Before reading this, please do not think that I am an ungrateful adult complaining . I recognize my privilege having dental insurance through my workplace. I did not grow up with access to insurance through parents. Instead, I grew up with terrible teeth and had major work done throughout my life that was always paid out of pocket
My life is all over the place. I’m still in the process of remembering what its like to blog and trying to figure out the best day and time for posts to be going up. But in the meantime, I guess it will be a surprise for me and you.
Currently I am laying on my bed waiting for my work day to end (I work a hyrbid schedule and today was my wfh day). I had a dental appointment in the morning and started work at 10am, so just laying here waiting for me to shut my laptop and call it a day. And I thought, why not tell you about my dental situation because its funny and financially painful.
If there is anything to know about me, its that I am terrified of the dentist and needles ever since I was young. I only trusted one dentist for 20 years. Even when I moved to Canada, I would go back to see her when I was there. She was the only one I let near my teeth. She saw me grow from a little kid to an adult. Unfortunately, she’s getting older, close to retiring and I can’t travel back there every 6 months just to see a dentist (Interestingly enough I have a post from when I first started this blog about how my dentist and I went from enemies to best friends. I will link it here). Plus my insurance covers Canadian dentists, not St.Lucian dentists, so it only makes sense to see one here. Finding one in Canada was something that I procrastinated for the longest time, until it started getting painful last year. And one day I was referred to a particular dental clinic from someone that I trusted, and thankfully that clinic was accepting new patients.
So, last year in August, I overcame that fear and went to the dentist for the first time in 2 years for an initial consultation and checkup. They took scans and xrays. They checked my teeth and took a medical history. The basics when you see a new doctor of any kind. And I knew that I needed to get some work done. I just didn’t realize how bad it was. I don’t remember the amount of cavities, I was told that I had, but it might have been around 15. Yes, you read that right. I left that office chair, went to the front desk, paid about $141 out of pocket since my insurance covered most of it and made my follow up appointments.
As much as I joke about the situation (having 15 cavities), that day was a reality check for me. Because of my fear of dentists (completely rational I think), I let it get really bad. And not only was there physical pain, there was financial pain from the work that was done in weeks after. And my coworkers tend to tease me about the costs I pay, since they think its absurd and I am being ripped off, but I think the one that I have found is worth the money.
I’m not saying that you should overcome your fear of the dentist if you have one, but I think dental care should be prioritized and getting a good dental clinic that you feel comfortable in, is important.
Arristella 