India Journal 2006 #32 - March 28th, DENTAL CLINIC and SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

This will be a short post just to catch up. I've had a very long, but very profitable day, and am quite tired now.

So, first of all, as the weather has gotten so hot, I tend to stay close to "home" in the daytime, and we've decided, my few friends and I, that it is best to head out after 4 in the afternoon to do our walking, shopping, have dinner,


see the lovely sites at nite, and come back by rickshaw later in the evening.
That's the plan, but today already started differently. First of all, I had a long business talk with Nandu and we have pretty much come to terms about all technical things which I will write up nicely as a contract and we will both sign it. And then, it is up to me!@

And then, as planned yesterday, I went down with Ilse and Ruth to a dental hospital which Ilse discovered, to see what it was like and perhaps have our teeth checked. Well, as you can see from the above, it is a fabulous, amazingly wonderful modern place, comparable, both inside and out, as well as in efficiency, to any type of medical institution I've seen anywhere in the world.







We registered (for 10 rupees), opened files, and were each sent for an initial examination by a dentist. Since it is a college, there are rooms FULL of chairs, and so never any waiting. There is always a doctor, and student to check you. We were each checked, and from what each of us knows about ourselves and our past experiences, the diagnosis were both accurate and honest. No one suggested anyone do unnecessary treatments. Ruth needs a filling done, which will cost her 400 rupees for a white filling. I had a cleaning done, with a machine (they call it ultrasound T-scaling, or something like that). It was completely painless, no bleeding, no pain, and in all the years I've been getting cleanings, my teeth have NEVER been this clean. It is quite lovely. Then I was sent to have my gums checked, and the verdict was, that as long as they are not getting worse, there is no bleeding or sensitivity, then there is also no reason to do anything about them, certianly not surgery. They said in the event of sensitivity around the teeth which are exposed at the gumline, they have some kind of coating they put on these teeth to protect them, similar to enamel. I've never heard of it, but will ask when I get home, but at this point, they said it would be a waste of my money and to come back in 6 months! I paid the handsome price of 700 rupees for all this. We met another guy who is doing root canal and he has paid 1500 rupees for the root canal and 400 rupees for the crown!!

So, another life solution has been found. I will begin doing my regular dental work here, and if I get to the point where I need something more serious, it will certainly pay off. Ruth is missing 4 lower teeth on one side and they suggested they make a bridge for her. She said no one ever suggested it before but when she goes to do her filling, she will get more information.

And to end the whole thing, My New "Issta" bag is lovely, a perfect copy...same same but different...and MUCH nicer. Also has an extra pocket on the inside. So now I am making a second one in plain fabric which will also have little mesh holders on the side for water. And they are thinking of using the design to make bags to sell.




Namaste
Jane