Last month, Evelyn had her first visit to the dentist. We've been going to
Thompson Family Dentistry since we moved out here, and they've changed my mind about dentists. Dr. Ben and Dr. Susan are a younger couple who graduated from the UNC School of Dentistry and set up their own practice and they're just incredibly kind. The first time I visited Dr. Ben, after going many years without dental insurance (and, subsequently, without visiting a dentist), I was prepared to be scolded for the state of my teeth. Instead, he listened to me, looked at my teeth, and said, "Let's make this better." And then after a few appointments, it was better. He's really great. And now that Evelyn is starting her regular cleaning schedule, we decided to have her visit Dr. Susan so we can get to know her better too. Anyway, let's get on with the juicy details.
First, there was the waiting. We passed the time by checking out the obligatory dentist's office fish tank, playing with the toys, and running races outside in front of the office.
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| Wait - this basket of magazines isn't here just so I can climb in it? |
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| Getting tired of waiting, Evelyn decided to test limits with some chair-tipping. |
Soon, we were headed back for the check-up. It began in a little office where we all sat (our family, Dr. Susan, and the dental hygenist). We talked about what would happen so Evelyn was all ready. It was going to be a "knee-to-knee" exam, where Dr. Susan and I sat knee-to-knee and Evelyn laid back while I held her hands so she was comfortable. Dr. Susan let us know that the exam usually just involves simple things like counting teeth and brushing by hand with a regular brush and no paste, just to get kids used to visiting the dentist.
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| Getting her teeth brushed. |
Evelyn was a little nervous at first, but soon she was all about it. Dr. Susan kept asking her if she was okay with more and more things and Evelyn was always totally cool with it, so in no time she got to feel "the tooth tickler" (the electric toothbrush) and choose her toothpaste flavor (she went with mint - who is this kid?! Even I still choose grape!). Because she was taking it all like a regular expert, Dr. Susan decided to ask if she wanted to sit in the big chair and take some pictures of her teeth. Of course she said yes!
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| Hooray for dental hygiene! |
We got an x-ray to confirm that she's missing her
upper left lateral incisor, and to ensure that it's not impacted or anything. And all is well.
Evelyn got a bunch of stickers (first check-up, I got an x-ray, cavity-free club) and she got to choose two toys from the treasure chest. She went with a monster truck and a bouncy ball, which she promptly bounced and lost in the parking lot. But it was a good day. I hope we can make going to the dentist something that's associated with positive feelings - especially if Mouse inherits my teeth!
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