DEAR ABBY: I'm having a problem with my dental hygienist, "Gloria." During my appointments, she engages me in conversation, which invariably lengthens the appointment from a half-hour to a whole hour. She giggles like a schoolgirl and stops multiple times during the cleaning to remove tools from my mouth so we can talk.
I don't want to be rude, but my appointments are on weekdays, and I need to get back to work. Occasionally, I have brought something to read, hoping it would keep Gloria from striking up a conversation, but it never works. I'm now considering changing dentists because I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with her. Please help. -- MIFFED IN MILWAUKEE
DEAR MIFFED: When you go to your next appointment, the first words out of your mouth should be to tell Gloria you don't have time to talk and must be out of there promptly in 30 minutes. If she can't comply, discuss it with your dentist so he/she can "remind" Gloria that her relationship with patients isn't personal, but professional, and discourage the small talk. The dental practice is a business, and if the situation is as you describe, Gloria could book twice as many patients as she's seeing now if she curtails the small talk.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
This particular Dear Abby hits home. When I switched dentists, the hygienist would stop cleaning my teeth and chat telling me stories. I finally did tell her that "Please I need to move this appointment along" and she did and has been pleasant since. People who are chatty need to be kept in check.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I hate awkward situations like that because I don't want to hurt their feelings when they are just trying to be nice. But it is very aggravating.
My dental hygienist chats but doesn't make me chat, but she is soooooo slow. Super sweet lady. I haven't made an issue of it because my appointments are always right after work.
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
