Modern Dentistry Has Come a Long Way Even in the Last 30 Years!
We lived in a tiny town on the flat plains of Montana... and going to the dentist meant killing a Saturday and taking 2-hour trip to Billings--the nearest, largest Montana city that had dentists (at least those dentists that worked on people). Maybe it was just the times--but the dentist we went to not only had bad breath, but he had big hairy fingers. The equipment was all a sort of light-blue-green and the noises were all a dripping-sucking noise of the little sink by the chair where you'd spit after he rinsed your mouth after drilling with the obnoxiously whiney drill. He'd pull over the huge mirrored focus-light so that it would shine into our eyes as well as our mouth. And, getting X-rays was also a pain--because (as a kid) my mouth wasn't that large but he'd cram those sharp-edged films into my mouth. I didn't like dentists, I didn't like the drills, I didn't like the needles, I just didn't like any aspect about getting my teeth checked or worked on. Thank God that I inherited pretty decent genetic propensity to cavity-resistant teeth. (The only thing good about traveling to Billings for our dental checkups and appointments was that after that ordeal was over, we'd have a special treat--we'd eat at one of the first "fast-food" restaurants I can remember -- a "Sandy's" Burger Joint. I still have fond memories of those cheeseburgers and the chocolate milkshakes they'd come with.)
Then, when our family moved to New Mexico, I got to know more dentists ... because once, while roller-skating I made a face-plant on some concrete... thereby removing a chunk of my upper front tooth. Three or four weeks later, I was in my regularly scheduled karate class... and I skillfully stopped a fellow student's ill-positioned foot with my mouth. Thereby removing a chunk of my other upper front tooth. Almost an exact break like the first tooth. The dentist said that the insurance company would never believe it.... except for the X-rays to prove it. Thank God we had dental insurance..
Whether you like dental assistants or dentists, you will find the dentistry professions featured in the media (usually as comedy characters). From Sinbad's antics in the movie "Houseguest" or Bob Hope in "Paleface" or Mathew Perry in "The Whole Nine Yards".... you'll see that being in the "hot seat" doesn't always involve drilling. Well.... sometimes.
Dentists in Motion ... on the Big Screen (or whatever size your TV is!)
Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY more...0 points
The Whole Nine Yards / The Whole Ten Yards (Double Feature)
There goes the neighborhood! Hit man Jimmy "T more...0 points
Little Shop of Horrors (Snap Case)
An alien plant which lives on blood changes the lives more...0 points
Cactus Flower
Walter Matthau stars as Julian Winston, an easy-go more...0 points
The Strawberry Blonde
Oscar-winner James Cagney ("Yankee Doodle Dandy," more...0 points
Reign Over Me (Widescreen Edition)
Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith and more...0 points
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
When Chief Dreyfuss escapes from an insane asylum he more...0 points
The Secret Lives Of Dentists
In the tradition of American Beauty, acclaimed director more...0 points
Eversmile, New Jersey [Region 2]
[Non-U.S. Format (PAL) Region 2 U.K. DVD - This wi more...0 points
Good Luck Chuck (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Not a movie for kids younger than 20.... way too m more...0 points
Almost Heroes
It was a time of heroes. Well, almost. They were h more...0 points
The Dental Chronicles? Well, This is My Dental Story.
And I'm Stickin' With It!
The doctor was one of the most gentle dentists I had ever had. It also helped that the dental assistant was one of the most beautiful gals I had ever seen. She was leaning over me during the whole operation... so getting work done on my wisdom teeth at this dental office was very pleasant.
The only problem was that the next morning I had Physics class lab at the University. The Novacaine hadn't worn off yet (or maybe the extra pain-killer pills were also working well). So I didn't realize that while I was sitting at the front row of tables I was distracting the professor by having my jaw drooping open and drooling/bleeding onto the table. He came over to me, pointed to the mess on the desk, and recommended that I leave the class for that day. What a great way to start class (it didn't work out well, either, I was so far behind the following week that I had to drop the class.)
Since then, though, I've come to appreciate dentists.... sort of. When we moved to California, dentistry had advanced such that I was finally able to fix my two front teeth (remember the roller-skating and karate technique?)... with the resin-etching bonding to create natural-looking front teeth so I wouldn't look so "gap-toothed". Great for creating a nice smile.
