Wednesday, March 19, 2008

turn of the drill

I just returned from the sadist, oh I mean the dentist; and I couldn't help, as I sat there under anesthetic and drills, but ponder the sexism of that profession. I have never met a female dentist or orthodontist, and furthermore, I've never met a male dental hygienist. Why is this?! In school, I went to school with many pre-med, pre-dent students, and looking back, I never met a female pre-dent student, though I met many, many female pre-meds. What?! Sexism is alive and well, and in your mouth. Even if there are female dentists out there, there must be very low numbers for me to never have encountered even one....

I also couldn't help but detest the kindly older man drilling on my cavities. I kept telling myself, "This is your own fault, not his." And yet, I couldn't remember having done anything wrong. It couldn't be the fault of delicious, delicious candy! No, it must be Dr. Badger's fault. Cruel, cruel man.

Argh. And now my anesthetic is wearing off, I'd better go swallow a bottle of Advil.

2 comments:

4 Reale said...

That is a brilliant point you bring up.

However, my dentist growing up was a woman. And, let me tell you, she rocked!

Women make better dentists. They are more gentle, more considerate of your pain and understand when you say, "I'm missing four of my front teeth, and my biggest fear is that I won't look good." Where my past male dentists were just looking for the fastest, easiest way to fix my teeth. They would disregard any concern about appearances.

So, I wish there were more women that were dentists. And I agree with you completely. Totally sexist. It was pure luck to find a woman dentist in Colorado. But get this, Utah State Grad. HELLS YES.

(officially the longest comment of my life)

Cassandra Anne said...

I have no response to such a long comment...