Just finished watching
Who am I? starring Jackie Chan as
Jackie Chan with short-term
amnesia on video. Brilliant action sequences again, including some really cool
rally car stunts - and driven by a
cute girl !
Light relief from another day at work. I've been at my practice for more than a year now, and I love it when patients come back to see me for their 6-monthly check up! Some families have been for 3 check-ups with me!
The story with one the patients I saw today was that she had always gone for her check-ups - and sure enough it was on her treatment card - but her gum disease had gone unnoticed before! I had noted her chronic suppurative advanced periodontitis at her last check-up with me.
I am sure that the last dentist could not have missed the bleeding and pus exudate from her gums. I could just press gently on her gums, and this surge of pus would come out. Teeth were beginning to loosen. It was advanced perio! Needed specialist treatment.
So she's now seeing the periodontist - and there's only one of them in Wollongong, NSW, Australia. BTW, he does great business! But she asked me why didn't the last dentist pick it up and she was ANGRY. She always had a suspicion that something wasn't right about her gums. How was I supposed to defend my collegue? I knew the last dentist should've sent her to the specialist earlier, and not risk loosing teeth. But I also know that the last dentist was a very responsible (& experienced) lady - where did it go wrong?
Hmmm... She thought that I was exaggerating on first diagnosis, thinking that I was "inexperienced". Of course, I'm not supposed to take offence at this. Which I don't, honestly! She told me this today, at her second check-up with me.
I guess one of the lessons from this is not to trust one person's judgement to the grave. Besides, {medical} professionals are always happy for you to get a second opinion - it doubles the chances of a correct diagnosis, and (hopefully) halves the chances of litigation for incorrect diagnosis/wrong treatment and lost time & money.