I had the weirdest dental experience last week. I've been in Jackson for over a year now, but I hadn't taken the time to go to the dentist, partially because I felt like I would be betraying my dentist from the past 15 years and partially because I just kept forgetting.
Well, since we will most likely not be in Jackson next year and will have who-knows-what kind of insurance (more on that to come), Brad and I decided that we needed to get an appointment now and then follow up with another in 6 months. I went first.
The new patient information recommended allotting 90 minutes for the first visit. I added a little cushion to both ends, just in case. When I arrived, in addition to handing over my insurance card and paperwork, I was asked to fill out a "comfort care" clipboard. What is that, you ask? At this particular dentist, it's a list full of complimentary "comforts" that patients can take advantage of prior to and during their appointments. "Comforts" include: paraffin hand dips, hand massages, neck massages, heated neck rolls, heated eye covers, and massage chairs. The list was even longer than that. Seriously. And, while you're in the dental chair, they give you sunglasses so that the light overhead doesn't hurt your eyes. You also receive a complimentary tube of chapstick, so that your mouth doesn't dry out after being open for so long. Soothing music and mood lighting (in the "comfort care" room that you go to prior to your cleaning) add to the effect as well.
I'm not even kidding.
The only downside was that I was actually there for almost a full two hours. I skidded into my office about 3 minutes before my next meeting started.
My theory is that "comfort care" is provided in an attempt to assuage anyone who harbors "dentist anxiety." I will say, I don't recommend the eye covers during your cleaning; it was super creepy not to be able to see what was going in to my mouth. Yikes! Just stick to the fancy sunglasses. Trust me on this one.
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