A Fragile Thing

As doctors, we're trained to be skeptical, because patients lie to us all the time. The rule is, the patient is lying until proven honest.
----- Grey's Anatomy : Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

Sometimes i think i'm not destined to do prosthodontics (a branch of dentistry dealing with the replacement of teeth)

first patient - a friendly chap but not compliant with his appointment. I have to discharge him after a couple of cancellations

second patient - a grumpy,nasty and fussy middle-aged woman who is willing to stay for only 1 hour for each appointment.Worse still, she is diagnosed with uterine fibroids weeks later and has to undergo hysterectomy which puts off her dental treatment.

now comes the third patient - a huge black man who is 30 min late for his first appointment

Medically, he suffers from hypertension, stroke, diabetes and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

When asked to come in early at his next appointment, he goes
"i live in North London. It takes me 3 hours to get here. There is no way to make it earlier!''

Clearly i have no idea how far Enfield (where he lives) is so i just take his words for it.

When queried about his dental and social history he jeers at questions like ''how many times do you brush a day?", "do you floss?" , "do you smoke?" which are what we call standard questions for dental check-up.

"You like being a dentist?Looking at people's teeth every day?" he sneers
"i'm enjoying it so far'' trying to sound positive
"i think dentists like giving empty promises!'' he then goes on how his previous dentist has kept him waiting for a year and never dealt with his missing teeth as promised.
"So i suppose the next visit will be in a year's time?" he gives me the scornful look which i hate a second time
"Of course not!Your next appointment will be on 15th Dec,'' i put down the date on his appointment card.
"Promise?I know your name and i will call to remind you. Don't you ever think you can fool around with me!"

WTF! first time my trustworthiness has been questioned by a patient!!

Even worse, i later finds out he is a big fat liar. It only takes 45 min max by train to travel from his place to Whitechapel according to my group mate who lives in North London. As a stroke patient, he is entitled to free travel after 9.30a.m. which explains why he refuses to make early appointment.

"3 hours is a joke!'' my group mate teases

Interesting enough, the patient warns me not to break my promise when he himself is a liar in the first place.

Trust is like a mirror. Once broken you'll never look at in the same way again.

But for the sake of my pros requirement, i must mend this fragile bridge even if it means i may have to put up with more lies then.

It sucks to be a dental student like me!!