a smile and if needed, replace missing teeth with dental implants.

3) A favorite perio school memory:

One of my best memories happened outside of the school clinic.
We participated in a canoe competition called Battleships. I really like being in the water but cannot swim. I figured being in a canoe would be safe. I quickly realized the game had nothing to do with a calm relaxing canoe ride. Rather the game was to sit in a canoe in a pool while those around you tried to sink you with water cannons.

My canoe sank very quickly and out into the water I went. At that moment, despite having on a life jacket, all my friends recognized that I had no clue how to swim! They came to my rescue and it turned out to be a lot of fun. But after the experience of almost drowning I promised myself that I would definitely learn to swim. And I will once I settle in Vermont and then maybe take a dip into Lake Champlain in celebration.

4) What drew you to our office, AIP?

Dr. Shuman. He was so different from all the other Doctors I have met. When he described the treatment philosophy of his office, the skill and caring of the staff, the kind referring dentists and the interested and appreciative patients, I just knew AIP was where I should be.

5) Besides starting work at AIP, what excites you most about Vermont?

I love the outdoors and as I mentioned, my favorite season is winter. Vermont is all about being active, enjoying nature and embracing the outside. It is a safe state and a perfect place to raise a family. That is all very exciting.

We can’t wait to start our new life as Vermonters. I hope to paint the beautiful scenery, learn how to swim, snowshoe and ski. I look forward to meeting all the patients, dentists and contributing to the community.

Please send any comments or questions to [email protected]

Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot joins AIP
10/11/2021

Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot joins AIP

10/11/2021

DR. ADISA RATANASIRINTRAWOOT JOINS DR. SHUMAN AT AIP!

To be honest, it has been challenging to find the right Periodontist to join me and take AIP into the future. Some have come through the door but the fit was not ideal. It is getting harder and harder to find
partners who believe in my philosophy that it is first, all about you, the patient, second, all about the staff and lastly, third, all about the Docs.

And then, I met Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot (We call her Dr. Adisa!), and any worry I had was gone.

She completed her Periodontal and Implant specialty training at The Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dentistry. This is a superb educational program. Coincidentally my dad also graduated from the B.U.
Periodontal program and the founder of the B.U. Dental School, Henry Goldman DMD, was my dad’s partner for 35 years.

Ask Kim, Jackie or anyone in the office: the moment we met Adisa, we just knew she waS the one. Dr. Adisa is of course highly skilled in all aspects of periodontal therapy and the placement of dental implants.
But in addition she is also trained in the placement of Botox, which will now be offered to patients at AIP. I have already reserved the first appointment to get rid of my age lines!

Adisa and I have spent many hours talking about the AIP philosophy of care. Adisa shares the values of treating patients and staff with honesty, respect and empathy. These are the same values I learned from
Dr. Paul Levi and from my dad, Dr. Alan Shuman. Values that we have continually woven into the fabric of AIP over the last 37 years.

I truly could not feel more pride or excitement in announcing that Dr. Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot will be joining me at Associates in Periodontics on Monday October 25.

Until then, here’s a bit about Adisa, in her own words.

If you were telling the story of Adisa Ratanasirintrawoot around the campfire, how would it go?

I would say I’ve always been an adventurous girl. I like to do new, challenging things--especially things that scare me! That all started when I was 12 years old and I asked my parents if I could leave Thailand,
my home, and fly to Vancouver for a 3 month summer exchange program. They surprisingly agreed with only one condition. I had to promise to call them the minute I landed and then once a day, every day. My dad handed me five pre-paid phone cards (we had no cell
phones back then).


I of course promised to call and with limited English and no travel experience under my belt, I hopped on the plane to Vancouver. It was a long trip, 7,334 miles to be exact. I was all alone and a bit scared until I stepped off the plane and met my host family at the airport. They were amazingly nice and I knew the 3 months was going to be fantastic. My dream to leave Thailand and be in Vancouver to learn English was actually happening.

My promise to call my parents as soon as I landed… well for the first 3 days I was so swept up in the excitement that I totally forgot to call!! I think they realized then that my life would be filled with
no fear and a passion for learning and travel.

What drew you to Perio?

I consider dentistry as not only a science, but also an art. I was attracted to Periodontics because I’ve always been fascinated by the art and science of saving teeth. It’s a thrilling and challenging field,
where there are always new advanced techniques to learn and new materials to use. It’s a never-ending continuing education learning experience. And learning has been my passion since I was 12 and went to Vancouver.

