Golden Gate Smiles, Spring 2019

Monday, March 18, 2019, 11:30 a.m.

Well, it’s finally done! At least, for six months. Today felt like Ground Hog Day, with a near repeat of last Monday, except today was not the morning after the time change. Actually, this morning wasn’t like last Monday at all, because Emily had to get up—at 6:58 a.m.—and I knew the alarm was going to ring at 7:30! She came back at 7:10, I put her in bed, then I turned over and pretended to be asleep. But, as usual, I hit the snooze button repeatedly until I actually got up at 8:38.

I went through my a.m. routine of checking my fasting blood glucose, taking kefir to Linda, then pouring my half-and-half and taking my a.m. pills. Then I took a shower and tried to be mindful. On impulse, I used the blow dryer on my hair, something I haven’t done since 2017, I think. I brushed my teeth and used Listerine. Now things are falling into place.

Linda and Emily are still sleeping, but I fixed her mug of coffee and placed it on her nightstand. I wore the thin jacket today instead of the thick one last week. Amazingly, I found my keys. This time, when I got into the car, I knew how to make the car seat move forward.  11:08 the car clock said. Speed limit: 40 mph. Easy peasy. There was even the same parking place that I used last week, except now I know just how far to turn to get in between the lines.

The inside of the waiting room was the same, except no other patients were sitting there. The same receptionist was behind the window that was there last Monday, only this time she let me sign in. She asked me if I had had any changes in my health or medications in the last six months, and then she had me initial in 4 places on a form where she had highlighted the places in pink.

I sat down and got out my phone (what else?!). I watched an old, white-haired lady come out of the office and exit the waiting room. I didn’t wait long before a dental assistant called me in, first to the x-ray room, where she took 6 x-rays. I wondered if the x-rays would have any effect on my hearing aids. Then she ushered me into a patient room to wait again.

I put my purse down on a chair in the room, but I pulled out my phone in its case. I was listening to something in my hearing aids that I wanted to turn off on my phone. Mission accomplished, just before the dentist walked in. Dr. Dharaben Munjpara was still here! She is the Indian dentist that first saw me in whatever year it was that I started coming to SmileCare. She did a quick exam (and maybe she had looked at the x-rays first), and she told me I did not have any cavities today! I think the Listerine Zero helps. Also, mindful brushing with a Sonicare. But she said to her assistant, “Put a ‘watch’ on…” and she named off 7 of them and their locations. Some (or maybe all) of these she had said last time, “Put a ‘watch’ on…” so I hope that means they aren’t getting worse? I noticed that no one did the measuring of how far down the gum had receded from the tooth. Yeah, I always hated hearing those numbers–like passing or failing multiple little mini-tests–and it always took a long time!

The dental hygienist came back in with a paper showing the financial charges today and I was asked to sign it, along with initialing other lines on the consent form. After that, she began the teeth cleaning process, starting with “numbing gel” and a curved vacuum tube that she hung on the right corner of my mouth. I was trying to be mindful about the sensations, feelings, tastes, and sights, alternating that with mindful breathing. Every now and then, she stopped to ask, “Are you okay?” to which I always answered, “Yes.” She pointed out (with that little metal dental pick thing) which teeth need to have more careful brushing at the edge of crowns. I’m presuming perhaps these were the teeth Dr. Munjpara said to “put a ‘watch’ on…”

She announced when she started the “polish” task, with a whirring little polisher dipped in something pink. And she announced the fluoride application, admonishing me to not eat or drink for 30 minutes. And that was it. She took off the blue paper bib and ushered me out to the receptionist’s desk and told her to make me an appointment for six months. Whew! I don’t have to be back here until September! Who knows what could happen in that length of time?

I handed her my credit card, carefully checking that it was the correct credit card that still had some funding left. I asked her for a copy of today’s invoice, but all she gave me was a copy of the credit card charge that I had signed. “I need an itemized invoice of today’s charges,” I said, “because I need paper copies for my tax return records.” She went back to her computer, made a few quick keystrokes, then printed out a copy. Not like the copy I got last time, but it was sufficient for today.

I had to remind her to schedule an appointment for me for six months and one week from today. She gave me an appointment card. There is a definite difference in this office, now under the new management of Golden Gate Smiles, previously SmileCare. There was less hustle and bustle and fewer dental office staff to do stuff. But everyone was professional and gracious, at least to the patients.

Linda was ready for eggs and cheese when I got home. I fixed her a plate, then waited the required 30 minutes before having my flax muffin and cold coffee warmed in the microwave.