Horrible RW day at the dental office:

[PCIntern]

My day began with a late-middle-aged lady, who STARTED our conversation by telling me that, "The teachers have to give back. Who do they think they are, anyway?"

Me: Well, you were outraged...are you outraged at those who worked at AIG, or any of the other firms which have taken BILLIONS from the Treasury?

She: Well, we shouldn't have bailed them out, but...

Me: I hate to interrupt you, but first of all, my deceased mother was a non-union teacher, retired in 1980, and never ever made $10,000 in her lifetime, all the while teaching in Quaker schools. Public School teachers were making more, but not that much more. Do you think that they should be blamed for all this economic turmoil?

She: They have to understand that they need to give up bennies and pension - we're all giving up something.

Me: Really? Most people I know aren't giving up too much...certainly not their pensions and medical care, but then again, everyone I know outside of here is in pretty good shape, for the most part, so what do I know? I'm only a dentist.

She: I don't believe that the rich shouldn't be taxed more, but you can't make it off the backs of the rich.

Me: Well, it would be a symbolic start...hey, lemme ask you a question: do you think that it's the job of the working class like you and me to defend the rich all the time? Let them take care of themselves; why do I have to do their work for them here, in this regard, as well as my daily 'grind'?

She: I see what you mean...my lower crown is bothering me and hurts when I lay down at night.

Me: Let's check your insurance and see if you are eligible for a root canal and crown here.

She: OK, because if I'm not, I'll put it off until I am or if I can't stand it anymore.

Me: (Ironic smile)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

2nd event:

Man comes in, and says, "I bit down on a hard pretzel and broke my tooth. Pretty stupid thing to do, but not as stupid as voting for that Obama."

No shit...he really said this...

Me: How did you get from biting on a pretzel to Obama in one clause? That's amazing.

He: blah blah blah...

++++++++++++++++++++++++

My head feels like the working end of a bowling alley.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I would have asked the lady if she thought the state legislators should go first on giving up things

like salary and health insurance and pensions.

[StarburstClock]

2. I tell people like that they are not capable of living in society

and are further incapable of learning and then I ask them when, if ever, they had functioning minds.

[PCIntern]

4. If I had said that...(and I would like to , believe me)

there would be 55 replies here telling me how un-fucking-professional I was, and a GIANT ASSHOLE for saying that to that poor lady and gentleman.

Parenthetically, that's why Dems always eventually lose...

[Gemini Cat]

12. You probably would have.

I would not have been one of them.
You did great.

[PCIntern]

20. I don't have time now,

but one time I really went after this asshole patient, and people around here were apoplectic that I could possibly be so rude and unprofessional to this RW asshole par-excellence, that I thought I was on Miss Manners' site, or Freeperland.

[iscooterliberally]

3. Sounds kinda like my day.

Except I was bare foot and taking out the garbage in my front yard when it all started. Yeah it's pretty warm where I live. :toast:

[DainBramaged]

5. Their heads explode when you explain these people PAID into their pensions

and are getting back what they PAID after they retire.

People are fucking too dumb to live.

[rfranklin]

6. You got give 'em more novacaine...

then it just sounds like random grunts.

[onager]

14. I vote for LESS novocaine

They'll be too busy screaming to spew their Beckisms and Limbaughlogies.

The nice dentist can tell them to buck up and remember a famous politician who had all his dental work done sans painkillers, and also efficiently solved all his union problems. His initials were AH.

(F!ck Godwin.)

[savalez]

55. Yeah, got any placebo stuff?

[RegieRocker]

7. I recommend qualifying then gassing them before they can say stupid crap.

[PCIntern]

8. No gas anymore in my office...

years ago there was an analgesia death here in PA, and we were, after that fact, so overregulated that I turned back my Restricted Permit to give Nitrous and got rid of the tanks and equipment. Not worth it for the 4 people a year who ask/demand it. And yes, they stay anyway and get the work done.

[RegieRocker]

15. Darn then put something in their mouth quickly.

[deutsey]

9. Orwell's "duckspeak"

duckspeak - (To quack like a duck). To speak without thinking. Can be either good or bad, depending on who is speaking, and whether or not they are on your side.

[whathehell]

10. Good post....Sounds like you made your point with the woman, anyway. n/t

[Drale]

11. My mother is always trying to scold me for bring the truth

to people, when the fact is I NEVER EVER EVER start a conversation about politics with someone I don't know, and I am merely trying to correct the dis information that these people are spewing out of their face holes.

[Initech]

13. Logic truly escapes these people.

[MineralMan]

16. Just say, "Is it safe?"

That should SThemTFU.

