Dentist

I hate making appointments. I'm not quite sure what it is about it that I dislike so much. I'm sure at least part of it is hoping that the girls will be quiet long enough that I don't sound like a horrible parent while I'm on the phone, but today I decided to call and schedule several of them and just get it over with. Among them were the girls’ well visits. Kate is due at the end of September and Gabby in mid-October, so I got that taken care of. I was even early enough in calling to get the doctor in the practice that we really like—yay! Then I've put off getting Kate to the dentist. I was told she needed to go when she was 2 or 3, so since her birthday is a month from today I thought I better at least make an appointment. I never dreamed when I called that they would have a cancellation, so they needed us there in half an hour. We rushed out the door and got there just in time.

I took her to a pediatric dentist here in town. She (and Gabby) loved the office set up. There was a play room that was obviously not intended for adults to be in--the door was only two feet tall. I did have to go in to keep Gabby off the table a few times! There were aquariums and the office employs a service dog that is there for patients with anxiety disorders, which Kate had no problem with! She got to play games between her cleaning and visiting with the dentist. She also was allowed to put her hand print on the wall in the hallway.

She really surprised the dentist and the hygienist with her abilities. She was in the back without me, so Gabby and I waited out front for over an hour during her appointment. I had expected a short first visit, but they said she did great for her cleaning and having her teeth checked. She didn't need x-rays because her teeth are widely spaced at this point, so no cavities could be hiding. When they called me back at the end to tell me how it went, she interrupted the dentist to tell me we needed to start flossing her teeth. He said she could take it from there. The hygienist said while Kate was waiting in the hallway she was talking to an older girl who didn't care well for her teeth and Kate was telling her all about how she needed to brush and floss. The hygienist thought it was great and hoped that Kate was a good influence.

She was pleased with her two new toothbrushes—an electric Cinderella and a piglet (for traveling, as Kate told me). She also got new Chap Stick and dental floss. Hopefully she'll keep healthy teeth. She sure had a great first trip to the dentist!