Rough Assistant

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sadpanda
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:05 pm

Rough Assistant

#1 Post by sadpanda »

Hi -

There are two assistants at my ortho's office and one of them is really gentle, fast, and seems like she definitely knows what she's doing. The other one is really rough, always seems to put her hands on my face, and forgets to do some stuff for the adjustment because she didn't read my chart. For some reason, I think I get assigned the rough one because I am an adult and the other, nicer one is needed for all the kids. Then, at the last adjustment, the rough one kept losing her grip on the instrument and it kept hurting until she did something so hard that she cut open my lip on the outside. Then, when she said I was done, I went over and looked in the mirror and there was blood all over my teeth, although the new colored ligs looked nice. I got in the car and noticed that she didn't put any comfort wire along the big space across a gap and the wire was so sharp, it was cutting my tongue. So, I went back in, and I told the assistant that she forgot the comfort wire and she said she didn't know I had had it even though I've had it since my 2nd adjustment.

Anyway, I'd like to ask if I can request who does my adjustment, but I'm afraid they'll tell me that the gentle one usually does kids and doesn't have time for me, so I just have to stick it out. I'm sure people have been in this situation before. However, I feel that maybe if I tell the office that I don't want the rough one working with my teeth, she'll get offended and there will be tension every time I go there. Suggestions? :braces_angry:

JennyLaughs
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:52 am
Location: NWA, AR

Re: Rough Assistant

#2 Post by JennyLaughs »

Hello! I'm sorry to hear about your horrid experiences with this rough assistant. I find it astounding that there are so many of these people whose line of work involves one of the most pain-sensitive parts of our bodies and they have absolutely no empathy at all. I have read quite a few stories with unfortunate parts like yours and it really scared me quite badly (I've only had my braces on for a week). So this is what I figured: if I went into my ortho's office and got a tech who treated me like anything less than a adult paying over $5,000, I would promptly let the tech as well as the receptionist know that I would not allow them to work on my mouth again, someone else would have to give it a try. As my awesome luck would have it, the woman who put my braces on was a 30 year vet in her field, the most gentle and kindest woman I've ever met, and I went ahead and told the receptionist to put on my file that I would only be scheduled with her as my tech. They were 100% completely fine with this! They were just happy I had had a good experience and wanted to make me comfortable in whatever way they could. This is SUCH a high cost investment, you should have confidence in giving feedback on your experience and definitely have the final word on who's allowed to be your torturer... I mean, tech. Don't be nervous, just let 'em know!
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GRILLZ
Posts: 187
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 10:52 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Rough Assistant

#3 Post by GRILLZ »

i agree, that you should expect to be treated well for the $$ you are shelling out. at my dentist, there was a tech that i couldn't stand, because she had hurt me a couple of times, and the last straw was when i had fractured a tooth, needed a root canal and then gum surgery to save the tooth....so i had been through a lot and i had to go in for a cleaning and i asked her not to go anywhere NEAR that tooth as the area was so sensitive. well she went in there anyway and i just about flew out of the chair it hurt so bad. well she laughed about it, and i was practically in tears.

after that, i will ONLY allow myself to be cleaned by the other hygienist in the office, i made sure i knew her name and i will only allow my cleaning to be done by HER, not the other incompetent witch of the north

plugnickel69
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:15 am

Re: Rough Assistant

#4 Post by plugnickel69 »

I agree with JennyLaughs. If you make a request it should be honored. At my dentist's office, I schedule the hygienist that's the most gentle and thorough. I had one of the rough ones during one early visit and told them I did not want her working on me again -- and they all knew how rough she was.

Orthodontics is a service business. Orthos get a great deal of business through patient referrals and can't afford to have patients walk away grumbling and complaining. You're paying big bucks for this service and it's your mouth. You deserve to be treated properly and I'm sure they are aware of her inadequacies. You don't have to be a victim.

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jensceana73
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Re: Rough Assistant

#5 Post by jensceana73 »

I feel your pain. Boy do I feel your pain.

