So I got a new dentist today.
I started getting a really bad toothache this weekend when I was in NYC. I wanted to hold off until my insurance kicked in (I have my self-employed health insurance, but no dental), but it was getting so bad I couldn’t even chew, so I decided to buck it up.
My old dentist is way up north, and impossible to get to without a car. Rak suggested his dentist, Dr. Steve, who has an office in the Loop. I went in and they were SO FUCKING NICE there. The receptionist said they wouldn’t bill me until next month after I had insurance, so that’s good. They were pretty funny when I told them I knew Rak – they (Dr. Steve and his receptionist) both made a lot of jokes about him. No big surprise there.
Dr. Steve ended up pulling my tooth – it was one of my wisdom teeth that had a cavity, and we agreed it wasn’t worth the effort, pain, and expense of trying to fix it. All in all, it was a relatively painless event, and I’m glad it’s done. He was so nice and calming (I’m not a big dentist freakout person, but I don’t like things out of the ordinary). Dr. Steve asked if I would prefer to be knocked out (instead of the Novacaine), but I told him that frankly, I would be more scared of going under than of the extraction. He let me listen to NPR while he was doing the work, and I got a nice view of Millennium Park while it was going on.
The numbness has finally worn off, and I feel much much MUCH better now. This was my best dentist visit in my whole life. Thanks to Rak for clueing me into this great dentist. If you’re in Chicago and need one, let me know and I’ll give you the contact info.