The Leader of the Plaque
Posted by Rey
Three years ago my son was spoiled by his first dentist visit. The building looked like the receiving department of an order fulfillment company but once you stepped through the beat up door you were in a world of color, games and fun. Toys dominated the waiting area and were piled across the floor while counters of lego sported client creations. Attractive dental assistants introduced themselves over the din of arcade booths while the equally attractive dentists conversed with kids in the back.
Our new dental practice has no games in the waiting area (although it does sport a ton of wooden rocking chairs), the dental assistants vary in appeal and most of the actual dentists have beards! With this extreme change of atmosphere my five year was (understandably) afraid.
They asked; they bribed; they cajoled, then begged and (almost) threatened but he refused to keep his mouth open. At one point he reached up and pulled suction from his mouth—and this was just the cleaning. He clenched his teeth for the x-ray so they had to feel the softness of the teeth to ascertain cavity corruption and after three unsuccessful visits they threw their hands up and sent us to the Oral Surgeon for Kids.
This office was an upgrade. Each dental chair faced a thirty six inch LCD screen with either Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network and there were Disney animation cells on the wall but it was still clinical; at least the doctor (soft spoken man) knew the lyrics and tune for Mahna Mahna.
Even so, we have another visit. Treatment to come: Laughing Gas.
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