Sunday, May 8, 2011

Stories

Moments like these make being a dentist fun:
Patient #1: Normally when you start working in a patients mouth, that is their clue to STOP talking, right? I think this is common sense to most people. One of my patients does not understand this concept I guess. I realized when I met her she was one of those talkative types, but I thought to myself, ok, now that I'm actually giving an injection maybe she will stop talking... nope, talked right through it. Then I thought she'd quit talking when I actually started drilling on her tooth.... nope, talked the entire time. Maybe for the filling... nope, you get the picture. And I'm not very good at multitasking nor am I good at being rude, so I would just mutter "uh huh" every minute or so and act as if I was anxiously engaged in what she was telling me and also try and suppress my laughter.
Patient #2: I actually prescribed bananas to a patient. The first time I did dental work on him, he started moaning and groaning, I stopped and asked, "Does that hurt?" No. Seconds later the same thing. Again, "Are you feeling this at all?" "No, cramps," he barely whispered. "Um... ok....do you need to stretch?" "No, I'm ok." Moments later as I was filling the tooth, apparently he couldn't take the pain any longer stood up, banged his head on the light, and started stretching his calves. For those of you who don't know dentistry, the silver filling sets up in a certain amount of minutes and if you don't place it fast enough, you have to start all over. So I'm sitting there, confused as ever, while my patient is moaning and groaning while stretching. Other people are starting to look just about now. "Um, can I help with anything?" "No" he says grimacing. "Um I kind of need to place that really fast... can you sit back down." "Oh, yeah," and he sits back down. Well that happened a few times that day and other days... eventually I prescribed bananas for him.. and he forever became endeared to me as "Banana legs"

7 comments:

  1. You should just tell "the talkers" that it is "unsafe" if they talk while you are working on them. That way you wouldn't have to be rude.

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  2. That was hilarious. There are definitely some interesting people in the world. I bet that lady that wouldn't stop talking was the same lady that sat in front of us on the plane and talked non stop for 4 1/2 hours. Keep coming with the stories those were great.

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  3. Those were great, I picture the whole scene in my mind and laugh as I thought of you trying your hardest to smile and be like uh... can you sit down? Man thats funny, I bet you have alot of great stories from being a dentist we need to hear more!

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  4. Very nice. Too bad you couldn't have accidentally knocked the lady out and still worked on her. But then again you're too nice to tell her to stop talking.

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  5. Oh man those are hilarious.. it's usually the other way around where the dentist talks your head off and waits for you to answer the question why their fingers are in your mouth. Did this guy really think bananas worked??? haha I love the stories.. keep them coming.

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  6. I love your stories! I've had a talker and my instructor had to tell verbatim what to say to that patient. The banana legs sounds great!

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  7. J.D. oh how I miss those experiences watching you laughing instead of getting mad or stressed out. If only everyone in the world could have that same attitude, we all would be such happy people. You taught me to laugh at the strange and the annoying. You better move back to Utah so we can hang out, and you can teach me more life lessons.

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