I did it.

[susandennis]

From: Susan Dennis <susandennis@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Susan Dennis <susandennis@gmail.com>
To: info@bryantdds.com
Date: Apr 25, 2005 10:30 AM
Subject: new patient inquiry

I am a 56 year old female with horribly neglected teeth. I am also dental phobic (hence the horribly neglected teeth). I last has a thorough cleaning (while under sedation at the UW Dental Fear Clinic) about 10 years ago. I've had two broken teeth since - one fixed and one pulled. My teeth are not wobbly or even lose. But lately I have had a severe alteration in my ability to taste many foods and I'm sure it is the result of periodontal disease.

I am not your ideal patient. I am skittish and full of fear and probably not willing to entertain even a cleaning without sedation or anesthesia and I have dental insurance which pays only a maximum of $1,000 a year.

But, I still think, if you will have me, I'd like to come in for the complimentary consultation that you advertise on your website. May I have an appointment? Is there a chance that you have a 3:30 or 4 appointment open any time soonish?

Thank you.

--
susan dennis
seattle, wa
http://susandennis.com

Comments

[melodysk.livejournal.com]

Aww, honest and open...I like it

[legalmoose]

Having just done something similar a year ago (going back after about 5 years off), the making of the actual appointment was probably the worst part of it. Don't get me wrong, I still hated having my teeth cleaned, but I think the anxiety over all the horrible things they could (and did not) find wrong was worse than the appointment itself. Good luck!

[susandennis]

I do really understand that my feelings are not rational. I mean just seeing a copy of Chidren's Highlights makes me want to run. But, just as irrational is the comfort I take in hearing stories about people who did it and lived to tell about it are even glad they did it. Thanks.

[serratia.livejournal.com]

Bravo to you! I just recently (4 years ago) became re-acquainted with regular dentistry after almost *15* years delinquency! I was at least as anxious about it as you are. Lots and lots of people avoid the dentist.

I ended up going because I had a broken, abcessed lower molar (fun!!!) and spent the following year getting everything shipshape as anxiety levels and finances allowed.

I had a total of three root canals with posts/cores/crowns and six or seven filling replacements. Since then, I've been going back every six months and feeling a lot better about everything.

I love my dentist. During the one root canal she did herself (the others were farmed out to endodontists because of my "twisted roots"), she was having trouble visualizing one of my tooth roots and had to take several X-rays with my jaw tilted in different positions.

She was starting to get really frustrated because she still couldn't see what she needed to see-- I was mumbling with my mouth full of those little files they use for root canals, and I said, "Why don't you just stand me on my head before the next shot?"

You'd think this was a very anxiety-provoking situation, but she and I were both laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes. She said, "You know, I wouldn't blame you for being fed up with this-- maybe I'll just pack you up with some temp filling and ship you to the endodontist..."

I told her I was fine, I trusted her, and why didn't she try just one more X-ray. She did, she finally was able to visualize the entire root, and finished the root canal.

When I go back to see her, we still laugh about that incident sometimes :)

[geordie.livejournal.com]

Good for you. I hate having to do those "fessing up" visits and yet I know from a dentist who was almost family (I ran too far and too fast) that she was absolutely delighted to see people like you.

Good luck, or break a leg depending on your particular superstition.

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

Good for you and good luck!

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

Good for you. I need to do the same thing. I'm fairly certain that I've got a bad case of gingivits. However, my fear of dentists is deep seeded, from the time when I had braces. I still cringe at the idea of having them tightened.

[canuckgirl.livejournal.com]

Subtract 15 years and no broken teeth and that's me. I'm terribly afraid of dentists too. I'm not going until it hurts. :(

[katbyte.livejournal.com]

I know how hard this was to do, and to say I am proud of you is not nearly what I want to say.

You will be so glad you went and you are lots better off than I was. Sheesh, only 10 years, and you had teeth fixed in between. You are doing great. You will be relieved when you get there.

I read about the dental insurance available to us, and it was about the same as yours. Not worth it at all. Easier for me to pay as I go. It was expensive this year, but most years, a cleaning is about one months payment. $500 won't even buy a partial. What a rip off.

[joyoflj.livejournal.com]

I am PETRIFIED of the dentist. With my new guy I just layed it out to them. They have been amazingly kind.

And then when it turned out my dentist is a greek god in looks much of my fear drifted away.

The trick is to find someone kind, who understands. And who will give you drugs.

Wowsers!

[annakaleia.livejournal.com]

Yea for you. That can't have been easy for you to do, and since you laid all your cards out on the table, the dentist can be as good to you as he can possible muster, and you'll know if it is a match or not. But honsetly, having looked at his website, I think he'll be able to take good care of you. But if you don't like him, and that can happen, let me know--I have an aunt in Seattle that takes great care of my previously dental-phobic self (admittedly she isn't as high-tech as he is), but I'm not scared to go anymore, and if you end up there, I'll make sure you get treated like family.

Re: Wowsers!

[susandennis]

What a lovely offer! Thank you very much. His website is nice but no response yet so maybe he's all website and not much else. Sigh.

Re: Wowsers!

[annakaleia.livejournal.com]

I am not sure how often his company updates their website, but usually the "info" emails are set to go to the inbox of the current receptionist or scheduler, and sometimes there can be a high turnover of receptionists, and unless the dentist (who trust me on this one, isn't necessarily remembering this, most businesses don't) won't remember that his info@ email is going to a dead account, or they may be rather busy and only check it when they aren't seeing patients. If they don't answer soon, give a call, and if you don't like what you hear or hear nothing, take me up on my offer. My email account is listed on my user info page.

Re: Wowsers!

[susandennis]

Oh I totally understand how info@ works and it's one of my pet peeves. I'm not going to pay money to someone who says 'send email' and doesn't answer. If they can't handle email responses then they should not offer it on their website. That's like never answering the phone in my book. It's a silly thing to most people I'm sure but it's a burr in my saddle!

I really am hardover on this sedation thing. Does your aunt do that? The guy who fixed my broken tooth and pulled the other one was oh so nice and very caring and I liked him, his office and his staff but they do not offer any kind of sedation and I just can't sit there alert and awake or even laughing gassed and awake... while someone scrapes my teeth. I've tried it before and I know I can't do it.

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

Brilliant email, Susan (you sure have a way with words) and also brilliant and right and brave of you to proceed to this step. It isnt going to be as bad as you think, honest. In fact you might actually enjoy it, in a pervertedly detached sort of way. Aneaesthetics tends to do that to you, you see . .

[treebreeze.livejournal.com]

Mighty proud of you!

[cathboblet.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I hate -- HATE -- going to the dentist, and I've had to have a wealth of dental work redone over here because everything you've heard about British dentistry sucking is absolutely true. I know exactly how palm-sweaty, heart-racing, feeling faint, freaking-out going to the dentist is and WOOO you on laying your situation out to them in your email. Good for you!