The feared and dreaded dentist visit in my hometown

I've never been a fan of dentists, but I've never had a reason to fear them either. I've never had so much as a cavity in my life, and I'm told this week that I need a root canal on tooth number seven. I don't know what an endodontist is, but I'm told I have to see one. I have clean teeth and great home care, according to my dental hygienist, but I have problems that go beyond the dentist's realm of specialty. I visit the office of Dr. Jeffry K. Waters, over at Endodontics of Atlanta. I'm feeling pretty good about the fact that I've never been to an endodontist before, but I'm still pretty nervous. I crack a joke, because that's the first thing that comes to mind when I'm nervous. The first thing that comes to my mind is the Steve Martin dentist scene in Little Shop of Horrors. Yes, I went there.

Me: So, is this going to resemble the dentist scene in that movie about the plants?

Assistant lady and chief communicator Michelle: Only slightly.

Me: You must think you are funny or something.

Michelle: I try. Hey Dr. Waters, this looks exactly like it did in the manual, doesn't it?

Dr. Waters: Yeah, we don't do this very often. Looks pretty good. (Laughs)


Me: You think you are funny or something. (Only, it sounded more like Yousstinksyoussunnyozsomtsin because dentists have a knack of asking you what you are thinking only after they've jammed your mouth full of equipment, no?)

Michelle: Remember that bus stop I was telling you about out the window? I found him (points to doctor) by looking out the window.

Dr. Waters: She's right. If this endodontics thing doesn't work out we are so going to open mike night later.

Me: (rolls eyes)

At least someone has a sense of humor here. It turned out that my tooth is more screwed up than I thought it was, so I can't actually do the root canal here. Dr. Waters injected me with medicine to decalcify my tooth number seven (sounds lovely, right?) and I have to find someone in the Twin Cities. (Recommendations welcome.)