[gratuitous]

17. Nah, he's too professional

Probably wouldn't even give 'em an extra little jab in the gums with that pokey thing.

[PCIntern]

18. "The Explorer"! n/t

[gratuitous]

22. I figured there was a technical term for it N/T

[MineralMan]

21. I had a dental hygienist do that to me once. Several times

in fact. She had nagged at me about smoking for about ten minutes while cleaning my teeth, so I asked her to stop bothering me about it. She started stabbing me in the gums with the tool she was using. She hadn't been doing that until I asked her to stop nagging me.

The fourth time she jabbed me, I took her hand away from my mouth, got up from the chair and went to have a little chat with the dentist who owned the office. We met in his office for about five minutes. After that, the hygienist went home without her job.

She picked the wrong person to jab. I won't tolerate that. I'll take some advice about smoking, but not continuous nagging, either.

[PCIntern]

good story!

thanks!!!

:hi:

[MineralMan]

24. I guess she didn't know that the dentist was a personal friend

of mine. :rofl:

[Populist_Prole]

40. LMAO!! That made my day.

I bet even the "toughest" of "rugged individualists" would wet their pants. Well they would too, most should be old enough to get the joke.

[BlueJazz]

52. LOL!

[upi402]

19. LOL

Thanks PCIntern
:toast:

[Brigid]

23. Ron White said it best:

"You can't fix stupid."

[JoeyT]

25. I just smile and nod

and double their bill.
Then apply what I charged them when I run into someone that can't afford it.

I'm long past the point of giving a shit about fairness.

[PCIntern]

26. Robin Hood of Dentistry...

sounds good...

[JoeyT]

27. I'm not a dentist, but it could work for them too.

I do HVAC work. So it's damn near free air conditioning/heating for elderly people that can't afford it and might die without it. And the neo-cons that despise the idea of "their" money paying for anything for anyone are paying for it.

I'm pretty sure I don't get any karma points for it because I derive far too much amusement from it. ;)

[PCIntern]

34. Great...you're a true humanitarian...

it is life and death.

[Chorophyll]

28. Maybe you should take that

"Gentle Dentistry for Morans" sign off your door. ;)

[SHRED]

29. Remind these idiots...

...that the majority of these public pensions are in-lieu of Social Security.
In other words Social Security was given up and the retirement plan was put in it's place.

So are these rightwingnuts suggesting that public employees go without anything but a 401K?
Are they willing to give up their Social Security?
---

[Loki]

30. PC sorry about your day

Mine didn't start off too well either by an older former good ole boy Texas oil man sitting down in the chair and beginning his regurgitation of all the right wing crap he heard on the radio before he came in for his surgery......blah, blah, blah Janet Napolitano wanting to set up body scanner's in bus terminals, train stations, and even in high school, college, and professional sports arenas and this is just another instance of our "government" coming after our freedoms, I just calmly stated that well most of the latest terrorist attacks have happened in areas that are not secure, and I could go right into (unnamed airport near the office) and walk into the main part of the airport and anyone carrying explosives would never pass through any kind of detection and could quite possibly harm and kill quite a few people. No comment from Mr. Big Oil guy, then he started on Texas seceding from the union and how we are the only state that can do that, and I again calmly said, well no we can't, we can form 5 different states, but that is the only seceding that we can do, and if we did that, I'd be moving. Then as he is looking at me like "who is this woman who will not take my regurgitated crap and validate my superior knowledge" and I smile sweetly and ask him if he would like me to start to administer his nitrous oxide and oxygen to help him relax and so we can begin his prep for his surgical procedure. Meekly he smiled, and said....."yes, please." No retreat, no surrender.

[PCIntern]

33. Great stuff!

I am always amazed at how they think they can just start with this crap and no one's ever supposed to say anything to them...eff that, IMO.

[Mopar151]

31. My former dentist

Yes, FORMER - started quoting Hannity to me while I was not in a position to respond (grrf...mmmph...). Pretty much the last straw for me - he had been getting stranger, and harder to deal with for a while, and my wife had already bailed on him.

The oral surgeon I went to for extractions (Broken crowned teeth from bruxisim - "former" never got around to actually fitting the night guard he kept chiding me about) made some sympathetic noises, and hooked me up with a better, saner dentist.

[Poboy]

39. Similar story here. I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

I was in for a visit and Dentist starts talking about the Black Panthers. I remind readers about 6 months ago how that was being pushed on Fox.
All the talking points were repeated. This from my dentist! WTF does any of this have to do with my filling?

WTF.

[The Doctor.]

