Conversations at the Dentist's Office

I couldn't resist publishing this photo I took of Fort Wayne's downtown at twilight. The grand old courthouse, the tall buildings, the glow of the street lamp all look inviting from the large picture windows of the Hoppy Gnome restaurant.

Very near here in Fort Wayne, because of its relatively high elevation, the Wabash and Erie Canal was initiated on Feb. 22, 1832. Irish and German immigrants dug ditches some places 60 feet wide and six feet deep, using pick axes, shovels, and horses to help clear trees and pull stumps. Many men died during the construction due to accidents and disease. By about 1874, the era of canals was over - giving way to the transportation power of the railroads.

As humans, there are other kinds of canals with which we are familiar. Some of these are the dental kind: root canals. There are also other kinds of digging tools: dental tools. So here I segue to my topic of dentistry.

I like my dentist. I think he does a good job. I think he and his staff have very competently taken care of my teeth. But sometimes I'm amazed at the conversations we have in the office. The dentist seems to have a good social sense of what is okay to talk about casually, but the hygienist just doesn't know where not to cross the line. I've had one ask me why I was so dressed up when I came to my appointment. I'm not always dressed up, but I had a meeting that day. Would they ask that of a man who showed up in a suit?

They've asked me where I'm planning to go on vacation. Do I have any plans for spring break? I guess they are bored cleaning teeth all day. Maybe they are trying to put me at ease. Maybe the average woman is happy to make conversation like this. But my mouth is occupied with instruments, a spit straw, and fingers. The hygienist has to wait for me to answer her questions. It would be easier for her to talk and me to listen - she doesn't have tools in her mouth.

One time, I became aware of the fact there is more than medical history in my file. Someone must have been also jotting down personal information about me as well. I remember being asked some details about my work at one time, then six months later, these specific details were brought up to me again - someone had to be taking notes. None of it was relevant to my visit to the dentist.

This time, questions were not only about my daughter, but what school she was going to, what her major was, where was she going to live next year, whether she would be moving into an apartment with her current roommate, etc. It's hard to figure out how to stop answering these questions without offending someone. I don't even know the hygienist's name - certainly not her last name. Yet, she knows all these details about me. I'm going to have to figure out how to turn the tables somehow, toward her. The thing is, I'm really not that rude, or unkind. I don't want to be that nosy with her, with anyone.

I'm sure she's a nice person, and doesn't mean any harm. But this has left me guarded. I could bring it up with the dentist, but that might harm her job or leave me vulnerable. Maybe I'll just start telling stories - invent an alternate persona. I could come up with an elaborate alter-ego and keep some notes of my own! This is starting to sound like fun! If I have any breakthroughs regarding this, I'll be sure to keep you posted. Maybe just drooling and spitting more would be enough.

Hairdressers can be bad about this also. Men tell me women who cut their hair ask lots of personal questions. I guess those of us who don't like it just have to figure out how to stand up for ourselves. But it's hard to stop the ball once it's rolling. I'll just wish myself luck, and strength.

HealthFair mobile screening vans team with Parkview for efficient medical checks

I have health insurance, a regular primary care doctor, and I'm generally in good physical health. So why would I want to spend $200 to have a bunch of tests performed in a mobile screening van?

Because it's convenient and efficient to have a bunch of tests done like this, in old-fashioned clinic form. When a mailing advertising lifeline screenings came to our house, I was interested. Parkview Heart Institute had partnered with a company called HealthFair out of Winter Springs, Florida to schedule medical tests for customers out of a traveling van. Different locations and dates around Fort Wayne were offered. Parking lots near gym facilities and shopping centers were some of the locations listed. I went online to schedule a date and choose a location. It was easy and the choices were close to home.

I like my personal physician a lot, but that office is very busy. I get quick attention when I have signs or symptoms of illness, but trying to get in for preventative checkups can be more difficult to schedule. And then, asking for a full battery of preventative screenings can be like pulling teeth to get scheduled for when healthy, and sometimes problematic to get insurance to cover.

So this is why I was interested in HealthFair screening vans. I could see from the literature and website they are capable of offering comprehensive, thorough tests in a relatively short visit. I would be able to get a written and also an online report that could give me all kinds of data at once.

I signed up for the EKG or Electrocardiogram. This monitors the electric rhythm of the heart. I'm in my 50s with some family history of heart disease, and have never had this test before, so I thought it was time to do so. I also had an ultrasound of the carotid arteries in my neck. People who have an excess of plaque built up in these blood vessels are more likely to suffer from strokes or heart disease.

I was also given an ultrasound of my abdominal aorta. This blood vessel is the body's largest, and carries the blood out of the heart to go on to circulate elsewhere in the body. Aneurysms in this area can cause sudden death in older adults if they rupture suddenly. Luckily for me, the results of all the above ultrasounds came back to be within normal ranges.

Another test that came back normal for me was that for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). If you have PAD, plaque has built up in your legs. This can be very painful, increases risk of heart disease, and may cause gangrene. I was also tested for arterial stiffness or hardening of the arteries, which is measured in the upper arm. Thankfully, this result for me was normal as well.

I also had some blood tests, which were all done with just a couple of finger sticks - no vials full of blood. These tests were sent off and measured my lipids: HDL, LDL, triglycerides, blood sugar, and total cholesterol. Also tested was the presence of H. pylori, the bacterium that can cause ulcers or stomach cancer. This was not present in my body. Lucky me!

Overall, I found the tests to be thorough and the written follow-up report to have a ton of useful information. It gives much more explanatory data than you would normally get as simple results from your doctor's office. But there were a few glitches for me. I was almost given another patient's receipt. The check-in person had a lot of work to do all at once and multiple patients to juggle, so I got the wrong handout until I told them so and they found the correct one. Just a reminder to always glance at your paperwork, just in case of simple human error.

Another mistake - my height was mis-measured. I assume the bar wasn't held exactly level with the top of my head. On my report, my height was listed as being one inch shorter than is accurate. At the time, I questioned it in my mind, thinking I had perhaps shrunk a bit with age. So I didn't protest the measurement. But curious, when I got home, I measured myself again with help, and found out I had not shrunk an inch after all. This would not have been a big deal, but body mass index (BMI) is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height. So if either of these factors have be inaccurately measured, the BMI doesn't come out right.

I think the HealthFair van is a great idea. I received a lot of useful information: facts I can use or send to my doctor, explanations about what the risk factors and illnesses are, and lots of tips on how to make little changes to help. Get online and see if there are clinics or health van checks like this coming to a location near you. You won't wonder any more if there's something you're missing about your health.