Yesterday I was faced with the question of: Which way do I go? Having received an email list Monday of acceptable (as in, IOAMT accredited or approved) New York dentists that I could go to, I spent Tuesday doing the leg work–or should that be called the ‘finger work’ in this computer age? Whatever we call it, I spent a lot of time online reading websites while trying to decide which dentist I wanted to go to. ‘Needed to go to’ is more precise in this instance as well, because nothing in my mouth has improved, and some things continue to worsen. Eliminating a large amount of those listed because of distance (most were in New York City, which could be a travel time of two and a half to three hours there and the same back), I was left with one dentist in Kingston (two hours away and the same back) and one in Syracuse (three hours and the same back).
The prospects weren’t looking so good at that point, so I went back to the IAOMT website and redefined the search. What about Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut? Vermont didn’t have any, Connecticut’s were another two to two and half hours each way, and most of those in Massachusetts were out in the Boston area. I say most, because I did find one very surprising exception: A biological dentist who hadn’t done any amalgam fillings since 1996, and who was located in Greenfield, MA (about one hour fourty-five minutes each way). His website won me over; he not only didn’t do amalgam fillings or metal of any kind, but he also cited many of the same priorities as Healthy Smiles for Life in Marble Falls did, and included spa-like touches with heated pillows. That brought to mind all those heated blankets they gave us in Texas, which were wonderful in an air-conditioned building. Picking up the phone I made my first call. How quickly could I get an appointment?
It took three calls to reconcile my inability to drive, my husband’s work schedule, and my mother’s upcoming surgery next week, but we did it. I say ‘we’ because the office’s receptionist was an amazingly sweet person, who went out of her way to help in any way she could. I now have a preliminary appointment this Thursday afternoon, though if that tooth needs to be pulled it will take a return visit. I’m praying that this could still be a ‘bite’ issue, that might be alleviated by judicious filing with a drill, something Dr. Lane had said was a possibility. Wouldn’t that be great? I always seem to take the hard road though, so we’ll have to wait and see what the God of ‘circumstances’ has to say about it. Meanwhile, I’m simply happy to think that there will be someone knowledgable looking into my mouth to see what’s really wrong in there.
I’ll let you know on Friday how things work out.