Book Entry 23 : 1959 The Dentist from Hell

(picture is not my dentist)

1959

The Dentist from Hell

My dentist’s office was on the second story of the old JC Penny’s store.  I remember walking up the staircase and down the long hallway to his office.  I remember the wall facing the hallway was made of opaque glass blocks and the smell of alcohol was sickening when mom would open the door for us to enter.

The reason I’m saying he was the dentist from Hell is because when I was ten years old I needed to have a tooth filled.  Before mom and I left for the dentist office I told my dad I was afraid to have a shot in my mouth.  My dad told me he didn’t take the shots and I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to.  Later mom told me dad did take the shots and it was a feeble attempt on his part to comfort me by telling me I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to.  Mom said dad was sure the dentist would explain to me how he could give me the shot in a way that wouldn’t hurt and it would make getting a filling painless.

When I told the dentist  my dad said I didn’t have to have the shot if I didn’t want it he didn’t argue.  He just grunted and started drilling!  I didn’t cry only because I couldn’t with his hands in my mouth!  I was terrified.  It hurt a lot!  Tears rolled down my face.  He didn’t stop drilling.  He continued until he was finished.

When mom came in to get me the dentist put a dime in my hand and told mom I was a big girl.  When mom saw the dime her only comment was what a nice man he was for giving me a prize.  I hated him from that moment on and to this day dread going to a dentist more than anything!