Childhood memories are sometimes very hard to forget. Remembering the dentist my siblings and I were taken to as children is by far not one of my fondest memories. He was very rough and impatient.
For years I would make excuses, a sore throat, ear ache, upset stomach, anything not to have to face the man our parents trusted as our family dentist.
When I was finally forced to go to him, all I remember is the pain, the drills, the noise, the most disgusting "spitting bowl", and the nasty man in the white coat.
The first time I came to your office, I remember warning you that if I bit you, it was not personnel, I had a personal dislike for all dentists.
It was very hard for me to walk through that front door. For years, I had been avoiding going to a dentist and consequently have not had the dental care I should have had over the years. Fortunately, my teeth were not in as bad shape as I feared.
On the first visit, I had lost a filling and you told me I needed a root canal and a crown. You immediately did the root canal and I remember as I walked out of your office, I was amazed at how much dentistry had changed. I could not believe there was no pain, no blood to spit in the bowl and you were very gentle and made sure I was as relaxed as possible.
When I went home and told my husband about the root canal and he asked me when I was going to have it done. I showed him it was already done and he couldn't’t believe it.
Used to be when I dreaded doing something I would say, "I’d rather have a root canal." But I can’t say that anymore. I also never realized how much technology has changed over the years. I remember how traumatic it was to spit out blood and pieces of a tooth or filling and watch it all being rinsed down the drain, the old fashioned drills that sounded like jackhammers and the pain I have always associated with the dentist office. I have talked to several of your patients since that first visit, and have always heard wonderful things about you and your chairside manner.
I can not thank you enough for the difference you have made in my life and I’am very glad to know that for a lot of children you will be the first dentist they ever see. If only I could have been as lucky.
Wish I had found you a long time ago.