What does the general population think of dentists?

[SugarNaCl]

---

Members do not see this ad.

It isn't too often that I watch TV, but yesterday an old rerun of The King of Queens was on. It involved a dentist who had the hots for Carrie and long story short took it out on Doug during a rootcanal. I started thinking of other dentists on TV and in movies and most of them love to torture.

Same with scientists. I haven't seen a movie in a long time where the research scientist was the good guy. My husband said he thinks it is because "no one knows what we do behind closed lab doors."

Trying to verify this, I opened a yahoo answers account and asked "What is the first thought that comes to your mind when I say 'dentist'? Even with the new, virtually painless techniques, the same responses came back (15 in all) PAIN, LOSING MONEY, FEAR... with one or 2 "I love my dentist" thrown in the mix.

Why do you think this still holds even today?
Do you think the public perception of our future occupation will ever change?😕

 

[Streetwolf]

Until we can get rid of the needle and drill (and guarantee zero pain to the patient) I think people will always have some fear of the dentist. All it takes is one bad experience to scar someone for life.

 

[laundry]

you want a scientist as the good guy...I recommend you play a lil Half-Life 2 😉

 

[pacbum]

isn't king of queens the most entertaining show ever?

 

[SugarNaCl]

isn't king of queens the most entertaining show ever?

Yeah... despite being somewhat overweight, I sort of find Kevin James attractive, too. Must be his show personality. I have liked every dentist I have gone to. It is actually my dental hygienist that I'm not a fan of.

 

[burgler09]

i gotta get my wisdom teeth out i fear that trip painless or not 🙁

 

[Simiam]

Having your wisdom teeth out is great. 🙂

When I had mine taken out... woo what an adventure. Good times, good times.

 

[burgler09]

bahhh ive always dreaded this day all my life haha, i have to do it before summer classes start up for me so itll be in the next week or two. Does it really hurt that bad?

 

[SugarNaCl]

bahhh ive always dreaded this day all my life haha, i have to do it before summer classes start up for me so itll be in the next week or two. Does it really hurt that bad?

No. It doesn't hurt at all during the procedure...at least mine didn't (all 4 out, 2 impacted) I had only minor discomfort the following day and nearly no swelling which surprised me. I had mine out at 15 though. My brother had his out and was also fine except he bled a lot longer. I was told to bite lightly on a tea bag after getting home. I guess the tannin is supposed to promote clotting. If you get a dry socket though, then I understand it can be pretty painful.

 

[BodybldgDoc]

The procedure itself does not hurt because of the anesthesia. Its just the swelling after and the liquid diet that sucks. I had mine taken out a year or two ago and it wasnt a pleasant experience especially with all the bleeding.

 

[bxs023100]

mine was awesome. bc of the anesthesia, i woke up and was ready to leave the office. i had zero pain. my dentist was amazing. i only followed the diet for maybe a week. even then, i was eating almost everything i wanted. its not that bad. people dramatize it so much. maybe for attention. who knows.
go to a doctor that has a good reputation. mine said that not one patient in the past few years of his even had swelling.

 

[Clubby]

Well, I can tell you that people don't always think of them with the same respect or admiration as that of an MD. For example, I went out to dinner with friends tonight and said I had to come home to study. They are like "you don't need to study so much, its not the MCAT and you're not going to be a doctor."

I'm in dentistry for my own reasons, respect and admiration doesn't come par for the course and it doesn't bug me that it is that way. Just know that you probably won't get it.