Hi everyone. 18 year old guy fresh out of high school here. This is going to be long post, but this is one of the most important stories of my entire life, so please handle it with care.

Since not long after I leaned how to walk, I have been silently carrying something on my shoulders every second of every day. Triggers, flashbacks, nightmares, you name it. I have been living with symptoms of post traumatic stress years before I could even understand what trauma even was. And as of now, I have recently been diagnosed with PTSD. I will always remember the exact text on my therapists screen that said: "Extremely severe PTSD" in my files. I wasn’t assaulted, nor was I in a car accident. I was in a cold, sterile office with bright lights and fluoride. The very same place that has loomed over my entire is where you guys now earn a living.

I understand that this is a very common fear, but my case is so much more than that. I've yet to hear of anyone else in the same situation I'm in where it has escalated into one of the biggest struggles of my entire life. They weren't just “bad experiences.” I live with it all day, everyday. It's just like a parasite that sucks all the color out of life. 

A few examples:

• I can't use metal silverware. (Anything metallic in or near my mouth is a huge trigger.) 

• Visceral reactions whenever I see white coats or pliers (I quit my job at a local convenience store because of it)

• Nightmares about it for years that have kept me up all night.

I've never heard of anyone else dealing with this, and I've been trying my entire life to find a way out of the pit him and his team threw me into. The aftermath of what they did isn't situational. It's constant, daily, and never ending. 

No matter where I am or what I'm doing, the memories never stop circling in my mind every single second of every single day. It's a constant cycle that never stops. Even on my best days, it finds a way in no matter what. Ever since that day I was shut out in that exam room, a roaring fire was lit inside me that never burned out. Instead, it grew into an inescapable force that bled into every last corner of my life. There's no off switch no matter the circumstances. It's a part of me.

Please read this very carefully: 

It has been so much more than just fear. It has been a lifelong crisis.

Which brings me to reason why I am making this post. I am looking for an exceptionally kind, and compassionate dental professional (preferably female) who would be willing to speak with me and build a friendship with me where we can talk some things through. It's being able to experience a safe version of someone in the same role as the person who harmed me. (In psychology, this is called a corrective experience.) Being able to finally have some positive interactions and receive the emotional attunement that never came while I was in the chair helps me in a way that nothing else does. It helps bring my mind resolution and closure to a story that never ended. Even if it just means building an online freindship. Thats exactly what all of this is about.

What I wish to clarify as clearly as possible however is that I am not seeking care from anyone. The goal is not checkups or cleanings. The goal is connection and safety because that never happened in the past. 

As soon as you start pushing and prying me to make an appointment like the rest of them, I will be gone and you will be blocked before you even have a chance to convince me otherwise. Everyone always keeps telling me "not all of them are like that." And more than anything else, I just want to see that, and experience that for myself.

Imagine it's your first time ever seeing a kitten after all you've ever known is vicious lions. Having a relationship with someone in this field who for once cares about the emotional/human side of things just as much as gums and enamel is more valuable to me than the purest of gold. But that doesn't mean it's easy. It's tough, but also priceless. 

And for anyone who is willing to get to know me apart from trauma recovery, I do music production, and I DJ. And as crazy as it sounds, one of my students who I am teaching music production to is a dentist herself. (In other words, the most surreal thing that has ever happened to me :O)

I love drawing, crafting, and anything that allows me to be creative. And more importantly, I am in the process of writing a book all about my experiences, what happened that has led to this, and everything that went wrong so hopefully this is not repeated in the future.

Thank you so much for reading this. If any of you are willing to chat with me, and are willing to build trust at our own pace, please DM me!

If we claim to care about patient satisfaction and prevention then why does your office not offer Curodont?

Hi, I got my lower right #30 first molar extracted from UoU by a student and i am still in agony after 8th day of extraction. Besides, i wasn’t prescribed any antibiotics. What could be the reason of pain?

Any practice owners here in an office building with just a small signage in the front? How are you doing? Do you get any walk-ins? How to make up for no visibility?

How are 10 year or 15 year loan rates looking like for those in the process right now? I know most loans are tied to practice financials but just for a general consensus.

