At 37, my last dental check up was so long before, that I don't even remember who or where it was. In fact, apart from having braces at age 14, the only dentist I remember was 'Mr Mison', as a pre teen




Mr Mison owned 'the little brick house' converted into a dental practice tucked in between the local set of shops in my neighbourhood growing up. I think Mr Mison raised anxiety for all the children at school, for no other reason than we were all forced had to have our regular check ups!! Bi annually my mum would march me and my two sisters into the waiting room and being the youngest, I always went last. The three things I remember most about the 'little brick house' are: The smell of disinfectant, the endless muffled chatter that emerged from the clinic and echoed down the corridor as I anxiously anticipated my turn, and that Mr Mison loved that drill!! I can still picture him standing over me wearing his crisp white coat and magnified loupes whilst adjusting the speed. Fortunately I escaped with just 2 silver deposits over the course of my childhood




Strangely enough, some 30 years later, I met a young man called Brook Mison at a party in Newtown. When he introduced himself, I casually said I had a dentist many years ago called Mr Mison. He told me that Mr Mison was his father and he still owned 'the little brick house' with the little red light and he still saw the local children. I was too polite to ask how old he was these days, yet as an 8 year old, I put Mr Mison well into his sixties. I guess my childhood perception placed him ahead of his years.




30 years on I must admit, I was only sitting in Dr Blatchford's hydraulic lift chair because I'd been told he was a local surfer, a bit of eye candy and definitely worth a look...... so if truth be told, I was there for the view! Poor Dr Blatchford therefore, had the dreaded job of being the first to examine the inside of my mouth in all those years, simply because he was graced with good looks.




The look on his face was one of contained horror when I told him my dental history. I did notice he and his equally gorgeous nurse exchanged a quick 'oh my god' glance across the room...... and understandably so. Much to Dr Blatchford's amazement though, I had and still have, a very healthy set of gums and choppers. So to this day, fortunately through good genetics and maintaining my own oral care, my only fillings are those still intact, 2 silver memoirs I endured at the 'little brick house'.




And for those of you who are wondering..... yes, I now see my new chosen Dentist Dr Kalliris every 6 months and have been doing so for many years, sometimes to the point where he tells me I am visiting too often. I guess I am making up for lost time.


I am interested to know if anyone else had memories of their childhood dental anxiety.


Do you have a 'Mr Mison' in your life??

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