Now, my wife works at a dental office--as an office manager and receptionist and insurance billing specialist. And, of course, her dentist (her boss) is the dentist I go to for all my dental work. The doctor is also very gentle--but with all the advances in technology, the X-rays are way more comfortable (and you don't have to wait for them to develop the film after the X-rays--they go straight to being a computerized image as soon as the images are shot). Also, the drills, lights, and other equipment are smaller, lighter, and more ergonomic--and are thus more comfortable for the patients
Dentistry Decorations?
Dentistry by the Bay... eBay, That Is!
Dentistry by the Books!
Dental Practice Transition: A Practical Guide to Management by David G. Dunning, Brian M. Lange
Practice management is one of the key elements in the more...0 points
Show Me Your Smile!: A Visit to the Dentist (Dora the Explorer) by Christine Ricci
It's time for Dora's checkup at the dentist. Dora more...0 points
A Few Words from the Chair: A Patient Speaks to Dentists by David Clow
The first and only book written for dental profess more...0 points
Going to the Dentist (Usborne First Experiences) by Anne Civardi
This series introduces very young children, in an more...0 points
Dentistry with a Vision: Building a Rewarding Practice and a Balanced Life by Gerald I. Kendall, Gary S. Wadhwa
Written as a novel, this book models a real-life s more...0 points
Take Care Of Your Teeth (Rookie Read-About Health) by Don L. Curry
The popular Rookie Books expand their horizons - t more...0 points
The Business Of Dentistry (General Dentisty/Practice Management) by Raj Rattan, George Manolescue
Department of Health, London, UK. Text explores th more...0 points
Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter) (Look-Look) by Mercer Mayer
Mercer Mayer's very popular Little Critter is on h more...0 points
The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces by James Wynbrandt
For those on both sides of the dreaded dentist's c more...0 points
I Love My Dentist - The Secret to Creating an Exceptional Patient Experience by Cary Ganz
This book will provide the reader with the tools, more...0 points
Where There Is No Dentist by Murray Dickson
Community health workers, educators and individual more...0 points
201 Secrets of a High-Performance Dental Practice by Bob Levoy
PROVEN TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU "TURBO CHARGE" more...0 points
Dentistry: An Illustrated History by Malvin E. Ring
A pictorial history of dentistry, which traces the more...0 points
A Trip to the Dentist (DK READERS) by Penny Smith
Back in full force with 7 all-new titles, DK Reade more...0 points
A History of Dentistry from the Most Ancient Times Until the End of the Eighteenth Century by Vincenzo Guerini
This is a reproduction of a book published before more...0 points
A Day in the Life of a Dentist (First Facts) by Heather Adamson
Children will explore a typical day of a community more...0 points
The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums by Edward Miller
Every child studies dental care in school and this more...0 points
Create your own collection of Squidoo lenses by starting here!
Just click on the icon below -- it's easy, it's fast, and best of all, it's FUN!
Squid graphic courtesy of Squidoo Squid Graphics For Your Lenses! by GreekGeek.
Open Wide and Say Aaaah! ... Actually, You Don't Have To. Just Drop a Note!
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rogerrph
Mar 1, 2012 @ 1:51 pm | delete
- great job, keep up the good work in your writings!
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marryjacksion
Nov 17, 2011 @ 4:47 am | delete
- Nice lens. I like the way you shared your experience, really great, Nowadays you don't have to fear from any dentist. there is new advancement is found in dentistry.
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UKGhostwriter
Mar 5, 2011 @ 11:39 am | delete
- Ahhh! I wonder if dentists learn to understand that sort of wide open mouth conversation.
Excellent lens!!
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jasmineann Mar 5, 2011 @ 8:24 am | delete
- I have always had good dentists. My first dentist was wonderful with children. Even before I really needed any dental work he let me ride in the chair and he gave me some money !! So I had very positive ideas about going to the dentist! He was such a nice person and chatted about interesting things all through. Never hurt me even years later when i had a cavity filled and then had to have 2 wisdom teeth out! Those first two were in my 20's and easy but I had 2 out in my late 30's and they were much more challenging and I had to be in hospital for those - just for the day and a much longer recovery. My dentist then and now are great though and i still don't mind too much going.
Great lens and lensrolling to my Wisdom Teeth Notes For The Wise lens.
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