"I love my dentist" (was: "I hate dentists")

[Poodleoo]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I am the other way - would die rather than have a goodlooking dentist - the thought of someone seeing my 20 years neglected teeth, and being literally in my face - who I also fancied..... I'd head for the hills. Is probably why I prefer a woman dentist - but then I prefer women doctors too, don't know why, just trust women more than men. Tell you what, during my 14 year old's odyssey in orthodontists this past year, I discovered the fact that am very scared around the dental nurses who are 20 years old - but give me a reassuring middle aged lady any day of the week. Not being ageist, but some orange faced glamour girl doesn't inspire my confidence or relaxation.

On a slightly related track... My niece had a convoluted load of orthodontics and she hated going because the orthodontist had bad breath!

As for professions feeling unloved - my own old profession (teacher) you didn't really feel the love much, either with the government constantly telling you how to do your job - not because they were trained educationalists but because they'd been to school once. I often wondered how other professions would feel if they had all those punishing measures brought in for the sake of some imaginary *bad apples* the whole profession was hamstrung and constantly berated on the front page of the newspaper for how rubbish we were - whilst still working through our lunch hours, evenings and weekends for - in my case - less pay than an 18 year old copper on his first day on the beat... And the public perception of us no better either, because everyone thinks they're an expert on it. So I'll never hate the dentist. Just see her as someone who is there to help me get healthier. Think of some of the vile and undignified medical procedures us women go through - we don't hate the nurse for wielding the speculum!

 

[annie778]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Think of some of the vile and undignified medical procedures us women go through - we don't hate the nurse for wielding the speculum!

depends on the nurse and how rough she is. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they handle a speculum.

 

[brit]

Re: "I hate dentists"

depends on the nurse and how rough she is. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they handle a speculum.

But this shouldn't be painful anyway so long as you relax a bit so why would you hate her anyway apart from embarrassment factor? Only time I had a bad smear test experience was with a male GP!

 

[Purple]

Re: "I hate dentists"

ugh i hate nurses........she touched my baby bump without permission grrrrr its my womb!!!!....get outta my space i almost shouted...i have a problem with rage lol

i always found male docs to be nicer than the women for female related stuff....women seemed a bit rough like they were thinking "oh we go through this its not that bad" where as guys dont so make more effort not to be rough. plus my gp is dreamy

 

[steffi]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Saffy,

Maybe you need to find a new OB practice; I worked for many years for an OB-Gyn practice and yes the nurse is going to have to touch your abdomen, just part of the exam. Of course he or she should be considerate of your needs and modesty.
Sorry that you had a bad experience; I just can't help defending my fellow R.N.'s!!!

 

[Purple]

Re: "I hate dentists"

oh lol no woops my hubby is a doctor and when i go to his work all the nurses try and touch my bump its so annoying i dont even know these people yet they tell me how to parent, how and where im having my babies....most of them dont even have children......it annoys the hell outta me. they talk to me like im their friend...........errrrm im only there to talk to the hubby not them....grrr its irritating......

 

[Clem]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I don't hate dentists (although it bewilders me that anyone would want to be one) but I do hate dentistry and all the things that go with it. Ick.

 

[JazzyJ]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Bit of a tricky one. It can most definitely bring back bad memories being asked if you've had bad experiences, but you'd probably be already thinking of those bad experiences if you're in a situation that makes you uncomfortable. I think it's definitely important for a dentist to know of your fears and concerns (and to LISTEN to them) though.

I must say, I'm guilty of saying that I hate doctors a lot. Never to their face, but before/afterwards. I don't hate them as people and I don't hate them anyway, but I've seen dozens of doctors in the past five years due to very severe skin issues, and out of those dozens, about four or five of them have been nice. Not just nice as in sympathetic, but nice as in helpful; they've truly listened to what I've had to say and responded to it. The rest just ignore what I've said and tell me to put more cream on. So I think it must be similar with people who say they hate dentists, it's just a generalisation because the fear gets too much.

