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How do you address your dentist?

A

Aaron_T

Former Member
Just curious how others address their dentist. Sir/mam, doctor, etc....
Also curious as to how the dentists on here prefer to be addressed.....


I think I have only said hi and thank you, without "properly" addressing mine.
 
Interesting one... I'll make that a sticky post :)! Actually, I think a lot of it has to do with geography... things like "doctor so-and-so" or "Sir/Madam" might be more common in the US/Canada , whereas in the UK/Ireland, it's more common to use the first name? One e-mail correspondence I've had lead me to believe so, I'll have to dig it out...

Anyway - I'd be interested in hearing how everyone else addresses their dentist, and what dentists reckon!

Here's my vote: first name
 
When you practice dentistry for a living, it is necessary to constantly introduce yourself to patients. On my information form that patients fill out, I ask "how do you like to be addressed?"

I will greet the patient using the name they like to be called and then introduce myself as "Glenn Hanf". for example: "Melissa, good morning. I am Glenn Hanf. How are you this morning?" or something to that affect.
Personally, I don't really care what my patients call me. Some call me "Glenn" some "Dr. Glenn" some "Dr. Hanf". How I am addressed really doesn't matter to me. They all know that I am the Dr., afterall they are in MY office. :)

Don't know how to address your Dr? Just ask him/her. It's a good conversation starter.

Glenn
 
Don't know how to address your Dr? Just ask him/her. It's a good conversation starter.

That is what I did. For the longest time I had no idea how to address my dentist so I never would. When I asked him, he said that he preferred "Dr. Last Name", but since his last name can be hard to pronounce, it was ok to address him as Dr. "E" (last name, first initial). Even his staff addresses him this way.

I suppose it will vary by dentist.
 
I tend to address my dentist -and staff - in the office .by their first name -...and that seems to personsalize the communication process..... .as it seems to eliminate/reduce the power trip/ego trip. After all...dentists ARE human beings -rather than titles...but some have to have that ego massaged!!!!!!!In the end -what works for me as a communication style is what is paramount -after all I AM paying for that professional,s service-and I cant afford communications lapses.Too risky!!!!!! :cheers:/me
 
personally i feel more comfortable with Dr Singh or whatever. not that "comfortable" is the right word.
 
I was addressing him as Dr. so-and-so because I felt (and still do feel) that it's respectful of his degree and education. However, one day he called me to see how I was doing after a procedure and he started the phone call with "This is Tim". In fact, it took me a moment to figure out who the heck "Tim" was.

So I figure that if he's cool addressing me by using his first name, then there's no reason why I shouldn't be equally cool about using his name. So "Tim" it is!
 
it depends...in the past i've had a couple of dentists who were family friends, so we were already on first-name basis. with my new doc, whom i've only known for several weeks, i began by calling him "Dr. T---"; until he indicated that "JT" -- his nickname -- would be okay to use.

lol, he's so young (relative to me) and soooooo good-looking that today i teased and said, "hi, handsome." he blushed, but i'd bet he's heard it his whole life. i feel that comfortable with him, but since he seemed embarrassed, i might not do that again. it probably sounded wierd coming from a woman almost old enuf to be his mom.

it's changed over time with most docs, too, in that they're now mostly my peers or younger, so first names don't seem disrespectful.
 
My previous dentist was always referred to by her first name by her staff. For example, they'd phone me up and say it was to remind me of my appointment with "Teresa" next Thursday. So, I called her by her first name as well.

With my current dentist, the staff always refer to him as Dr [surname] when they talk to me. So, I took my cue from that and always address him as Dr [surname]. I would prefer to address him by his first name though.

G.
 
Actually, now that I think about it, I've never actually addressed any of the dentists I've seen (only 3 so far!) by any name. But then again, none of them introduced themselves to me either so I haven't had anything to take a cue from :confused:.

Obviously I know my current dentist's name, but as for how to address him, I wouldn't have a clue! I suppose because all the records are computerised, they know the name of their patient and the patient obviously knows who they are so maybe there's no need for names to be used? If I ever needed to make a phone call, I'm not sure what name I'd refer to him by if I had to ask to speak to him!
 
i agree with vicky on this one...i don't think it has ever come up. i don't think i've ever called my dentist anything. i am not usually starting the conversation, and if i am, i just look at him and speak, no real need for names.
when i was a little girl, i vaguely remember calling my dentist "m.c. hammer", because his name was micheal corbin and at that time, the rapper m.c.hammer was hugely popular. he told us (me and my sister) to call him this i think to make us feel more comfortable. which it did. but i think calling him a silly nick like that only works when you are a child.
the people at his office call the dentist that i want to go to 'dr.z', but i'm not really sure what i would prefer. whatever he introduces himself as would probably be what i would call him.
 
I usually call my dentist Dr. Shel but I never really address him by name, we just talk. He does however call me Bec instead of Rebecca which is what all my family and friends call me which made me feel very comfortable. I didn't even ask him to call me that, he just did on his own. ;D
 
I call him (and every other doctor I deal with) Doc.
 
Being in the military.... I have to address them by rank. Captain so and so or Lieutennant so and so.... specialists are Majors. Usually we refer to Officers as Sir or Maam (depending on sex of course)
 
I call my dentist by his christian name. never thought about it really,he calls me my full first name the name i was born with i like it cos it makes it more relaxed although one day i might have the courage to tell him i prefer mandy.
 
I say Heeeellloooo baaaabyyyy,wanna give me that check up after hours. :devilish:Good thing he cant read minds ;D He calls me by my first name. :cloud9:
 
I just say 'Hi' and chat lol lve never thought about it then again ive hid from them for long enough :)
 
Whether it's the first office visit or I've been seeing him/her for a while, even if I'm comfortable discussing personal issues other than dentistry and am on friendly terms, I will always address a doctor as Dr. (Whatever). Graduating from medical/dental school is no easy feat and I think the very least I can do is show them the courtesy of addressing them by the title they worked so very hard to earn.

On the other hand, if they request I call them by their first name or "Doc" or whatever, then, sure, I'll do that, too.
 
Personally I can't stand formality but why on earth do you need to use someone's title and name if you are in the same room as them and not calling them from a distance?

With e-mails, it has very quickly moved from full titles to first names.

The days of formality of calling a boss Mr/Mrs XXXX or whatever, are long gone, so I don't see why this should be any different. Formal titles just create a barrier in my view - but I reiterate, I don't need to use anything usually, except when referring to the dentist with other staff.
 
I tend to walk in, he says hi Nat and I clam up and mumble something or other!!
 
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