This morning I was at the grocery store buying gift cars for patients who have sent others to our office. The lady at the registrar asked why I was getting so many gift cards. I let her know I was a Dentist and I used the gift cards to send to some of my patients. Her smile dropped as she suddenly became solemn saying "I hate the Dentist."
I looked at her and brightly responded, "But we've just met."
She laughed and started to explain how she had once had a bad experience, so now she avoids seeing dentist but then when she needs to go it's for a root canal. I listened to her continue about how the sound of the drill and having her mouth open for a long time also made her dislike the dental visits. I gave her my card and told her I would like to try to give her a better experience.
This is a fairly common occurrence for me. I meet someone, they find out about my profession and they then let me know their felling for my profession. Sometimes it is very negative, and many times it is very positive. The stories they tell me have helped me find what usually make one person love their dentist and the other person to dislike them. The following are some of the things I have learned that make people love or hate the dentist:
1. The Dentist's Personality
The Dentist was a very nice guy, or he was very impersonal. Dentists are people and just like everyone else. There are a lot of great Dentists and there are a few bad ones. If you have had to deal with a bad one it is especially difficult because of the personal space they are working in.
The better personal relationship people have with their Dentist and his or her team the better their experiences tend to be.
2. That Numbing Feeling
Many people have expressed to me how much the dislike being numb for so long. Well I have some good news we have a numb reversal agent called Oraverse. We can use this to greatly shorten the time you are numb after a procedure. I've used this for patients who need to give presentations or are going to a social event so they can have normal function sooner.
3. Discomfort After Dental Procedures
Some people never notice any discomfort after dental work and others have had their teeth become sensitive or even hurt after dental procedures.
This can be difficult because dental surgery is just that, surgery. If you just had surgery on your foot it would be unlikely that you would be walking on it the next day. However this is what we do with our teeth.
Luckily there are some different agents that can be used to help relive this very common post operative sensitivity. We use Microprime with all of our crowns and fillings. Not only has this greatly reduced the percentage of our patients who experience after dental work but it also helps to decontaminate the tooth.
4. Cost
I have heard people in all walks of life say that their dental care was worth every penny and others who say that it is just too expensive. On average people spend more on their cell phone or clothing. Beyond this the longer you wait to correct a dental problem the more expensive it will become. A root canal which will then require a crown is 10 times the cost of a filling and a filling costs about the same as an extraction.
The difference with the cost of dentistry when compared to cell phone coverage, or clothing is that it tends to come all at once. To help with this we offer several financial options to help make the dental care you need more affordable.
In Summary
The dental office can seem like a scary place for many reasons. We understand this and work hard to create comforting memories for those we serve. We encourage you to take care of your smile and would love to take your oral health to the next level.
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