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Piece of Mind: Remembering the dentist who always put a smile on my face

Still smiling after all these years, thanks in no small part to my dentists
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No one that I know likes visiting the dentist.

It must take a special type of person to become a dentist, knowing and accepting that most patients coming for an appointment would rather be almost anywhere else.

During my many years, all my dentists, bar three, have been forgotten.

The first, my childhood dentist, always talked about his previous patient to his next patient. He never mentioned them by name, offering a general description instead. This amused me as a teenager because my appointment always immediately followed my father’s.

Would you believe that when that man was on a business trip to Wales and missed his appointment, he sent me a telegram saying, “Just remembered. I forgot.”

I knew it was my father.

My dentist in Cambridge for over thirty years had a very dry sense of humour.

When I first met him, I introduced myself by stating, “I’m not a very good patient. I hate dentists.” His fast response with a broad smile was, ”Then we’re well suited as I’m not a very good dentist and I hate patients.”

For the next few decades, we got along well. He was an excellent dentist and until his early retirement when he moved from Cambridge, I enjoyed his humour, even if not always appropriate or politically correct.

One hint he gave me was when brushing my teeth before bed, to start in a different place each night. I knew he meant within the mouth, but on my next appointment I told him I’d started brushing in the garden, another night the dining room, then the basement and had it made any difference?

At the time I was busy with Cane & Able, a small business selling unique canes. He would recommend any patient using a cane to come see me.

Over the years he sent me a few customers as my premises were just opposite his. He jokingly asked for his 10 per cent cut.

Since I always counselled my clients in proper use and cane care, and cut the purchased cane to the correct height, I had multiple ends of canes. Putting a dozen or so in a box I presented them to him telling him this was his 10 per cent cut.

On April 1st he always had pranks planned which is what reminded me of him last week.

I miss his humour; we had many jokes over the years.

So, imagine my surprise in December of 2019 when David and I were on a 25-day cruise to the Amazon on a ship with 700 passengers to find Dr. Ross McKillop and his wife Liz were on the same trip.

It was a very pleasant way to catch up and his dry humour tinged with sarcasm was still apparent. We ate a few meals together, met on several excursions and enjoyed the exchange.

My current dentist, his replacement, is a quieter and more polite, no sarcasm or joking but charming and competent.

One of his dental hygienists is a sweetheart, encouraging and positive which is helpful as opposed to the all too often negative scolding past ones have given me.

I still don’t relish my dental appointments but I recognize that, as someone who enjoys smiling a lot, that still having teeth is a tribute to the work of the dental profession and regular visits.