Chicagoland 4 Braces Blog

A Time to Give Back

2011-06-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

For many years Dr. Aylward has felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the opportunities that being in the orthodontic profession has provided him. Dr. Aylward has been able to serve the community he loves and the people in it for many years. Due to these deep feelings of gratitude, Dr. Aylward has been searching for a meaningful way to give back to the community. As you may or may not know, Dr. Aylward is a jazz saxaphonist and his love of music stems from his childhood days in Ireland. Music was always a part of family gatherings and daily life. It helped bring people together not only to celebrate good times, but also to ease the sting of difficult times. Dr. Aylward is convinced that music, whatever form it takes, needs to be nurtured and encouraged in our younger generations. For this reason, the "Keep Music Strong Scholarship" was established for the 2010-2011 school year. At the high school level, $1000 was offered to a graduating senior from Palatine, Fremd and St. Viator High School. On the junior high level, $300 was offered to one graduating 8th grader at each of the nine local junior highs. All students had to apply and meet pre-determined criteria.

Dr. Aylward has found great joy in contributing to the pursuit of music through the scholarship recipients. Someone very wise once said, "It is better to give than to receive" and Dr. Aylward has found that to be profoundly true. He hopes that the scholarships will be used for whatever the student needs to foster their musical talents and then shared with those around them for years to come.

A Message From Dr. Aylward

2011-04-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

In the past couple of months, some new and exciting developments have occurred here at our office. Starting today, April 1st, I will be working exclusively in our Palatine office just minutes from my home. My good friend, Dr. Bob Nudera, will be taking over the Elmwood Park practice, which will allow me to focus my attention here, in Palatine.

Our hours will increase significantly in April to include Mondays and Fridays to better accomodate your busy schedules. To stay on the cutting edge of technology, we will be converting to an entirely new computer scheduling system in June, and we will be investing in chair side computers and implementing paperless record keeping this year.

My goal remains to provide you and your family with the best available in orthodontic care. Please feel free to call me directly if you have any questions or concerns regarding your treatment. I deeply appreaciate the trust you and your family continue to place in me.

Our entire team looks forward to seeing you at our Palatine location!

-Dr. Gerry Aylward

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you look things are turning green inside and out! Spring is upon us and so is St. Patrick's Day! Dr. Aylward is a native of Ireland is filled with the Irish spirit. His spirit is very contagious and we are all looking forward to celebrating with the Irish and those that are Irish only for a day! We are starting our St. Patrick's Day celebration a day early by co-hosting our first annual Networking at Night with Plum Grove Dental on March 16th. The theme is of course is St. Patrick's Day and there will be corned beef and refreshments for all.

We feel the lucky everyday as we cheerfully provide great smiles to our fantastic patients! We hope you have a festive celebration and don't forget to count your blessings.

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go!

Introducing Our Team's New Additions!

2011-03-10T12:00:00.001-08:00

Pictured: Dr. Gerry Aylward, Maria & Daniel (born March 12th!), Jenny & Riley Nicole, Jacqueline & Cameron, Rumy & Viktoria and Dr. Bob Nudera

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We hope you enjoyed your holiday celebrations with laugher and love!

As we ring in 2011, many of us will reflect on 2010 and all that happened in those 365 days and make plans and committments for the new year. The same goes for all of us here at Dr. Aylward and Associates. We are deeply committed to serving our patients and the community to the best of our ability. We believe change is a good thing and imperative for growth. We believe that our past should never dictate our future and that there is always room for improvement. We look forward to the serving you in the coming year and wish you happiness, health and joy in 2011.

Brrrrrr! Need to warm up?

2010-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally arrived and so it's time to break out the mittens, hats and hot chocolate!!!! Some of you may or may not know this but besides jazz, photography and the Irish, Dr. Aylward LOVES chocolate!! It can be milk, dark, hot, cold...but bring on the chocolate. If you share Dr. Aylward's loves for chocolate, here's a delicious recipe for Hot Chocolate for you to try and share with those you love.

6 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons hot water, divided
3 cups hot milk
Sugar to taste
Whipped cream
Chocolate curls

Preparation: Using a double boiler or a heat-safe glass bowl over simmering water, melt the chopped chocolate into 1/4 cup of the water. Stir in the 3 tablespoons hot water and milk until the choclate mixture is smooth. Pour the hot choclate into cups and add sugar as desired. Garnish each cup with a spoonful of whipped cream and a few chocolate curls.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day is 2 days away and the preparations for the glorious feast have started in kitchens everywhere! As you pass the potatoes and the rolls, start a tradition by telling those around the table what you're thankful for. Gratitude is contagious! Let's spread it! From all of us at Dr. Aylward & Associates, Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for YOU!!!!!!

