Biting the bullet

Uncharacteristic quiet on the blogging front while assessing the state of the Irish dental industry (and drawing parallels to banks and economic woes) My English dentist retired last year,  so what I hear you say – so I had more years with this guy than with any other personal or business relationship to date!  25 to be precise.

With a raging abscess I could put it off no longer and called a  local dentist I used before.  Who could not see me for a week, and bless his cotton socks when he did see me wanted another week before he could put me out of my misery – and the princely sum of €1600 – or €75 for an extraction as a cheap alternative. Excuse me? Ok so sell me this!  No, I never saw the dentst after the x ray and a rather embarrassed receptionist attempted to make the sale and advised me on a price basis that the extraction might be better – ‘in the year thats in it’.

Picture me, howling in pain and  waiting another week for anything to happen at all – two weeks in, no meaningful advice or leadership, hurtling towards a decision that affects my ability to eat for the rest of my lfe. NOW does this remind you of the economy? Thought so.

End of part 1 , exited dumbly to car, wept a little, as you do.  Picked up the phone (resisting the temptation to order said UK dentist out of retirement)and called a client. Denteast  do dental work in Dublin and in Budapest and like a lot of people I thought this was just cosmetic stuff.  Far from it.  Lovely dentist showed me the x ray, presented the options and had me mostly sorted within 48 hours – a Sunday appointment (thats the carrot folks!) – and now has me contemplating a dental break in Budapest to get things back in order.  Apparently I can have a whole new mouth for just over twice the proposed root fee from my local….. and the Hungarian technology was miles ahead … and I can get my tax back just like it was Ireland.