Tryst with Dentists: Why I hate doctors, nurses and medical as a profession

The roots of the Root Canal Treatment (RCT) in my tooth were laid down back in my college days when on a summer afternoon Dr. M.M. Ahluwalia a popular dentist (Retired from Indian Army) near Kalidas Road in Dehradun, diagnosed that small black stain as a probable cavity in my tooth. He later cleaned that stain and filled that small cavity with huge white shiny silver like material which stayed there for almost 2 years. There was no such pain in my tooth but I was just trying to be extra cautious and careful for my future.

When I first visited his dental clinic, I got immediately impressed by Colonel's straightforwardness plus popularity more than his expertise(which I realized later) when I checked and asked him about his fees/charges of filling one cavity. I was in his clinic I couldn't see any doctor/assistant. That room was just a place flooded with patients waiting for their turns. I found a small window with a glass pane/slider on. From this sacred window without any hesitation I asked my question to a Sardar ji (who was the doctor sitting on his chair). From this same window Sardar ji replied in English, Son the fee is only 250 INRs but had you asked this question after entering inside my room I would have charged you 50 rupees just for asking the fees. I was bowled out by his Yorker, clueless with no words in my mouth. I asked that question in “English” to look smarter but was then out of gas, ended that half-duplex conversation and immediately left that crowded waiting room quickly, by replying OK.
 

While I was on my way to my room, which was just a few hundred meters away I was thinking, he appears to be a very expert dentist ,professional, experienced and so busy , many awards he won in Army Medical Services, as per his clinic's hording which lists them. So no one else but he will fix my tooth’s black hole. I was happy that I had finalized a doctor for my tooth, my first ever major decision away from home.

I reported at Colonel's clinic early next morning, I’m always the earliest early bird. Within next 30 minutes he finished the task, the buzzing sound of his dental drill machine almost killed me, my first ever experience and was so irritating. There was no pain in tooth but keeping my jaws so wide open for 20 minutes was not good, I thought Lt Col. was merciless too. I wondered if he was drilling for an oil well or a coal mine. He finished his job, showed me quickly what he did in that 1sq cm mirror, and said NEXT. I came back to my room with a little feeling about that filling. And some time passed.

Roughly after two and half years, the shiny silver filling came out of my tooth one day, the big cavity was clearly visible, I could sense the edges of cavity and could measure its depth. I was in Noida back then; frightened, I immediately consulted a dentist in Max hospitals. This time it was a lady dentist, with a degree of BDS and MDS. She was polite unlike Colonel, examined my tooth and said; in general your teeth are well in shape, strong and clean except this one with cavity, was surprised. For better picture she used her x-rays and showed me the real picture in her computer screen. The now uncovered pit in my tooth appeared bigger than the shiny filling cover which was covering it till one day back. She added further, the earlier dentist drilled it almost close to the tooth’s side edge/wall which will make it difficult now.

From her assessment I understood that either Colonel digged it unnecessarily too deep or there was a definitely a major problem in my tooth. But I cleared her that my tooth never had any pain or sensitive feeling for hot-cold things, even now. Anyways, she said Root Canal Treatment is the way to go to protect my tooth now. I didn’t know what it was. But she explained me the benefits of this procedure which will save my tooth from further decaying in future. I was worried but can we argue or ask for alternatives to a doctor/dentist in India, still I asked as many questions as I could. While talking I was confused if it was Colonel’s fault who screwed my tooth by unnecessary digging and filling or was being fooled once again now by a smart business woman, who is talking of complete extraction of tooth very soon in case of no RCT. Well I took a very smart decision once again and nodded for RCT.

Within a week’s time, roots of my tooth were removed to end all possible routes of blood supplies and nerves. It was treated, filled with different substances and later given an expensive permanent crown for the rest of its life. Special care was taken in matching the color of this porcelain crown with his future neighbors, which didn’t impress me. I was more worried for its strength and surface instead of color. The clinic presented me a 6500 INR bill. On my way to my room I was feeling happy, promised myself I would take a better care of my teeth, will never eat anything which hurts my teeth. But as they say, those who do not know or forget the history are bound to repeat it. Two years later in Bangalore the crown broke from one of its side while eating in office. I was in same state of mind as I was in two years back, worried and cursing all dentists in the world. And once again I began my search for a good(honest by luck) dentist in Bangalore around IndiraNagar. This new encounter reminded me of one famous Buddhist quote, later.

A patient asked the dentist, if it wasn’t nasty to be all the day with the hands in someone's mouth. The dentist answered "I just think of it as having my hands in their wallet.