Attitude of Gratitude!

2010-11-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

Playoffs!

2010-11-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

We've got spirit yes we do, we've got spirit, how 'bout you?! As football season comes to an end, the town of Palatine us bubbling with excitement. Palatine High School and Fremd High School have both made it to the playoffs. On behalf of everyone at Dr. Aylward and Associates, we want to wish both teams the best of luck on Saturday!!!

Cash for Candy

2010-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read it right! Cash for Candy! Bring your Halloween candy to our office from November 1-4 and we'll give you a $1.00 per pound of candy. What a sweet deal! If you have any questions please feel to call our office.

Halloween Night at Buehler YMCA

2010-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

We will be at Buehler YMCA this Friday night distributing goodie bags at the front door from 6:30-9:00. Bags are reusable, colorful and have a fabulous coupon and travel toothbrush inside. Advanced registration is required for children attending the super fun night at Buehler. Wear your costume, join in the fun and games! Adults and children of all ages are welcome.

Apple (NOT TOO) Crisp

2010-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

One of the many delights of the Fall season is apples, apples, apples! For all you apple lovers out there with braces, applesauce may not be enough to satisfy your apple craving. Here's a great recipe for apple lovers to enjoy even if you have braces!

Apple (NOT TOO) Crisp

Ingredients

4 cups (about 8 large apples) peeled, coarsely sliced apples (MacIntosh & Rome apples work well; avoid Delicious apples)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine, chopped into small bits

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9"x 13" pan, spread sliced apples. Sprinkle with water and cinnamon. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and margarine with a pastry cutter or fork, until mixture becomes fine crumbs. Sprinkle crumb topping over apples. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Cover with foil while warm to soften topping. Makes about eight servings.

From "The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You and Your Orthodontist Will Love: by Pamela and Brenda Waterman. www.bracescookbook.com

It's Pumpkin Time!

2010-09-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is well on it's way to Chicagoland and it's arriving beautifully! Leaves are falling and pumpkins are awaiting their artists to give them a face. Here at Dr. Aylward and Asssociates we love smiles whether on a pumpkin or on you. Please join us for our pumpkin carving contest during the month of October. All you have to do is submit a photo of your pumpkin masterpiece either to our website or at one of our 2 locations by October 30th. On October 31st, the winner will be chosen and awarded a $25.00 gift card! Happy Carving!

It's Football Time!

2010-09-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the PAFA Homecoming at Community East and West Park this past weekend. Despite a little bit of rain, it was a fun time and we were very excited to see all of you. We hope that you enjoyed the delicious treats that we were handing out.

If you received a coupon for a discount off of orthodontic treatment at Chicagoland4Braces, call TODAY to schedule your FREE consultation! We look forward to seeing you again in our office.

Go TEAM!

Congrats to our Contest Winner!

2010-09-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winner of our most recent contest, Lindsay P. She is our Back to School contest winner. Her awesome prize was a backpack filled with school supplies.
Check back soon for more exciting contests.

Proud Member of the Palatine Chamber of Commerce

2010-08-19T15:16:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Gerry Aylward & Associates are now proud members of the Palatine Chamber of Commerce. We are so excited to be a part of this trusted and reliable organization.

We are offering a member-to-member chamber discount for chamber members and their members. Feel free to call us to find out more information.
For more information about the Chamber, visit www.palatinechamber.com.

Get back to school in style

2010-07-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, we're having a Back-to-School Backpack giveaway! Stop by the office and and enter your name to win. Drawing will be held August 19th.

St. Patrick's Day Letter

2010-03-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

St. Patrick’s Day greetings to you all! This year has been a year of new beginnings.

You may have noticed some exciting differences around the office lately as Jacqueline, Rumy, and Jenny all are having babies in April and July. Some of you were wondering if something was in the air or the water! Our former assistant and now special ed teacher, Nikki Niemesz, will return for the summer to cover for her sister Jen. And we’ll be bringin Maricela Gonzalez back as the full time office manager for the Palatine office. We’ll miss Joyce greatly and we wish her the very best in her future endeavors.

Speaking of new beginnings, we were so happy to hear last week that Dr. Bob Nudera announced his engagement. Dr. Bob and Lena’s wedding will be in September and we have to say that Lena already feels like one of the family. Congratulations and best wishes to both of them!

We ran our inaugural Idol Smiles contest for current and former patients this past fall and we have selected 5 winners. Following a photo shoot in the coming months, you’ll see their smiling faces on our website at www.chicagoland4braces.com and in some of our future advertising materials. Congratulations to you and thanks to all who entered.

