To really capture my experience with Dr. Charmaine Fong at Aarm Dental I need to provide a little…read morehistory.
I'm from Ireland. We all know the reputation those from the British Isles have for dental hygiene; I guess it's because, at least in my experience, the dentists aren't very good. During one visit my dentist dropped out for lunch right in the middle of pulling 2 teeth, and I poured blood; another dentist pulled the wrong tooth for my sister. My twin brother also needed a filling and didn't receive enough anaesthetic and felt the drill boring into his tooth. The point is, I've been traumatized, and I think justifiably so !
Fast forward eighteen years. Yes, eighteen. I'm not proud of that, but what with bad experiences, and the fact that I travelled for years, I haven't been to a dentist in all that time. I finally booked an appointment after seeing favourable reviews for Aarm dental on Hornby as I felt pain in my teeth.
I realised Aarm dental was different from that very first call. Jenna, the receptionist, truly listed to me - and even suggested I don't book my first visit on my birthday (which I was going to do) ! When I arrived for my appointment, Dr. Charmaine Fong listened to my concerns regarding dentists, then set about easing them. We spent about an hour or so going over dental history, taking X-rays, pointing out problem areas, etc. She made me feel comfortable, and that she really cared about me as a person and not just a customer. I told her I had a thing about pain, and that I was very nervous. She assured me that I was in good hands.
It turned out the "pain" I was feeling was that I needed 6 fillings. We decided that 6 at once would be too much so we booked a second appointment, and started on the first 3. First she froze my gums with a pink mixture that tasted of bubblegum. After waiting about 10 minutes for it to take effect, she gave me a local anaesthetic with a needle. I was really worried about that ! She apologised, then manoeuvred her arm in such a way so I wouldn't see the needle. I honestly didn't feel a thing ! When I did feel some pain (for a split second) in the roof of my mouth, she warned me first and apologized again, after. Again, after a pause to let the drugs get to work, she got the fillings taken care of. After finishing we scheduled for my next visit.
Since that first time, I've since been perhaps 4 other times, to complete work, or a cleaning, or a check up. I am so happy I took the plunge ! I've felt guilty about not going for so long, and it was something that was hanging over me. I now have no fear at all about going to the dentist. Dr. Charmaine Fong is an exceptional dentist, and really stressed the importance of maintaining a good dental routine every day with the right tools, and frequent visits to the dentist. I have since recommended her to my friends. My twin brother was even more traumatized than I was about dentists, but left the clinic smiling. I can't believe what I'm about to say - but I'm actually looking forward to my next visit. Thank you Dr. Fong !