Dear readers, I have such a funny story to tell you today. I hope you get as good a laugh out of it as my husband and I did.
Laughter is, after all, one of the healthiest things anyone can do, so I’m sharing this story with all of you in the hope that it adds a boost of wellness to your day!
So here’s what happened ….
This morning, as I was getting ready to leave my dentist’s office after a 9am appointment, the receptionist hands me an envelope with my name on it. She told me the day before over the phone that it was a gift card which was the office’s way of saying “thank you” for some referrals I’ve sent their way in recent months.
Very nice. A classy touch, I thought to myself.
So, I get in my car and drive home. I didn’t open the envelope because it just didn’t cross my mind to do so at that moment.
Boy, am I glad I waited!
After I arrive home, I go into the house and start putting my keys, etc on the kitchen table and notice the envelope again.
I thought it would be nice to share this with my husband, so I walk into his office and tell him about the gift card and begin to open the envelope so we can be surprised and delighted together.
I’m thinking it must be movie tickets or a certificate to a local restaurant or something like that which my husband and I can share on an evening out.
You can imagine my shock and surprise when I pull out the gift card and it is none other than a gift card to (drum roll please) …
DUNKIN’ DONUTS!!!!!
I am not making this up.
For the first few seconds, my husband and I were too stunned to say anything. We just stared at each other with our jaws agape.
And then, we started to laugh, and laugh, and LAUGH!
Oh my, that was so funny. A dentist giving a gift card to Dunkin’ Donuts! The irony of it is almost too much to comprehend!
After we finally stopped laughing many, many minutes later, I finally gasped enough air to ask my husband, “What am I going to do with this? I don’t eat donuts and I don’t drink coffee?”
Always my knight in shining armor, hubby chimed in that Dunkin’ Donuts now shares space with Baskin Robbins, so he can take the kids out for ice cream with it.
Wonderful, I thought. Ice cream for the kids. What a way to promote those cavities (and some repeat business)!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
Wow! They couldn’t be more obvious that they want repeat customers:-)
You are fortunate though that they are letting you skip the flouride and x-rays. We went to a great holistic dentist in California but he was more expensive than a regular dentist.
Another idea if you’d like to avoid giving your kids the ice cream…..gift the gift certification to someone else — or sell it on Ebay. 🙂
There are so many mixed messages from mainstream health care providers. I have seen stuff like this before, and it is laughable, although sad. Our chiropractor that my husband and son sees gives us thank you gifts from time-to-time and they are always movie tickets, which I appreciate. But it’s very disconcerting to see health care providers not only avoiding the good advice about nutrition and health and encouraging activities like vaccines, but providing thank-yous to patients that require buying something to eat
that clearly isn’t good for us at all.
My chiropractor gives out lollipops. But at least they’re organic. *rolls eyes*
Wow. How sad is that? I’m speechless.
Our EX-pediatrician used to hand out Free Frosty coupons for Wendy’s. What a joke.
Job security at its best!
I agree Sherri, I think they truly try to sabotage people’s health! What a freaking shame!!!
Hmm now you REALLLLLY wonder if they are trying to sabotage your health. Really? This is absurd, that’s like your life insurance company giving you sky diving lessons! OYE!
O_o *blink blink*
Really though, you should call them or write them and let them know how ridiculous this is although you appreciate the “gesture”. Someone needs some “schooling”.
I’m thinking it is a hopeless case. I’ve mentioned Rami Nagel’s book to them before, and gotten blank stares. I am just thankful they allow opting out of xrays and flouride and are tolerant of my views. If they want to eat Dunkin’ Donuts, have at it.
I’ve mentioned that book to my dentist also, and about remineralizing our teeth with diet and cod liver oil. He gave me a weird look and sounded surprised. They also respect my flouride issue and less frequent x-rays. Sarah, how to you feel about sealants (sp?) for kids?
Sealants are not a good idea .. they are full of estrogen mimicking chemicals and teeth can still decay beneath them and then when the sealants are removed, the teeth crumble. I think they should be avoided at all costs.
I finally got it across clearly to my dentist that we will NOT be doing sealants. They asked me why and I told that that I don’t want that stuff put in my children’s bodies. They didn’t say another word.
I had lots of sealants as a kid! Hmmm….. Too bad now, I guess. I’ve also had 5 root canals. Now, of course, I have found a dentist who knows alternative ways to deal with root canals, but it’s too late for the ones I’ve had. I just try and be as healthy as possible because pulling teeth also comes with problems.
So what do you do if your kids have a cavity if you don’t recommend sealants?
Sara,
I’m a 22 year old who has been getting sealant put in my molars for the last 8 years or so. I sought out a different dentist when I disagreed with his suggestion of removing my wisdom teeth. My new dentist has a very holistic practice. Not only did he inform me that I did NOT need to have my wisdom teeth, but he also told me exactly what Sarah said above….that during all those years of having sealant, my teeth had decayed beneath them. Because my sealants had fallen out (as they usually do) he could see that I had FIVE cavities!!! I have to get fillings for those cavities, but for the molars that have not decayed that much, he suggests ozone treatment as opposed to sealant to reverse the tooth decay. I would suggest you do some research to see if there are any holistic dentists in your area that offer this form of treatment.
Classic!
Sometimes you just gotta wonder…!!
A lot of people hate conspiracy theories, but some things are just too coincidental. LOL 🙂