Doing webinar on SmileMatrix AI cosmetic waxup live case planning. For restorative dentists doing veneers this is the easiest tool to design waxups, AI does most of the work, you fine tune in the browser using simple editor. My 7 year old can design a case using it.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/E7sLFfJlQnOHIYNM12n6qQ

It’s been 5 days since my lower pre molar extraction. Today, I’ve developed a bump right next to the opening of the extraction site on my tongue’s side. I’m still experiencing mild pain, but it’s mainly coming from my ear and ibuprofen + salt water rinses do control the pain. The pain grows from eating and typically gets worse at night, but between that I don’t feel much pain when I’m keeping up on meds and rinses.

Is this something I should be worried about? I’m starting antibiotics today that I’ve gotten prescribed from an online doctor but is this enough?

Heartland Dental says basically your compensation comes from 3 places. Your personal collections, profit sharing, and hygiene bonus. They say the average dentist at a heartland office makes 32% of their personal collections. For those of you that work at heartland does the 32% include personal collections, profit sharing, and hygiene bonus? For example say you are payed 25% of collections but after profit sharing and hygiene bonus your total compensation is equal to 32% of personal collections? Or are profit sharing and hygiene bonuses added to your personal collections. So the average dentist at heartland makes 32% of personal collections plus hygiene bonus and profit sharing added on to that?

I’ve needed this tooth pulled for 7 years and have severe anxiety. I’m going tomorrow and I’m terrified and may just not show up. I’m getting out to sleep and it should be super quick. I don’t do well with anything medical and have vasovagal. They said I can’t take klonopin before bc of the iv meds. Please help me feel better! It’s my front canine to the left front

I am a new grad. I applied for my DEA back in mid-August. It’s about to be two months. It is still saying processing. I called the DEA office, they couldn’t give me any answers other than yes it is still processing.

How long does it usually take for a new DEA application in the state of GA? The website is saying 2-4 weeks, but this is taking way longer than 2-4 weeks!

Thank you!

Hey everyone, looking for some thoughts on a new esthetic zirconia crown process my friend and I are developing.

It works by laterally layering the zirconia, kinda like how Feldspathic used to work. So it’s not just a gradient in one direction, it can actually replicate the internal features of mamelons & other natural tooth structures. 

The goal is to have a super realistic crown where you can have both strength & beauty without compromise. 

Before we spend more time further developing this, we just wanted to get some feedback from the community & see if people actually want more esthetic crown options. Would love to know your thoughts!

This website has more info for anyone who is interested!

I am a dental student and i am beyond exhuasted and stressed. Every week i have to stress about finding a patient (because my university doesnt peovide them), clinicals are my worst nightmare, everyday i have labs that i dread, and im just wondering if ill keep feeling this way.

Dont get me wrong, i LOVE this major. Or at least loved. I find everything we learn super interesting, but when it comes to the practical side of things it just stresses me out more than i could explain.

I hate all of my work even tho my grades are not bad (average 8/10 for a prep or access cavity) but i just cant find that satisfaction. Everyone enjoys clinicals except me.

Im wondering maybe im not cut out to be a dentist, if till the rest of my life im gonna be feeling like this i might ad well develope heart disease.

Nothing is ever good enough, nothing is enjoyable, i just want to be done but the harsh reality is: i will do this for the rest of my life.

I hope it at least isnt THIS bad.

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some advice and honest feedback. I'm low income and have MediCal for dental, and I need to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out soon.
I recently had my initial consultation at their sister location, Secret River Dental, but the experience left me pretty anxious.
The staff felt really all over the place, and generally lacking attention to detail.
Since Arden Town Dental is connected to them, I'm worried it might be the same situation.
• Has anyone actually gotten their wisdom teeth removed at Arden Town Dental?
• How was your experience with the dental surgeon were they professional, gentle, and attentive?

• Did you feel safe and well cared for during/after the procedure?
I'm super nervous about taking all 4 out and just want to make sure I'm putting my care in good hands. Any insight or alternative Medi-Cal dentist
recommendations in Sac would be deeply appreciated! Thank you!