I have had the privilege of returning to Loyola University in a very limited way and have been able to take a 2 semester master’s level course in Spiritual Direction on Monday afternoons since last fall. I’ve also continued my men’s work and spiritual journey with Fr. Richard Rohr and Bill Plotkin. There are so many outstanding courses to take on weekends and new books to read, that I have little free time to pursue my true passion of music. I’m still in a small jazz combo that plays occasionally and I play sax at Holy Family Church in Inverness on many Saturdays and Sundays.

Life has been rich and full of growth as we all begin to learn to live within the new economic realities. Please always know that this office, and I, continue to be here for you, our friends and patients. If there is ever anything we or I can do to improve your experience with us, please call me or any one of our office managers directly.

Enclosed you will find a little gift and along with it, hopefully, a little luck of the Irish. Have a great year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerry Aylward, Dr. Bob Nudera, and Staff

The Children's Clinic

2010-03-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

The Children’s Clinic

– sponsored by –

OAK PARK RIVER FOREST INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY

Congratulations to Dr. Gerry Aylward

Dr. Aylward is the recipient of the 2009 Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society Community Service Award. This award is given to an individual or agency in the community who has demonstrated commitment to The Children’s Clinic mission and has met the following criteria:

* Contribution to the welfare of the children in the community;
* Work related to the patients of the clinic;
* Collaboration with Infant Welfare members, staff & board.

Sponsored by the Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society, The Children’s Clinic has provided health care to children for over 94 years. What began in 1916 as a volunteer based community organization has grown into a thriving clinic that serves thousands of underserved children from 50 Cook County west suburban communities and Chicago. The Clinic delivers top quality dental, medical and social services to children from infancy to age 18.

Nearly 100 members attended the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society on November 12. Four annual awards were presented at the Annual Meeting. The Community Service Award was given to Dr. Gerald Aylward, who was instrumental in training the dental staff so that they now can offer interceptive orthodontics at the Clinic.

For more information on The Children’s Clinic, please visit their website at www.childrenscliniciws.org.

Click here to read the newsletter article about the awards.

New Arrivals

2010-03-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to 3 of our staff members who welcome beautiful babies into their families.

Jacqueline had a baby boy, Cameron

Rumy had a baby girl, Viktoria

Jenny had a baby girl, Riley Nicole

"Like" Dr. Gerry Aylward on Facebook!

2009-08-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

Befriend Dr. Gerry Aylward on MySpace!

2009-08-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

A Word from Chicagoland 4 Braces...

2009-03-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2009

Greetings Friends,

This has been quite a year. We’ve elected an historic president who has been asked to address monumental economic problems at home and gigantic issues of peace and defense abroad. Regardless of our individual politics, I believe we are all in this together as neighbors and fellow travelers, and that we will be stronger for this test of our fortitude in the coming months.

That said, we know times may be very difficult for some of you. Please call Maria, Rumy, Zoe or Joyce to discuss revision of financial arrangements or anything else we can do to help you out. And thanks to all of you. You are the strong base of our fantastic practice. Each of you is our favorite thing about working here.

This has also been a year of birth, growth and learning. Jacqueline had a beautiful baby boy on August 4, 2008 named Mason Anthony Palmer weighing 9lbs 10oz. We loved it when dad brought him in for his first “orthodontic visit” while mom was at work!

Dr. Bob and I have taken continuing education courses on several new orthodontic techniques including the newest developments in the Damon system. Damon has made brackets even smaller and more effective and we continue to be amazed by the results. We’ve also begun to use a new anchoring system which involves the placement of tiny screws in the jawbone close to the teeth. This is a virtually painless procedure that allows us to move teeth in a way never before possible.

On a personal note, I’ve had the opportunity to serve as one of the “elders” for a program of in-depth men’s spiritual work that is being offered around the world by Fr Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Of course I continue my avocation of jazz saxophone and play with a couple of groups from time to time around Chicago.

In closing friends, may the rains fall gentle on your fields, may the wind always be at your back and may we grow bigger from this test of our nation. In past years I’ve extended the following wish in a more lighthearted way, but this year it is my heartfelt hope that you all stay positive in the coming year and that the luck of the Irish go with every one of you and yours.

Sincerely,

Dr. Gerry Aylward, Dr. Bob Nudera

Linda A, Jacqueline, Joyce, Cynthia, Eva, Monika, Krasi, Maria, Rumy, Vassilka, & Zoe

P. S. Hope this is the year one of you wins the jackpot!