I have lived in Europe for about 14 years in all and never have I been to a dentist outside of the US. I'm not fond of going to the dentist in general, but I didn't feel comfortable going when I was living in France or England. I assume that their dentists are qualified and excellent, but I preferred going when I would travel back to the US instead. Because I haven't gone back to the US since October 2007, I decided that I should go at least for a cleaning.
Alessandro seems content with his dentista (dentist), but I didn't know if there'd be small or big differences between a dentista here and a dentista in the States. I asked him exactly what the igienista dentale (dental hygienist) did when he went last month. I wouldn't make an appuntamento (appointment) until I was sure that they didn't do anything too different.
Because Alessandro is also friends with his dentista, he talked to him for me. The dentista told him that he has a few American patients, and they were all a bit reluctant before going to see him. Some of them didn't want to get any work done, but then when they did were quite happy because they said that it was up to their standards. I felt relieved about what his dentista said, and realized it was probably normal for an American.
I was supposed to get a pulizia dei denti (teeth cleaning) and a controllo (checkup), but a woman from the office called me to say that the dentista was ill, but that I was still scheduled to see the igienista dentale. I was relieved, needless to say, because I didn't want a controllo.
I arrived at the office and sat in the sala d'attesa (waiting room). The igienista dentale flashed me a smile when she called me into her office. I was happy that she had nice-looking teeth.
I sat down in the chair and she began to look in my mouth. I wasn't impressed with the austere room that felt more like a doctor's office, but she was very professional. I explained to the woman afterwards how she should go get for a pulizia dei denti in the US because it's a very different experience. Her eyes grew big when I told her that my dentista has a TV screen installed in the ceiling all to myself. They give me the remote control and headphones, so that I can be distracted. I explained how I take off all my jewelry and they put it in a machine that cleans it. And, they have me dip my hands in paraffin wax as an added bonus. When I mentioned that the chair that they make me sit in is also a massaging chair, I think she almost didn't believe it.
I was very satisfied with my pulizia dei denti, and even told the igienista dentale. It was as good as what I get back home. When they asked me if I wanted to come back for a controllo, I said that I would call them another time. They weren't offended by my desire to go back to my own dentista in the States. Especially with all the modern treats that his office provides.
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