 

[Thephilsblogbar]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I dont like dentists but still go, I dont want to switch dentists in the pratice I go to, as I could get one worst. Even though most of the ones in the pratice who work there where I go are okay and assistants are okay

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I've had ALOT of bad, awful dental experiences but two really awesome ones and they guy I"m with now is a keeper too! so far.. . I had awful experiences until 30 but then i met Dr K. who showed me incredible compassion and kindness in her dental chair and really changed my life.. She didn't lecture me, but she did patiently teach me. She didn't threaten me but she gave me compassionate options, not easy ones but she made me feel I wasn't ugly and could get through hard choices and feel better about my smile in the end. I did that, unfortunately I was married to an abuser at the time and he didn't like her compassionate ways and insisted I no longer saw her.

Swith to her partner at another clinic (my ex didn't know they were related) lol but Dr J made it easy and fun from day one. His really easy going kind fun nature, just made me want to go to the dentist. I hated the drill and the thought but the needle was never painful, neither was anything.. I just went there got a bunch of stuff put in my mouth , gagged some , laughed some and went home. pretty bearable.. plus his work was impeccable. He gave the dentist a good name . and feeling. unfortunately I went thtough bankrupcy and had to put him on going through hard times.. one of my biggest regrets , i understand them having to let me go because of that but since then I haven't found anyone comparable until a month ago when I found Dr F..

Dr F. reminded me quickly of Dr J 's positives, kind easy going demeaner, and I even heard him laugh which was so welcome. painfree novacaine, not even a pinch.. so far loving this guy! He also put a crown back in, so I feel he's honest and wasn't trying to scare me into bigger treatments.

I LOVE dentists.. I hate what they do.... when they do it without compassion.. but there are those out there who are amazing!! Thanks for those that are and those on this board.

 

[Thephilsblogbar]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I hate dentists, I only had one dentist which i like and this is my current one. I hate embarassed about my teeth, I dont like being told off, I hate my teeth. I think I got the worst teeth going.

Growing up I needed removable braces, so I spent nearly a year going to appointments at the dental hospital he office smelt like poop, like his has not clean his bottom properly.

Needed a few teeth taken out when I was a child not due to decay, some were taken out in hospital was place in a chair, put to sleep, she was a mean nurse who said I could not go home because I was unsteady on my feet, some of the others were taken out in dental hospital,

My current one even though it has taken 6 years at the pratice. going to the same pratice for 33 and a half years, since I was born. she knows why I dont like going,

 

[Enarete]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Always wondered if it's any weird to reply to very old posts or if anyone would just find it annoying or whatever.. in the last time I keep replying to threads and deleting it again because writing here can sometimes be as scary as a dental visit..

I do not hate dentists, I actually think they are magicians, aliens or some kind of super-people and I just cannot grasp how someone can learn something so complex which not only requires knowledge but also manual work and flexibility and ideally some psychological and communicational skills.. so this goes beyond anything I can imagine and makes dentists extremely intimidating to me... Fortunately my dentist calls himself by the first name, even without a 'Dr.' so that makes him a bit more human... Sometimes, before a visit I keep telling myself that the person I am seeing is just a kind of counsellor or coach bacause if I just for a second would imagine that he is a surgeon and uses all the scary tools on daily basis I wouldn't be able to walk through the door. I also try hard to convince myself that my dentist never did any extraction because if he did that would be even more scary.. So making him as small and as normal as possible in my mind to be able to cope.. Also replying to a thread here on the forum is quite challenging if a dentist already commented and I would end up deleting all and not replying at all because.. I don't know why.

'A dentist' is also a kind of a black box to me.. that's why I so much appreciate all the posts from the dentists here and feel thankful for every inside and every story coming from them.. it's so good to know that dentists are humans and can even be kind..

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Thank you Enarete..

I feel the same.. that dentists really are heros of sorts.. and that yes.. its hard to go and to take steps of courage to deal with our teeth issues, ones that bring shame and pain and triggers and all.. but the dentists are the ones that help us to fix this and to make things better.. or at the very least try..

