The Entire Grand Dental Family annual Formal Reception Dinner

By Sandy StevensAn excerpt from the January 3, 1999, issue of The Herald News:
Making magic: Kaschubes spotlight molars and magic
By Sandy Stevens

An excerpt from the October 21, 1998, issue of the Kane County Chronicle:
Aurora dentist's skills include sleight-of-hand
By Eric Schelkop

An excerpt from the December 1997, issue of Illinois Dental News:
Dualing Dentists: Juggling dentistry with another career Molars and Magic

An excerpt from Franklin Park Herald-Journal October 27, 1999
Annual Halloween Party

The Entire Grand Dental Family

Photo taken during our Formal Reception Dinner at our annual Continuing Education Seminars. Everyone looks so good, we may make these our permanent uniforms!

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This couple performs with teeth in their act. And vice versa. By occupation, Drs. Mark Kaschube and Mary Ann Hollis-Kaschube are dentists; by avocation, magicians. But the line separating their jobs and their hobby evaporates like a coin in the hands of an illusionist.

The couple does their dentistry magic at three locations: Farnsworth Dental Group in Aurora, Channahon Family Dentistry and their original site, Grand Dental Association in Franklin Park, marked by a 20-foot toothbrush on the front lawn.

They do their performing magic at places ranging from local schools to The Bozo Show, where they appear during Children's Dental Health Month in February, to the recent Halloween and Magic Show at the Fox Valley Park District's Prisco Community Center in Aurora. Last year’s Halloween show drew 200 viewers; this year, 550 came for the performance.

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Aurora dentist/magician Dr. Mark Kaschube has no trouble making a sports car disappear. But making a cavity disappear, well, that's a feat even he can't pull off.

"There's a difference between magic and miracles. That would be a miracle," said Kaschube, who in between making cars disappear and slicing women in half, owns Farnsworth Dental Group in Aurora. Kaschube became interested in magic as a youngster after his dad would perform tricks for him.

He started doing small shows in college, began performing to pay for his school expenses.

Kaschube toyed with giving up the act after graduating from Loyola Dental School. "I thought I would put the magic aside. But then I saw that it helped put patients at ease when I would perform magic tricks," he said.

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This duo has three dental practices and conducts three magic shows, which they've performed in Las Vegas, Austria, several big theaters around Chicagoland and on WGN TV's Bozo children's show.

Their busy season is September through April when they put in at least 10 hours a week rehearsing and preparing their magic show, Dr. Kaschube says. Several Halloween shows, an annual Christmas show at an Austrian ski resort, numerous dental/magic shows at area schools for National Children's Dental Health Month and a related appearance on the Bozo TV program keep them busy. Every three years they attend the Olympics of Magic in Dresden, Germany where "Siegfried and Roy and all the big boys go because that's where you learn some of the hottest new magic coming out," Dr. Kaschube says.

"A lot of our friends that we grew up with in magic are in Las Vegas or doing TV work, and they go...You could be doing the same, "but we truly love both fields," says Kaschube. "When you shift gears in the middle of the day, it doesn't seem like work."

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An excerpt from Franklin Park Herald-Journal October 27, 1999
Annual Halloween Party

Local dentists Mark Kaschube and Mary Ann Hollis-Kaschube started their annual Halloween Party and Haunted Magic show nearly a decade ago. An unexpected 400 people showed up that first year and the line that went around the block still forms for the free event, which now has the backing of the Franklin Park Park District.

"It's supposed to be a fun event in response to parents concerns about the safety of trick-or-treating," said dentist Steve Napier who works with the two at Franklin Park's Grand Dental Associates. In fact, Franklin Park police Sgt. Barb Cascio presents tips for practicing holiday safety at the event.

Area kids receive treats to munch on during the magic show, which is followed by a costume contest and the special spooky dance. Three prize winners receive gift certificates from Toys R Us as well as Franklin Park Park District ice skating and pool passes.

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