I don’t know anyone who enjoys going to the dentist. Which makes sense in that I have no known masochists among family or friends. Needles, drills, cleaning tools – none of them hit anywhere on my list of “must have adventures.”
Although, looking back, I view myself as extremely fortunate. Not that my teeth are or have ever been particular great, but that, when I started at the VA back in 2017,, one of the clerks mentioned that i was eligible for dental care.
Huh? Totally stupid reply, but I hadn’t even been thinking about dentistry. Avoidance to tell you the truth. Last time I had seen a dentist was in 2011 right before retirement. In the intervening years I had been traveling or pretty much living in Germany where dental care (free) was extremely limited.
Ok, I said and wandered over to the Dental Clinic. Same floor, next building over. Very nice clerk asked me a couple of questions (including when was my last exam, cleaning, and where was I being seen in the VA otherwise). She then booked me in for both cleaning and an exam.
And this is how I lucked into perhaps the best dental team ever. My hygienist is fabulous. Enough so that I am more than willing to make a trip in on a Saturday @0800. It used to be 3-4x a year, now with the cutbacks, 2x a year is as good as it gets..
Why am I saying all of this? Because I had an 0830 appointment this morning to have a crown finished and a small cavity dealt with. I just took a look. The crown is shiny. But then I have several shiny crows. Anyway – I lucked out on both dentist and assistant. They are incredibly competent as well as being wonderful people. And, after using the military system for decades, I really appreciate going somewhere that I know that everyone’s work is audited. Chart reviews are normal. I don’t have to worry about either less an adequate work, or something being done that isn’t necessary (always a minimal to serious concern in the private sector where the more work done = more pay). And having the same team for years? Can’t be beat.
Inside the department there are worries. So far there hasn’t been anyone forced out, but any retiring personnel aren’t being replaced. In a clinic as busy as this one, serving a huge whack of Bay Area and Northern California it isn’t just the clinical dental personnel, it is the logistics/equipment maintenance people, the internal cleaning personnel, and all the rest of the behind the scenes group essential to a good clinic’s functioning.
I managed to get some prescriptions refilled (the “NEW AND IMPROVED” website sucks and like everyone else with whom I have spoken, we are back to in person refills rather than mail order. From there, a stop at Acme Bakery and home where I collapsed for the rest of today.
