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How do you address your dentist?

My parents belonged/belong to a club when I growing up and everyone was Mr./Mrs. and some of them still are. In fact I have my parents living with me now...both in thier 70's and if thier friends call, I still say Mr. or Mrs. ... is on the phone.

I think what it all comes down to is if the dentist gives you the go ahead to call them by thier first name then it is OK, otherwise, use thier title. One interesting point I have found, the younger doctors in the US are more apt to use thier name when introducing themselves, whereas the older ones use thier titles :(
 
hi brit
* what about where you are?
i call my doctor dr smith never thought to about his first name before. i know it but dont use it. he always calls me a...xxxx when he calls for me but the other doctor i see calls me mrs ..... i actually prefer being called a..... than mrs xxxx even though i HATE it because my names m....! if c had said hello iam dr..... i would have tried to pronounce it but as he said hello im c ive always called him that. iam if im brave enough going to ask him if his name was easier to pronounce(or not) would he prefer to be called dr..... although i know the answer already,when i had my lovely chat he said your the one whos important what do you want! and ive never heard him say to anyone im dr .....
 
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On the contrary actually. I believe using someones title has a great deal of respect and what comes AFTER the initial Mr, Mrs or Dr shows the friendliness factor. Our Priests were always addressed as Fr by the entire family regardless of how close we were. It had nothing what-so-ever to do with the level of friendliness or affection we had towards one another. I am American, my husband is European. My husband was brought up the same way, so I doubt it's an "American" thing.

I believe that once the relationship begins adults can very easily ask the other person to call them by their first names. It only takes a second and the issue is then solved. If another parent converses with me as "Mrs" I correct her to use my first name.

freakout ~ I've found that when a doctor of any profession is speaking with my son, they use their first name with him to make him feel more comfortable. If not, it's most certainly "Dr Tom" or whomever it is at the time.
 
Hi Harper,

I just noticed that you snuck in a post while I was typing mine. LOL. I should have put the quote from the other post in so we all knew whom I was replying to.

I agree with you. I just use whatever name is given to me and don't think much about it afterwards. Have a great day :)
 
Brit, I don't consider addressing a doctor by "Dr." as a matter of formality inasmuch as I consider it a simple matter of respect. He/she earned the distinction and the least I can do, IMHO, is have enough respect to show them that I recognize that fact. Again, though, if my dentist says, "Hey, call me 'Dave,'" then of course I'll do that. Unless his name is Bob, in which case I will be looking for another dentist.


Having said that, the least they could do is have enough respect for me not to, while they're pulling my teeth, also charge an arm and a leg. Pretty soon, I won't have any limbs left at all and will have to pay through the nose. LOL.
 
Actually I'm pretty convinced it's largely culture/geography dependent. In the UK and Ireland, the first-name basis is pretty much standard these days (as far as I'm aware), whereas in the US, the Dr title is commonly used. Plus there will be some regional variation within the US (e. g. some parts of the country would be quite big into what is perceived as courtesy there and still use titles such as "Sir" and "Ma'am" which might appear hopelessly outdated and archaic in other parts of the world).
 
Now, Sir and Ma'am is something I almost never use, even though I live in the South, where it's pretty commonplace. but I grew up in Los Angeles, and it just wasn't used there when I was a kid.
 
hi brit
your right! and im gonna leave this topic if i can because to be honest its upseting me ,just me bing sensative. hope your well m xx :hug2:
 
Hi Harper
I've sent you a pm - Lets's summary is pretty much spot on I think!
Brit :XXLhug:
 
Providing you have a good working relationship, maybe it doesn't matter that much how you address each other, as long as you are both comfortable with it and if not, then you can always ask :).

I guess it's very much an individual thing and I don't think there are any right or wrong answers to this one - it's just whatever is right for you (and your dentist ;) ).
 
the receptionist refers to him as mr
 
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