Don't know if you've read my story or not....but I mention many times the issues I've had with one particular dental tech. Lovely woman she is....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :yikes:

My ortho's office has 5 or 6 techs. And my ortho himself, has a personnel assistant. Anyway, the day I got my braces put on, they had...the "new girl", who actually is a woman about 50, do most of it with the Doc and another girl showing her what to do, what she could do better....you get the picture.
Anyway, the next, oh I don't know....2 or 3 adjustments I had.....I got her. I call her "nurse Hatchet". For good reason. I don't know about your teeth,but my teeth, especially the really crooked ones....were very, VERY...tender. And she would start on me, and I lie to you not....there were time's I had...tears, sweat dripping all over my body and I even yelped in pain....more than once. Couldn't stand it. I'd come home in tears. Well, after about the 4th time, my husband says to me....why....WHY....don't you say something?!!! What if she's this harsh with the kids. They won't say anything, cause you know their mom's are telling them to "be nice". He's like, your paying waaaaaaay too much money to not have top notch treatment.....top notch. Well, I was like..."I don't want to offend anyone, or get them in trouble"...of course my husband was like....."since when?"... :huh:

He also made a very good point. He said, "your getting to where your loathing your adjustments". "You get yourself all worked up the day and night before......and it's not worth it." "You still have at least 18 more of these." Adjustments that is. That's a lot of time.....to worry about who I'm gonna have.

So, my next appointment I decided that if I got her.....and it was bad/painful....I was going to say something. Well let me tell ya, it was terrible, and I.....said something. To her....and the receptionist. And ever since.....I haven't had her once.....and I've LOVED....them.

Now, if I would have had her and everyone else, and the experience was the same, then I never would have said anything. I would have assumed that this was just the way it was. But any time I got one of the other girls.....it was a totally different experience. Yes, sometimes I still was uncomfortable....but none of the other girls EVER jabbed me with their tools....and she...did it all the time, in my gums and lips.

So....if I were you....better to say something now, rather than go months and months....like I did. I'm so glad I did it. And yes....at first I was worried she would be offended and it'd be "weird" when I saw her.....but, now after all is said and done...I don't even care, it was the best thing I did in that situation.

Good Luck to you!!!!!!
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JennyLaughs
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:52 am
Location: NWA, AR

Re: Rough Assistant

#6 Post by JennyLaughs »

Actually, it was Jens posts that scared me the most! I remember reading one in particular that warned me (who has NOT yet had an adjustment) not to read on, but I did, and in a way I'm glad. After reading that nightmare-inducing post was when I decided that no matter what, I was going to be very upfront with my techs, let them know that I was nervous and had some dental anxiety, and if anything unnecessarily painful (as in having a tool stuck into my gums or lips!) happened I would just make sure to let the receptionist know that I didn't want that tech again. That's what I love the most about this forum, people share their good experiences and we all feel good with them, but it's when we share our bad ones that we help others by educating them on how to help themselves. Thanks Jen!
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andi3
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 3:20 pm

Re: Rough Assistant

#7 Post by andi3 »

This sounds awful! As someone paying for treatment, I would hope you would speak up for yourself and ask for a new assistant or if the current one could be more gentle.

catgyrl
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Re: Rough Assistant

#8 Post by catgyrl »

sadpanda-

I really feel for you. I went through a very rough adjustment a month or so ago - bad enough to make me curse in front of the ortho (which isn't something I'd normally do). I got a new assistant who'd never worked on my teeth before, and she was attempting to either put on or take off (can't remember) the powerchain that was pulling back my canine (the chain had been on there since June, so that tooth was pretty sensitive to begin with), when she slipped and the instrument she was using gouged the gum above the canine. She sloppily sopped up the blood, and when I told her "That was the most pain I've ever had the entire time I've been in braces, INCLUDING after my tooth extraction," she nonchalantly said, "Oh... really?" Like she couldn't care less...

I know we don't always have a choice of who works on our teeth, but if I happen to get her next time, I'm definitely going to warn her to be extra careful in that area because of what she did to me before. You should always voice your concerns.

Good luck at your next adjustment!
-Cathy

sadpanda
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:05 pm

Re: Rough Assistant

#9 Post by sadpanda »

Thanks everyone for your stories and advice. I thought I'd have to wait until my next appointment to try and say something about switching assistants, but I went to the ortho's office today to drop off a payment and asked the person at the desk if I could request who would do my adjustments and she didn't think it was unreasonable at all. She said everyone has their own preferences and that I wouldn't be offending anyone. I felt so relieved. I'm not used to asserting myself. Anyway, she just put a note on my file in the computer that I want the nice tech to work on my teeth because the other one is so rough. Success! :tingrin:

mzachary
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:53 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Re: Rough Assistant

#10 Post by mzachary »

Oh my. I'm a little worried now. My first adjustment is Feb 8. Good luck to everyone!!

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