Have you been to a Greater Davis Sq dentist in the last 6 months? (Need Luddite dentist)

[siderea]

Hi guys. I need the help of the hive mind. It seems I'm looking for a new dentist, only with a serious twist. This one isn't googleable.

I was just -- just -- at a new-to-me dentist. I had been neglecting my teeth for a few years due to grad school, and was now getting back on the wagon of dental hygiene. The dentist and the hygienist and the other staff were all great. I want to be clear, what happened was one of those wacky, nobody's-fault happenstances.

I have a congenital bone deformity in my lower jaw. This is one of those things dentists and dental hygienists are taught about in school, but don't necessarily ever encounter in the wild (I hear, "Wow! I've never seen one like that!" a lot). This has never actually been a problem getting dental care in the past, just so long as I warn anybody about to work in my mouth to take a look under my tongue in advance, so nobody gets a nasty surprise. Most especially when taking X-rays.

So after doing paperwork, they lead me to the exam room for X-rays and introduce me to the X-ray tech. And I say, btw, there's this thing you need to know about my lower jaw. And I open up my mouth and point, and she says, "Oh, my goodness!" And I say, "But it's not a problem. You just fold the film so it fits."

And she holds up the super-high-tech, newfangled digital X-ray probe gizmo and says, "But... this doesn't fold."

Half an hour and a couple superficial lacerations to my mouth later, she, the dentist and I pretty firmly established that, nope, you just can't take digital X-rays of my teeth, not with the present digital X-ray equipment. Not even with the smaller pediatric size gear. It just won't fit in my mouth.

So my question for the Greater Davis Square collective consciousness is: Have you had your teeth X-rayed anywhere within walking distance from Davis in the last six months where they used good old-fashioned film to do it? This is the kind of x-ray where they put this card-thingy in your mouth, which does not have a wire trailing from it. Also, failing walking-distance, someplace I can get to on the T.

(I understand I may be deeply screwed here. Obviously, digital x-rays are going to be vastly cheaper than film x-rays, because film is expensive and has to be developed -- all the reasons almost everyone in the word has converted from film to digital photography. Add in the drive to have all-digital medical records, and I'm not sure anyone is doing film any more, or will be doing it for long. But I figured I should ask.)

Comments

[misterthorn.livejournal.com]

Casey Cook? Last time I get x-rayed, it seemed like the same way I've always gotten xrayed..
You could just call and ask (617) 623-6767

[dominika-kretek.livejournal.com]

Casey is the best dentist I've ever had or heard of. He's definitely in the top five things I'll miss after moving from Davis.

And last time I was there, I am pretty sure they used films.

[misterthorn.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, totally, goes without saying! Best dentist ever! :)

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Oh I so agree that he is the best dentist...I LOVE him.

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I use Casey and I'm 70% sure they use film. Great guy, good hygenists, can't vouch for substantive dentistry because I've only been there for checkups.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

He used film on my teeth back in January!

and yes, he is the best!

[yourenotwithme.livejournal.com]

He used film on me on Monday. It was my first time there and I am already convinced he is the best. My roommate is tired of me talking about the dentist.

[warlord-mit.livejournal.com]

Try Dr Duarte on Mass Ave in Porter Sq. They still use film.

[desireearmfeldt]

I've been seeing Paul Schick, on College Ave -- at least through last fall, he was using film x-ray. I'm sort of neutral on him as a dentist (haven't asked him for anything complex, and there are a couple things he Doesn't Do Like My Old Dentist that I wish he would, but no real complaints either).

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

He was still using film a couple months ago. I have had a good experience there, but my teeth seem to be pretty much ok so it's just cleaning and poking a bit. It's hard to get any closer to Davis, tho.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Second on Schick. I like him.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_meej_/]

Dr. Roseman's office on Highland Ave.

[artguychris.livejournal.com]

Dr. Robert Grossman. He's by the Walgreens in Arlington, but it's bus-able.

[ratatosk.livejournal.com]

Also Harvard Vanguard, right in Davis, last time I went.