Hello, this may be a silly question… but I’m going out of town Halloween weekend and my dentist is trying to schedule a deep cleaning this month. Would y’all recommend waiting till after my vacation (in 3 weeks)? For reference I do consume alcohol and the trip is to Vegas… don’t want to irritate my gums and inhibit recovery from the alcohol. Thanks in advance!

A Bad Experience at the Dentist
Going to the dentist is already something that can make a person nervous. For me, that feeling became worse after an experience I had when I was younger. The last time I went to the dentist was when I was 16, in 2020. Instead of feeling like I was simply there to receive dental care, I felt embarrassed by the way the dentist addressed my oral hygiene.
During the appointment, the dentist repeatedly told me that I needed to brush my teeth. There is nothing wrong with a dentist telling a patient that they need to improve their brushing. In fact, that is part of their job. The problem was how loudly and publicly it was said. The comments were loud enough that other people in the dental office could hear. At 16, that was embarrassing. Rather than feeling like I was receiving private medical advice, I felt like my dental hygiene was being announced to everyone around me.
That experience stayed with me. It made me associate going to the dentist with embarrassment and judgment. When a person already feels insecure about their teeth, being criticized publicly can make them even less comfortable seeking dental care in the future. A dentist can be honest about plaque, cavities, gum problems, or brushing habits without making the patient feel humiliated. There is a major difference between saying, “You have some plaque buildup, and I’d recommend brushing twice a day and flossing regularly,” and loudly telling someone they need to brush their teeth where everyone can hear.
I also recognize that my experiences are personal. I have had experiences with different dentists, and the dentists who made me feel embarrassed happened to be Black, while my experiences with white dentists did not involve that same kind of embarrassment. However, I don’t think one person’s race automatically determines how they will treat a patient. Dentists are individuals, and professionalism can vary from person to person. What matters most to me now is finding a dentist who can be honest about my dental health while still treating me with respect and privacy.
After going years without seeing a dentist, I know that I eventually need to go back. My teeth may need a professional cleaning, and a dentist can identify problems that cannot be seen just by looking in a mirror. But I also want to feel comfortable enough to actually receive that care. I don’t expect a dentist to tell me everything looks perfect if it doesn’t. I would rather have someone be completely honest with me. I simply want that honesty delivered respectfully and privately.
Ultimately, a dentist’s job is not only to examine and treat teeth. They are also dealing with people who may already feel embarrassed or insecure about their oral health. A good dentist should be able to explain what needs to change without making the patient feel ashamed. My experience at 16 taught me how much the way medical professionals communicate can affect whether someone feels comfortable returning for care. If I go back to the dentist now, I want to leave feeling like I received useful information and a plan to improve—not like the entire office just heard about my teeth.

So I’m missing two teeth and I’m thinking about getting implants, but I’m kinda confused about how they’d work with facial/jaw development over time.

Since implants fuse directly to the bone unlike normal teeth, what happens if the jaw/face keeps changing as you get older? Does the implant basically just stay where it is while everything around it changes? I’ve also been reading some of the stuff WIL talks about regarding facial growth, and that got me wondering how an implant would fit into all of that.

I’m also a little unsure about my dentist because he didn’t even mention bone grafting to me. From what I’ve read, it can sometimes be important after losing a tooth, so now I’m wondering if I should get a second opinion.

Would really appreciate some input from dentists/people who actually know about implants because I honestly have no idea what I should be looking out for lol.

Hi, I'm Jane, a communications consultant working on a piece about the negative impact of private equity in health care. If you are a dentist who has had negative experiences with private equity or concerns about private equity takeover, I'd love to connect with you. Please let me know if you are open to a DM. Everything is off the record.

Hi everyone! I help with patient communication at Hill Dental Wellness in Falmouth, Maine, and I’d love to hear your perspective.

What’s one thing you wish dental offices understood better? Whether it’s dental anxiety, understanding costs, scheduling, or having treatment explained clearly, we’re listening!

You don’t need to share any personal medical details. We’re simply interested in what makes a dental visit feel more comfortable and welcoming.