Thoughts from the Dental Chair
Hello Louie,
Stable here, personalities never change as the population of the Senior Center ages. One observation; stack a couple of hundred seniors in a confined space such as this, and periodically the Reaper stalks the halls with his long steady all-encompassing scythe, takes a swing or so and the catalog of personalities changes; one down, one up within a few days. That specter walks the halls quietly but with determination; the census changes, the females dominate, control, direct, and quietly with jealous malignancy look on those who still have mates. But the dance continues, the orchestra and woodwinds change, a new director quietly exerts influence, and stability reigns for a number of months, until the Reaper changes again the balance. Always change continues.
Basically the populous is healthy, aged, and suffers from stable arterial sclerotic disease and relatively stable hidden malignancies. Diseases are subtle, the folks are alert, energetic, cautious, observant and all yearn for bygone days of aggressive involvement. But those days are gone and the best is made of the residual involvements in ordinary activities. Of interest, are the visitations of the many social service advocates who enter the hallowed halls of aging at various times, bearing promises of gifts of involvement and activities of interest. The conferences with activity explanations follow a pattern of the introduction of topics, a plead for involvement, and then obvious surprise at the alert participation and previous involvement of the groupies in similar activities.
The uniqueness of the presented program is lost when the activity director learns that the assembled congregation has participated in previous activities of like nature. And life goes on, the pecking orders are usually adjusted as one after the other of the grouping leaves for the last walk. It is surprising how quietly the balance is readjusted, acceptance of the life and death equation is accepted and quietly the ranks are reformed. A nod, a smile, an additional visit to the Chapel, all help to re-establish the pecking order. It reminds one of a juggler who occasionally drops a ball, stoops, picks up another object, and with a flourish goes on into the next activity.
Friendships are made easily, topics of conversations are multiple, topics are seldom open-ended, as the participants, from previous experiences, realize that open-ended conversations ought to be closed and not left for the future. I had a dental appointment the other day, which turned into a philosophical discussion as to the validity and position of the “Mother Church” and its fall from grace. The dental procedure was secondary to the hour-long visit and the dentist like the barber directed the monologue of philosophical discussion. It was gratifying to me that prior to the procedure, and the discussion I established the parameters of cost and the balance of permanency of the prosthesis placed in the 92-year-old dentition. As when dickering for a new car, anticipated use and by the recipient became a determinant in the gold vs amalgam debate and at age 92 the gold was cast aside for less expensive dental appliances with a lifelong projection more in keeping with reality.
The procedure then was associated with a monologue dissertation of the status of the Church and its obvious transgressions over the years resulting in the present status of questionable importance in everyday life. In a dental office, the conversation is always a monologue dissertation, the patient is spared from frustration only by inability of clearly hearing the dentist as he probes and drills. It is a well-known fact that the drilling is transmitted to the patient’s hearing apparatus by direct boney transmission and due to the proximity of the tool to receptor, the patient only hears the drilling, not the philosopher. But that is a blessing and adds to the local anesthetic agent, shortens the procedure time, but doesn’t reduce cost. It soonest make a genius to understand modern dental costs if only the patient observes the multiple technological gadgets in the present dental office.
Only with volume procedures and speed of operation might the dentist survive. If he, she, or it is a “klutz” it is a done deal that another dental suite will be for rent. I admire the profession, with a personality of determination and some aggression, these talented principals become successful and do well for their associates and patients. Dentistry is a remarkable profession, I admire the profession but stay away as long as possible.
So until later,