I went in to get xrays for 2 teeth that I didn't take care of for a few years. I had been to a different dentist in Santa Clarita the day before. That dentist was a little more expensive, but was pleasant and even gave me prescriptions for percocet and antibiotics even though I didn't have any work done by him or ask him for anything, and he called me back after I had left. I came to this office as I had been a previous patient a few years ago and they pulled a tooth of mine, and thought they would be cheaper. As I was doing my check up, and Dr. Niki trying to convince me to get a root canal for a few minutes, and me saying I didn't want more root canals, she says that she "needs to know if I use any drugs prior to getting my teeth extracted if that's what I want to do". I told her I don't do drugs. She said you don't do any drugs? I said "No, I don't do drugs, I may smoke some pot occasionally but that is it." She asked again " so weed is the only thing you do, no other substances"? I said yes that is correct. Now it felt like I was being interrogated to a degree, and I had not agreed to have any work done at this office. (She apparently also assumed I was going to have work done by them, simply from me talking to her for 5 minutes.) (Lots of assumptions going on here). I was simply getting them to do my xrays, because they were cheaper than a few other oral surgeons. Holistic dentists, usually have the theory that root canals are bad, and should be extracted, and I also have this belief, so I had made my mind up to have my 2 bad teeth extracted prior to coming to this office... So I sat and allowed her to sell me on the idea of saving my teeth, and asking me numerous times why I don't want a root canal, and on and on. So I got my xrays and I got a quote for having my 2 bad teeth removed, and I leave.
Well my girlfriend was waiting for me in the lobby area, and she tells me in the elevator that they were talking about me, literally a few feet away from her as she was waiting for me in the lobby. She said Dr. Niki was telling the receptionist "I asked him if he abuses drugs, and he denied it, and I asked him again, but I don't believe him". Now that is a little judgemental coming from a dentist. It says more about the dentist, (and how she views people) than the patient. Understand that I was at another dentist the day prior who gave me a prescription for percocet, and antibotics after I had left and drove away.. (I was surprised that he called me and said he would give me something for the pain.) That would imply that dentist didn't have the same judgement of me as Dr. Niki. That would also imply that Dr. Niki has a somewhat negative perception of certain patients, which is really reflective of how she views people in general. I have to think how a person comes to the conclusion that someone uses drugs after 5 minutes of talking to them. Does it perhaps mean that this office gets a lot of drug users, and it is something they assume of many of their patients? Or does it mean that some people create some ignorant assumptions about others, because they themselves are ignorant? Or does it mean you have to be around a lot of people who use drugs to know what drug users look like? Or is it because I didn't want to get 2 more root canals, and spend $5000, and only a druggy person would that? I am really just curious, because it would be somewhat similar to me owning a car wash, and assuming that a person who brings in a dirty car is poor, or doesn't take care of themselves, because their car is dirty. It is a somewhat extreme judgement to have of someone simply from meeting them for a moment. Also, I have had a lot of dental work done, and never really been interrogated or viewed in such a negative light. I did have Dr. Gorelick remove a tooth a few years earlier, and she didn't have this level of judgement of me. She also prescribed me valium after my operation. Perhaps she messed up because I'm a big druggie apparently. I wonder what a big druggie looks like? Do they make 100k a year, and live in the hills like myself? I need to step my game up so I look more like how I was viewed here.
To further elaborate, I am not someone that can do drugs. I have a certain profession and lifestyle that does not allow me to. And also man made chemicals are not really my thing. I don't even like taking aspirin. The last time I did some "drugs" was about 20 years ago. So to be entirely honest with a dentist, and have that dentist think I am lying kind of says I'm not dealing with an intelligent dentist, or one that perceives others correctly..
It would also reflect a little negative towards me If I had a business and I started talking about my customers 5 feet away from them. If you are going to gossip about a customer go in the corner and don't make it so obvious. She obviously did not care or didn't have the insight to know that my friend was waiting for me a few feet away. read more