Adventures in Dentistry
Faithful readers and friends may know or remember that I actually like the dentist. In fact, I look forward to the clean-teeth feeling you get every six or so months. I inherited my mother's teeth, which are strong, white (for the most part) and healthy, and thanks to the hard work of my orthodontist, almost perfectly aligned.
But since I moved to Texas, I hadn't yet taken on the task of finding a new dentist.
It's a demanding role. My childhood dentist was a wonderful woman who told lighthearted jokes and always made me smile. The dentist I found in DC was another gem who always complained that I didn't give him enough work.
(We won't mention the brief encounter with the only school-insurance supported dentist in Evanston who strong-armed me into filing down one of my front teeth that had been chipped for years.)
The point is, finding the right dentist is important to me. I tried to do some research into my options, looking for the right practice. I finally settled on one that was very close to my office and had a number of dentists on staff, including some younger docs who would be more likely to be up on new and emerging tooth technologies.
Monday was my first appointment, and I have to say it was unlike any other dental appointment I've ever had.
First, they were slow in getting me in, so I was a little annoyed by the time the assistant came to take me for x-rays. But she was chatty and sweet, so she (and the current People magazine) calmed me down. When she came back into the room with the print outs, she commented on my teeth (very straight!) and said the I'd like the doctor.
"She's very nice," she said. I swear she said "she." But I still had the magazine open and may have only been listening with half an ear. So when I heard a male voice speaking to her--and then brush by the open office--I paid no notice. Until she leaned over to me and said, in that not-so-quiet-I'm-telling-you-a-secret-voice:
"He's single, by the way. Just so you know. A little tip for you."
I think I just laughed. And then in walked the single doctor for what was probably my most awkward dentist appointment ever.
He introduced himself. I stared. ("Oh! Um, I'm Sarah.") More staring.
Ok, I know, this isn't NEARLY as awkward as other stories I've heard about doctorly visits (I vaguely remember a DC-based story where a certain friend showed up for her annual with her female physician only to find the doc was on maternity leave and had left her cases to a hot, young, MALE resident. No thank you). But still--it felt a little strange.
Was she expecting me to flirt with him? (Never mind that I'm not entirely sure that is possible to do when someone has his hands in your mouth and you're drooling uncontrollably.) And furthermore, does this poor doc know that his assistant is pimping him out to clients? Isn't there some kind of code against doctor/patient pickups?? Do you think she does that with every female patient who comes in, or just the ones with good teeth?
As if I couldn't feel more uncomfortable already, he points out one of the boxes I checked on my new patient form.
"So you think you have bad breath?"
"Um, doesn't everybody?" No laughter.
The worst part of it is that they didn't even get to my cleaning, just my exam. So I'm going BACK on Friday. Although I think it's just with the hygeinist, so I won't have to worry about seeing Dr. McCleany. But he did recommend some procedure I'd never heard of and am somewhat fearful of. (Something about pockets and probing. Really, I don't think I want to know.)
They better give me a damn good goodie bag for this one.
But since I moved to Texas, I hadn't yet taken on the task of finding a new dentist.
It's a demanding role. My childhood dentist was a wonderful woman who told lighthearted jokes and always made me smile. The dentist I found in DC was another gem who always complained that I didn't give him enough work.
(We won't mention the brief encounter with the only school-insurance supported dentist in Evanston who strong-armed me into filing down one of my front teeth that had been chipped for years.)
The point is, finding the right dentist is important to me. I tried to do some research into my options, looking for the right practice. I finally settled on one that was very close to my office and had a number of dentists on staff, including some younger docs who would be more likely to be up on new and emerging tooth technologies.
Monday was my first appointment, and I have to say it was unlike any other dental appointment I've ever had.
First, they were slow in getting me in, so I was a little annoyed by the time the assistant came to take me for x-rays. But she was chatty and sweet, so she (and the current People magazine) calmed me down. When she came back into the room with the print outs, she commented on my teeth (very straight!) and said the I'd like the doctor.
"She's very nice," she said. I swear she said "she." But I still had the magazine open and may have only been listening with half an ear. So when I heard a male voice speaking to her--and then brush by the open office--I paid no notice. Until she leaned over to me and said, in that not-so-quiet-I'm-telling-you-a-secret-voice:
"He's single, by the way. Just so you know. A little tip for you."
I think I just laughed. And then in walked the single doctor for what was probably my most awkward dentist appointment ever.
He introduced himself. I stared. ("Oh! Um, I'm Sarah.") More staring.
Ok, I know, this isn't NEARLY as awkward as other stories I've heard about doctorly visits (I vaguely remember a DC-based story where a certain friend showed up for her annual with her female physician only to find the doc was on maternity leave and had left her cases to a hot, young, MALE resident. No thank you). But still--it felt a little strange.
Was she expecting me to flirt with him? (Never mind that I'm not entirely sure that is possible to do when someone has his hands in your mouth and you're drooling uncontrollably.) And furthermore, does this poor doc know that his assistant is pimping him out to clients? Isn't there some kind of code against doctor/patient pickups?? Do you think she does that with every female patient who comes in, or just the ones with good teeth?
As if I couldn't feel more uncomfortable already, he points out one of the boxes I checked on my new patient form.
"So you think you have bad breath?"
"Um, doesn't everybody?" No laughter.
The worst part of it is that they didn't even get to my cleaning, just my exam. So I'm going BACK on Friday. Although I think it's just with the hygeinist, so I won't have to worry about seeing Dr. McCleany. But he did recommend some procedure I'd never heard of and am somewhat fearful of. (Something about pockets and probing. Really, I don't think I want to know.)
They better give me a damn good goodie bag for this one.
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