Tell us a favorite perio school memory!

As someone who moved 8500 miles to a place where she did not know anyone, I would say my best memories are of my Perio school co-residents. I’m so lucky to have met them, and they helped me feel a sense of home. On the weekends, we would always do activities together, hiking, cooking, or just hanging out. They became my new ‘’US family’’ and now Dr. Shuman and the staff at AIP will also become part of my new US family.

What drew you to AIP?

Before I learned about AIP, I was doing multiple job interviews. I was discouraged because many practices did not align with my core-values and priorities regarding patient care. But when I had a chance to
visit with Dr. Shuman at AIP, I was so relieved to learn that not only were we a value-match but also to find that Dr.Shuman and the staff were so professional and so friendly. I knew that practicing Perio at AIP was what I had been searching for, the right
place for me to land.

Besides starting at AIP, what excites you most about Vermont?

Dressage! I began horseback riding when I was 10 years old and started competing in dressage competitions when I was 15. I reached a ranking of third best in Thailand for my age group.


But my dream was to attend dental school and become a Periodontist so my dressage competitions had to be placed on hold. I still try to ride casually once or twice a month but now that I am moving to Vermont
I plan to compete in Dressage again. Dr. Shuman and I visited dressage training stables around Burlington and I’m looking forward to riding as much as I can once I get settled in October.

I’m also looking forward to hiking on the weekends (my favorite stress-relief activity) and learning how to ski! I took a few downhill skiing lessons while I lived in Boston, but I still have a lot to learn.

Dr. Shuman says I can only do cross country and snowshoeing so I do not break an arm or a finger. He has a sense of humor and I think he was joking? Do you think he was joking?

Please send comments or questions to [email protected]

12/06/2020

November / December 2020
Update from Dr. Brian Shuman –
Associates in Periodontics (AIP) NEWSLETTER
TOPGUM TIMES

We are in the middle of “Stick Season” waiting for snow (or like me, waiting for golf season to start again), I thought it would be a good time for an updated Newsletter.
This 2020 edition highlights: Covid: A light at the end of the tunnel, Questions and Answers, The New Docs: Dr. Basali and Dr. Saqqal, Where is Dr. Levi and Dr. Aboosi, What the heck is Dr. Shuman up to, The Kids, Some thoughts on golf and this year’s AIP charity choices.

COVID: A light at the end of the tunnel
With vaccines on the doorstep, I now believe we will see safer times in the late spring. If enough of us get the vaccine, we may see the ability to decrease mask wearing and social distancing by the late fall.
On the flipside, most of the Covid precautions AIP has put in place will not be changing to ensure your safety and the safety of the staff.
You will continue to see our use of:
1. Negative Ion Generators in each treatment room that attaches to and kills 97% of virus in the air. We nickname them “Covid Killing Units” (Hagbom, M., Nordgren, J., Nybom, R. et al. Ionizing air affects influenza virus infectivity and prevents airborne-transmission. Sci Rep 5, 11431 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep11431)

2. HEPA Filter systems in all rooms that trap bacteria and viruses out of the air.
3. HOCl - Hypochlorous Acid surface disinfection and air fogging between all patients. We use a Stratus Micromister with a

03/26/2020

As the situation with the COVID-19 virus is rapidly evolving, Governor Scott has asked all Vermont dental offices to close until April 15th 2020. At that point there will be an assessment of the situation and we may potentially be able to reopen.
Please note that all appointments have been CANCELLED until April 15th. Kim will be contacting you soon to reschedule your appointment.

We are truly sorry to have to do this; however, we must put the safety of all Vermonters first. Please know that we are always available should you have any questions or if you are experiencing a dental emergency.

We wish that you and your loved ones keep safe and healthy in the coming months.

-Brian

As you all know, I've been moonlighting as a PR agent for my daughter Alexx's handcrafted marshmallow company. Reminder ...
12/08/2019

As you all know, I've been moonlighting as a PR agent for my daughter Alexx's handcrafted marshmallow company. Reminder that patients can always use code AIP at www.nomadic-kitchen.com for free shipping on orders. This is the last weekend to guarantee holiday delivery, so if you're looking for a unique holiday gift that'll surprise and delight your loved ones AND bring joy to your periodontist (who isn't looking for that?), check out her website today.

Address

1775 Williston Road, Ste 250
South Burlington, VT
05403

Telephone

(802) 863-5447

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