Dr. S.D. (dentist) -" Dr Copp is an outstanding human being and an even better clinician!!! Lucky you that you were treated by the best of the best."
Liz - "It is with sincere sad feelings that I have to advise you that I will not be your patient any longer. We are moving.
You had my trust in anything you did to me and also was cared for. You have given me wonderful treatment and kindness and this is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make. I am in tears writing this - so hard to do.
I will miss the time when you give me anesthetic - remember I would say - give it slowly and I would have a few moments of being isn a wonderful place."
Glenn -" All I wanted for Christmas was MY two front teeth! GOT 'EM!! I'd like to thank Dr Peter Copp who is not only a friend but the best Yorkville dentist, strike that, Toronto's, nope... one of Canada's foremost dental professionals. I have spent many hours in his chair and he has been honest, clear and forthright about my treatment path. I took comfort in hearing "if you were my brother here's what I would do"... From bone grafts to implants and crowns, I highly recommend his services. I have not been paid for this endorsement, truly the best dentist of many that I have had in my residencies all across Canada."
Mickey - "I have experienced little or no pain after my appointments with you, and to be honest, if I had to choose something within my dentistry experience that would be the number one element that takes priority. I also know that through my past experiences with you that your work has longevity, another thing that takes a high position that shapes my attitude towards your particular calling in life.
I am happy that the work has been done or more accurately, is nearing completion. It is something that I have been worrying about for years and it is a burden that has been lifted.
As a child I have never experienced painless dentistry.
When I was first married funds were limited but I was financially able to have things looked at at age 26. The dentist I went to said that he would have to pull out all of my teeth and make dentures and that he had some time, right there and then, to start pulling. Faced with the option of keeping my teeth or getting dentures, well I would rather have them rot out at that point. It wasn't like I was given options.
It's only when I had an abscess that I contacted you years back. I know I should have kept things up but the associations are so overwhelmingly scary. I know how bad things became but am surprised that I did contact you before I experienced actual pain. Sometimes one has to be proud of even small steps. I am of the mindset to try to keep up with a program of maintenance within your practice. I think I can.
Most people don't get the dental phobia thing I have, I don't even understand it myself.
The feelings flood in an instant and I don't even see it coming. It is embarrassing to present oneself in a way that one doesn't present in any other situation in life and the nature of the state prevents one from even being one's own advocate.
An analogy would be that it wouldn't be prudent to anger the prison guards if you are a prisoner.
I feel like a prisoner with this fear.
You've figured it out, it's what makes you a professional and I do believe that you
want more out of those in your practice. I appreciate the efforts of those in your staff who make the effort to try to say or do the right thing. I don't expect people to understand completely. Heck I don't even understand it completely.
Dr. Copp, you have wonderful skills dealing with a phobic patient. Perhaps you have been doing this for so long that you don't realize the value of that to your phobic patients. I think I can say that I'm an expert on the reaction of people with my problem to how they are handled. You can teach the world! You don't offer excuses. You answer all questions. You don't talk down to your patients. You look straight into their eyes. You give the patient the opportunity to talk. You don't use scare tactics and you concentrate on the good things.
Not answering questions makes the patient feel powerless and not cared for.
Talking down to a patient will make the patient angry.
Not looking at the patient makes a patient feel dehumanized.
Not having the opportunity to talk adds to the out of control feeling that is omnipresent.
I am hobbled in a dentistry situation. I am working with a skeleton of skills when I'm there. I'm distracted, scared, defensive and horribly anxious.
Avoidance and denial is what the patient has been doing, it's very easy to fall back into that. What triggers the denial and avoidance is the fear. Even asking, how much do you want to know is empowering to the patient.
Your staff did well to remove me from the stigma, and There is not one person who characterizes me as a suck.
Sheesh, the fact that I'm not a suck makes me even more embarrassed over my reactions there, it is not normal for me and every time I'm there that is how I am.
Part of the reason why I like to arrive sedated at this time is to avoid the feelings of embarrassment.
If you wanted to pass this on I wouldn't mind. If it would help someoneelse like me that would make me happy.
I needed to write this stuff out.
...and if you read this far....Thank-you.
Mickey