Stop thinking. Focus on your patient.
His slow breathing told me he was trying his best to concentrate on that instead of the noisy equipment. If I had innovative equipment, it would help people recover from this phobia faster. With all the technology available today, why hadn’t they invented something beneficial to the dental industry?
I had a few ideas for better equipment, but I had no clue where to get started. Plus, I didn’t have the funds to work on something like that. For example, a silencer for my handpiece would be awesome. No more loud noises. Kids would love it.
Sound was very important to a person’s mental state. People listened to certain music to relax or get into a certain mood. A loud drill was as far away from relaxation as one could get. On bad days, I found the sound of the handpiece irritating as hell.
If the weapons industry could invent a silencer for a gun, why couldn’t they create one for a handpiece? It would be so easy for them.
Not enough money in dentistry.
Well, not general dentistry, but certainly cosmetic dentistry. The beauty business made loads of money, but I had no interest in servicing that community.
He flinched when water sprayed on his cheek. “Sorry.” I wiped it with his napkin. “You’re doing great, by the way.”
He nodded, and I knew he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
He had fabulous hygiene and beautiful teeth for someone who hadn’t been to the dentist in a year. The fear probably motivated him to take extra care of his teeth.
When we were done with the cleaning, I performed a quick x-ray. After reviewing it, I said, “You’re all set. No cavities. Keep up the good work.” I gave him a bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
“Thank you.” He took the bag and peeked inside. “No toy?”
I smiled. “We need to save those for the little kids. And you’re welcome.”
A serious expression splashed onto his face. “I’ve never had such a comfortable dental experience. Be my dentist from now on.”
I arched an eyebrow at his demand. A man accustomed to shouting orders didn’t usually ask for anything. But I wasn’t the type to comply with orders either.
“Is that a request or a command?”
He smiled. “It’s a plea.”
“I’ll think about it. I made an exception for today’s visit. Consider this as repayment for you taking care of me while I was drunk.”
“I’ll pay you extra to be my dentist.”
“It’s not about the money, Arrow. If I become your dentist, then other adults would also ask me. I would have to decline, which would make them angry, and so on. I don’t have time to deal with that.”
“I could come in after hours,” he said, trying to look adorable.
I laughed. “Are you planning on having a lot of cavities or something? Right now, you’re good until the next cleaning, which would be in six months.”
“See? You can be my dentist twice a year. That’s not bad at all.”
An idea percolated in my mind. I let it simmer while I considered his request.
“If I agree to be your dentist, can you help me with something? You know more people than I do.”
“How can I help?”
I told him about my silencer idea, and he beamed. “That’sbrilliant.”
His excitement and praise did something to my heart. I hadn’t shared this idea with anyone until today. It felt wonderful to have someone understand where I was coming from.
“You have the specs?” he asked.
“Just a rough sketch, but that’s it. I don’t know where to go to have it produced or have the funds to?—”