MY EXPERIENCE AT DIVINE DENTAL
At least eight years have passed.
Divine Dental was located, then, behind the Walmart on Old Fort.
I spent months looking for a dentist of African culture.
I commuted from Shelbyville, TN for my appointments.
I was so excited.
I quickly, internally, called this practice "dental-a-la-carte."
No matter what I went there for, a routine dental cleaning for example, I was going to leave with a bill.
I didn't want my blood pressure taken.
I didn't want the other a-la-carte services that were deemed "regular protocol," only to end up with the a-la-carte bill.
During one dental cleaning, the hygientist was attentive to see a small "dot" on the X-ray.
She informed the dentist to review.
The dentist said it was nothing.
I returned back to work.
It was, in fact, something.
It was an infection.
Three to four weeks passed.
On my way to work, there was extreme discomfort.
By the time I sat in the seat at my office, I was holding my face I was in so my pain.
My office said, please call your dentist.
I called Divine Dental multiple times.
I was told, "we're booked, we can get you in in a few days."
I expressed the excruciating pain I was in.
I expressed that I was not able to work.
I explained that something was critically wrong.
It didn't matter.
There was no protocol for emergent situations.
I called my former dentist.
My former dentist, said "come now, leave now and come."
I went; the drive was more than an hour.
My former dentist saw the "dot" on the X-ray.
She said, she's a newer dentist.
That dot was the beginning of an infection.
Had the dentist at Divine Dental been more experienced, she would have reviewed it and provided an antibiotic.
Because nothing was done, the infection grew.
I went immediately to pick up a prescription for the elevated infection.
I went through the entire bottle from the pharmacy in less than 10 hours.
My former dentist said, come back, the next morning.
She said, had another 8 hours passed, you would have been admitted to the hospital -- the infection would have travelled to other areas of your body.
I had "all" my teeth.
Because of the oversight by the owner of Divine Dental.
Because of there being no protocol in place for emergent situations.
I lost my first tooth that had to be extracted.
Every time I go to the dentist, I think of Divine Dental.
Every time I realize I don't have one of my original teeth, I think of Divine Dental.
Every time I think of the expense I incurred unnecessarily, I think of Divine Dental.
Every time I floss, I think of Divine Dental.
Every time I meet someone who says, they go to Divine Dental -- it reminds of the lack of care from the "dental a-la-cart office."
Every time I drive down Franklin Road on my way to Franklin, I'm reminded of the trauma from the memory.
Thank you for your lack of care.
Thank you for being the reason I lost my original tooth.
Thank you for not paying all the expenses I incurred.
Thank you for the bad memories.
I thank my former dentist for caring.
I thank my former dentist for also having a filled day of patients, but she could accommodate an emergent situation.
I forgive myself for taking months to find a dentist of African culture to specifically support.
Never again. read more