32. I hear a shot of novocaine to the tongue can prevent headaches.

:evilgrin:

(I wouldn't even charge them for it!)

[Darth_Kitten]

35. I wouldn't piss off anybody with access to a dental drill.

:evilgrin:

Just unbelievable that they start off the bat with their right-wing rants. Yikes. :( :silly:

[Shagbark Hickory]

37. I guess that's the difference between the party that uses their noggin most of the time VS

the party that is programmed what to think.

[Shagbark Hickory]

36. People are crazy to say provacative shit at the dentist.

Actually, they're just really dumb.

When I'm at the dentist, it's nothing but compliments from me.

[Evolve_Already]

38. The teachers and other public union

members should not have been asked to pay more into their pensions and health insurance, let alone the abdication of their collective bargaining rights.

The monumental wasteful and duplicitous spending on behalf of the feds and state government should be premiere BEFORE taking away from our weakest in society and hard working union members.

Just one case in point: My father has medicare and tri-care and is moving into assisted living this weekend. While purchasing a lift chair a few days ago, they informed me that only the (motor) was covered under insurance, nothing else. However, interestingly enough, he falls, breaks his hip and by golly miss. molly, the tax payers cough up 50 grand for his hip replacement surgery. Insurance does not cover any safety equipment installed in bathrooms as well.

No coverage for preventing of falls, plenty of coverage after the fact.

Quite pathetic, really.

[truedelphi]

42. Welcome to DU. And very sorry

To hear about your father's difficult experiences.

He has my sympathy for the broken hip.

And totally agree that the way that the Big Insurers cover things, insurance-wise, really is suck-ey.

[Evolve_Already]

46. Thank you truedelphi

My apologies if I was nebulous about my father and broken hip. I should have typed (IF) he would have broken said hip.....insurance companies bla bla bla.

Thanks for the warm welcome, however DU did not remember all my information from about 5 years ago due to inactivity Had to re-register. I was very participatory on the boards for a short period in '06 under the name "ItTakesAVillage_People"

[apex nerd]

41. Going to the dentist can be stressful...

...try to cut them a little slack. But not much.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

43. My favorite dentist

Goverment_Run_Dental_Plan.wmv (6034KB)

Will see if I can get a better link.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

44. Here we go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9T8i4FkNVo&feature=related

:rofl: A classic. :hi:

[RagAss]

45. I treat them like the poor mentally ill souls that they are.

[prismpalette]

47. just sad

I love the "working end of a bowling alley" I would love a dentist with a compassionate, liberal bend. Mine assaults you with Fox news as soon as you enter his waiting room. If you are in coastal Alabama i would sign up! Seriously, I no longer have any clue on reaching this segment of the population which seems to be multiplying

[PCIntern]

49. If I had Faux News on in my waiting room,

I'd lose 85% of my patients. We're a strong, working-class, union-based town, and most people I treat would be offended mightily.

[chaska]

48. I'm so glad I voted for Obama. Of course I did it for completely racist reasons....

I knew the bastard was a corporatist (hereafter: fascist). I voted for him because I didn't want to miss voting for the first black president.

Damn glad I got that out of the way. Next black candidate that comes along will have to earn my vote. Fat chance.

[NICO9000]

50. What the hell is the matter with these people?

They have to make everything into a political fight. Makes no sense at all to me. I'm sure these are the same folks bemoaning the lack of civility in our society...

[bongbong]

51. Talking points to shove down their throats

You should amass a slew of talking points to ram down their throats. Here is a start:

1) "Do you have insurance? You're using SOCIALISM. Even private insurance is SOCIALISM. If you want to live to your principles, drop out of any insurance plan you have - medical, home, fire, theft, etc - and pay for any losses or bills from that mighty bankroll you must have to support repigs" (you can change the word repigs if you want)

2) Warren Buffett famously said that he pays less percentrage in taxes than his secretary. Do you think his secretary used as much of the infrastructure of America as Warren Buffett or any other billionaire? Do you think his secretary used the educated workforce available due to public education as he did?"

Rip those repigs' brainless ideas to shreds.

[rosesaylavee]

53. Double points for great comebacks ... on that second story esp!

Wish you were my dentist!

[savalez]

54. Your patient voted for McCain? Sounds like he's the stupid one.

[axollot]

56. Great LOL! What an awkward position! n/t

[xchrom]

57. love this:

'Me: Well, it would be a symbolic start...hey, lemme ask you a question: do you think that it's the job of the working class like you and me to defend the rich all the time? Let them take care of themselves; why do I have to do their work for them here, in this regard, as well as my daily 'grind'?'