Ruminations of an Expatriate

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Wednesday, October 24th, 2007...12:27 pm

A Trip To The Dentist

Late last week a gringo neighbor indicated that he had a gum infection and asked if I would accompany him to the dentist to translate.

Neither of us were familiar with a dentist so we walked the four blocks to a recently opened dental office on calle Clavijero, one of the primary streets traversing the Centro shopping district.

The dental office is on the second story over a pharmacy, with which I think the dental office has some sort of business relationship. The sparsely furnished office is staffed by a young dental graduate of the University of Veracruz; a young woman dental professional; and their precious one year old daughter, who passed the time at the rail of her makeshift playpen cooing, smiling, and demanding attention, which I was pleased to provide as I waited between my translation duties.

The dentist immediately diagnosed the problem, prescribed antibiotics and pain pills, and instructed my neighbor to return today for the extraction of the offending tooth.

This morning we returned. While the doctor was preparing my neighbor I translated and answered the medical history questions one is normally asked during one’s first visit to a dentist or doctor. Some of the questions required more competent translation services than I was able to provide so the young woman called an English speaking friend.

My neighbor complimented the dentist for the painless manner in which he administered a shot of local anesthetic and was provided a second shot when he reported a bit of pain as the doctor went to work.

Soon the tooth was removed, the resulting hole packed, aftercare instructions were issued (which included no eating of pork fat) and we were on our way within about twenty minutes.

The removal of the tooth necessitates construction of a new bridge for my neighbor, who was instructed to return on Saturday for the making of impressions upon which the new bridge will be fitted. The bridge will be ready the following Saturday.

The whole shebang, as they say, including the extraction; a cleaning; and new bridge will run $1,200. pesos, or about $110.00 USA at today’s exchange rate.

My neighbor reports he is quite satisfied with his treatment and noted that in the USA he would have been referred to an oral surgeon for such a procedure.

My education continues.

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