health}smile
Good Music
& Great
Dental Visits By Dr. John F. Miller DDS - SMILE MONTANA
So somewhere near these exact words you are reading is a picture of me jumping with a gold top Gibson Les Paul. I look like a child in this picture. This picture is over 10 years old. I think the message it’s trying to convey is that I’m a dentist who really aspired to be a rockstar as a youngster. Which is partially accurate in that yes, in my youth I wanted to be a professional rock musician, but the part that’s wrong is that I still want to be a rock musician even into my middle age (while still providing top notch dentistry to the good folks of the Flathead Valley...of course). The ironic thing is that I look so much more like a rockstar in my present 2023 state. I’m in a little better physical shape and of course I have what every good rockstar needs: A full head of long wavy hair. We’re talking Long Long & Wavy Wavy. Some of you might know me personally and can confirm that I look like I’m in my midlife crisis. And... you’re right. But it’s
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like a good midlife crisis, maybe let’s call it a midlife pivot. The point I’m trying to make is I need to recreate/update this photo so snag an issue down the road and see how it looks. Speaking of Rockstars, or musicians in general, a recent study suggests that the music we loved during our teenage years into early twenties will remain our favorite music throughout our lives. This rings completely true for me. If left up to me we are listening to 90’s music...forever. This was true for my folks also, music played a huge role in the home I grew up in and we listened to The Beatles, John Denver, and The Carpenters. All 60’s and early 70’s tunes...in the 90’s. The study says that this music is “entangled” with the positive emotions and experiences from that impressionable time in our lives. The incredible moments and memories associated with us gaining our independence. Close your eyes and think about it. It was a phenomenal time. I have a 17-year-old daughter right now (shout out to Nayvee Lee), she’s gonna have to go through life thinking the crap that’s coming out today is the best stuff ?? Yikes. Kidding...kind of. Something else that can stick with us from our youth forever is a negative dental experience.
A bad dental visit as a kid will get embedded deep inside the brain and it’s very hard to fully recover from. I work with patients whose bad experience was so long ago that they don’t really remember any of the specifics...regardless they can be terrified of having a dental procedure. While it’s rare to ever fully cure someone from this, just like it would be really hard to convince me that 90’s rock isn’t the best, the best therapy is a consistent string of positive dental experiences.
How do we ensure a positive experience when someone is already apprehensive?
1. We communicate through the process so there are no surprises. 2. We make sure they are appropriately and fully anesthetized (numb) for the procedure being performed. 3. I personally aim for shorter appointments starting with the easiest/quickest needs with the hopes of building my patient’s trust and confidence in me before moving onto larger procedures if needed. 4. Do not rush things. By moving slower, I can minimize any discomfort in the event the anesthetic might be wearing off or was not strong enough to begin with. 5. Lastly, we can offer sedation.