by Cecile Cinco
I always have the fear of getting pricked by a needle, by any medical person. My recent encounter with the worst dentist I’ve ever been under happened just about 3 months ago…
My lower left wisdom tooth had been hurting on and off for about a year. When I eat, often some ort would get lodged inside that little hole due to a broken crown. I thought, having it removed will solve the solution of not hurting again since the tooth will be gone forever. Besides, since the tooth was lower than the next molar, it would not matter much if I say goodbye forever.
Among the many dental clinics in our area I decided to ask this particular one that was still open at 6pm. I said I’ll get back after I finish my market purchases. I did get back at 6:45. Her normal schedule is up to 7pm and she told me to text her if I can make it around 6:45, which I did.
It was just supposed to be a simple extraction that normally gets done under 15 minutes. Guess how long it took us. We ended at 8pm!
I told her I do get my jaw locked when I open up wide. She asked me to open sideways instead since it’s the wisdom tooth that needed a pullout. Ok, fine.
She injected anesthesia. When she tried to pull it was painful. Injected again. Four times. Was that acceptable? I don’t know. I’m still alive, though.
The good stuff about her are the following:
- She wore a mask (some do not) and a glove.
- Her clinic was still open when others are already closed.
- She was situated along the main road just across the grocery store I came from.
- She entertained me and gave me her business card so I can text her whether I will be back or not.
- She was amiable.
What turned me off, though, as she worked her way were the following:
- She did not care the corner of my mouth was hurting due to the friction it got with the instruments she used. I tried to tell her but she kept saying it’s almost over when it was yet 7pm. Even under the influence of anesthesia, it hurt!
- She used several instrument she never thought she would and as she needed it she asked her assistant to get it for her. The problem was, her assistant was busy fixing her things and other stuff, then she holds the instruments as if they will not be placed inside the client’s mouth. What’s worse, the dentist thought she was done with a certain instrument and placed it in her wash sink, then she asked her assistant to get it back!
We were dead tired already by 7:30pm, she was struggling with my tooth, I was struggling to be relaxed and I could not be relaxed. She used her grider to break my tooth into smaller pieces, tried to make a wedge on the side so she can get a grip when she pulled. She was a big woman and her strength could not pull my tooth. Good thing I am tall and big enough to counter her pull otherwise I would be floating on the dental chair. It was a difficult extraction, I know. It was the 2nd tooth extracted and the first one was in ’84 with the same strenuous effort and 3 people trying to keep me on the chair while the dentist pulled.
- It turned out that it was a good tooth and a filling would have been better. As a dentist she should know and suggested it! Or was she thinking it takes a longer time to do a filling than a pulling and that she expects to finish by 7pm and she just did not want to pass up the opportunity to earn before she closed her clinic?
- She did not stick to her price. She asked for double. I know it was really difficult but I asked her the price before I decided to get back. The price was a standard in our area for extraction. I tried to haggle but she would not give in. Good thing I had some money but it was our budget for the next day.
The antibiotic I took did not take effect until the 6th day! The pain ebbed little by little but only totally healed after a month! I could not eat well, could not talk wall. The corner of my mouth always opened its wound, again and again. It was the worst dental carelessness I ever had….and I told myself to never have an extraction ever again.
Recollecting that moment she was grinding my tooth to smaller pieces, she was also digging as if she was in a treasure hunt, like opening a paint lid with a screwdriver that doesn’t open easily!
Feeling the spot with my tongue now, I feel there’s something sharp under the gum. Could it be just the bone or did she miss a part?
I hope dentists would care better. Not only for their business. We, the clients, are the life blood of their business. Does the AZ dental practice management give solution to such problems too? Hopefully, they do, and hopefully, all dentists would comply.
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