My Dentist is First-Class... Like an Airline!

I've been grinding my teeth at night, and for those of you who know me, I really care about my teeth. I mean, here I am at forty-one years old and I've never had a cavity. (Don't worry: I just knocked on wood!)

I can remember being at the dentist's office a few years ago for a six-month cleaning and checkup. After Bre scraped away plaque, brushed my teeth, and then flossed them, Dr. Mike came in to examine my chompers. He most likely said something along the lines of, "If everyone had teeth like you, Hannah, I would be out of a job." The man always says wonderfully kind things like that; he's a gem of a human.

At that appointment, I asked him what he did all day, because from where I was sitting (literally: in one of the comfy chairs located in one of the building's front rooms) it seemed like the hygienists were doing all the hard work. Dr. Mike just waltzed in at the end of the appointment, complimented my teeth, asked about my house and my job and my parents, and then meandered away. So I wondered aloud, "What do you do all day, Dr. Mike?"

"Oh, I spend a lot of time sitting around," he informed me. "Every now and then I run down to Sheetz for a coffee."

Dr. Mike was kidding, obviously. I knew he did things; I just didn't know what they were. Today, however, I had a glimpse into the other part of my dentist's job.

I had an appointment after school to be fitted for a night guard... because of the teeth grinding, you see? I'd gone in and had the mold made a couple weeks ago, but now I needed to see someone and make sure the night guard was a good fit. The person I saw was Kaitlyn, and when she came to retrieve me from the waiting area (approximately thirty seconds after I sat down... and I was ten minutes early for my appointment!), she led me waaaaaaay far back into the hospital. We went, like, the whole way down the hallway.

Guys. For real? I'd been back there on a handful of occasions -- that's where the spinny x-ray thing that scans all the teeth in my whole head is located -- but I'd never gone into one of the rooms at the back of the hallway! That's where Kaitlyn directed me, though, and so that is where I went.

The night guard required some grinding, and each time Kaitlyn left the room to take care of this grinding, I explored my surroundings a little more. The furniture was nicer in this back room. All of the stools were padded and one of them had the most interesting back. I don't know how to describe it, so you'll just have to trust me that it was interesting. There was also the BIGGEST bottle of Listerine I'd ever seen in my life (it had a pump) and a menu of things I could request. Like first-class on an airplane. (I am merely imagining that a menu such as this one exists on an airplane because I have never flown first-class to know for sure.)

When Kaitlyn returned, I asked her about the menu because I was legitimately intrigued. When Bre cleans my teeth, there's no menu. I don't have the option of chapstick or a blanket; I've never needed to request the wifi password because how could I do anything but lie there with my mouth open, talking to Bre about dogs and books and life between scrapes and rinses?

Kaitlyn told me that the folks who visit the back rooms are often there for long stretches of time. Sometimes they spend up to two and a half hours there! I can't even begin to imagine spending more than thirty minutes or so at the dentist's office! It's astounding to me! And guess what. For a lot of those procedures, I think Dr. Mike is involved! He's not getting coffee at Sheetz; he is saving human mouths!

While I was lounging on the very comfortable chair in the way back room of the dentist's office, I was also listening to the conversations occurring around me. Dr. Mike must have just pulled an infected tooth in one of the nearby rooms because he was talking to a patient about antibiotics he was going to prescribe (I had no idea dentists prescribed antibiotics!) and wondering if she wanted the tooth for under her pillow. I love that guy. He's so amusing!

Eventually Dr. Mike popped in to see me. Not because he had to, mind you, but because he's wonderful. He asked about school and I told him the year is good, but I'm trying for early retirement by making a name for myself in the publishing world. Then I gave him my business card.

In the midst of this exchange, Kaitlyn returned to the room and so I asked if she'd also like a business card. She did.

After Dr. Mike left, Kaitlyn asked me about the plot of my book and I filled her in. She said, "Oh! Is this the one Bre was telling me about? She really likes it!" That made me happy. It also makes me happy that Kaitlyn is going to check out The Way Back and give it a go.

That was my visit to the dentist. I seriously love those people so much and if you need a new dentist (or even if you don't!), you should go to Littlestown Dental Associates and tell them this blog sent you.