Jennifer McPhail, a registered dental hygienist, recently joined Woodside Dental Care, located at 36 South Main Street in Assonet, MA. MacPhail is also a resident of Assonet, MA.

“Jennifer has been a very good addition to our team and helped us get through a demanding period where there was a backlog of patients who needed cleanings,” said Dr. Derek Cornetta, DDS. “Jennifer is a seasoned hygienist with a lot of experience working at other dental practices. We are grateful to have her on staff.”

The calendar may still say summer, but fall sports are well underway at local towns and schools. Unfortunately, with those fall activities comes the potential for concussions, particularly if young athletes use the wrong type of mouthguard.               

“Boil-and-bite mouthguards that many young athletes use offer a false sense of security because these pieces do not always maintain their initial shape. Or the athlete alters the shape to make it more comfortable and to appear like they still have protection,” said Dr. Derek Cornetta, DDS, owner of Woodside Dental Care at 36 South Main Street in Assonet. “With the shape of the mouthguard altered, the mouthguard may not hold the jaws in place after a blow to the head. And that increases the likelihood of concussion.”