Could it have gone better?
Recently, I had some dental work done. A crown was placed on a tooth after the tooth cracked a third of itself down the middle. I looked in my mouth and thought, “Oh my gosh, I’ve blown it… root canal here we come.” Fortunately I went straight to the dentist. He was able to save the tooth, crown it, and now it’s in very good shape. I have been going to this dentist – Dr. Thomas Tam in the United Centre, Admiralty, Hong Kong – since 1996 when I first arrived in Hong Kong. Of all the dentists I’ve had, he is by far the best. I have referred many people to him from general inquiries to business emergencies when visitors have been in town. He even has a cool Goggle Video Set that allows you to watch movies while having your mouth drilled and cleaned. The most recent round of work allowed me to watch the latest James Bond film in two sittings.
I’ve been telling Sebastian for months that soon he would go to the dentist. I am one of those people who procrastinate when it comes to dentists and maybe I delayed with Sebastian a bit, too. Tess and I recently went out to dinner with friends and I asked one of them, “When did you first take your kids to the dentist?”
“When they were two and a half!” she piped back. “And where are you going on your month long holiday?” I quickly inquired to change the conversation.
I have been telling Sebastian for soooo long, and he has been repeatedly asking me about it for so long, that soon the visit would become an integrity issue: if I didn’t get Sebastian to the dentist by the start of his summer vacation, my name would be “mud” and the tooth fairy would arrange a root canal. Therefore, the day finally came, today. I nipped out of work for an early lunch and took Sebastian for his first dental visit. You’ve heard the stories of how he has a propensity to whine and whinge and get upset and not sit still. Do you think a dental visit would provoke that type of behavior? NOT AT ALL! Our little Sebastian was amazing – the epitome of best behavior. So much so, that I think those 45 – 55 minutes might have been the most mature thus far of his little life.
We walked in and as coached, Sebastian greeted the dentist, “Hello, Dr. Tam!” With indifference Sebastian shrugged off completing the “First Time Patient” form until I asked him to fill in the “Other Name” section. He did that willingly and perfectly. Dr. Tam walked Sebastian through every step of the session, explaining all the instruments and testing them on his skin or fingernails. Dr. Tam described how the air blower tickled and the water sprayer thing sprayed and the Captain Hook instrument helped clean his teeth. Turns out Sebastian had a slight chip off one of his molars, (better than his shoulder!) probably from one of his nasty falls that produced stitches. Left alone this slight indentation would eventually decay; therefore, Dr. Tam suggested a little etching and smoothing over of the imperfection with dental stuff. Including the cleaning and procedure, Sebastian was in the chair for about 50 minutes. Wow – I had never seen a more cooperative Seb! Throughout the procedure we were giving each other simulated high fives, thumbs ups, smiles and of course, both Dr. Tam and I praised Sebastian plenty because… he truly was really patient and wonderful. Every once in a while Sebastian winced or frowned with whatever was happening in his mouth, but he quickly rebounded. At the end of the session Dr. Tam gave Sebastian a dental balloon – a rubber glove blown up like a balloon.
I was so impressed with Sebastian that afterwards, without hesitation, I let him go to McDonald’s with De for lunch and ice cream after they dropped me back off at work. “But you have to brush your teeth when you get home if you have ice cream,” I instructed. Later in the afternoon Tess and I spoke on the phone. Tess described how in the middle of watching TV (on our new flat screen) while Tess packed a few feet away, Sebastian suddenly blurted out, “I have to go!”
“Where?” Tess asked in surprise.
“To brush my teeth,” Sebastian exclaimed with glee, “because I had ICE CRRREAM!” he said as he darted out of the room.
I don’t think Sebastian’s first dental visit could have gone any better.
