Travel Blog

I like going to the dentist; it gives the day a sense of purpose.

I usually don't go in the summer, being a spring and autumn guy, but I chipped a back molar so I dropped by the office on Monday. My dentist, whom I've been with for 22 years, put in a temporary filling to hold me over until permission comes from my insurance company to put in a crown.

Despite his boyish looks, my dentist is in his early 60s. He said he'd like to cut back on his office hours a bit, but it's hard to find a partner. "The young dentists," he said, "have a different attitude. They want to make money quickly." He said that they'll take a look in someone's mouth, see a bunch of old fillings and insist they be replaced. My dentist's view is: Until they start bothering you, we'll leave them alone. It's why I've been going to him for 22 years.