Forget Diamonds... Tattoos are Forever

S O M E T H I N G F O R E V E R Y O N E : : chapel hill:carrboro:durham:pittsboro:hillsborough:sw car y
Forget
Diamonds...
By Hanna
Samad
Since
the turn
of the 21st
century, the
practice of
tattooing has
experienced
something of
a renaissance.
Especially in
Western societies,
tattooing has gained
respect both as an
art and as a form
of self-expression.
Driving this change
is an increasing number
of tattoo artists with
fine arts training. Faced
with a difficult economy
and limited demand for
professional artists, many
skilled artists have learned
to use the human body as a
canvas.
Kathryn Moore, owner of
Dogstar Tattoo in Durham, is
one of these traditional artists
turned tattoo artist. Middleaged, with no visible tattoos, and
dressed in a casual sweater and
jeans, Moore looks the part of a
suburban soccer mom — and her
kids do play soccer. But to look
at her, you’d never guess she
runs her own tattoo shop and
has for almost 15 years. Moore
has a BFA in fine arts from
Tattoos are
Forever
Carnegie
Mellon
but
didn’t
embrace
tattooing
as an
outlet
until years
later. After
working
under another
artist for a while,
Kathryn opened
Dogstar to be
a safe haven of
tattoo art for anyone,
regardless of color
or creed, interested in
expressing themselves
through art. Dogstar is
an excellent example of
the opening up of the
tattoo industry. Unlike
some traditional shops,
Kathryn is determined that
she and her staff hold no
preconceived notions about
who should and should
not have a tattoo. Of course
there are practical limitations
to this—the legal age is 18
and Kathryn and her staff are
adamant about providing sound
council to all who they believe
might be making a mistake.
“I’m not your mother and I’m
not your conscience,” said Dogstar
employee James Padilla, “but I
volume 10: issue 2
The Wow
Factor: Cool
Offices
By Janet Slagell
When many people think
of childhood dentist visits,
adjectives such as “cool” and
“fun” are not usually a part
of the experiences recalled.
After all, dentist visits were
simply something that were a
must-do … not something that
children eagerly looked forward
to. Today, however, pediatric
dentist offices have changed.
No more are the walls drab, the
waiting rooms uninviting, and
examination rooms sterile to
the point of frightening. Today,
many dentist offices have taken
kid-friendly décor to a whole
new level.
Southern Village Pediatric Dentistry
For instance, most offices
of bygone days had Dr. Seuss
books, Highlights magazines,
a few other books and a few
toys in the corner. Today’s
pediatric dentist’s offices,
however, have gaming systems,
thematic décor, an assortment
of interactive toys, iPads and
continued: 04
continued: 02
PO Box 2014
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
FEBRUARY 2011
Postal Patron
PRST STD
ECR WSS
US Postage Paid
Monroe, GA
Permit No. 15
FEBRUARY 2011 | www.southernneighbor.com
Cool Offices
continued from cover
many other elements that make
going to the dentist the highlight of
the day. In fact, even at the offices
that are listed as family dentists,
seeing patients of 5-6 and up, one
will find offices that have décor and
attractions designed to make visits
to the dentist office as pleasurable
as possible.
Here in Chapel Hill, there are
many offices that have taken the
“Wow Factor” to heart, going out of
their way to make dental trips all
one could ask for.
Southern Village Pediatric
Dentistry
Dr. Annelise Hardin
410 Market St., Suite 430
Chapel Hill
919.967-2773
This is definitely one of the
coolest pediatric dentist offices
around. As you enter the room,
you are greeted with a delightful
woodland atmosphere, giving extra
meaning to the office’s motto,
“Growing Healthy Smiles”. There
is a preserved tree in the waiting
room decorated in seasonal items
(e.g. snowmen for winter, beach
balls for summer, fall foliage for
autumn…) and the child-sized desk
and chairs give kids the opportunity
to play on computers featuring an
assortment of games, as parents
watch in comfort. In addition, the
waiting room has a selection of toys
HILL CREEK
VETERINARY
HOSPITAL
Dr. Bonnie Terll
Dr. Rachel Davis
www.hillcreekvet.com
919-542-1141
2 Blocks West of Traffic Circle
23 Rectory Street, Pittsboro
Find us on Facebook for fun
videos, photos and pet info!
