Ah, moving day!

OK, I tried starting this on yahoo 360, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't get crawled or add tags. So, a friend suggested blogspot.... Vini, Vidi, Blogi.

Here's the old place:
Embryonic Stem Blog

And here is my "first post" to let ya'll know why I'm here!

(think of it as leftovers, microwaved to perfection....)

Why a Dentist Blog?? - August 21, 2005

As far as I know, there aren't really any dentists blogging!


I googled it and there's this guy:

FullOsseousflap's Blog

He is a dentist (which is cool, IMO), but he is also quite the Republican (which is less cool, IMO). I mean, if I google "dentist blog" I don't want some guy going on about the California GOP and Ah-nold etc. He's entitled to his opinions, and if this was 2003, heaven knows I'd be whaling away on my "Dean for America" drum....
But he seems to not even be relating to politics as it affects dentistry, which is odd to me.

Just so you all know, just because most of us are in the higher tax brackets, we're [GASP!] not all Republicans. (And I, for one, am a wretched golfer.)

Mad props, however, to Dr. Cole for the "Fullosseousflap" nickname. Doesn't make sense to those outside the profession, but hey, the same goes for a good 90 seconds of "Finding Nemo." ["Ooh, he's using a Hedstrom file." "That's not a Hedstrom. That's a K-flex!" "Hedstrom!" "K-flex!"]

Then there's this guy, which falls into the not-uncommon category of "why dentists suck," which you find in the form of jokes and gibes all over pop culture:
[watch out; coarse language, kids!]

Electric Death

I guess he's more opposed to the product. I advocate tray bleaching, myself.

Also somewhat annoyingly:

notgartner.com

But, at least he replied to my [lengthy!] counter-post and was obviously taking me in better humor than I took his jab, so props also to Mitch Denny. His blog is "tech-y" but at least he's not flogging the Governator.... :)

Lastly, there's this guy:

Daily news and comments on the situation in post Saddam Iraq by an Iraqi dentist

Well, God bless 'im.... Again, more political, but HIS blog is actually stuff you DON'T get from CNN and Fox News. Not much dentistry, however. He has bigger fish to fry.

So. I have kind of a unique perspective. I have a doctorate in a relatively esoteric profession. I am currently the Secretary/Treasurer of my local chapter of the state dental society. However, I'm also still under 30 and reasonably tuned into pop culture. I can quote Spongebob, Jon Stewart, Harry Potter, and the Killers. However, I can't name Britney's husband. I think it's Kevin or Jason, but.... Furthermore (ahem - I am ridiculously tangential - apologies!)...FURtheremore, i currently work for a non-profit clinic, rather than a typical private practice.

I see patients who, by and large, don't have insurance, or they have Medicaid. Some haven't been to a dentist in 10, 15, 20 years or more. Some have been domestically abused. Some are slackers while others work 50 or more hours a week in, say, the restaurant industry, w/o health insurance. There are artistic intellectuals and there are paranoid schizophrenics. (Note to self: make Venn Diagram of these groups....) The point is, it's a very unique situation.

Sometimes it's heartwarming, sometimes it's stressful, sometimes it's funny. I find that keeping a sense of humor helps retain my sanity and ability to keep up what I do. Think of Alan Alda in M*A*S*H. I'll be Hawkeye with a drill..... stay tuned!