Ah! So that is why they wear them.

[muffers]

I am alright with the dentists after I have had the injection. I do find it very annoying when they stick numerous gadgets in your mouth at the same time and then start to ask you questions.

[LDunlop76]

It's alright - we're specially trained to interpret the gobbledegook that comes out when you try and answer with your mouth full of equipment!!!

[Spitfire]

Linda, Perhaps you can explain to me why my dentist spends six minutes examining my teeth and fourteen chatting about my personal life and hobbies, then tells me nothing is wrong and presents me with a 20 minute check-up fee.

[LDunlop76]

Can't help you there, Jim. Having a good "chairside manner" is a practice builder, but a couple of minutes chit-chat to put a patient at ease is usually sufficient. It's more cost-effective for high street dentists to see more people per hour, so your dentist can't be short of a bob or two if he can afford to spend 14 minutes on small talk! But they say he who pays the piper calls the tune - why not ask him if he could spend the bulk of the minutes you've paid for examining your teeth?

[Spitfire]

One thing I noticed when our practice went private was the fact that the, `nobody gets past me without a fight`, attitude of the receptionists disappeared overnight. In it`s place we have friendliness and servility. My question is - I`m the same person and they are the same receptionists - what`s changed (apart from money)?