4
and books sure to delight visitors
of every age. When you walk back
to the examination room, you will
pass the Forest of Fame where
metal trees mounted to the wall
are decorated with leaves bearing
the names of the patients who
have had a cavity-free check-up.
The examination room continues
the forest theme and parents are
welcomed if they wish to come
back during the initial visit. The
examination room is resplendent
in natural light due to the floorto-ceiling windows and has yet
another seasonally decorated
preserved tree as well as fanciful
flower window boxes.
During restorative treatment,
patients can keep their minds off
what is being done to their teeth by
using a headset to watch a movie.
Then at the end of the visit, the kids
can choose a prize and sticker from
the toy drawer.
Of course, the feature that sets
Southern Village Pediatric Dentistry
apart from many others is its infant
examination room. This room boasts
no dental chairs, but rather has an
assortment of toys on the floor,
interactive items hanging overhead
and low cube chairs where the
parent can hold the child so that
the child’s head is in Dr. Hardin’s
lap allowing her to check the teeth.
As it is recommended that babies
have their very first dentist visit
around age 1, this room makes
it much more pleasurable. As the
parent holds her baby, the child is
reassured that “all is well” and Dr.
Hardin is able to easily assess the
child’s dental needs.
says
Dr. Barbara Hershey & Dr.
Gavin Heymann: Specialists in
Orthodontics
1525 E. Franklin St.
Chapel Hill
919.636.4151
When you imagine their future …
imagine a beautiful smile.
If you get a whiff of fresh
baked cookies as you enter this
orthodontist office, don’t worry,
you really are in the right place!
At the orthodontic office of Dr.
Hershey and Dr. Heymann, you
will find a welcoming atmosphere
with a minimal wait time. However,
there is enough time to stop by
the snack station and enjoy a fruit
roll-up, crackers or some freshly
baked cookies. In the waiting room
you will find a raffle wheel where
the names of patients who make a
referral are placed. Each quarter,
there is a drawing and the winner
receives prizes such as a Wii or a
$200 gift card. Also unique to Dr.
Hershey and Heymann’s waiting
room is the movie theatre. This
fabulous feature means that while
siblings (or the patients) are waiting
for an appointment, they can watch
a movie or perhaps play with some
of the toys kept inside.
As you walk down the hall, you
will see pictures of some of the
patients showing off their talents.
Whether it is singing, cheerleading,
horseback riding or anything else
that the patients enjoy, they can
submit a photo to be displayed.
Also along the hallway, you will see
a bulletin board posting the names
of contest winners, newsletters
and assorted items like t-shirts and
Frisbees telling others where you
got your beautiful smile. Then, just
to the left of the examination area,
patients will find the Game Area.
Here they can play computer games,
Guitar Hero, the Wii and other
electronic fun.
During the exam, patients can
listen to music or watch movies
using an iPad and MyView. Patients
typically see the same dental tech,
but can request to see the others, if
they wish.
Since Dr. Hershey and Dr.
Heymann are orthodontists, they
recognize how important it is for
there to be open communication
between the patient’s dentist and
the orthodontist. Consequently,
they provide a printed report for
the patient and can send it to the
dentist as well. If, at the end if the
visit, the patients have a perfect
checkup they receive $1 and all
patients get a visit to the prize
drawer plus receive a stuffed animal
holding a toothbrush.
Studio G
Dr. Mandy Ghaffarpour
104 N. Elliott Road, Suite C
Chapel Hill
919.942.7163
If you are looking for a dentist
office for the whole family, then
Studio G is just the place. The
comfortable combination of classic
and contemporary décor appeals to
all who enter. There is an aquarium
behind the sign-in desk where you
will be enchanted by the antics of
sea life. For the younger patients,
there are toys and books in the
waiting room.
During the examination, patients
can use the iPad with MyView to
watch television or a DVD. The
consultation room and examination
rooms are tastefully decorated with
modern art sculptures. At the end
of the visit, younger patients can
choose a prize from the Treasure
Chest.
These Chapel Hill dentist offices
are sure to bring a big smile to each
person - regardless of their age
- that visits these dentist offices.
Whether it is walking along a
“woodland” path, playing Guitar
Hero, enjoying a fresh baked cookie
or watching the fish, each of these
offices has what it takes to earn a
“Wow” from their patients and their
families. If you are looking for a
cool dentist office in Chapel Hill,
give one of these offices a call.