My 6 month appointment to get my teeth cleaned was this week. Karen, the hygienist, is good at what she does and she is very funny. That’s enough of a reason to like going to the dentist.
I’ll admit my liking going to the dentist is certainly colored by only having had two fillings and one root canal in my whole life. One of the fillings also had to be replaced. Since most of this work was so long ago I have forgotten having my mouth clamped open, the pain, the sound of the drill, the smell of smoking teeth from the drill, and the whole side of my face slipping off my skull when I was driving home, you know, stuff like that. Fifteen years ago when I got a filling the dentist I had then asked me if I could feel any pain from the drill. I said, “Yes.” He said, “That’s not an appropriate response.” Seriously, that’s what he said. He waited a bit and started again. He asked me again if I could feel any pain and again, I said yes. He told me that wasn’t an appropriate response so I asked why he bothered to ask. I suggested that he get a card with three answers on it like 1. Yes, 2. No, and 3. I’m really not sure. I suggested that he could just point to the answer he wanted from me when he asked a question and I would just agree. You know, it would save us both time and it would save him the frustration and aggravation of having a patient who didn’t know how to answer simple questions. That was my old dentist.
These days I like going to the dentist.
When I arrive at the office I am greeted by Jill, the office manager. (She is a real estate client of mine also.) She has a winning smile and is always friendly. See, going to the dentist is nice. This week when I arrived Jill was eating Christmas cookies. I really thought my personal quest to gain 6 or 8 pounds through serious “Christmas cookie plumping” was over for this year. She offered me some but I was strong. I reminded her that I was there to get my teeth cleaned and that Karen would have a lot of extra work if she had to use those darn “pickers and diggers” she has to get cookie gunk out of my teeth. Jill had another cookie and said Karen needed to work hard and it would be okay if I had one. I was strong; I said, “No thanks.” Pretty impressive, don’t you think? Well, almost “No thanks.” It was more like, “No thanks. For Now.” I asked Jill if I would have two cookies when I came out.
I enjoy Karen, the hygienist, and certainly enjoy Dr. Fjeran, the dentist. Some years ago, Greg (Dr. Fjeran) replaced a filling of mine. He didn’t even need to give me the response card. His work is very competent and I appreciate his caring and concerned demeanor. This week, Karen did x-rays, along with cleaning my teeth and then Greg did an exam. Everyone in the office is great so going to the dentist is just fine with me.
Oh, and when I was leaving, Jill gave me a bag of Christmas cookies. See, how could I not like going to the dentist? I get cookies!
Those cookies have made me smile beyond the brief enjoyment they gave my mouth. As I think about them it reminds me to take pleasure in simple things.
It’s the weekend. Please be good. Drive you car carefully. Ride with people who drive carefully. Treat yourself with respect. Spend time with people who treat you with respect. Treat other people with respect. Talk nice to yourself; you deserve it. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you. Keep yourself whole physically and emotionally.
P
PS I can’t take a picture of the whole bag because I ate most of them already. I’m thinking about going in today and asking for a refill.
PPS My dentist is better than your dentist. Just sayin’…
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