What you don’t know, can hurt you.
As many of you may know, I recently moved to Rome, GA from Virginia. In order to drive your car in Virginia you must pass a safety inspection. For the first year’s safety inspection I took my car to the dealership. They did a very thorough job- a little too thorough I thought at the time. The technician informed me that they found a lot of issues and that led to a lot of expensive repairs. Because I had moved from another state where this process was new to me, and I was bitter about the entire process, the next year I took my car to a shop that was recommended by a friend where they “stick to the basics and give you a sticker.”
I took my car for its annual inspection and happily passed with no unwanted findings. I did that for the next several years. Last month I was driving home for the day down route 411 at full speed. I approached a stop light going 55 mph and hit my brakes to stop. The pedal went all the way to the floor and my car kept going right through the intersection. I thank God that no cars were in front of me.
I began thinking about this in relation to my responsibility as your dentist. What kind of dentist are you looking for? Do you want a dentist like the 1st dealership – one who is as detailed and thorough as possible and gives you the honest truth like it or not? This means taking x-rays at the proper intervals, recording the health of your gums, evaluating your bite, performing an oral cancer exam, and looking for anything that could become a problem in the future.
Or do you want a dentist like the slap-a-sticker-on-the-car shop? A dentist who gives you a high five for remembering to come in and doesn’t warn you of any trouble or danger ahead? You might like me as a dentist if you only got good news- and I love to give it. But you will hate the dentist so much more when you have big complicated issues to correct. Personally, I believe that friendship is based on trust and respect. The great news is that with a proper exam we can catch problems when they are small. The earlier we find them the easier and cheaper they are to treat. If the honest results of the exam seem overwhelming, we will work with you on how to best approach the treatment in a way that fits your budget and needs.
If it has been a while since you have been to the dentist, I invite you to call and set up an appointment for a thorough exam and consultation.
