You know when someone is treating you not quite how you would like to be treated and you aren’t sure why? Believe me, I don’t expect any royal treatment when I’m out and about, but I do expect to be treated nicely by receptionists and so on, especially when they meet me for the first time and I’m bringing them a potential FIVE little patients.
I could never quite put my finger on the treatment I got at the kids’ dentist office over the last couple of years, but it was akin to the scene in Pretty Woman where the workers at the clothing store tell Julia Roberts she can’t afford something when she hasn’t even asked the price.
Maybe I get snot from people because I homeschool. Maybe it’s because I let my 2-year-old get a cavity, so that qualifies me for White Trash Status. Maybe it’s because I have the balls to have 5 kids and stay home with them. Don’t know. And lately I. Don’t. Care.
So it seems Callie may have ANOTHER cavity (yes, I am deeply embarrassed to be admitting that … even though I personally brush her teeth, apparently my Sugar Mama status has caught up to us, not to mention she may have inherited my and my grandma’s “soft teeth.”
I call the dentist to get her an appointment. I expect a QUICK appointment (within a week) because I can SEE the cavity. They tell me their first available is 17 days away, and get an accusing tone with me because she hasn’t been there for 2 years. In my defense, I don’t see how ONE cleaning every six months will make a difference if I’m totally on the brushing thing AND then there’s the little matter of how Callie kicks and screams when they even try to LOOK in her mouth. I don’t want her equating the dentist with torture, so I’ve just kept her away. White Trash again, I suppose. And I know you’re wondering, and no, the kids don’t have a particular love for the actual dentist.
I pondered the snotty receptionists at the dentist and started looking through KC Parent magazine for alternates. I found one who had an appointment in just 3 days, AND the receptionist was extremely sweet. I know I made the right decision because when I called the other dentist to cancel, the receptionist pulled 20 Questions on me:
Snot: “Did the matter resolve itself?” (Yeah, lady, the cavity just disappeared! It was like something out of Harry Potter or the Bible.)
Me: “No. I just found someone who could get her in sooner.”
Snot: “Is this her first time here?”
Me: “No. Does it matter? I can SEE a cavity … wouldn’t you try to fit someone in quickly? I think ya’ll are just too busy.”
Snot: “Is she seeing someone else, then?”
Me: “Yes.” (meaning: Lady, you can put down the phone number for Child Protective Services because I’m not going to try to drill the cavity myself to save money since I’m all White Trash with all my barefoot hillbilly kids)
My point is: why do we stick with providers we don’t like or other people (including friends) who are rude to us? This goes for family, too. If someone exudes negativity toward you, you don’t HAVE to be able to explain it. Just get the hell away. This goes for if you get negativity off of ME, as well. I apologize, and let’s just stay the hell away from each other.
why...? Insurance, location, and the knowledge that no matter how bad things are there, they could be worse somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteA BIGGIE for me is that I would have to give my personal info out to someone else, and the more you do that the more likely you are for identity theft.
I'd have told her it turned out it was just an M and M and when you got around to brushing her teeth ten days later, it got dislodged.
I went to Pediatric Dental Speciliast and they wanted to sedate Haley to fill her cavity. They also completly freaked her out. I said no way to going back. I now go to Dr. Ned Smith (same one I went to as a kid)....they take a COMPLETELY different approach. It is about getting the kids to trust them and enjoy the dentist. It took 3 trips before she would let him in her mouth but finally she did with no problem. He filled the cavity and didn't have to sedate her. We go every six months so she simply gets to enjoy and like going (which she does). Might I be so bold as to suggest Dr Smith if you find yourself not loving where you are going. Kids should love the dentist (as I did when I went to him) it will make their adult life that much better. I would get my teeth cleaned every month if my insurane would pay for it.
ReplyDeleteMan, I understand. I just dumped an OB for how badly she was treating me. I was hospitalized for a bad kidney infection and she insisted I just wanted drugs. That I was a druggy! It's hard to get me to get up and take a Tylenol when I have a headache! Recently I let go of two close friends who were always putting me down and making me feel bad all the time. ALSO, our in-laws. They were calling me an unfit mother and all kinds of stuff. My husband's mom believes in having your little kids watch children of the corn so they won't grow up with fear in their life. ???
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