Dentists - Rant 4

OK, so after my last 'dentist rant' I promised myself that I wouldn't rant about dentists anymore.  BUT, I can't help it.  I went to the dentists at 9am this morning and it's now after 8pm and I'm still totally wound up about the process.


I haven't a clue how old my dentist is, but I'm 56 years old and I have never, ever, met a more patronising person in the whole of my life.


So I wait 10 mins and then I go into the 'torture chamber'.  I lie on the chair and am tilted almost upside down and he places a pair of glasses on me.  Well that's new for a start.  I'm assuming they were so that the glare of the bright light above didn't damage my eyes???  But he didn't tell me and I've never had glasses on before.  I also had a paper towel thing placed on my chest?!!  Presumably to catch any drips of blood, water, whatever, when he was faffing around with all his technical equipment in my mouth.  Again he didn't tell me.  I only knew this was on me when he tilted me upright & I saw it and then didn't have a clue what to do with it.  I just jumped off the chair ASAP & left it lying there.  Why don't dental schools teach dentists a few people skills?  Grrrr......


And he's still never, ever introduced himself to me so I still refer to him as 'Nasty horrible dentist'.  Actually, I do now know his name, but only because the waiting room has a photo of him with his qualifications below.  And while we're on the subject of the waiting room - since he took over, there's never been any decent magazines in there.


The whole 'cleaning' procedure was even more horrible than usual today.  He seemed to take forever.  The first thing he said to me was, 'Your teeth are looking better. Are you being more aggressive with your brushing?'  I said I wasn't doing anything different.


And then when he'd finished he went into mega attack mode!


Firstly, he didn't even tell me that he'd finished. He just put the chair in an upright position so I was left wondering if I could get up??  Obviously I just jumped off the chair ASAP.


And then he started his 'patronising' speech.........................


He wants me to go and see the dental hygienist at another practise.
I need to start brushing more aggressively even though he'd told me my teeth were looking better today.
I need to use an electric toothbrush.
I'm going to lose all my teeth.
I'm getting older.  Aren't we all?


When I told him that a friend that I'd been talking to last night said that she hadn't been to a dentist for 12 years; his reply was......................  Everyone's different.  I bet if my friend went to see him, he'd be delivering her the exact same patronising speech as he gave me.


I'm supposed to be an intelligent middle aged woman?!  I'm not someone who feels intimated by anyone, but he's treating me like a 5 year old.  'Brush your teeth aggressively, use an electric toothbrush, floss'.  'I've been to dental school & I've got a load of qualifications after my name.  And I might know how to do a few fillings but actually I haven't got a clue how to deal with people???'


And the final straw was............................


..................He actually said that he'd tell the dental hygienist that I was 'dental phobic'.  I've only become 'dental phobic' since I met him.  Think I might Google 'dental phobic' and he could prescribe me dimarzipan (which I believe is a bit like valium) to take before I visited the dental hygienist???


I have never, ever taken any drugs in my life and I'm certainly not going to start now.


Kevin, my old dentist, was the most gentlest, kindest, loveliest dentist in the whole wide world.  I hated going to see him, but he was brilliant.  He treated me gently, he talked to me, he didn't patronise me, he just got on with the job.  And he didn't hurt me!


I haven't a clue where I go from here?...............................


.....................Obviously, I'd like to continue having my teeth checked.  I've been going to the dentists every 6 months but now its every 3 months for as long as I can remember. 


BUT...................... life is not a dress rehearsal..................... and life is far too short to be patronised every three months by someone who doesn't care about his patients just wants to tick a few boxes and cover himself, in case 10 years down the line I need false teeth??


As I say.......................... I haven't a clue what to do???


If I go to the dental hygienist; does that mean I don't have to visit the dentist so often?  I've already made another appointment to visit the dentist in a few months time.  What is the dental hygienist going to do that the dentist isn't? 


To be honest; when 'Mr Patronising Dentist' was talking to me, I couldn't really respond to him because he was just 'lecturing' me and I was so upset because I'd just been lying upside down on his dental chair and hadn't had a clue what he was doing to me (because he hadn't bothered to communicate with me), that I didn't say a thing.


OK.................  Writing this blog post has helped.


What I'm going to do is.................................


.......................I'm going to email my very lovely - not dentist and ask him to explain in writing why he wants me to go to the dental hygienist, what the dental hygienist will do for me that he can't and how many times I have to see him & the dental hygienist?!  Because, actually, thinking about it.................... the dental hygienist might be more gentle than the dentist?


See a lovely gentle dentist hygienist Mr Patronising dentist said he was very lovely??? a couple of times a year and only have to see 'Mr Patronising dentist' once every couple of years????


....................It could work for me?  We'll see!!!