Dental Visit

Today I had a dental appointment. I wasn't too pleased with the experience. Although I haven't had an appointment in about 5 years, I've never had an experience that was painful or uncomfortable....until now. I chose this dentist because I received a postcard a couple of years ago (yep, I still had it after two years.) I also liked the location of the practice (a nice office complex near my home).

Anyway, the visit started off nicely. I had to stand in a room with a lead bib under a machine that rotated around my head. That was cool. Then, I was escorted to the back room to the more familiar dental room. After the dental assistant had me prepped and ready for another x-ray???(including the lead bib). She informs me that the dentist wouldn't be able to start until I paid the $125 for the appointment. So yes, I had to get up and have the lead bib removed so that I could pay. Then everything was put back on. I do have insurance, but not all the paperwork is filled out, so I decided to pay now and be reimbursed later.

The cleaning.
In the past, I remember a white straw-like vacuum being hooked to the corner of my mouth while the dentist did the cleaning. Today, the dental assistant had a silver hose what looked like a dime in diameter (holding the silver part with both hands with the tubing coming from over her shoulder. It looked like she had dragged in a household vacuum slung over her shoulder. Question? Has dental surgery really progressed in the past five years where a simple hooked-typed vacuum is replaced by the need for a human being doing nothing but hold a vacuum? The problem? She wasn't really doing a good job. Occasionally she would dab the vac, but most of the time, she just stood there holding the vacuum. The saliva bubbled up and out of my mouth but she just stood there holding the vacuum in place. The dentist? He was digging and scrapping with the drill like a carpenter digging for termites. I guess basically, I felt he didn't have nice bedside manners. It seemed like my mouth was just a thing he was working on. I've never had that experience before. I felt the dentist was being too heavy-handed. Shouldn't the dentist have let the drill do the work? I don't think force was required to remove plaque or tartar, when you have a drill.

When the dentist finished, he told me that my wisdom tooth might need to come out because "food was collecting back there." He also told me that I have serious abrasions on several teeth. I told him it was due to me brushing my teeth too hard. Every dentist I've ever been too were the ones to tell me that. I was alway told to brush with less force. What did this dentist say?

"Do you want me to bond them? That looks serious. It could get worse. I'll charge you $50 per tooth. I normally charge $75 per tooth".

I said no thank you, maybe next time. When I got to the receptionist, she told me she didn't have change and could I go to the store a few doors down to get change". When I returned, she was finished typing a letter for me. Yep a letter. When I arrived I had mentioned that since I didn't have insurance at the moment, I would need a receipt so that I could put in a request at a later time. Well, what I got was a receipt on one of the slip from the cheap receipt booklets you can find at some $.99 shops. I know because I bought a receipt booklet from a 99 shop a few years ago. Anyway, I was given the none descript receipt along with the letter stating that I had received dental services. A business card was enclosed in the letter "just in case you have to send in more proof". The receptionist asked if I wanted to make an appointment for my next visit, but I said no, I had the check my schedule. I will make another appointment in 6 months, but I will try another dentist.

After the dental visit, I should have returned home and cleaned my apartment, but here in New York, the weather report was predicting another HOT day. I felt the heat waiting at the bus stop, so after stopping off at the post office (the property owner of the apartment I live in sent the new lease by certified mail). Anyway, after the post office, on an impulse, I decided to go to the mall to beat the heat. This time, I went to a mall I hadn't been to before. I went to the Galleria in White Plains. The plan was to walk around (in the air conditioning), and maybe see a movie.

The first thing I liked was that the bus ride was only an hour. The other malls mentioned here take about 2 hours (usually two trains, or a train and a bus) when factoring wait times. The second thing I liked was that it had China Max (formally Panda Express).

Unfortunately, this location is more "Americanized". There was a lot more grease in the food than the other locations. Even the green beans which were practically raw, still were dripping in grease. This meal didn't taste as good as the others. Also, I discovered that this mall didn't have a movie theater. The movie theater was actually located in another mall. I say another mall because
1. the place had a different name
2. it was located about two city blocks away with no connecting tunnel or bridge.

From a shoppers point of view, this is a great shopping place. I think all of the big names are in this area. I also think there are actually three (yes, three different malls) right near each other. There is also a transit hub nearby, so it is a nice place. I should have been wowed by the sight of the three malls. But, when it is over 90-something degrees, and one purposely goes out of his way to get out of the heat, one does not want to walk two blocks in blistering heat to hop from one mall to another. Well, that's just first impression disappointment. Instead of getting love at first sight, I'll have to learn to love this location.

I didn't event get a chance to explore. I get caught up in Barnes and Nobles (first in the hobby section, then in the teacher's section). I was really trying to not spend money I don't have, but in the end, I caved. So, some of my bills will be late again this month. Although I am please that I did put some things back.

Instead of listing the items, I'll just attach a photo.

After B&N, I wandered around Target Store. I did eventually find the movie theater. I was going to see Cats and Dogs, but I liked their movie prices. In Manhattan, I would pay $18 for 3D, but at this Mall (City Center), the price was $12 for a matinee(the price of 2D in Manhattan).



Post Date - Thursday, August 5, 2010 12:43AM