Dear Friends,
Working on kids’ teeth is not always easy, and unfortunately, many of our patients have had negative experiences at other dental offices before coming to see us here at the Children’s Dental Health Clinic.
Luis is a prime example of that.
I first met Luis when he was 12-years-old, shortly after I began working here as a dentist. He had already visited us twice for an exam and cleaning. That’s when his mom told us about the experience he had five years earlier. He was uncooperative with his prior dentist, so they used techniques that forced him to let them work on his teeth. Now he was extremely nervous and afraid of the dentist.
As he walked into his first restorative treatment with me, he was clinging to his mom and crying uncontrollably.
Luckily, at his exam a few months earlier, they had recommended nitrous – aka laughing gas – which is delivered through a little gray nose piece. The patients are fully awake the entire time, and they can communicate with us, but it helps them relax. Some kids feel so relaxed that they fall asleep. Once the treatment is done, they breathe in 100% oxygen and then walk out on their own.
Veronica was also a phenomenal assistant to have with me that day. She’s very calm, and she has a little speaker to play music for the kids. As she walked Luis back through the open bay, he continued crying, so we started talking to him. I introduced myself and we reassured him that he was going to be okay. We asked him to get in the chair, so he could lay back and be more comfortable, and then I told him about the nitrous. I explained that it was his astronaut nose for the day – to put it in terms he would understand.
He continued to cry, so we tried to get him to take deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth. He had to be able to breathe in enough to get the analgesic effect. Unfortunately, he was crying and taking very short, shallow breaths, so he wasn’t really getting the benefits of the nitrous.
He had several areas that needed work, including one stainless steel crown that had cracked and another that had come off completely. Unfortunately, that exposed tooth was on the lower left, which requires a much more aggressive injection.
I decided that in order to earn his trust, we needed to start with a quicker and simpler procedure.
I explained this to his mom – I wanted to show him that I’m not going to hurt him – and she agreed. We also used a lot of positive behavior management techniques, since he continued to cry. As I gave him the numbing injection, I shook his cheek and blew air over the area, while Veronica started rubbing the sides of his arms lightly. We also talked him through the entire procedure, and we continued to reassure him that we weren’t going to hurt him.
He finally started to calm down after the procedure was finished. As we sat him back up, his mom thanked us for taking the time to ensure it was a more positive experience. I told him how brave he was for getting through something that was so terrifying for him. Then, I looked at him and said, “Luis, there are still some areas that we need to work on. When you come back, I hope you know that we’re going to do everything we can to make sure you’re comfortable and that it doesn’t hurt.”
For his next appointment two months later, we made sure it was scheduled in a private room. Melissa was my assistant that day, and I told her about my first experience with Luis to prepare her for this appointment and the help I would need. I also have to be honest. I was very nervous for him to come back, because I knew I was going to have to give him a rather unpleasant injection and the procedure was going to take longer.
When Melissa walked Luis back to the treatment room, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing… he walked in confidently ahead of his mom this time, sat down in the chair and smiled.
We laid him back and put the nitrous mask on. He listened to our directions, and this time, he was able to take deep breaths in order to get the full effect of the nitrous. Although it wasn’t a fun injection, he got through it, and he even allowed us to place the rubber isolation dam around the tooth.
I remember looking over at his mom, telling her how I couldn’t believe he was acting like this, and she thanked us profusely once again. He clearly trusted us at that point. He knew we weren’t lying to him.
I was just so blown away by how far he had come and the difference between the two visits.
I remember running over to our toy chest when we were finished. I gave him the little prize and told him how amazingly he had done. Then, after he got out of the chair, I just couldn’t help myself. I asked him, “Can I please have a hug, Luis?”
The next time I saw him walk in, he once again smiled, laughed and even joked with me. I think it’s a testament not only to me, but to everyone who works with our patients and provides this kind of compassionate care. They’re also such a well-oiled machine. The communication is top-notch between the doctors and the assistants, as well as the assistants and our front office staff.
This team effort allows us to take the time we need to care for all of our patients based on their individual needs, so we don’t feel rushed, and it gives patients like Luis the time they need to have a good experience. It’s really wonderful to see, because he’s not the first and he won’t be the last one to have such an incredible transformation from scared to trusting… You can hear more about Luis, his story and the impact we made in this video:
It’s also a testament to generous community members like you. A vast majority of our patients are on Medi-Cal, and we are one of very few options they have for their children’s dental care. Plus, we only receive about 55% of the cost of our services through insurance reimbursements. Your support allows us to provide this kind of care – taking the time we need, so patients like Luis can have a positive experience – which allows us to build trust as we continue giving these kids the regular check-ups and restorative treatments they need.
Please join us in giving the gift of time, trust and care to the children who need it most when you make a year-end donation before December 31. Click here to donate securely online.
When you do, you’ll be helping us continue to change lives, one smile at a time, by providing the comprehensive, compassionate and quality dental care everyone deserves!
Gratefully,
Mackenzie Kate Martin, DDS, MPH
Executive Director / Dental Director
p.s. You can also make a bigger impact throughout the year when you set up recurring monthly donations. Click here to learn more about that and other ways to give – and set up your monthly donation online!