If only I had a Valium prior to going to the dentist. It is so grueling to me to have to drive to his office. Throughout the entire drive I just think of how much pain is going to be involved in the visit. Granted, teeth cleaning is not by necessity a painful thing. I mean, there’s no gum disease and there’s not even any cavities. But it is the thought of having to have the dental work done.
Then, just as I am signing in, I hear a kid screaming in the back, you know, where they do “the procedures.” I don’t know if he was getting his teeth cleaned or if he was having a cavity filled, but the scream was that of someone possibly killing the child (not that I condone any kind of child-killing; I’m 100% pro-life; and, I don’t need any emails about my position or your position because my mind is made up on the issue).
After signing in to let the office personnel know that I am there, I have to then sign off on a bunch of paperwork. You know the paperwork. It’s all the HIPPA stuff and agreeing not to sue the dentist for any mistakes that he might make in giving the gas or cleaning the teeth or filling the cavities. I gladly sign them with ever sweating palms. I mean, my palms are sweating…almost dripping sweat. I mean to say, the nervousness would have, nay, could have been avoided with a Valium, but to no avail. I didn’t have one.
The office manager then asks for payment. This procedure cost $192! Are you serious? I remember when gas was only $0.39/gallon! Since when are prices for teeth cleaning or other procedures so much for so little time? It makes absolutely no sense to me to pay for the racking of the brain, the nervousness, the anxiety that goes with traveling to the dentist office, with arriving there, and then going through the procedure. I’m telling you, I don’t think it’s worth it!
It’s like paying property taxes! I don’t know if that’s worth it either! I mean, just what do my taxes pay for? I know, I know: it pays for all the city services. Well, as much as I pay I wish they would take care of my lawn with a mowing team and, most of all, a weed-pulling team, but nope! They don’t provide that type of service. Yeah, yeah! They provide police and fire services, ambulance services, garbage pickup and disposal services. I understand why we pay property taxes. It’s supposed to be helping to pay for schools as well even though there’s a bunch of fundraisers throughout the year.
But I digress. I’m still nervous after the dentist visit.
I take a book with me to read while I’m waiting to be called. I read an entire chapter of the book waiting in anticipation for the call. I’m not sure the HIPPA thing is all that good because everyone in the room ends up hearing your name. Who’s to say that someone isn’t writing my name down and stealing my identity? You see, there are so many things that can go wrong at the dentist office. At any rate, I was reading when all of a sudden, the dental hygienist comes out from behind a door and calls out with a loud voice:
“Giovanni!”
I was mortified. My poor seven-year old had to see the dentist, but I want everyone to know that I made it through it…thanks for asking.
D.J. Gorena 
