My parents had super crappy dental insurance when I was a kid, and thusly, we could only go to…read morecrappy dentist. I developed a pretty intense fear of the dentist that resulted in my complete and utter dentist avoidance for a period of 5 years. When my molars started to give me pain, I knew I wasn't being smart. You can choose to not open your credit card bill, but you keep racking up fees. Cavities, like credit card charges, don't just evaporate because you ignore them.
My friend Jen, who had been a dental hygienist for ten years, recommended Cristi Trufas-Freinberg to me. With some trepidation, I scheduled an appointment. I was right, my teeth were a mess. I had 16 cavities, which might has well been a million. Here's the part where I should freak out, but here's why I didn't:
- Professional, courteous, and knowledgeable front desk staff. Same lady. Every time. Know what she's doing.
- Interesting and gentle hygienists who are really good not just at cleaning, but also serve as "tooth coach," coaxing you into better dental habits.
- Cristi just has a mild mannered, sweet way about him. He's soft spoken and kind. Where'd you'd expect heaping mounds of judgement (16 CAVITIES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!), you just get patience and sensitivity. He really listens to you, and when you tell him you are afraid of the dentist, he reassures you. When he could feel my heart thumping out of my chest, he stopped to ask if I was ok. He told me if I experienced any pain, to raise my left hand, and he would stop. I did, and he actually stopped. When I told him I could feel the drilling, he ordered up more novocain immediately and waited for it to take effect before proceeding. I once had a dentist refuse to give me novocain, telling me it was all in my imagination, that my cavity was shallow, and that I needed to calm down. The way he treated me renewed my faith in dentists.
- The drill and fill room is on an enclosed sun porch that faces the woods. It's warm, bright, and comforting. I actually look forward to going there. You shouldn't go there, but if you have to, it will be nice.
Bottom line: if you're terrified of the dentist, this is the place for you.