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You cant change staff without telling me

THats interesting Jessica. I am always fascinated by how things are done in other places. Where I live here in the US, it is not uncommon to refer to a professional by their first name but it depends on who they are. For example, nurses are referred to by first name, mental health counselors are referred by first name. Doctors can sometimes be referred to by first name depending on how long you have known them but there is Dr in front such as with my dentist Dr. Katy. My primary doctor however is referred to by Dr. and her last name. Her patients all know her first name but we dont use this. Its a sign of proper respect to put their title first. The Pastor of my church, on the other hand, is known as Pastor Mike. No one ever uses his last name.

In my experience, how interactive the staff is depends on who I am dealing with. THe staff at my doctors office are pleasant and polite but not chatty. The staff at Dr. Katy's office on the other hand, have traditionally been very friendly and like to chat with you while they are doing their thing. I like this because it makes me feel more comfortable.
 
I always call my dentist by her first name, even though she is called Dr by the receptionists. I think in the UK it seems to be fairly common to do that. I would never dream of calling my GP anything but Dr, but somehow it seems different with my dentist. I don't even know what my dentist's asst is called, that is how little she talks to me, although she is always pleasant when she does come out into the waiting room for me.
 
There's an old old thread on this topic which eventually and comically turns into a shouting match between USA posters and UK ones (i.e. me!) - enjoy...


My update on this is that I still don't need to use my dentist's name to him directly but I refer to him by this to his staff and to my kids 'you've got an appt with X' All the staff mention him to patients just using his Christian name, he introduced himself originally at my first appt with just his first name I think and went straight to my Christian name but we are a similar age.

I think that's the thing really if they are using your Christian name then you can use theirs unless you prefer not to. I would hate to be called Mrs X though..can't stand it....too formal.
 
Very interesting thread Brit :)

I do think we tend to be less formal in the UK. Pretty much every dentists surgery I have been to has either a website naming the dentists with their first and last name. Even the appointment card has their first name on it. Surely if they didn't ever want to be addressed by their first name they wouldn't even have it printed on anything in the surgery. Till recently I didn't even know that a dentist was in fact a Dr as they always refer to themselves as 'Dental Surgeons' and not Dr's here.

At my GP's surgery it's always more formal and I think most GP's tend to have a more formal relationship with a patient than a dentist, least that is how I have always seen it.

I always feel more comfortable when someone uses my first name as it just seems a more relaxed way of doing things.
 
This is an interesting thread! First off, I, too, think you showed great courage and just how far you have come, Drummerswife. :respect:

Receptionists, etc always addressed my former dentist by her first name. Likewise, she requested that patients do the same. In my mind, despite being a patient of hers for many years, liking her, once our initial chit chat (greeting) was over, time for her to do whatever I was there for, she was "Dr. Surname." The few emails I have gotten from her were all signed with her first name, btw.

My current dentist, on the other hand, is always addressed as either "Dr" or Dr. Surname by the same Staff. (old and current dentists were in practice together). Even though I have come to feel much more trusting of/comfortable with him than I ever did her, I would never dream of calling him by his first name.

Current Dentist along with all his Staff, call me by my first name. I wouldn't want to be called "Ms. Surname" (I'm not yet married). Too formal. I both think of and call them by their first names.

On a lighter note, I can defend the name of at least one member of the dentist assistant profession by saying that the one I see could not be any nicer or at times, more talkative. (In a friendly, humorous way).

I think it would be creepy as well as not very polite of a professional person, no matter how long you have known them or their role in your appointment that day to flat out ignore you.

Mona
 
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Thanks for that Mona
I do have some good news to report. The anitibiotics DR. Katy gave me appear to be working! THe pain in my teeth is nearly gone!! Color me happy:jump:
I am hoping that now I wont have to have a root canal just a crown.
 
That's great news, Drummerswife. :)

Mona
 
THanks Mona!:)
 
So those prayers are working on all fronts drummerswife! I'd hope you wouldn't need dental work while caring for your mother-in-law! Good news

RP
 
Thanks RP! But the jury is still out until I talk to Dr. Katie tomoorrow. In any event, I will still have to do a crown prep procedure on Tuesday to fix the broken tooth and then there are two others with really old fillings that were poorly done years ago she wants to work on as they have become cold sensitive and she wants to head them off before they can cause real trouble. And if thats not enough to keep busy and broke, there are a few other teeth with poorly done old fillings that she wants to replace.
Now that she won my trust and I am not freaking out, she wants to "do things right"
 
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