Dr. Catania invites patients to our 9th annual "Candy for Cash!"

Dr. Catania is excited to offer all of our patients, friends, and families in the Fayetteville, NY community the opportunity to exchange their Halloween candy for cash.

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment, and these treats may cause damage that could prolong your treatment time. The Candy for Cash event is a fun way for Dr. Catania and our team to reward patients for their efforts on Halloween. In addition, we are able to benefit area charities.

Some candies are okay for orthodontic patients. These treats include plain chocolate, peanut butter cups, mint patties, and candy corn.

Dr. Catania recommends that those who wear braces avoid hard, sticky, and chewy candy, such as gum, taffy, nuts, popcorn, caramel, gummies, and lollipops. Parents of children who wear braces may want to check their children’s Halloween candy and eliminate these potential braces-busters.

Dr. Catania’s candy buy-back program can help those with braces enjoy the holiday. And you don’t have to be a patient to join our fun buy-back!

Here’s how it works:
• Bring your Halloween candy in to Dr. Catania's office anytime between Nov. 1-11 during office hours

• You will receive $1.00 for every pound of candy

• For every pound of candy that you bring in, Dr. Catania will donate $1.00 to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital

• Candy collected will be donated to local Food Pantries, along with a variety of food staples

Access your account—any day, any time—at Joseph Catania, DDS

Access to your account, 24/7. Sounds simple and convenient, doesn’t it?

Patients at Dr. Catania's office enjoy access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week—all through our website. You can look up your appointments and all of your account details at your convenience, all from the comfort of your own home! You can even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages! Take a look at a few patient reviews about this service:

"I like it because I can check my information during the weekend and evening hours." ~Andrea

"Just having the appointments online is a big help, especially when I forget to print my schedule." ~Gary

"I believe this website will be a great service! I look forward to keeping up to date on my son this way. In the hectic life I lead this will allow me to check payment schedule, look at his progress, etc. when it is convenient for me! (usually that is late at night!) Thanks for doing this!" ~Diane

You, too, may sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button on our homepage. Please give us a call if you have any questions about getting started!

Halloween Safety Tips, from Dr. Catania

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Catania would like to remind all of our patients to be safe while celebrating with friends and family. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.



A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• Young children should always be accompanied by an adult
• Carry a flashlight
• Wear a light-colored or reflective costume
• Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins
• Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give Dr. Catania and our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

A braces-friendly recipe, in celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month!

Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Dr. Joseph Catania and our team know how tempting this time of the year can be for your sweet tooth. With all of the hard, sticky, crunchy, and chewy candy that is often passed around to trick-or-treaters, we know that it can sometimes be hard to find orthodontic-friendly options.

However, there is good news! Today, we would like to share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO. This Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this treat will not cause damage to your beautiful smile.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
¼ cup water (add 2 tbl. of water if eggs are small)

Directions:

Put cake mix in a large bowl. Make an indentation in the center and pour in the oil and one egg. Mix using mixer, then add the rest of the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.

Add pumpkin, sugar, spices, and then water.

Bake in greased and floured tube pan in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes (depending on oven calibration). Cool before removing from pan.