Comments on: Our Trip to the Dentist http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/07/31/our-trip-to-the-dentist/ Parenting, Autism, and the Pursuit of Being Awesome Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:51:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Tim http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/07/31/our-trip-to-the-dentist/comment-page-1/#comment-9858 Tim Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:21:12 +0000 http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/?p=870#comment-9858 That is awesome! What a rare gift a dentist like that is! Really I think he needs a word stronger than 'rare'. Wow. That's practically 'superhero'! We consider ourselves lucky to have had a steady pattern of great professionals working with the J-Man. Sure there have been glaring exceptions, but the vast majority of people we've worked with should be on the short list for sainthood. I know that hasn't been the experience for many other parents, though. I wish there was some good way to help make positive experiences much more the rule than any exception. That is awesome! What a rare gift a dentist like that is! Really I think he needs a word stronger than ‘rare’. Wow. That’s practically ‘superhero’!

We consider ourselves lucky to have had a steady pattern of great professionals working with the J-Man. Sure there have been glaring exceptions, but the vast majority of people we’ve worked with should be on the short list for sainthood.

I know that hasn’t been the experience for many other parents, though. I wish there was some good way to help make positive experiences much more the rule than any exception.

]]> By: Mary (MPJ) http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/07/31/our-trip-to-the-dentist/comment-page-1/#comment-9663 Mary (MPJ) Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:21:07 +0000 http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/?p=870#comment-9663 I loooove our pediatric dentist. Before I ever took Austen to a dentist, I gathered recommendations from friends and decided to phone interview them to see how they would deal with an autistic child with oral sensitivities. The dentist I chose spent 45 minutes on the phone with me (before we ever visited) explaining in detail how they handle patients with special needs. They gave me information on how their visits worked, so I could prepare my son. On the first visit, they just got him used to the waiting and exam rooms and had him open his mouth so they could "count" his teeth (knowing he liked numbers). Then the dentist scheduled visits every 2 months (at no charge) to get our son used to the routine and gradually increased the time spent working on and touching his mouth. He can now clean Austen's whole mouth. (It helps that he can also work incredibly rapidly!) Needless to say, I am incredibly loyal to this dentist and recommend him to all my friends. I'm thankful for him every single day. I so wish all of the medical professionals we work with were like him (they so totally are not), but at least we have this one! I loooove our pediatric dentist. Before I ever took Austen to a dentist, I gathered recommendations from friends and decided to phone interview them to see how they would deal with an autistic child with oral sensitivities.

The dentist I chose spent 45 minutes on the phone with me (before we ever visited) explaining in detail how they handle patients with special needs. They gave me information on how their visits worked, so I could prepare my son. On the first visit, they just got him used to the waiting and exam rooms and had him open his mouth so they could “count” his teeth (knowing he liked numbers). Then the dentist scheduled visits every 2 months (at no charge) to get our son used to the routine and gradually increased the time spent working on and touching his mouth. He can now clean Austen’s whole mouth. (It helps that he can also work incredibly rapidly!)

Needless to say, I am incredibly loyal to this dentist and recommend him to all my friends. I’m thankful for him every single day. I so wish all of the medical professionals we work with were like him (they so totally are not), but at least we have this one!

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