Pseudo Genuine Smiles – Do they Minimize the Pain at the Dentist?

” Smile”

Perky, upbeat, smiling, welcoming greetings with a full faced grin.

The “hello” when greeted by the maitre de when entering an upscale restaurant.

Absolutely, without a doubt.

The chatter of well heeled (and well lubricated) customers tells all. T

this indeed Is a place of enjoyment for all who enter and rest awhile.

Oops! 

Sorry!

The 1^st part is accurate: The perky ,upbeat, smiling, welcoming greeting.

at reception: or passing in the halls: or settling the reckoning:  these clones of

the now infamous “Stepford Wives” are engaging and seemingly genuine.

The disconnect?

 

The “patrons” hide behind magazines, or their Nooks.  Separated from those

seated next by imaginary barriers and acoustical shields, they are non persons to each other.

These non smiling, sometimes grim, sometimes soiled by pain supplicants

are waiting to be greeted by another cheery, smiling people gatherer calling their 1^st name.

 

The location – the offices of your family friendly dentist.

 

The obvious psychology is to make the patient “ comfortable, at ease” while minimizing the

fear factor. Somehow the amiability factor is painfully odious when the charm school grad takes you

Into the inner sanctum (the dentist’s office).  The dentist cares less about  ones “comfort  index”… but

is more rightly concerned about resolving the dental issues.

Amiability gives way to frowns of concentration,  groans,  and beaded, sweating brows.  Cheeriness

gives way to grinding drills and gum numbing medication.

The gods of amiability have taken flight.

 

Oh yes, when the procedure is completed, the smiling keeper of accounting awaits

with your comprehensive, detailed, inflated invoice – due at the time service is provided.

These meanderings leave one with the unanswered question:

• ·         Why is so much effort expended by so many, to create an atmosphere which

seems to contradict reality?  

 

Neither a house of horrors, pain, or torture  as well as not a comfy, relaxing

studio of relaxation, why not treat patients for what they are – carriers of

an illness or rotten abscess which require attention – a process which may

be unnerving, uncomfortable, and painful?

 

 

Your thoughts and comments?? 

 

 

 

Without trust love is not possible? Or without love there is no trust?

Without trust love is not possible? Or without love there is no trust?

According to Wikipedia, from a psychology standpoint, “ trust is believing the person whom you
trust to do what you expect.
Such a simple sounding word – trust: only 5 letters. One syllable.
So difficult to build, so easy to destroy.
Trust levels are injected into our psyche systems with the 1st two years of our lives.

Wow! What does that say about packing days old babies into parkas on a cold , snowy Wisconsin
morning, slinging them into the car: then dashing through the cold, into a sociological melee
we euphamistically call “ Daycare”? Hmm- wonder what Is going through their little minds as regards
trust?
Oh wait – there is more: the end of the 8 hour survival camp arrives with mom taking the child to
McDonalds for a nutritious meal while she shares “quality time” with her fiancee otherwise known as
her shacking up boy friend. Count the elements of trust in that paternalistic paradigm!

Sorry, I got side tracked.

A long time business associate recently did an end run and undercut me.. All those years of trust,
bonding, etc teetered on the edge of the bridge, wavered, and collapsed into the cold Fox River.
The proffered excuse “ I didn’t think about it”.. just more salt into the wound. An apology – delivered,
well kind of.

Causes me to meditate on the elements of trust.
I had a boss in Poland, Dr. Gail Schoppert. A brilliant educator, humorist, actor, and
a “ I’ve got your back” guy. He embodied trust in the sense that hewas always, meaning always,
be there to defend his staff, and students, against the slings and arrows of erroneous assaults.
Gail never talked about trust, or team work, or kumbaya relationships,.
His trust actions spoke volumes and mirrored his value systems. I wonder what the 1st two years of his
life were like at home? Day Care – I doubt it.

A parting query : So without trust love is not possible? Or without love there is no trust?

Trust - A learned gift