And yes, sometimes we go and he have had very bad and harsh and bad experiences and that is bad and maybe we just went to the wrong one or at the wrong time. I don't know. i've had plenty of bad. but.. maybe they had something going on at home or maybe something is ill in their health or just had a loss. we never know.. not excusing we should be treated compassionately and professonally .

At the same time I want to agree.. They show up, for patient after patient helping relieve our pain and making beautiful smiles everyday, they are perfect but human.. and many treat us in very human ways. I know mine is a huge blessing, he makes me to feel at ease when I am so anxious and shameful of my teeth, and even makes me laugh. Actually has become one of my greatest inspirations.. crazy to think...

I too appreciate all the dentist on here as well that show us that we matter and take the time to reach out to us when we are in question or need encouragement!

Another silly thing is I am thankful for singing dentist. who came to me at a time I was looking up allthe bad youtube videos on implant and rootscaling videos and scaring myself to death and here is a funny and goofy dentist singing silly songs promoting fun and dental.. it absolutely was great to shift gears..

Anyways.. just wanted to say thanks Enarete.. you are right.. thanks to all the great and human dentists out there!

 

[brit]

Re: "I hate dentists"

bacause if I just for a second would imagine that he is a surgeon and uses all the scary tools on daily basis I wouldn't be able to walk through the door.

Enarete if you think about it, dentists are not hands on all day long 'drilling and filling' like in the 1970s. Many many patients attend uneventful check-ups for years with no treatment required....even I managed a 5 year gap between treatments recently! That might be helpful to focus on i.e. how little they end up doing of an invasive nature in practice.

 

[Enarete]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Enarete if you think about it, dentists are not hands on all day long 'drilling and filling' like in the 1970s. Many many patients attend uneventful check-ups for years with no treatment required....even I managed a 5 year gap between treatments recently! That might be helpful to focus on i.e. how little they end up doing of an invasive nature in practice.

Thank you for this perspective, Brit.. You might have better information about this than me. My image of dentists is for sure still a bit distorted. The question about how much treatment actually takes place on an average day in a dentist's life is definitely on my 'what-I-always-wanted-to-ask-a-dentist' list 5 years gap sounds like a dream, I'm taking you as a dental role model with this!

I am thankful for singing dentist. who came to me at a time I was looking up all the bad youtube videos on implant and rootscaling videos and scaring myself to death and here is a funny and goofy dentist singing silly songs promoting fun and dental.. it absolutely was great to shift gears..

Lol! This is not silly at all! Singing dentist definitely is a super human.. alone for the things he can do with his eyebrows! Definitely a better thing to watch then surgery videos on yt

 

[Thephilsblogbar]

Re: "I hate dentists"

I don't hate dentists in general I just like being judge, I had a mean dentist my childhood dentist she was known to nearly everyone who saw her as the wicked witch of the west, she owned the pratice at the time, she wanted me to have a small operation to break my jaw to help bring my jaw and teeth together.

There was the dental hospital where I had braces I went there every two weeks for about 18 months removeable braces as I was not trusted with proper braces. his office smelt like poop.

There are two or three dentists at the pratice I like, I prefer to see my proper dentist now I seen her for the last 6 years even though I hate my teeth, she tries her best to calm me down with her assistant. I seen another assistant who went to the same school as me she was five years high than me, strangely she remembers me but I don't remember her, surely I was not that bad.

The dentist I see had treated my teeth where needed with great care and time, I see her every three months which helps keep my teeth nice and clean, and spot any problems with my difficult overcrowding funding mouth.

 

[letsconnect]

Re: "I hate dentists"

Fortunately my dentist calls himself by the first name, even without a 'Dr.' so that makes him a bit more human...

That appears to be the norm now in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and NZ .

In contrast, "Dr.+First name" or "Dr.+Last name" is commonplace in the U.S. and Canada.

Totally agree with the "that makes him a bit more human" bit!

 

[Enarete]

"I love my dentist" (was: "I hate dentists")

I absolutely love the new name of this thread!

All the best wishes to all the awesome dentists out there! You‘re the best!

 

[krlovesherkids777]

I LOVE the new name too .. and I never thought really I would say this in a public forum but I LOVE my dentist too ...