Thank you card???

[kitkat]

Hi Everyone,

So I have an appointment on Wednesday, I think that is in part, why I have been lurking around this place more than usual! Anyways, it's only for a cleaning and I'm actually really not that nervous about it...I'm actually in a pretty good place with my fear and have built a good relationship with my dentist. I'm around the forum more to provide support than receive it...it's still somehow therapeutic to help others through difficult situations that are familiar to you. With that said, I've been thinking that I really want my dentist to know how much I appreciate her and how she's helped me over the past 8 years because she has been very instrumental in me overcoming a good amount of my anxiety. I think that "thank you" is something that dentists probably don't hear too often and I thought a handwritten thank you card would be a great way to express myself. However, I'm having second thoughts for some reason and I don't really know why...I guess it feels kind of ...corny. And even though it is evident that I have dental anxiety it seems very permanent to talk about it in writing and hand it to another person, especially my dentist. I guess it makes me feel kind of vulnerable ...is that weird? I have never directly addressed it head-on we have always just managed it as it came up (sort of a "big white elephant in the room" deal) aside from one particular occasion where I was so anxious she had to temporarily pause treatment and give me time to compose...but this is a very direct way of talking about it I guess. I have the note already written out and signed I just needed to actually hand it over...I would like to get feedback on it if anyone wouldn't mind taking the time to read it...I just need some validation I think....Any comments/insight are/is appreciated! Thanks a bunch in advance!

***Note:
(Dr. Name),

Whether you realize it or not, I have struggled with a fear of dental treatment for as long as I can remember. However, over the course of the past 8 years, you have helped me immensely and I wanted to say "thank you." Your small acts of kindness and compassion have really made a difference. You have always made an effort to put me at ease and that sets you apart from other dentists I have encountered. When I first came to your practice, and my fear was quite evident, I feel you worked very hard to gain my trust. You have always acknowledged and respected my fears and offered reassurance without hesitation. You expressed genuine concern for my comfort, eliminated any unnecessary anxiety by telling me what to expect, and you let me feel in control. You have always been very calm, casual, and comfortable with addressing my fears as they arise which allows me to feel more confident with expressing them openly. You have always been concerned about me as a whole person, not just the condition of my teeth and I really appreciate that. By the time I found your practice I was beginning to avoid necessary treatment due to fear and you reversed that process so I mean it when I say that I owe my current and future good dental health to you. To put it simply, Thank you for always ensuring that I have a positive and comfortable experience at your office. It takes more than mastering the technical skills to be a great dentist, it takes a great deal of attention, patience, understanding, compassion, and warmth. Your patients are blessed to have you and to be receiving your care. Thanks for everything!!!

Sincerely, (signature)

I appreciate any comments on revisions and opinions as to whether or not I should give it to my dentist on Wednesday....

Kitkat

 

[K-Bird]

Kitkat your letter is amazing!!! I love it and your dentist will too...

I wrote my dentist a thank-you card and then saw her again later...She loved it so much that she taped it to their lunch room refrigerator!!

The letter will make her day--she has worked hard to gain your trust, as
I am sure she has with her other patients...She will be immensely grateful
for the appreciation...don't change a thing in your letter!!!

 

[Mikey Boy]

i think you should give it her i think that if she has made that much of an impact to your life that you should give it to her. man i wish could be where you are i have a long way to go

 

[kitkat]

Thank you both for the validation!

K-Bird - It's nice to hear that you did something similar for your dentist and received such a great response! I'm a firm supporter of old-fashioned. handwritten, heartfelt thank you cards. I believe that they carry a weight that other gifts can never really quite match.

mikey boy - thanks for the encouragement! You will get there one day too, I have read some of your posts and you are definitely on the right track so congrats to you for coming so far!!! Although, I must say that I was never truly phobic. I was always highly anxious and heading into the phobic end of the spectrum but never became totally phobic. My fears were addressed very early on, I am 22 now and I was 15 when I started seeing this dentist (not by my choice, my mother forced me and I was a minor and I had no say). My mother who is not fearful nor does she understand dental fears just so happened to choose a good dentist out of the phone book who took it upon herself to work with me through my fears during many many appointments that I was forced to attend (she's not advertised as phobic-friendly, just as a general dentist but it worked out okay so I got very lucky). I am also by no means "cured." I consider myself "on maintenance" and I still find myself back here on this forum every time I have even a simple cleaning appointment coming up on my calendar but I have definitely come a long way from where I was when I first found this site.

 

[TerrifiedWoman]

I think it's a wonderful idea. I actually sent my dentist and his staff a nice thank-you card with a handwritten note to thank them after I was all done with my dentures. I think anyone appreciates having someone say thank-you..and too few people take the time these days.

 

[letsconnect]

Thank you cards are very much appreciated - you can read some dentists' comments here:

Gift Ideas for Dentists

Great gift ideas for dentists: What sort of gifts do dentists really like? Wine, chocolates, or a good old-fashioned Thank You card? Find out here!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

 

[chickenjen]

I, too think sending a thank you card to your dentist is a wonderful idea.
I sent my dental office a Christmas card but it wasn't as nice as your letter!

 

[kitkat]

Thanks guys, you've convinced me! My dentist will be getting a nice and sincere "thank you" on Wednesday.

 

[kitkat]

Well, I went through with it this morning after much internal conflict. I think it really caught her off guard (in a good way) and it really made her day. I gave it to her on her way out of the room, near the end of my appointment and she took it and walked out and then came back around the corner after several minutes completely beaming and thanked me. Then all of a sudden she became very "buddy-buddy" with me and was extremely eager to have a conversation about just kind of random stuff while I was at the front desk. She was already in a good mood this morning but that seemed to really enhance it. She was very discrete about it and kept the card to herself (at least while I was there) and I was actually very happy about her keeping it just between us. I wanted to thank her but didn't really want to announce to the WHOLE office that I was phobic of them at one time...she can tell them later if she wants but that would just be too much to deal with. I'm more open about it with her and occasionally the dental assistant that witnesses it during a procedure but I've worked very hard to keep my fears confined to the treatment room and have done a good job of keeping them there. So unless your the dentist or assisting the dentist during a procedure you probably wouldn't really know that I struggle with this. I was one of the first appointments of the day too so her patients scheduled for the afternoon can thank me for putting her in an exceptionally great mood! lol

Now I just have one more hurdle, my mother has an appointment with her on the 28th of this month and I'm really hoping today doesn't come up or get mentioned during her appointment...they tend to ask about me at her appointments and her at my appointments so it could happen and I hide this fear from my mom as well. She doesn't know anything about the card or even how this dentist has assisted me with my fears and I'd just prefer to keep it that way than open that can of worms...so fingers crossed that it stays on the "down low".

 

[Mikey Boy]

good job kitkat glad it went well