Terrible Service at the Dentist

[ScaredyCat]

I was having perhaps the worst day ever, and I had LOTS to do. And to add to that, I had to go to the dentist as well. So I was a few minutes late to my appointment because of the terrible traffic conditions and sat there for about 40 minutes and I told the receptionist I was slightly late and how much longer I'd have to wait. She told me I'd be seen next. So I'm sitting there, hearing the terrible sounds of drills and "dentisty" noises, getting more and more nervous by the millisecond. When the dentist is finally done, he says I was late, and therefore, serves the person who had booked an appointment after me. No apologies, no acknowledging my presence..nothing. I sat there for another five minutes thinking about all the work (reports and the like) I'd still have to do after this, and realised I'd have to wait a LOOONG time because the person before me was getting some major work done. I just had a nervous breakdown, told the receptionist to cancel and that I'd be back later. And just ran out of the surgery crying. It's possibly the most pathetic moment of my life, and I can't afford to go to another dentist because I don't have the money (this dentist can claim back 100% of the insurance benefits) and I really don't want to go back to this dentist because every time I go, I end up waiting at least another hour for my appointment. It's just so hard to sit there surrounded by the sights and smells...I don't know what to do  

 

[melodyl]

First of all, please stop beating yourself up about running out crying.
When I was about 15 (and very much a phobic, I was sitting in the dentist's chair. he had two rooms, he would put one person in one room and work on another person in the other room. So there I was with a mouthful of metal clamps.
That's right, he would prepare me, put this metal clamp attached to the inside of my mouth and let me sit there for 30 minutes while he worked on someone else.
My mind would go crazy. I ran out of the office, metal clamp and all, and when I reached the street, I unscrewed the metal clamp out of my mouth and threw it on the street. I never went back. When I got home, my mother simply thought I finished my appointment. I never told her and I never went back. I only returned to a dentist at the age of 22 when i had to get two front teeth capped. I have been phobic all my life.

Another true funny story is when I was about 13 or so, i went to a dentist and as i sat in the chair for the first time, he bent over me and smiled and he had GREEN TEETH. I will never forget that in all my life. I said to him "you have green teeth and you think you are going to work on me?  I don't think so!!!.  I ran out on him too.

You have to find a phobia dentist. you need to get your teeth done but it has to be done by a special kind of dentist. You will probably have to pay (maybe you can be reimbursed, I don't know). but I will tell you one thing. When you find your "GOOD GUY", you will find the experience completely different. I found my "good guy" in NYC. There are no smells, they use lighted candles and reflexology. My good guy uses the Wand system. I felt nothing. there were no recriminatios. Everybody jokes and kids around. There is fresh coffee, tea and fresh fruit for everybody. Now I know this is a rarity but the kind of doctor who takes his time, doesn't rebuke you, and seriously cares about your phobia, WELL, THAT IS THE KIND OF DOCTOR YOU MUST FIND. Where do you live? let me know, I'll do an internet search for you.
I have done this before. That's how I found my dentist. Best thing I ever did.
let me know, okay?
melody