I show up to my first and only appointment during the Spring of 2021 after not having gone to the…read moredentist since before the pandemic began. There's an off-putting air in the office. At this point, not between any of my interactions with the staff, but it was palpable among the staff themselves. I chalk this up to just your everyday people post-ish-pandemic relearning how to socialize, whatever. I remember the receptionist mentioning they had a pretty light load that day, as I'd expected honestly, so I wasn't really sure what was up with the tension in the air. I'm pretty sure I recall a (therapy?) dog in the office, so I was chilling nonetheless.
Dr. Pollan came in, and I was initially pleased with his reception to my questions/worry regarding not having gone to the dentist in over a year. My opinion quickly soured as he questioned if I was interested in veneers because of the small chip between my two front teeth. To be clear, this chip was 1-2mm MAX and was barely noticeable to myself, much less my friends and peers. Of course, the practice is located literally a stone's throw from frat row. For what it's worth, I'm sure the clientele was readily available. Not to mention, veneers were in the peak of their "fad" back then, so maybe it was a simple mistake in profiling me. Not saying all sorority sisters are into veneers, but if we were to be real, there is a certain vanity that aligns there. I was a girl in my early 20's at the time, so I understand where he might have been coming from. Although offended, I respectfully declined the offer and the appointment wrapped up quickly thereafter.
For me, therein lies the problem I've been sitting with all these years later. I left feeling that the practice's objectives were put above my own care as a patient. To be asked if I was interested in veneers felt wildly inappropriate and to this day comes across as a predatory money-grab. Maybe Dr. Pollan was experiencing a drought in patients and was uncomfortable in his boredom when he suggested the procedure, but as a patient I don't believe his conduct is up for me to have to be left speculating. Today, when I'm reminded of this incident, all I hear is, "are you interested in me grinding down your perfectly healthy, perfectly functional, frankly beautiful teeth down to nubs for fake, semi-permanent replacements?" I hadn't even mentioned the minor chip in my teeth before he brought it up; not in vanity, function, self-esteem, or otherwise.
To my understanding, the practice of dentistry is taught to act very conservatively in practice. That's what has me most appalled is the extreme Dr. Pollan went to so nonchalantly, over something no one else had even noticed or any dentist in the coming years would even dare to shave down just 1-2mm to make flush with the preexisting chip.
What hasn't sat right with me is the fact that the office is in such close proximity to so many sororities and sits in the center of campus. It haunts me a little bit to think about this being a regular practice for Dr. Pollan, and if anyone else who didn't come in with the self-assuredness that I did has since fallen victim to this predatory approach. It breaks my heart to even think about the chance that a young girl with her own insecurities was just going in for a regular check-up and was ill-advised into such a consequential procedure.
It's besides the point that I'm not a fan of veneers. For a male dentist, with authority and expertise on the subject, to suggest a completely unnecessary and severely consequential procedure to none other than a young woman, who's probably blindly following the direction of the professional, I think there are serious issues here. Imagine if a male doctor were assessing a female patient at her annual physical, and he suggests a referral to a plastic surgeon for a breast reduction. Even if we are being lenient here, it would hardly pass as professional if the patient hadn't formerly presented with any signs or symptoms relating to her breast health, and more importantly, had not initiated the conversation herself.
You have to address the motives here. Are the patient's needs really being put first or are there ulterior motives at play? I'm not saying teeth and breasts are a direct comparison, but I do believe the analogy holds in that there are roles with gender and authority that I implore this office to seriously explore in addressing their own part in upholding an ethically and professionally sound business that sits at the center of a campus with young adults in their formative years. I can't help but question if Dr. Pollan was the reason for the palpable tension in the office that day. The implications here are damning if this wasn't a one-off. In summary, I believe people deserve to be treated as fully human, wholly-rounded individuals viewed as patients during health-related appointments rather than as an opportunistic clientele and truly hope there's recourse taken after reading my testimony.
