Ever since the filling fell out of my front tooth last week, I’ve been restricting my smiles. I have to admit it has been a little difficult because I’m the type of guys who smiles easily and I have the smile wrinkles to prove it.
This past Saturday I worked the front desk at the hotel. Just my luck the hotel was totally occupied with guests. We were sold out. Our hotel has a complimentary breakfast. To get to the breakfast the guests have to walk by the front desk. Guess whose all cherry smiles in the morning at the front desk to greet the guests first thing? If you guessed it was the writer of this blog, you would be correct.
A few times I forget and gave my normal, “Hello! How are you! Wide open Ron Special Smile (I do have a nice smile, everyone tells me so.) Maybe it was my imagination but I did detect a few recoils as I displayed the big hole in my front tooth. From there on out I tried to greet with a closed mouth but it wasn’t easy. In fact, greeting someone with a closed mouth is like a drunk trying to act sober. You only make it worse. I’m sure many of the guests thought I had the typical Sussex County native teeth and I was trying to hide it. Maybe I’m over thinking this whole thing.
Well, the problem was solved this morning. I couldn’t wait for the appointment my regular dental practice set for me next month, so I tried a new dentist in Rehoboth. This dentist has been recommended to me by several people whose opinion I respect.
With trepidation I headed out south on the rain soaked Route 1 to Rehoboth Beach. My new dentist’s name is Dr. Curtis Leciejewski. The pronunciation of that name will get some getting used to. Ironically the two previous dentists I’ve had for most of my life had very similar sounding names which were very easy to pronounce. Dr. Keil and Dr. KIing. Can you believe it? It’s true. For many years I used a Dr. Keil in Philadelphia. Then when Dr. Keil retired I used Dr. Kling in Downingtown, PA. My latest dentist was an HMO dentist, Dr. Patel. This is all probably very boring to most of the readers of this blog but I thought it was worth mentioning. I’ve always found names fascinating.
Well, all my fears were unfounded. Dr. Leciejewski and his staff were superb. There were absolutely outstanding in their friendliness, listening to me and efficiently and professionally resolving my tooth problem. Plus, they’re very close to where I live so now I won’t have to make that 39 mile one way trip to Dover to see my dentist. I didn’t feel like I was on an assembly line with Dr. Leciejewski. I think it is important to be treated as a person instead of a widget.
I now have my smile back. Watch out folks, Ron is back!
3 comments:
The good thing that came out of this is that you found a, hopefully, better dentist. That should make you smile.
When I worked in Sussex, my coworkers called it "Summer teeth" (Some are here, some are there.....)
Mike,
Yes, I am smiling because I found an excellent dentist with whom I am very comfortable. The fact that he is also a club member doesn't hurt either. :)
Ron
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