[jagienka]

Highland Dental - 336 Broadway in Somerville - busable from Davis and extremely nice and friendly.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Gentle Dental was still using film for X-Rays the last time I went...I've never seen a digital X-Ray! That's actually kind of cool (in the abstract, not in this situation).

[siderea]

Yeah! They're doing entirely digital medical records including entirely digital imaging (they even take photographs of the surfaces of your teeth), which would be really neat, if, you know, it worked with the mouth I have. :} The irony here is killing me: as a medical professional, I mostly think digital medical charts are a lovely idea that keeps important patient information from getting lost. ETA: I wonder if I should write this up for RISKS...

[londo.livejournal.com]

Yes, you should.

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

talonvaki is correct, and I am stuck with Gentle Dental for the nitrous - but I wouldn't recommend them. I'm deeply unsatisfied.

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

Agreed. My wife went there a couple of times, and I wouldn't advise anyone else go there.

[contradictacat.livejournal.com]

Lorna Lally on College Ave. Also, nice nice people.

[docorion.livejournal.com]

I have had the same experience with Dr. Lally. Nice folks, and the last time I had films, they used, well, film.

[jadelennox]

the amazing Doctor Peter McDonald in Harvard Square uses old-fashioned film.

(617) 547-0606

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Dr Robert Murphy on Mass Ave, East Arlington.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

Al-Aswad Dental in Teele Square used film on my daughter this very morning.

[zaarwin-devolve.livejournal.com]

Others have mentioned Dr. Cook (Davis Square Dental). I'm extremely happy with him. First off, he does use film. I had a checkup last month and it was definitely film. Second, he's near the T (~2 blocks from the Holland St. entrance). Third, the guy did a great job with a cap I had to have put in last year. Fourth, he's easy to get along with and never comes across as condescending (to me, at least).

I think you see what I'm getting at. :)

[taxine.livejournal.com]

Bright Dental in Cambridge, I was last there about 6 months ago and had the regular kind of xrays. She's also incredibly sweet, I can't recommend her enough. I also see Dr. Grossman mentioned up there, while I am sure he still has old fashioned xrays, his manner leaves much to be desired, and my mother once had an incredibly painful procedure with him because he insisted that a small filling didn't require any type of anesthetic.

[sekala.livejournal.com]

Sarah Hart at Hart Dental by inman square.

[miraclaire.livejournal.com]

Philip Millstein in Harvard Sq is my dentist, and they definitely still use film. His hygienist is super nice, too. I highly recommend them!

[yakshaver.livejournal.com]

I just (like, Monday) had analog xrays at Gentle Dental in Porter. I've been going to Dr van de Reydt there for like 15 years (originally on Vis' recommendation) and recommend him highly.

Edit: On reflection, I'm not actually sure it was analog. The assistant had me bite down on things that I took to be film holders; maneuvered the (for lack of the proper term) X-ray gun against my cheek, and left the room briefly. OTOH, a few minutes later the images appeared on the computer screen at my elbow. So for all I know, the "film holders" were actually holding CCDs.

[luckylefty.livejournal.com]

My dentist recently switched to digital, and I think he made some comment last time I was there (a couple of weeks ago) about "still having all this film", so he may still have the ability to do non-digital. Or he may have some different alternate form of the digital gadget that works with your mouth; he has a geeks fondness for cool gadgets.

Jay Morgenstern. 617-277-4100. I can't say enough good things about him. He fixed a friend's problems where multiple previous dentists had failed. He's not walking distance, but is on the Green line, on Beacon street in Brookline.

I'm not certain he's taking new patients; mention my name, which may persuade him to squeeze you in.

[agreeleyo.livejournal.com]

Any recommendations for dentists that can treat a severely phobic patient?

[siderea]

That might make a good top-level post. You might also already find information about that on Yelp.

[irinaauthor.livejournal.com]

This is pretty far for you if you live in Davis, but depending on how phobic you are it might be worth it. My severely dentist phobic husband LOVES My Dentist (http://www.mydentistbrookline.com/) in Coolidge Corner. They put him so at ease that when he recently had a minor issue and had to go once a week for about a month, he did it cheerfully and never once complained.