Guest Blog from My Mum - A Trip to the Dentist

Below is a 'guest blog' from my Mum, who is visiting us in India for a few weeks.

My visits with Sus, Mike and the boys in India are always memorable, and sometimes not in the best of ways.  However, this visit was a whole new experience.  Whilst playing with the boys last week, I managed to break yet another front tooth (there are many stories surrounding my damn teeth and this is yet another !!!)  So off to the dentist we go, but this time in Hyderabad, India.

First Visit

Leaving your shoes at the door and walking barefoot everywhere, is always novel.  The language barrier left me wondering at times whether I was ever going to have treatment, and if so, what I may end up with.  I was apprehensive, to say the least, so required a visit to the bathroom before even seeing a dentist.  No soap, no hand towel and a very dodgy tap to say the least. Off to a great start.

Waiting Room "Please come Madam"     X-rays were needed to assess the 'damage'.

Waiting Room "Please come Madam"     First Dentist

Waiting Room "Please come Madam"    Second Dentist

Waiting Room "Please come Madam"    Third Dentist

After this game of musical chairs and doctors, I was totally confused as to what was actually going to happen next.  Finally, someone who spoke a little English and she told me what was required and the cost associated.  With a little exchange rate help from Sus, it all sounded good, so we signed on the dotted line and booked the next appointment. 

The next few days resulted in lots of phone calls to Sus about appointment times and options for days.  Always changing with 'lab issues' and Sus getting more and more frustrated by the day !!

Second Visit

Waiting Room "Please come Madam".  In the chair and the dentist arrives, where she asks the nurse (always a male nurse) for 'something' and he seems to not have any idea on what is wanted.  This was an ongoing scenario in my four visits, and it never seemed to change.  No one had any idea what anyone else wanted or needed !  This visited was to have my broken teeth removed, moulds taken, and the temporary teeth fitted.  A fun filled couple of hours and I left with very temporary, very short 'vampire like' teeth.  I was very concerned…….

Third Visit

Waiting Room "Please come Madam.  We need to check colour of teeth.  Driver will take you to Laboratory"

So, off I go with a complete stranger, no working phone, and no idea where I am going.

"Three kilometres Madam"

We arrive and enter the tiniest of lifts in what seemed like a private house.  Into another, you guessed it, waiting room.  Sitting there wondering what on earth was going to happen next, when in come three men and they proceed to have a heated discussion in front of me - mind you this discussion had absolutely NOTHING to do with me or my teeth.  Seemed like a random meeting of 'non-dentists' !! Thankfully a familiar face arrived, the dentist, with my brand new teeth wrapped in a wad of cotton wool just sitting in her hand.  No gloves anywhere to be seen and then the match is made for colour.  All the while, the three men continue with their discussion.

  

After a short visit, the driver then arrived to take me back to the dental surgery.  The drive back was  through the back streets of Hyderabad, and at this point I thought I was being abducted.  Totally insane !  

Then, you guessed it, back to the Waiting Room. "Please come Madam, glue your teeth Madam"

Again, no gloves !

All excited about having the final product, I was lying there wide mouthed, when the dentist managed to drop my new tooth on the 'not so clean' floor and recovered it and placed it in my mouth without cleaning it at all …… ARGHHHH !!!

All this time the dental nurse still remains clueless when asked for anything!  The tooth was glued and off I go, but before I leave I was told "must come back in 5 days for checkup"  I am sure you can see my eye-roll from home !

Fourth Visit

Waiting Room "Please come Madam.  Need X-ray"  Not sure why and was concerned as to what they could want to see now……

Waiting Room "Please come Madam"

I sit down and four dentists and five still clueless male nurses enter the room.  A bit of a file and polish and I got the 'good to go Madam' but not before the dentist (the main one I presume) says "do not bite on teeth Madam, only for smiling.  Also, other teeth are shiny and smooth, new teeth are rough, look more real"  ????

End result is I have lovely new matching front teeth at a fraction of the cost in Australia.

However, the experience definitely falls under "Only in India " !

'THE' Waiting Room

Not sure if Bugs Bunny is the right pinup boy for a Dentist ??!!

These guys were attempting to fix a video system.  Not sure why one guy was allowed shoes ??!!