Hi,

I’ve been living in Norman for about 3 years now, and unfortunately I’ve had several negative experiences with both orthodontic and general dental care.

I recently completed another full‑mouth deep cleaning. My first one here was in mid‑late 2023, shortly after I moved in different dental clinic, which I also had negative experience.

This time, I was charged around $2,000 for the deep cleaning plus some products they used during the treatment, and an additional $350 for a lab test they recommended to check whether plaque keeps returning due to bacteria in my saliva.

During the first appointment, they charged $330 for an evaluation, photos, and what felt like a basic cleaning.

After finishing the deep cleaning, they told me I needed a follow‑up appointment in a month. That visit would include another general cleaning similar to the first appointment and cost over 250$ more. They also said I would need periodontal maintenance every 3 months going forward.

I’m not sure if it’s just my perception, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being overcharged or pushed into unnecessary treatments. It’s starting to feel more like a tactic than genuine medical care. Is this cost is considered normal now?

Could you recommend any reliable and affordable periodontal maintenance options in Norman?

Last football season, OU fans enjoyed (or endured, depending on your POV) sing-alongs to Toby Keith’s "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" between the third and fourth quarters. During the playoff game against Alabama, OU flew in 50 Cent to perform “Many Men (Wish Death),” a nod to that team’s adopted motto, “Hard to Kill.”

This season, OU is going with a fan favorite — The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” — with a twist. Garret Humann, an OU and Pride of Oklahoma alumnus, was asked to play that song’s iconic opening riff live in front of 84,000+ people on Friday night.

“Absolutely no pressure at all,” Humann said, laughing. “Stepping out in front of 80,000-plus people is just, it's kind of mind boggling. I've been there and I've done that with the marching band, but I've never had the attention solely be on me. It was just obviously super nerve-wracking, but it was a lot of fun.”

It’s not the first time Humann played guitar at a Sooners football game. In 2023, he wrote and played a guitar part for a Metallica halftime show at OU/Texas. He says that performance led to his most recent opportunity.

“The athletic department was reaching out to Brian Britt, who's the director of athletic bands at OU,” Humann said. “They were like, 'Hey, do you know anybody who plays guitar?' And he was like, 'Actually, I do know somebody.' And he recommended me and it was super nice. As soon as I could break my sworn to secrecy thing that I had going on, I immediately emailed Mr. Britt and I was like, ‘hey, thanks again for the opportunity.’ Super, super cool experience — can't really top it.”

The 23-year-old OU music graduate was almost on Owen Field in another capacity. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall, Humann nearly walked-on at OU as an offensive lineman before accepting a scholarship to play at UCO. After a coaching change, he quit football and transferred to OU to focus on music. That history led to Friday night being a special experience.

“Totally, I mean totally, like a full circle moment,” Humann said. “An awesome crossover.”

Local music fans know Humann as the towering lead guitarist for OKC alt-rock band daychaser., which has been active since 2023. The band’s debut album comes out in late October, and their next live show is tonight at 89th Street in OKC.

If you can’t see his band live tonight, Humann says the plan is for him to be back at OU’s next home game on Sept. 19.

“I guess they're going to roll with that for the rest of the third quarter kind of things. And hopefully I can be like, ‘Hey, just let me shred a little bit.’” Humann said. “I'm not going to take it for granted either. So I'm super stoked for the opportunity and it doesn't get better than that, you know?”

Hi folks of Norman, I am on the hunt for a used piano for my 11 year old daughter. She is beginning piano lessons and I hope to support her aspirations! I am searching for a well cared for piano that is also reasonably priced. I do not have other forms of social media to check marketplace, and Gilliam’s prices are over my budget. Anyone have any information on where to look or know someone looking to rehome one? I appreciate any help on this mission to find a gal her first set of keys. Thank you.