Who Needs the Tooth Fairy?

Sometimes change is good. For instance, today I took Desheng Darling to the dentist…not just any dentist, but a pediatric dentist. Now, these specialists may have existed when I was young, but if they did, I never visited one. The greatest thing about visiting the dentist when I was a child was the Highlights Magazine that I got to look through while waiting to go back to the chair. You know the one with the Goofus and Galliant cartoon and the pictures where you were supposed to circle the differences? I loved these, but I never loved going to the dentist. After today’s visit with Dr. Clark, I think DD may intentionally get cavities so that she can go back.
The waiting room was brightly painted like a jigsaw puzzle with furniture to match. It also had giant bean bags for the children to sit on while they watch cartoons and play video games! Of course, there were books to read, too, but I forgot to check for the Highlights Magazine. The entire office was child-centered with board games framed and mounted on the walls…really clever idea.
The dental assistants were fantastic with DD. She got to sit in the princess chair while they took x-rays. Then, she got 2 stickers, a new Dora toothbrush and a hug for sitting still. The lady who cleaned her teeth allowed DD to choose the flavor of her toothpaste…chocolate chip cookie dough and let her play with the dental instruments. Wow! She let DD look at her x-rays and explained them to her. She even let DD sit in her lap while she wrote the information in her file.

(In front of the token machines)

At the end of the visit, DD received good behavior tokens that she traded in for a bracelet and a balloon that she wore on her wrist practically ALL DAY including the 2 hours that we were in Wal-Mart (with the balloon hitting everything on the shelves as we went by). She walked out of the dentist's office with a goody bag full of kid stuff. Who needs the Tooth Fairy when you’ve got Dr. Clark?????

(Showing her clean pearly whites)